from the You've-got-to-know-when-to-hold-'em,-know-when-to-fold-'em dept.
Submitted via IRC for AndyTheAbsurd
Instead of maximizing pixel density to fit more info on a smartwatch's tiny screen, IBM has patented a radically different approach that promises to change how we think about wrist wearables completely. But given the trouble companies have had with rolling out expanding screen smartphones, it's hard to imagine this wearable ever being technically feasible.
[...] the patent describes a unique expanding screen system using sliding panels hidden beneath the wearable's main housing. The panels can be removed and connected to expand the wearable's screen real estate into something closer to what a smartphone affords through a four-by-four array, allowing you to display more widgets or to open more capable applications. But why stop there? IBM's patent suggests the modular screen could be expanded with up to eight connected panels, resulting in a display as large as a phone or small tablet awkwardly perched on your wrist.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/ibm-patents-a-smartwatch-that-transforms-into-a-giant-a-1836211325
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 10 2019, @06:16AM (8 children)
To me augmented reality glasses would eliminate the need for such watches (and reduce the need for physically large screens) and the watches you'd wear would be for decorative/fashion purposes or for specialized sectors where AR glasses are not viable (e.g. diving watch).
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 10 2019, @06:21AM
AR glasses are a good idea. We could even have hybrid AR/VR glasses (retinal projection, cover to block light). But a smartwatch might be nice if it could project a hologram (movie style).
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(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday July 10 2019, @07:20AM (6 children)
I wouldn't mind a wide cuff or even vambrace [wikipedia.org] form tablet though. I suspect it would be easier to achieve than a truly foldable form, and one could even fit a physical keyboard - slide out or not.
Granted, should be rugged enough - thicker gorilla glass (leading to thicker gorilla arm).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 10 2019, @07:35AM (5 children)
How about a full powered exoskeleton suit, with a display covering the entire body, allowing it to display texts, video, optical camouflage, etc.
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(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday July 10 2019, @07:50AM (4 children)
I'm waiting for the P-5000 power loader for ages and it should be simpler than what you describe. Glad I haven't held my breath.
Besides, a "wide cuff format" for a wearable-tablet is not even a jump ahead of today's technology, so I don't get why your sarcasm (as diluted as it may be).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 10 2019, @08:00AM (1 child)
Sarcasm? You want that suit.
Cuff things have been around:
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/2/25/18240370/nubia-alpha-release-date-price-features-wearable-smartwatch-flexible-display-mwc-2019 [theverge.com]
https://www.flexenable.com/newsroom/press-release-flexenable-showcases-first-wrist-worn-conformable-olcd-for-wearable-applications-at-m/ [flexenable.com]
https://walyou.com/snaplet-e-ink-bracelet/ [walyou.com]
Could be made wider.
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(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday July 10 2019, @08:13AM
No, I actually don't.
Flexenable example seems about right - except they are a provider of OLEDs, with no intention of getting themselves into any end product.
Snaplet - seemed on a good path, maybe they were ahead of their times (2011) so they got nowhere.
Nubia - bleagh - idiotic choice to my mind.
4 inches in landscape would have made a lot of difference in usability. Make it wider, add a slide-out keyboard and we may be getting somewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Informative) by NPC-131072 on Wednesday July 10 2019, @10:21AM (1 child)
Would cost an arm and a leg. Here's an arm. [youtube.com]
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday July 10 2019, @11:37AM
A thing I promised myself I'll tackle when I get to retirement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 4, Insightful) by pipedwho on Wednesday July 10 2019, @08:12AM (1 child)
‘futures’ patents where a patent is taken out on something that no one actually knows how to do are a scourge. The idea is to patent something that would be obvious to anyone that actually developed/invented techniques to achieve something, but don’t exist yet. This blocks new inventions from being implemented and actively discourages people to invent things that might be awesome, but now risk limited application due to these sort of patents.
Now this would be a different story if IBM could actually make this work, but I’m pretty confident we don’t have the technology today to achieve the overly broad ‘land grab’ concepts they describe in their patent.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 10 2019, @01:19PM
Given their butterfly keyboard, I'd think IBM is likely closer to implementing this than their competitors.
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Wednesday July 10 2019, @08:49AM
That thing is going to cause a lot of cases of RSI, because people will twist their wrist until the battery dies.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Wednesday July 10 2019, @06:55PM
Now there's your use case right there... [youtube.com]
This sig for rent.
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Wednesday July 10 2019, @08:06PM (1 child)
I just want to know how many times the image in that article has been printed out, faxed, scanned in, processed on a 386 with monochrome graphics, then printed again. The dithering looks like it is from the late 80's or early 90's.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 10 2019, @08:20PM
It has a lot to do with being a screenshot of a patent, I'm sure.
https://nl.letsgodigital.org/uploads/2019/06/ibm-smartwatch-smartphone-tablet.pdf [letsgodigital.org]
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