Old Predictions of an Apple Handheld Computer

I love predicting what great new products Apple might come up with. Recently I came across this document I wrote September 5th, 2004. It had my vision for an Apple Handheld Computer.

Did I get close to predicting the iPhone and iPod Touch years before it happened? Well, I thought the entire front would be a screen, but I also thought for iPod functions it would show a virtual click wheel on it, and I thought you could put membrane switches under the screen to sense finger presses! Sheesh! But I also thought of a full touch screen of the right dimensions, and putting full OS X on it. And I’m still waiting for Bluetooth stereo and Apple Remote Desktop! Here it is:

 

Handheld Computer Idea

First, let me assure you I am not insane. And, these ideas are solely my own. It is my vision of an Apple handheld computer. Very few things need to be invented to create this design; these will be explained as we get to them. I believe the device could be made in a year or two.

Hardware:

Start with a 4^th generation iPod. The clickwheel can be thought of as five membrane switches, one in the center and four at the points of the compass. In addition there is a touch sensitive ring positioned over the four outer switches that senses finger capacitance.

Give the iPod a quarter turn to the left so that the screen is on the left and the controller is on the right. Imagine the screen gone for a moment.

Now imagine a second controller just like the first, positioned to the left of the original controller and slightly overlapping, such that the “West” switch of the original controller is exactly over the “East” switch of the new one. In fact, make them the same switch.

Imagine the touch sensitive rings gone for a moment. What we have so far is an array of  nine membrane switches. Ine common one in the center of the front surface, four to the right, and four to the left.

Add one half inch to the width (height actually, since we have positioned the iPod sideways) of the unit. Re=center everything.

Now place a screen over the entire front of the unit, on top of the array of switches. The screen is an OLED type. Such screens are thin, can be on a flexible substrate, are low power, and need no backlight. The screen is thin and flexible enough that you can click the switches below by pressing on them. Essentially, the screen is the top surface of the membrane switches. As in the original iPod, the two “center” switches can have a slight dome shape over them such that you can feel their positions.

A screen with the above characteristic needs to be invented. It absolutely is well within the realm of possibility. Hurdles include making a screen with a good half life, making it flexible enough to allow for membrane switch operation, and allowing for the domes without distorting the image on the screen.

Above or under this screen is a capacitive touch sensor such that your fingertip position can be sensed anywhere on the screen. This may or may not have to be invented.

A metal stylus may be used which “focuses” your finger to make it easier to sense the precise position you are touching. This allows writing or drawing on the screen.

Above all this is a protective coating which is clear, allows viewing, finger sensing, stylus, and, membrane switches.

You now have a case whose front surface has a wide screen aspect ratio 4.5” diagonal image. You can touch, write on, and click buttons on this screen.

Place hard disk, battery, memory, CPU, audio out, video out, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology inside.

Software:

Write software to allow the functions described below.

iPod function:

This device is still an iPod. Hold it in the vertical orientation. On the top half of the unit is the usual iPod screen. On the bottom half is an image of the familiar iPod control wheel. Use normally. You have physical click switches in the usual positions, and the touch screen allows the ring-control function.

You can also hold the unit upside down and it can work the same way, since you have switches and controls at both ends of the device.

Video iPod function:

Hold the unit in a horizontal orientation. Playback full screen video. You have invisible iPod-like controls on both the left and right side of the screen, you can use these controls to control the video playback.

Audio output function:

Audio can come through a headphone jack. It may be streamed over Wi-Fi  to an Airport Express. It may be streamed over Blurtooth to stereo headphones.

Video output function:

Video can appear on the screen, It can be sent to an I/O connector which can connect to a video device. It can be streamed out through Wi-Fi.

Data I/O function:

Data can be transferred through an I/O connector to a dock. This is the only way to get mass data such as audio and video into the device. The dock also charges the device.

Remote desktop function:

Allow connection to Apple Remote Desktop over Wi-Fi such that the device can be used to see the screen of  a Macintosh, and control it. Allow Bluetooh keyboards and mice to connect to the device to aid in this control.

Macintosh function:

Someday, place OSX in the device and let it be a true, stand-alone Macintosh.

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