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发帖数: 1034 | 1 Posted by Michael Crider in Google, News
Asus has lately become the king of anime-style transforming electronics,
with their Transformer tablet line and Padfone devices. It looks like Google
is paying attention, at least when it comes to conceptual hardware. US
patent 8,649,821, granted to Google in February of this year, describes a
laptop with a built-in and detachable cell phone, with the two working in
tandem for various functions. While Android and Chromebooks aren't
specifically mentioned in the patent documentation, it's easy to assume they
were on the engineers' minds, since it was filed in September of 2012.
patent 1
The basic idea is that the laptop can borrow the cell phone's wireless
connection for on-the-go Internet access, as well as use the removable
handset as a speaker and microphone for VOIP calls and other obvious
functions. In turn, the phone can use the laptop's larger speaker as an
amplifier when docked (or I suppose just let the user answer the call in a
laptop mode, not unlike the desktop integration currently available from
Google Hangouts). The phone could presumably use the laptop's larger battery
as an external reserve. The patent drawings definitely show a device that
slides into a specifically-made slot, not just a simple USB tether, which
can do pretty much all of these things right now.
The idea echoes Motorola's Lapdock designs seen on the original Atrix and
other phones, but almost in reverse: the documentation seems to indicate
that the phone is only being used where a full laptop would be impractical,
and that the laptop portion of the hardware can work independently of the
phone. (That's not possible with the tablet/keyboard shells on the various
Padfones.) As such, this hardware combination would combine two full and
independent devices, not just a primary device and accessories. That would
cost a pretty penny, and for frugal consumers, buying a pair of specially-
made devices that might not work with the next generation of either one is a
daunting prospect.
4
Still, as Android and Chrome grow closer this sort of hardware crossover
becomes more likely, and more attractive. If Google could create a system
whereby the power, connection, files, apps, and settings of all the separate
pieces work together, it could be very compelling indeed. Keep in mind that
this is a patent, not a prototype; while it does indicate that someone at
Google is at least thinking about a laptop-smartphone combo device, it doesn
't mean one is anywhere close to being created. |
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