2 Suggestions

[Velvis]

1) I'd like the ability to have my name and contact info displayed when the Redfly turns on, so if I was to lose it or leave it behind, someone would have a way to contact me. It seems like that would be an easy update to the firmware.

2) I'd love to see a future model with a fold over keyboard, so the Redfly could be used as an ebook reader. On top of that a touch screen tablet would be cool too. I realize these would add to the cost, but I think they would widen the appeal of the device as well.

 

[laurieny]

Velvis,

Your first suggestion is really cool and not one I have heard before! Doing that shouldn't be too hard to implement and I can see the value. I will let you know later what we come up with.

Your second suggestion is something we have heard--often ;-)

We do have some proof-of-concepts in this area, but I would have to say that any product release in those kinds of form factors would be a ways down the road. But the more demand we get for this, the sooner it is likely to happen (though touch screens in this size range are outrageously expensive).

Thanks,
Laurie

Director of Engineering
Celio Corp | REDFLY

 

[Aware]

http://www.demo.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=29414&

"The Touch Book is a portable device that works as both a netbook and a touchscreen tablet. Use the keyboard to type an email or open an Office document. Or use the touchscreen tablet to browse sites on your fridge door or play games and watch videos from your sofa. Based on open source software and hardware, the instant-on Touch Book weighs just two pounds and offers never-before-seen battery life. "

Laurie, check out the video demo.

 

[c1oudrs]

Yes that first suggestion is a cool idea. As for the second hardware question. . . just how expensive? It would be a good thing to have a higher end Refly for those of us that have used a Redfly before and are convinced/already sold on its(the redfly's) value no matter the form factor (assuming there was value). The c8n has a little value over the c8 but the c8n is obviously an interim/transition device. The c8n seems to be the c8 all over again except the c8n has the option of tethering (ick) for video (yay). For existing c8 owners ther's not alot of incentive to trade up (an for c8n owners trading up is an impossibility right now). As for me I almost never tether the Refly to th wm device and I'm skepetical that I would with a second video out device (assuming that I bought a second vide0 out device and then bought a c8n and then found a home/or use for my c8). It seems to me Celio's customer service is top notch. Cutomer satisfaction is enormous. The programmers are amazing. But maybe there's not enough of us yet[a loyal non-enterprise windows mobile base). With first time buyers price is a big conern as it is with the enterprise buyers. Maybe we need to wait for the ipod/blackberry/android folks to come on board?

 

[laurieny]

We talked about this story in our standup meeting today and to add identification info directly into the REDFLY is harder than you would think, especially as this couldn't be a one-time thing - it would need to be editable. So unlike the brightness settings, we won't be able to just sort of squeeze this feature into a beta build, but I will definitely put it on the list for the next release. With our agile development methodology that means it is not a for sure bet for the next release, but if not that one, then the next.

As for the touchscreen form factor, obviously this is something we are contemplating. We demoed the touchscreen form factor at CES in January, albeit in a car dashboard setting, and it is a real possibility to provide this down the road in a "traditional" REDFLY form factor. We will continue to weigh cost and features and move as aggressively as possible to deliver what customers ask us for. Hardware changes have a much longer product development cycle than most software features, and between support for additional mobile platforms and that other one feature everyone asks for, that will keep us busy for much of the year.

I had seen something on Engadget about the Touchbook, and admittedly that looks like a cool device - especially when it becomes real. I know they are taking pre-orders now, but they pretty clearly state that while the hardware will be ready late summer, the software won't be and you will notice that there are no pictures where the device is actually running something. It will be interesting to see what they release, but again our vision is that the smartphone becomes the computing platform of choice (HTC is releasing a 1000 MHz phone this fall!). Whether you call it a netbook, a notebook, or a desktop, all the time and money just to install and maintain Operating systems and the necessary malware tools make our solution significantly more secure and a lot less costly, ultimately providing a winning solution.

 

[wodin]

http://www.demo.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=29414&

"The Touch Book is a portable device that works as both a netbook and a touchscreen tablet. Use the keyboard to type an email or open an Office document. Or use the touchscreen tablet to browse sites on your fridge door or play games and watch videos from your sofa. Based on open source software and hardware, the instant-on Touch Book weighs just two pounds and offers never-before-seen battery life. "

Laurie, check out the video demo.

Nokia has had these for years, they call it the N810 Internet Tablet and they are pretty cool if you like getting beat up by ... uh ... playing around with Linux.

 

[Aware]

The interesting thing about the touchbook is the removable/reconfigurable screen. The rest is or could be so much vapourware for all I care - I was simply intrigued by the removable screen ;-)

 

[c1oudrs]

. . .all the time and money just to install and maintain Operating systems and the necessary malware tools make our solution significantly more secure and a lot less costly, ultimately providing a winning solution.

This is true particularly for the enterprise market. (Probably where the money is at?)

However, what I really like about the Redfly is the personal wireless front-end device aspect. My 'phone-computer' is five feet in my coat pocket charging at work and I dont have to mess with /hassle with wires / I have instant on when I get a break. Later I'll shift my 'phone computer' to my cargo pocket (which my Redfly will fit into the other pocket temporarily in a pinch leaving both my hands free.) I sleep with my Redfly on my bed--when I get done reading ebooks, the Redfly is my alarm clock. I've knocked my sturdy Redfly off of my bed in my sleep a couple of times. For me, the more personal the Redfly becomes the better. Wireless connectivity and handlability are what I like. I want to fold my Redfly up and write on it. I want to read with it like a book. I want to use it for the front end device for my pc--the front ed device for everything electronic directly or indirectly. The phone and the pc are just guts for my Redfly.

I'm probably in the minority but I see the Redfly as an uber personal transportable wireless rugged dedicate front end device.

 

[c1oudrs]

With a netbook, even a longer lived battery netbook, I'd have to worry about battery fatigue as I discharged it and recharged it almost completely in a day (assuming the battery even lasted that long). With the Redfly I generally have half to 2/3 of battery life left. And the battery on my phone remains virtually undischarged as my phone stays plugged in for the majority of the time and the screen remains off. I don't have to worry about wifi sucking the battery.
(More wireless freedom).

And I mentioned that I have knocked my Redfly off of my bed? I probably wouldn't park a netbook permanently on the bed like I do. Unless it was a ruggedized netbook maybe.

Then because the Redfly is a front end device, I can hook things up to my phone at home and not be bothered with the wires on my redfly--at home I just have the one charging cord with the Redfly.

 

[c1oudrs]

Why are ereaders selling? Admittedly I'm biased towards reading with my redfly. But it seems to me the Redfly is a closer cousin to an ereader than it is to a netbook--big battery, etc except much more powerful.

As the wireless technologies mature (bluetooth 3, usb 3, etc)--to borrow from Tolkein--I don't see why the Redfly coudn't be "the one ring to rule them all."

 

[c1oudrs]

I can't presume to speak for Velvis, but

"have my name and contact info displayed when the Redfly turns on . . ." and "a fold over keyboard, so the Redfly could be used as an ebook," {both quotes) seem to be requests to make the Redfly front-end personal interface device more personal.

 

[JM99]

I was wondering what people use the second button below the touch pad for. I would love an ability to map it. Left soft key for short press, and right soft key for long press. Can the redfly engineers do that?

 

[flyemhighrockets]

great idea

I also would like to see the redfly display my contact information and start up. This would be great if a honest person was to find the redfly.