Mozilla's Seabird Phone Concept Will Take Your Breath Away
Mozilla's Seabird Phone Concept Will Take Your Breath Away
Posted 09/24/2010 at 6:24am
| by Pulkit Chandna
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Ordinary mobile phone users might be looking just as far ahead as the arrival of smartphones featuring multi-core processors, but not Mozilla Labs community member Billy May, who is willing to let his imagination soar as high as smartphones with two pico projectors.
As part of the Mozilla Labs’ Concept Series, Mr. May used his spare time to concoct what looks like an impressive concept. For starters, the Seabird in true concept phone tradition appears quite futuristic.
“The form development took its cues from various aerodynamic, avian and decidedly feminine forms. Its erect posture intends a sense of poise while its supine conformity to the hand reconciles that with the user’s desire for digital control. The curvature of the back also serves a functional role in elevating the projector lens elements when lying flat,” the designer explained in a blog post.
Its two pico projectors can be used to project content into 3D space and this ability can be tapped differently by altering their orientation. “The Seabird, on just a flat surface, enables netbook-quality interaction by working with the projector’s angular distortion to deliver interface, rather than content. With the benefit of a dock, each projector works independently and delivers laptop levels of efficiency.”
Mozilla has said that it is content developing Firefox for Mobile and has no plans of producing a mobile phone.
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Glycerin
September 24, 2010 at 12:52pm
I always thought Mozilla was badass. I have been using Firefox for years. I would definitely get this phone. I like the detachable bluetooth.. there when you need it, stick it back in the phone to charge it. The pico projectors look freakin awesome. This phone is genius.
Red_herring
September 24, 2010 at 10:18am
I like the pico projectors and the IR array. the first time it whipped out the virtual keyboard, I was like "Whaaaaaaat?!" But what is up with concept artists and their fetish for curved displays? There is no conceivable reason that a curving screen would ever be useful! And how would it be implemented? An entire factory line would have to be dedicated to its production! I mean, have a LITTLE concern for practicality, maybe.
Also, I'm not entirely sold on x86 as a phone platform, so maybe Ubuntu rather than Win7 when it goes into awesome dual-projector badass mode? Overall though, despite nitpicks, this is the most awesome phone concept I've seen that could actually be made before we're all too senile to know about it.
thetechchild
September 24, 2010 at 7:17pm
The screen display does *not* curve. As in the video, it's the *back* that curves, where the projectors & camera are, so as to fit the dongle/BT/IR, the camera, the pico projectors, and assumably better hardware (CPU,RAM,etc).
This is what we're looking at within 6 months:
CPU: 3-core 1.5GHz which supports 10 hrs of 1080p viewing
RAM: 512 MB - 1 GB
Display: 4" - 4.5"
Camera: 8MP+ (10MP?), front- & back- facing
V Keyboard: soda-can size, somewhat expensive (thinkgeek.com)
BT/IR: BT, done for sure, IR maybe a yr or 2 (BT via USB is small already, IR through USB is too, dongles like that are available in TV remote size)SeaBird/similar concept phones, if in real development & with corporate backing, could hit markets in holiday season 2012, considering current tech.
Red_herring
September 26, 2010 at 3:29am
No, I'm talking about the bottom of the screen, where one of the edges curves. It could be an optical illusion, I suppose. Where are you getting this 3-core 1.5ghz chip within 6 months, though? I wasn't even aware anyone was planning beyond 2 cores before 2h 2011.
sdcat
September 24, 2010 at 10:18am
Work towards the dream, the concept design which is pretty achievable with just today's technology.
simply put, I WANT ONE.
Peanut Fox
September 24, 2010 at 10:19am
This is really cool. A phone like this could really take the sails out of the tablet craze. I'm curious about what the battery life of a phone like this with duel projectors would be like. Still, it's an insanely practical phone.
Scootiep
September 24, 2010 at 6:54am
Very cool concept. However, all I really want is someone to integrate a universal remote function into smart phones. I fully realize that this requires the compilation of hundreds of thousands of condes for operating various devices and I've heard all the arguments against it so I completely understand how big of a task this would be. All I will say is this, once someone accomplishes it, I will pay any damn price to have it. Let me repeat that, I WILL PAY ANY DAMN PRICE TO HAVE IT. Once my droid can control my HTPC/Receiver/TV/Blu Ray/PS3/etc. I will have truly reached Tech Nirvana and can die happy. GET TO WORK ON IT!
blkpanthr
September 27, 2010 at 1:18pm
if you are using MCE google "Remote Potato" or check the green button
Red_herring
September 24, 2010 at 10:25am
If you mean using your phone as a remote for your TV and components, that's actually doable. I can currently control almost everything from my Android phone, albeit a little bit cumbersomely. The cost is measured not so much in dollars as hours of research, endless tinkering and entire days when it just doesn't work right.
Jeff-in-Cali
September 24, 2010 at 8:11am
It might be easier and quicker to use an external solution (like going to a webpage) from your Droid. There was a recent story on Lifehacker about someone building a mini webserver with IR built into it. This allowed the user to access a webpage that allowed him to trun on and off devices from anywhere in the world. This may not be a solution built into the phone or downloadable app, but it is doable with a little effort, can be done now and is fairly cheap. Link to story
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