Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Open other side.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                                 

Cardboard Laptop

 Instant laptop anywhere anytime.
  (+6)
(+6) 		  [vote for,
against]

So I read about a company that is developing a virtual keyboard that uses lasers to project a keyboard pattern onto a flat surface and to read the position of the user's fingers to allow you to "type" on a virtual keyboard. They envision using it with PDAs.

Then I did some research and found another company working on LPD's - Laser Projection Displays that allow you to project visual information (like the images of a computer monitor) against a wall or screen using lasers. Tiny little thing. They envision using it in cellphones and PDAs.

SO I thought - put it all together. A tiny box that uses lasers to project a screen in one direction and a keyboard in another, hooked up to the processing power of a PDA. A reporter in the field could make a laptop out of a couple scraps of cardboard.

—EvilHomer, Dec 05 2002

The Keyboard http://www.virtualdevices.net/
[EvilHomer, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

The Screen http://www.symbol.c...oducts/oem/lpd.html
[EvilHomer, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Buy in bulk quantities http://www.pacific-recycling.com/
Second-hand laptops by the thousands [thumbwax, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Paper Laptop http://www.dtcproducts.com/dtc/
Different technology, but the concept has been patented up the wazoo. [dalek, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Virtual Computer Virtual_20computer
Who needs the cardboard? [newt, Apr 09 2005]

cell phone projector http://news.com.com...1398_3-5951372.html
[vmaldia, Jul 23 2006]

Real Cardboard Desktop http://greenupgrade...d-desktop-computer/
Cardboards are greener too! [kamathln, Feb 23 2009]

[link]






       Free outside your Kelloggs (tm) Cornflakes today... cut out and keep Cardboard Laptop!
(actual functionality may differ from graphic)
—Jinbish, Dec 05 2002
   

       Um, Jinbish, was there an un-stated pun in your annotation about "thinking outside the (cereal) box", perhaps?
—jurist, Dec 05 2002
   

       Wasn't intentional... I was going to follow up with a very poor 'cereal port' one though.
—Jinbish, Dec 05 2002
   

       Put a wristband on it, and it sounds like something Dick Tracey would use. As for a cardboard laptop, see link.
—dalek, Dec 05 2002
   

       I'd love to see the patent. I don't think claims so broad as to cover "laptop made of paper" would be valid. For one, the laptop isn't made of paper - its made of lasers and a PDA. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not quite sure people have patented tons of stuff in this area.
—EvilHomer, Dec 05 2002
   

       I had a working SCSI server in an Airwalk shoebox and held together with duct tape.
—Giblet, Apr 10 2005
   

       here's a link that shows a really small low power projection system. It's usable for a cell phone so it should work for a laptop size device
—vmaldia, Jul 23 2006
   

       You could also boast of the green factor! Check link (Real Cardboard Desktop).
—kamathln, Feb 23 2009
   

       I've seen (in a chain e-mail) a 'laptop' made up of a series of 'pens' and a stand to put them all in pointing the right direction. One did the keyboard, one projected the screen onto a nearby wall (about regular monitor size), and a couple of others made up the mouse, battery etc.   

       It basically a desktop computer that fits in your top pocket (I guess with the processing power of a PDA if you're lucky though)!
—Skrewloose, Feb 24 2009
   
      
[annotate]
   


 

back: main index
business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle