Re: [LINK] RE: Convergence

From: Roger Clarke (Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au)
Date: Fri Mar 01 2002 - 14:51:28 EST


Danny Yee <danny@anatomy.usyd.edu.au>:
>I'm thinking about buying a digital camera and since I'd mostly use
>that bushwalking and travelling, I'm wondering why you can't get them
>with built in GPSes -- then each photo could be time and date stamped.
>("Taken at 20020301135756, bearing 137 degrees, with an elevation of
>-10degrees, at longitude XXXXXXXXXX latitude YYYYYYYYYY.")

And they could include a transmitter capable of sending the
coordinates to the nearest SES receiver (calculated based on the
GPS-provided coordinates together with pre-loaded directory entries
downloaded from SES HQ), together with any information keyed in using
the soft-keyboard available on the display screen.

Okay, there are transmitter-power and battery-weight problems, and
solar's still not advanced enough - but you have to dream.

And naturally the manufacturer that wants to own you would force such
messages to have 'testing' and 'integrity assurance' modes, and to
include the device-ID, and the registered purchaser ID ...

>I guess the resulting device could then be combined with the mobile
>phone/organiser combination...

For years now, I've been using the line at presentations and seminars
that convergence paths have been focussing on the wrong devices.
Phones are too small, and handhelds/PDAs/organisers too clinky and
too specialised. The best screens have long been available on ...
digital cameras.

>My other clever idea is an ice-axe that doubles as a camera tripod,
>but that's even more off-topic for this list!

With a rocket built into each leg, for signalling to searchers.

All in aluminium, plastic and kevlar, to avoid stuffing up the compass.

With water-resistance and flotation capability for maritime use.

Hey, this is fun!

-- 
Roger Clarke              http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6125 3666



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.1 : Sun Mar 31 2002 - 03:10:03 EST