Concept Computer Based on a Tea Cup Design 166
webarnold writes "A new concept computer is being designed to look like a tea cup. Using holographic projectors, view your data inside the cup, 'spilled' onto the table, or transfer it to other Cup PC users by pouring data into their cup." Acceptance of something like this seems a bit far-fetched given current tech, but no nomad-space comparisons are being made.
Infinite improbability machine created... (Score:5, Funny)
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Something gives me good reason to believe this is a graphical artist's concept and nothing more.
I'm reminded of Sci-Fi's viral marketing videos of a woman in an airplane seeing a UFO
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It's one of the entries (#958) for Microsoft's NextGen PC Design [nextgendesigncomp.com] competition.
The Momenta [nextgendesigncomp.com], * inspired by movies like The Running Man and Wedlock is my personal favorite.
*C4 Optional
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it is running a proprietary OS from Microsoft, and it has a wireless connection.
I think the slave-themed illustration fits right in, in that context.
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Re:Infinite improbability machine created... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Infinite improbability machine created... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Infinite improbability machine created... (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Infinite improbability machine created... (Score:5, Funny)
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Sorry I'm watching Lil'Bush right now.
Name nomination... (Score:3, Funny)
Let me be the first to say it (Score:1, Funny)
At least I've still got prior art to... (Score:4, Funny)
Sharing data has never been more fun!
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Oops? (Score:5, Funny)
1. Hey Mary, check out this spreadsheet!
2. *Spill coffee on Mary's lap*
3. !#%^&&%!$!#
4. ????
5. Profit!
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Good luck selling this to anarchists (Score:5, Funny)
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dude! (Score:4, Funny)
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A whole new meaning... (Score:5, Funny)
response from tech support (Score:5, Funny)
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Oblig.. (Score:2)
reference [wikipedia.org]
This story is stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
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They laughed at Edwin Land (Score:5, Insightful)
Is this Slashdot? You sound like a bunch of klutzes who wouldn't know how to get into their cars if they locked the keys inside. Who wouldn't know how to fix their glasses if the frames broke.
It's called a concept. Ed Land, the founder of Polaroid, gave his engineers a block of wood small enough to fit into a back pocket, and told them to build an instant camera that size. And they didn't whine about how the technology wasn't ready for it, they built it! And that camera revolutionized p0rn.
If you can't build a holographic projector inside a teacup with $50 worth of parts, get out of the way for somebody who can.
Polaroid was a good idea. (Score:3, Insightful)
It's not that we don't have the technology -- that's only part of it. It's that we don't have the technology, and it's a retarded idea in the first place.
How do I choose what data is "poured"? And once I do so, why do I have to actually watch it being poured? Why is "spilling" better than simply pushing a button on a projector? It looks like a portable holographic multitouch interface, which is very cool -- but WTF is with the coffee concept?
This is more like Ed Land giving his engineers a baseba
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So's this, [thedailywtf.com] to pick a recent example. Creativity alone doesn't save you from criticism.
I would say the same to anyone who can't handle criticism. I replied to someone who was "sorely disappointed by the negative responses in this article", and was speaking as if it was a brilliant idea, and we were all morons for not getting behind it -- as if we only criticize it b
The Future Looks Bright (Score:2, Insightful)
Ster-il-ize
Ster-il-ize
MOM! (Score:5, Funny)
It's a nice idea, but... (Score:4, Funny)
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Instant destruction (Score:5, Insightful)
Try telling me that's not gonna happen.
Re:Instant destruction (Score:4, Funny)
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What the hell were they smoking? (Score:2, Funny)
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Ideas like this... (Score:2)
Tech Support Nightmare (Score:4, Interesting)
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Tech Support: Hi welcome to Cup Tech support, how can we assist you today?
Luser: Yea my cup won't turn on.
Tech Support: Is it fully charged sir?
Luser: Yea its in the charging station right now. The ring around it is all red.
Tech Support: K, I'm going to need you to bring up the diagnostic screen, it's the touch button at the bottom of the cup on the inside.
Luser: Um... I can't reach there right now...
Tech Support: Uhhhh may I ask why?
Luser: Well the coffee in it
Sorry, lady. (Score:3, Funny)
High Tech or just made up? (Score:1, Informative)
Besides, I fail to see how such thing could be remotely useful on a day-to-day basis. Fact is, most of the things that people use computers to do are best implemented in 2D space - and things that 3D holographic rendering would be useful for - protein analysis, genetic mapping, etc, need something a little more substan
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Also, if you visit the site I just linked to, check out the third vid - A really novel take on home 3d VR.
Minority Report? (Score:2)
It's not a question of whether we'll ever have tactile holograms. The more relevant question is, WTF is with the coffee cup metaphor?
Sooo (Score:4, Interesting)
I prefer my drag and drop just fine...let's stick with dragging files onto tabletops before we start spilling them all over the place
Last thing we need is some slashdotter accidently spilling his porn folder on the coffee table instead of his excel project.
I don't think people are quite ready for this one...
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Remember: Maths and alcohol don't mix. Don't drink and derive!
MADD: Mathematicians Against Drunk Deriving.
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With the mop and bit bucket, of course!
Designers having fun (Score:5, Interesting)
Half of those people work on little side projects like this. They know it's not really realistic or practical. It might not even be a particularly good idea, but it's something that's fun to let their brain chew on, and something that's fun to discuss with others.
The other half of those people go become college professors, and they use their students' projects to satisfy their creative urges, with the minor side-effect of not preparing those students at all for their future jobs. Then when the students have their big crits, the reviewers inevitably skewer them for not having any connection to reality.
But I'm not bitter about it. Nope.
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No wait, not that cup, that's my spreadsheet!!!
Delayed (Score:4, Informative)
But does it run linux? (Score:4, Funny)
If so you could run CUPS on cups... and that'd just be spiffy.
Yawn (Score:5, Insightful)
99.99% of what we take for granted today in data manipulation ergonomics is incremental improvements brought about by REAL experts in ergonomics who observe REAL people using REAL computers.
Only if I can also drink coffee out of it (Score:2, Funny)
However, I have lost perhaps 20 USB flash memory sticks.
Outside the Box (Score:4, Insightful)
Data generation seed? (Score:2)
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Jeez, try to make a joke and screw it up with a typo =(
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What are the odds of that? ;)
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Sounds all too probable to me.
Wrong metaphor (Score:2)
This is a late April Fool's joke, right? (Score:2)
but what happens if I forget and pour coffee in it?
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#rm -rf *java ?
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After all these glowing Modding-Towers, ... (Score:2)
discounters and even gas stations, a computer which looks like a computer would be a
fresh and cool idea of a design.
(IMHO) it would be perfect if the designer knows what "bauhaus design" is.
ugh, trippy designers (Score:4, Funny)
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other times they need to be smacked in the head and have their hallucinogenics confiscated.
Jeez... you sound like my parole officer...
Just the other day I was watching a video of two lovely young ladies, very down-to-earth gals. Then they kissed, and I thought "Hey, those girls are just right for me!" I was in love. They had a cup they were using to share information, so they're probably pretty smart and tech savvy. I was a little non-plussed by the next few minutes of these 2girls with their 1cup, but then it occurred to me, they were on Facebook!
I really think you're being harsh with
The comparisons (Score:2)
Yes, but can it get TEMPEST certified? (Score:2)
Pffft (Score:2)
Minority Report-ish style is what I want (Score:2)
The goggles do nothing! (Score:2)
Ok, I am signing up for some shocktherapy right now.
C Cup (Score:2, Funny)
It should be called: (Score:2)
Hot Coffee Mod (Score:2)
I bet a lot of people are looking forward to running the "hot coffee" mod on this baby!
Wider appeal (Score:2)
And you can debug your proram... (Score:2)
It's a slippery slope... (Score:2)
Unless the iCup can read the tea leaves and predict your future, this must be the worst UI paradigm ever.
ISO spec for preparation of a cup of tea (Score:2)
The method consists in extracting of soluble substances in dried tea leaf, containing in a porcelain or earthenware pot, by means of freshly boiling water, pouring of the liquor into a white porcelain or earthenware bowl, examination of the organoleptic properties of the infused leaf, and of the liquor with or without milk or both.
Cracking organoleptics, Gromit.
MIT OCW from 2003 (Score:2)
There's a course on this sorta thing from 5 years ago...
More designs (Score:2)
* remote control computer: you can point it to others to share data
* beer bottle computer: you can share data in a friendly environment by clunking it against other beer bottles
* ear plug computer: it uploads data to your main bed computer whilst you are asleep through your skin
* "Wild Pig" Merlot computer: you use the rubber cap to put the data into a newer computer if necessary
* Fight Club DVD computer
Darn, I need to clean u
cellphone with projector more practical (Score:2, Insightful)
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Oh come on, this is too easy (Score:2)
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I wonder about these kinds of efforts to make PCs more "simple". Computers just aren't simple devices, and consequently, most attempts to make them easy to use are doomed to failure.
A couple of things: we will always have users who can only work with an extremely simple UI. I am thinking about elderly and disabled people. Then there are users in extreme environments who have so much real world work to do that the UI must be specialised and highly adapted to the job. Think air traffic controllers.
Neither of these groups are people who need to interact with the computer as a computer. It is a specialised object which helps them with their life or work. For that purpose it can afford t