Research tools, digital, not yet existing
Aug. 15th, 2007 05:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wispfoxI want a touchscreen-based object approximately the size and shape of a magazine or paper notebook, with at least two 'pages' in it, one for source materials, one for what one is writing.
I want (at least) one of the pages to be designed such that one can read various document format on it, such as electronic-fornat magazines to which one has subscribed, PDFs, journal articles downloaded from websites, and books. These would probably initially need to be set up such that they can be downloaded to the device when it is connected to one's computer (possibly via wireless, rather than wire), but it would be much better if it were possible to store one's subscription information in the device, and it grab the magazines or journal articles as they become available, when they are mailed to one's email account, or when an article search locates them, depending on one's preferences.
I want this to be able to read documents aloud, as well as scroll at whatever speed you set, as well as have the reading speed be entirely controlled by the user. I want to the user to not have to save local copies of these media, and have the sources just keep track of what one was subscribed to, so one can always go back and get them again.
I want the (an?) other of the pages to act like a paper notebook does now (very much like this, except without separate paper - warning that the website is _TERRIBLE_). I want to be able to tap on one of the papers/articles/etc with the 'pen', and send the link to the notebook, or highlight something in one of the articles one is reading, and send the quote and the link/cite to the notebook.
I want to be able to write on the touchscreen-based notebook with normal handwriting (and decent handwriting recognition), or typing (external keyboard or an on-screen one). I'd like the notebook to have a voice recorder, which eventually (since I don't think this works at all well right now) can translate speech to text, and is wirelessly able to talk to the notebook so that one can put the wireless recorder at the head of a room where the professor or presenter is, and not have to take notes. I want it to be able to copy the notes to a computer, for storage and for use when one wants to write a paper with the information one has in one's 'notebook'. I want to be able to mostly _write_ a paper on it, since if one's sources are available on the same device, then why not?
I do _NOT_ want this to be a full-fledged computer, as adding additional unrelated functionality is highly likely to negatively impact ease of use. Just the ability to read multiple things at once, on touchscreens approximately the same size as a magazine, and the notebook functionality on another touchscreen of the same size. I want this to close up and be very well protected, so that it can be treated like any regular paper notebook or magazine, and sit loosely in a backpack.
I suspect that it would probably be best to have fingerprint recognition, since trying to type a password into the touchscreen would be a pain, especially when I specifically want this to act largely like magazines and a paper notebook. I'm not completely certain yet how setting preferences or entering in one's subscription information or searching for additional sources would occur.
I want this to not be made in a propriartary manner, so multiple companies can make them and compete to get the price down, but it needs to have _really_ good user interface design, or it'll be awful to use and not be what I want it to be.
I want (at least) one of the pages to be designed such that one can read various document format on it, such as electronic-fornat magazines to which one has subscribed, PDFs, journal articles downloaded from websites, and books. These would probably initially need to be set up such that they can be downloaded to the device when it is connected to one's computer (possibly via wireless, rather than wire), but it would be much better if it were possible to store one's subscription information in the device, and it grab the magazines or journal articles as they become available, when they are mailed to one's email account, or when an article search locates them, depending on one's preferences.
I want this to be able to read documents aloud, as well as scroll at whatever speed you set, as well as have the reading speed be entirely controlled by the user. I want to the user to not have to save local copies of these media, and have the sources just keep track of what one was subscribed to, so one can always go back and get them again.
I want the (an?) other of the pages to act like a paper notebook does now (very much like this, except without separate paper - warning that the website is _TERRIBLE_). I want to be able to tap on one of the papers/articles/etc with the 'pen', and send the link to the notebook, or highlight something in one of the articles one is reading, and send the quote and the link/cite to the notebook.
I want to be able to write on the touchscreen-based notebook with normal handwriting (and decent handwriting recognition), or typing (external keyboard or an on-screen one). I'd like the notebook to have a voice recorder, which eventually (since I don't think this works at all well right now) can translate speech to text, and is wirelessly able to talk to the notebook so that one can put the wireless recorder at the head of a room where the professor or presenter is, and not have to take notes. I want it to be able to copy the notes to a computer, for storage and for use when one wants to write a paper with the information one has in one's 'notebook'. I want to be able to mostly _write_ a paper on it, since if one's sources are available on the same device, then why not?
I do _NOT_ want this to be a full-fledged computer, as adding additional unrelated functionality is highly likely to negatively impact ease of use. Just the ability to read multiple things at once, on touchscreens approximately the same size as a magazine, and the notebook functionality on another touchscreen of the same size. I want this to close up and be very well protected, so that it can be treated like any regular paper notebook or magazine, and sit loosely in a backpack.
I suspect that it would probably be best to have fingerprint recognition, since trying to type a password into the touchscreen would be a pain, especially when I specifically want this to act largely like magazines and a paper notebook. I'm not completely certain yet how setting preferences or entering in one's subscription information or searching for additional sources would occur.
I want this to not be made in a propriartary manner, so multiple companies can make them and compete to get the price down, but it needs to have _really_ good user interface design, or it'll be awful to use and not be what I want it to be.
