http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/ Engadget Mobile Comments for http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgetmobile.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/
That never caught on because various makers didn't want to cut into their profit, I believe.

Could this be the same for Modu? Why would Nokia want to provide "jackets" when they can sell you the whole suit @ a higher margin?]]>Feb 12th 2008 12:49PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe ARM were also involved in these discussions. It was some time around 1994 if I remember correctly. I remember discussing the possibilities with an Acorn Computers engineer (Acorn were heavily tied in with ARM back then - the Acorn RiSC PC was a powerhouse desktop based on the StrongARM chip) whilst I was fortunate enough to do some work experience with them in Australia during my schooling years.]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:14PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=33796

http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=454304&postcount=18
]]>Feb 12th 2008 12:54PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 12:58PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/I like the side-slider handset they showed. They keyboard might not be the best feel (that style of keyboard always seems a little stiff and awkward to me), but I like that you can pick your handset for the core module.

Yeah, I don't see the individual handset makers going "modu compatible", I think Modu would have to make their own line. But I wouldn't be surprised to see them get somewhere with it.

Though, if Nokia DID make modu compatible device, I wouldn't mind seeing them have an N810 style internet tablet, with a plugin spot for the modu.



]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:07PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/
It looks hideous, and it has no keypad?????
]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:10PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:51PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:54PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe ARM were also involved in these discussions. It was some time around 1994 if I remember correctly. I remember discussing the possibilities with an Acorn Computers engineer (Acorn were heavily tied in with ARM back then - the Acorn RiSC PC was a powerhouse desktop based on the StrongARM chip) whilst I was fortunate enough to do some work experience with them in Australia during my schooling years.]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:12PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/ My previous comment was meant as a reply to the first comment from @Anthony]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:14PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:16PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:24PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:29PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:43PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/
I wouldn't mind seeing a series60 Nseries flavor that I could interchange between a keyboard phone, stereo/GPS, and a regular candybar phone. ]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:21PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 1:56PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 2:10PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/ - As "Student Driver" points out, this concept competes directly with PAN which is a much better solution to the WAN access problem for ancillary devices (laptop, car, camera). My mobile phone already has a WAN data account and my peripherals just need to pair with that. I don't even have to take it out of my pocket.
- The modu will have a proprietary interface (both s/w & h/w). Who will pay to tool up for compatibility? How do these costs compare to a $5 Bluetooth ASIC and a standard, well documented API?
- Simple physics will dictate that "jackets" will be larger, form factor restricted and less battery efficient than the corresponding single purpose device (mobile phone, ipod, camera, etc.).
- Imagine the use cases: remove modu from "phone jacket", insert into "camera jacket" to send photos. Someone calls you - do you answer the call with the camera?

And furthermore, GPRS only? What's the point of that? Yeah, they didn't want to pony up the licensing (Qualcomm tax) and dev costs of UMTS or HSDPA (not to mention HSUPA). Lame.

]]>Feb 12th 2008 2:22PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 2:53PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/12/hands-on-with-modu-its-real-and-plenty-fantastic/Feb 12th 2008 6:42PM