Concepts I Wish Would Take Hold

• I wish that all automakers would include a voice activated Navigation system like the one in my wife's BMW 528i. BMW's Onboard Navigation is based on NavTech's GPS Navigation system and mapping database. That same system is so good it is used in Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, Mercedez-Benz, Lincoln Navigator, Volvo, and Landrover vehicles; and in CARiN, Pioneer, Alpine, and Clarion auto audio products. It is turn-by-turn (a huge advantage over OnStar), does not require monthly fees to operate (another big advantage over OnStar), has excellent maps and road information, and can be wonderfully integrated with your car's stereo so that you can focus on driving and let it guide you through unknown areas by voice for a hands free experience. Some implementations do not have the voice activiation (only verbal readout/instruction), which is sad - because that gives this a truly hands free functionality.
• I wish that all automakers and automotive audio manufacturers would include both a 3.5 mm auxilliary input jack in the dash so that consumers can easily plug in their walkmans, their mp3 players, their minidiscs, etc; and a 2.5mm standard mobile phone jack so that *ANY* mobile phone could be operated in a car without the use of hands. This is a safety feature.
• I wish someone would provide broadband internet access to the rural northern end of Prince William County, Virginia. Today Comcast (the local cable provider) is not interested in bulking up their head ends to handle data and Verizon's nearest central office is over 44,000 feet from my new home making DSL unavailable. Without Cable Modem or DSL - I am left to figure out wireless:
  • Analog Cellular (AMPS); typically 4800 or 9600 bps out of 14,400 bps max with 100ms latency
  • PCS (GSM, CDMA, TDMA) - IP; typically 9600 or 14,400 bps out of 64Kbps max with 120ms latency
  • CDPD - IP; 19,200bps raw (10-12Kbps typical) with <1s latency
  • ARDIS - Proprietary; 4800bps raw for MDC-4800, 19,200bps raw for RDLAP both with 4-10s latency
  • RAM Mobile Data - Proprietary; 8000bps raw with 4-8s latency
  • Metricom Ricochet; 100Kbps raw (typical 28.8Kbps) with <1s latency (bankrupt)
  • Starband via Dishnetwork
  • DirecPC via DirecTV
• I wish notebook computer manufacturers would make a subnotebook (less than 4 pounds) computer based on either than VIA C3 processor (cool running, low power) or the Transmeta Crusoe processor (low power) with plenty of memory, a Lithium Polymer battery, and secondary storage based on an array of compact flash cards to acheive something like 20GB of storage with no moving parts! This would make batteries last a very long time. Finally I want this subnotebook to come delivered with Linux (absolutely no Microsoft licenses) and with a touch screen like Fujitsu's old B-Series Lifebooks had.
  • Very lightweight subnotebook computer (2-4 pounds, <1" thin, smaller than 8.5" x 11")
  • Low power processor with very little heat (VIA C3 or Transmeta Crusoe or StrongARM)
  • 256MB - 1024MB of memory - in a low power configuration
  • array of compact flash card style storage (12-30GB) for very low power use
  • Mac OS 10.1 or Linux out of the box (no Microsoft licenses at all)
  • autoswitching 10/100/1000 base T ethernet port (RJ45)
  • Firewire port (IEEE 1394)
  • Two USB ports
  • PCMCIA slot (Type II)
  • touch screen with 1024x768 (XGA) or better resolution, low power
  • button pointer and decent small keyboard
  • VGA port for external monitor
  • PS/2 port for external keyboard and/or mouse
  • IrDA port for Palm HotSync
  • external DVD/CD Rom drive (perhaps PCMCIA?)
• The parts to build my own Linux desktop machine:
  Silent Machine
  Goal is to find a SCA attached Ultra320 SCSI disk that has over 36GB of capacity and generates less than 2.5 bels acoustic noise when operating. Seagate's Barracuda ATA IV with SoftSonic FDB (fluid dynamic bearing) motor does 2.0 Bels idle (41.3dB/A@18mm) and 2.4 Bels in operation at 7200rpms (amazing!) - now for someone to make one that is SCA SCSI connected.

  Flash! Seagate has released their Cheetah 36ES (36GB, Ultra160/SCSI, 10,000rpm) that measured in at only 44.6dB/A@18mm (ST336706LW about $420) according to StorageReview.com... woo hoo also available is their Seagate Barracuda 36ES (36GB Ultra160/SCSI 7200rpm) that did 46.7 dB/A@18mm (XXX? about $?). .

  Another super quiet ATA drive is the Samsung SpinPoint V30 (5400rpm ATA100, 45.0dB/A@18mm). This is also the coolest of the drives reviewed by Storage Review at the end of 2001.

  The 3rd great performing drive (cool and quiet) is the Maxtor DiamondMax 536DX (100GB ATA-100) at 41.5dB/A@18mm and very cool.

  Another super performing ATA drive is the WD Caviar 100BB SE. (35 dBA/38 dBA)

  Fujitsu is legendary for making silent drives: MAN3367 (36.7GB Ultra160, 10,000rpm!) very quiet (3.6 Bels idle, 3.9 Bels seeking), very cool. MAM3367 (36GB Utlra160, 15,000rpm!) noisier than the Cheetah X15! (3.9 Bels idle, unknown whilst seeking) warm to the touch.

  IBM's Ultrastar 36Z15 (15,000rpm; 36GB, very very HOT) is an amazing performer, but it puts out a little too much noise at 4.0/3.8 Bel idle and 4.8/4.7 Bel operating - not bad for 15,000rpms though!

  Maxtor/Quantum Atlas 10k III (10,000rpms; 36 and 73GB; Ultra160 SCSI) has very quiet idles, but noisy seeks.

  Seagate Cheetah X15 (15,000rpm; 1st gen 15k drive; Ultra160 SCSI)
  Seagate Cheetah 36ES (10,000rpm; SCSI, quieter that the Atlas III)

  Fujitsu and Seagate have new drives coming...

  Check out the GreenServ 1150 (ultra low power/heat/noise Linux server using a VIA C3 processor in one U of rack space)

Author: Scott Nolan, (How to send me email)
Last updated: December 28th, 2001