The Next Big Thing: A Bridge to a Mobile World

Hey Forum,

Its time for another "Next Big Thing" post!

This one is more hardware/software platform specific so if you dont have a few million dollars in your bank account and/or some good contacts in silicon valey you might want to stop reading here.

The idea is to create "a bridge to a mobile world". one where desktop computers undergo a paradigm shift from a computer environment that is intended for direct access, to a computer appliance or rather base stations; existing only to support a myriad of other devices.

are you ready for this?

Think of it as a stylish user friendly NAS with built in wireless networking and built in support for the following:

-idevice docks (duh)
-android platform docks (smart phone & tablet)
-windows mobile devices docks
-usb ports
-card reader

Think of it as the digital equivalent of a file cabinet!

basic model selling features:
-easily sync content from a myriad of mobile device both wired (docks) and wirelessly
-easily sync this content to and from the internet
-requires no configuration

pro model selling features
-same as above
-pro model will include HD media streaming to a myriad of client devices
-may also include enough processing power to do on the fly media transcoding for sub HD content so there is compatibility across multiple devices
-may also include auto duplicate & encode content once it discovers a new device that in incompatible with content that is stored on it

of course for the pro model to be proper it will also need:
-cable card reader
-DVR functionality
-primarily to capture and stream more seamlessly to mobile devices and computes its not intended to present the cable programming directly to a user via a TV

It will need an OS with a role specific graphical user interface, stylish but simple. this OS is merely the middle man interface (not a complete user environment) between the mobile device and a huge NAS/base station. the OS will be there so the device is ready to go out of the box. If done right it will ensure that syncing photos, music, movies, misc files (docs, ect) across multiple devices, computers (mobile computers & desktop computers) and the internets seamless. keep in mind there should be no need for a monitor in fact the idea is that you never have to directly access a UI from the box itself but rather access it's UI remotely thru applications from the client devices.

which means:
-mobile; free downloadable app
-computer (laptop & desktops); free downloadable app, and you can access it as if its an extra really HUGE hard-drive
-STB/media centers; will be able to access it seamlessly as a media source
-game consoles; should be able to access it as a media source seamlessly

why no physical media drive you ask?

well because its an appliance device not a client device. if you really want to get creative you can make it so that the pro model has a DVD/Blu-ray drive but only to legally rip content (hahaha good luck with that) but its not intended to be a computer environment that "plays" media directly from the device it only helps you store, access, manage/organize and move data around (streaming, sync, cut/paste, copy/paste, upload to net) across multiple devices & the internets seamlessly; nothing more nothing less.

isnt this just like a home media server?

yes but one that is WAY more user friendly, cheaper and supports mobile devices and computers. it should have a lightweight OS (not a windows server OS & optional direcly accessed UI) in fact the appliance computer wont even have an interface that can be accessed directly. there also should be a huge difference in form factor design.

also there can be what i call a central station and sub-station concept;
-like a whole home system (high end product above pro model)
-the central station should never have to be access; it is like a pro version without any docks or connectors
-sbustations will be placed around the house
-one substation could be a simple but stylish looking charger/alarmclock for the room
-or maybe a charger/alarmclock/bose radio combo for the kitchen
-in this concept you can essentially dock with any substation around the house and it will all sync to the same central station

of course theres also a nice feature called networked software raid where if you get multiple stations weather they be multiples of basic, pro, perhaps a whole home system with an additional basic or pro model on the network... it should be able to automatically discover the rest of the stations and the storage scattered across multiple stations and use software to make it look like its all one big huge hard-drive from a UI/UX perspective. on a side note; even though all the stations are capable of coming together as one big huge station seamlessly, you can still keep specific content private from the rest of the network via username and a password; no need to have isolated hard drives or multiple accounts on a single computer or have to manage complex folder hierachy across multiple devices. you just either leave everything open to everyone or set up accounts so you can keep some stuff private. if you have accounts set up you log in and voila all the content/files you have access to are shown. however there are no abstart "shared folders" between the users its just if you have access you see it if you dont have privs to see the content you dont. that way content isnt isolated in useraccount/desktop computer environment silos. its just all in one place only the access of that data is limited via user settings. also keep in mind if you have an account when you sync you have options like a simple drop down with 3 options; everyone, private, or share with. if you select everyone all user accounts have access to it. private only you have access to it, and "share with" will bring up an additional menu where you can select specific user accounts to share with

oh one last thing...
-want to try and experiment with naming conventions and different kinds of file hierarchies one that is more user friendly and brings in some innovation
-like tags
-photo grouping (face, location, event * additional metadata)
-albums, playlists
-basically try to bring some of those innovations down to the filename/folder level

remember this is a bridge to a mobile world we all "know" that everything is shifting to the internet. soon majority of the content and files will be streamed/accessed remotely rather then owned/stored locally but we are not there yet and something is desperately needed to get us from where we are now to that wireless internet driven mobile world everyone is excited about. i think this concept could become that bridge...

now the fun part is designing the apps! ill spare you those details for now

 

hahaha you straight up turned my "bridge to a mobile world" into "a lifeless cabinet"