Gossip

Timing: the art of promoting Smart Displays ...

It seems that LG isn't the only Smart Display fan refusing to face facts. A special promotion of the devices has been announced.With uncanny prescience, the HomeMag site decided to run a special feature on "the top 10 wireless technologies for the home" this Christmas. And there, in the middle of the top ten is the ViewSonic airpanel V110p.

"When ViewSonic shipped its first airpanel Smart Displays in early 2003, the product's expensive pricing and seemingly lackluster feature set left users cold," summarised the visionaries.

But (it continued) "the idea was sound, and maybe now is the time to take a second look."

The enthusiastic blurb continues honestly enough: "ViewSonic's aim was to create a product that provides wireless remote access to your desktop PC, letting you access most of the programs on that system while sitting in other rooms in your houseâ??hopefully in a simpler design and at a price cheaper than that of a full laptop. The reality was somewhat less inspiring, and the Smart Displays' high prices turned off consumers."

Indeed it did. So what's changed - apart from Microsoft's decision to abandon the mis-conceived design?

"Now, in late 2003, Viewsonic's airpanel V110p Smart Display ($800) competes against low-cost laptops. It's still expensive for a device that utilises a 10.4" 800 x 600 touchscreen, with an underlying system that might remind you more of a typical Pocket PC device (a 400MHz processor with 64MB of RAM and 128MB of SDRAM) than a notebook."

Nothing has changed, then? "But the airpanel weighs just 2.64 pounds and travels easily around your home, offering a much nicer screen than any Pocket PC. And compared to a laptop or Tablet PC, the airpanel boasts immediate boot-up capability and is far less complicated."

Actually, that's pretty arguable. As a device, of course, it is less complicated! - but it's still part of a PC system, and as such, it's as complex as any PC. Except for the fact that it has no keyboard, and has a pen instead, with pretty mediocre character recognition.

"Granted, the airpanel isn't for everyone," concludes the article. "But naysayers should take another look and remember that, for the price, they're getting a true display monitor and a bundled copy of Windows XP Professional."

Oh well: I'm sure we'll get caught on something equally unfortunate. It goes with the territory, guys; better luck next time!

Tags: Smart Display, Origami