berninbush
02-06-2009, 16:20
Don't anybody get too excited about this idea. I haven't seen anything like it actually manufactured. This is just my idea for what I'd build for the "perfect wilderness electronics equipment" if I were designing something for use by thru hikers and others off the beaten path.
1. It would, of course, be small, lightweight, waterproof, and breakage-resistant.
2. I wouldn't incorporate a cell phone. Coverage is still too spotty in rural areas, and cell signal sucks power. Instead, I would use satellite technology like what they have for the SPOT locator. But rather than just "ok" and "911," you'd be able to send full text messages. This should be technologically feasible... if you can send a single message to the satellite, you should be able to send a digitally encoded data stream.
3. To save battery power, the satellite transmitter/ receiver will only be on when the user activates it. That way you can check for messages once or twice a day, and save your battery the rest of the time.
4. The device will have an iPhone-sized screen with a slide-out keyboard for easier typing of journal entries (which can also be transmitted via satellite).
5. It will have an mp3 player, a good digital camera, a GPS unit, and a .pdf file reader. It will have two SD card slots so that you can have your music, e-books, and maps on one card and your photos on the other (in case you want to mail one card home). The carrying case will have room to store more SD cards in case you want to swap them out.
6. It will have a built-in emergency flashlight.
7. It will be able to run on rechargeable batteries and/or common-sized disposables (AAA or AA) for flexibility in wilderness situations. It will switch itself off whenever not in use, and otherwise be designed to use power as conservatively as possible.
Basically this device is replacing your cell phone, SPOT tracker, GPS, mp3 player, camera, maps, guide books, books, and backup flashlight. (On the maps and books, I'm assuming you can get those things in .pdf format to be read on the screen.) It could be considerable savings in weight and bulk.
Can anyone think of any other improvements?
1. It would, of course, be small, lightweight, waterproof, and breakage-resistant.
2. I wouldn't incorporate a cell phone. Coverage is still too spotty in rural areas, and cell signal sucks power. Instead, I would use satellite technology like what they have for the SPOT locator. But rather than just "ok" and "911," you'd be able to send full text messages. This should be technologically feasible... if you can send a single message to the satellite, you should be able to send a digitally encoded data stream.
3. To save battery power, the satellite transmitter/ receiver will only be on when the user activates it. That way you can check for messages once or twice a day, and save your battery the rest of the time.
4. The device will have an iPhone-sized screen with a slide-out keyboard for easier typing of journal entries (which can also be transmitted via satellite).
5. It will have an mp3 player, a good digital camera, a GPS unit, and a .pdf file reader. It will have two SD card slots so that you can have your music, e-books, and maps on one card and your photos on the other (in case you want to mail one card home). The carrying case will have room to store more SD cards in case you want to swap them out.
6. It will have a built-in emergency flashlight.
7. It will be able to run on rechargeable batteries and/or common-sized disposables (AAA or AA) for flexibility in wilderness situations. It will switch itself off whenever not in use, and otherwise be designed to use power as conservatively as possible.
Basically this device is replacing your cell phone, SPOT tracker, GPS, mp3 player, camera, maps, guide books, books, and backup flashlight. (On the maps and books, I'm assuming you can get those things in .pdf format to be read on the screen.) It could be considerable savings in weight and bulk.
Can anyone think of any other improvements?