Comments on: OLO Computer – iPhone Docks as Trackpad Mouse

By: dominick c

dominick c — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:00:16 +0000

look through the school, you’ll find something
iphyics was one of the first games I remember having with the 1.1.x firmwares.The newer versions is cleaner, but functions the same.

By: dominick c

dominick c — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:55:49 +0000

Veence program allows you to do this

By: Mr know-it-all

Mr know-it-all — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:30:06 +0000

The Internets are buzzing about a mysterious new product called “Olo,” a sort of dock that could turn an iPhone into a mini-laptop. Basically, it’s like the Celio Redfly, but for an iPhone – a ‘laptop’ with a big screen, physical keyboard, trackpad, and Webcam, but no brain. The phone would act as the brain.
I agree this is the future of computing, which is why I’m so bullish on the awkward Redfly. I’ve seen several concepts from major manufacturers where you basically carry a portable CPU with you that adapts to whatever locale you’re in. At home, you could pop it into a big screen and keyboard to be your home PC. On the road, if could be your cell phone, or pop into a little laptop body. You could slot it into your car. One brain, many bodies.

Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure the Olo is a concept product – there’s no hint that this would actually come to pass. And there’s a good reason it will never come to pass: Apple hasn’t released an API for the iPhone’s dock connector (see the last Q here) and generally won’t permit third parties to write drivers for new hardware for the iPhone. In other words, this would be so forbidden by Apple, so fast … you get the picture.

Rather, Olo seems to be a publicity project for a pair of French innovation and design consultancies – idea guys, basically. The fellow behind the Olo Web site appears to be Giacomo Bersano, a European business consultant. He runs a group called Active Innovation Management which purports to improve companies’ innovation record through thought-process management tools like TRIZ.

The fake PC’s design was done by Gregoire Gerard, an industrial designer whose “Neovenz” Web site showcases various concept products he’s done, including a little urban people-transporter and an RFID device which helps you compare product prices at stores. The products Gerard showcases on his site generally don’t exist – rather, they’re concepts that may eventually trickle down into more practical devices.

If these guys are basically promoting their imagination here, I give them five stars for capturing the zeitgeist, but zero for new ideas. Sometimes, though, innovation is all about capturing popular imagination with the right product at the right time, not about being first with a new idea.

By the way, I found this out through about ten minutes of Web searching. I’ve emailed Gerard and Bersano to get the full sccop, and I’ll update this post when they respond. (Via Engadget.)

By: Exhibit B

Exhibit B — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:19:04 +0000

How in the Hell is anyone gonna type with a docked iPhone serving as an obstacle for the hands and blocking the keypad?! This is not only boring, but totally impractical. Nobody with a working brain is going to pay money for this device.

By: Douglas

Douglas — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:17:39 +0000

I agree.

By: HITCH

HITCH — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:38:53 +0000

OLO LOL i dont know what to think….sorry i just dont like it..

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:51:03 +0000

I wish Apple would make something like this but with the bluetooth keyboard–ie, the main keyboard would be a bt keyboard that pop’s out. Also, would some-company make a baby bt mouse that fits into the express slot…

By: SeijinZero

SeijinZero — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:11:07 +0000

I wonder if you could use the keyboard on the laptop as a keyboard for the iphone, like typing emails and text messages on an actual keyboard

By: Jash Sayani

Jash Sayani — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:47:12 +0000

Absolutely useless !!!

First of all, they are catering to only iPhone users and Not all notebook users. Secondly, they are catering to iPhone users that prefer a Mac instead of a Windows computer. Thirdly, there is a very small no. of audience that would want to buy a computer that needs the iPhone to function as they cant work while talking on the phone and keeping the iPhone connected to the charger for long hours also decreases battery life!!!

Besides, they could use the EeePC touchpads for providing multi-touch!! They are also pretty cheap.!

By: Edden

Edden — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:26:00 +0000

I call a fake. It’s running tiger. Why would they make a laptop that runs an old OS.