A ideal laptop (according to me) is a compact version of a computer made to be used usually by a single person. I am tryin to design a compact device which would be like a laptop aimed to be used by at least 50 users everyday at a internet cafe…can anyone plzz suggest why a laptop should not be used as a public device …what all can go wrong with it… any kind of feed back is welcome…i wud reframe my questions if need be…
I would think that cleanliness would be a big thing with a public computer near food and drinks. Also security, you wouldn’t want it to just walk away. I think it’s easier to abuse a laptop (hinges, moving screens, removable batteries + power cords) than it would be with a desktop in a public place. With a desktop, people only need to touch the keyboard mouse and maybe cd tray. You could possibly hide the tower and the public would have no access to it. With a laptop, you have to trust the public to be hands on with the entire computer.
I can see the beauty of a mobile device for internet cafes, lounging on cool chairs and socialising with others rather than being tied to the rigid, uniform layout pescribed by every internet cafe I’ve been to.
Damage, wear and tear (whether acidental or otherwise) or theft are obvious concerns, but should be able to be designed against, probably with a combination of the product design, and the way in which the user is billed for using the cafe, deposits etc etc.
Your design goal is to design a versatile computer for internet cafe, not a laptop.
I would perhaps integrate it into the table, make it like a piece of furniture -something difficult to steal because of its size, that could be wiped down like a table top, and pushed together/move around easily for more people to join up and socialize.
My concerns would be keeping gunk out of the keypad, and preventing fading of the letters on the keys from constant dirty fingers.
Table with touch screen keyboard under glass in the table top for easy cleaning, Pop up LCD monitor. No exposed inputs or drives, just web capabilities.
You’re referring to the M$ table Touch OS?
those words really helped a lot… as far as the Microsoft surface goes it is a lil far fetched as an idia when it comes to Indian cyber cafe’s… i will have too think a lil away from cool lounges and chairs…i will put up my sketches in a day or two …THANKZ A MILLION GUYS!!!
Look into what Capellini did a few years ago with Philips, they did a range of furniture with what they referred to as ‘ambient intelligence’ (a term Philips seem to have trademarked). There’s a book about it called ‘The New Everyday’ or something along those lines.
Also look at Moritz Waldemeyer, I saw some of his stuff at an exhibition last year with interactive table tops. He also did a kitchen for Zaha Hadid with a cool control console.
And another random link…
Keep us up to date with what you come up with, sounds interesting.
so are we ever going to see this project or what?
Agreed. You also need to consider the needs of the owner and the user.
Personally, I’d look at something like this:
That nComputing thingy is intriguing.
Not quite as “forward” as these guys: