Ideas! Anandtech, read this one too....and respond please.

[AndrewPaulNet]

I always wonder.....why don't I think of that?!

But then I realize that when I do - I can't really do anything about it; till I realize that alot of companies scour through forums like this for these ideas so here goes....

A new concept on the wireless front:

At first I thought this up for video game controllers but it can be extended to any device that doesnt use that much power at once.

Instead of Game port or 'fixed' corded USB game devices, why not have a snap off cable USB device, which can go wireless?! ... How? Well I thought about that bluetooth network thing and figured.......

Why not have a device which plugs in to the USB port with the receiving device plugging into the control/keyboard/mouse? This little unit can fit a usb cable for corded fixed connectivity and while its corded, ur PC automatically 'charges' it for wireless use?

In essence this little wireless thing can be universal (but ofcourse devices musy be made to outfit it)
You get my concept?

Picture the Xbox with it's break off cable?

Well now picture something looking like a usb hard drive (those little 'keys) fitting into the peripheral?
The usb key is actually a battery/wireless connectivity device which charges either when plugged directly into a usb port or when a cable from a usb port is plugged into it. Completely transferable, as said - you can charge it by plugging in the usb cable (you can play while it's charging!, but because of 'sharing' the power, it charges slower) or you can completely take it out and plug it into a free usb port (3 hrs and u get 2 hours of play). Since it's a simple usb plug....any regular usb cable can plug the peripheral into the computer directly (now u can still use your device while your 'wirelessness' is charging!). You may also using an ac or dc adapter connect the 'key' directly to a power plug....

You're technically 'wireless' because you're no longer restricted to the 3 or so feet from the PC you'd usually be with a cable...you can use your device only limited to the 1. the distance from which you can use the wireless technology and 2. the distance from an ac outlet.



OK well....don't be TOO harsh on me. This stuff kinda comes to me through other tech (like I'll think how usb works and how the xbox' cable can break off and have a whole idea on it).

What do you guys think?

If this isn't OFF Topic...I'm not sure what is

 

[Booster]

I think that these companies already know what we need before we even start to think about it.

 

[NogginBoink]

A generic wireless USB device has significant technical issues. I'm sure it can be done, but it's not as simple as hanging a transmitter on the end of the wire. Due to the manner in which USB detects and enumerates devices, there would be some significant engineering required to get this to work.

Not that this isn't a great idea, though! It's just not as easy as you'd think.

 

[AndrewPaulNet]

Hey.

I know that it's not 'simple'....I'm not saying it is. It's not exactly simple to make a bluetooth network solution either, but it's been done. If you think about my - that idea is pretty much a 'wireless usb' merged with a 'wireless network' solution. The only thing is the variety of 'power and recharge options' available. So, in essence, the brainstorming would be behind the different power options; since bluetooth has basically merged wireless networking and usb if I'm not incorrect....(sure both plug into a usb slot....) as I said...all you need a different power source.

 

[XZeroII]

The main problem is power, and why would you want it? First, you would need to make sure the battaries are always charged and what would you do when they run low? Plug it back in to charge it? Why would you need it wireless in the first place if you are content to use a cord? To be honest, unless the reach of a cordless device is like 50ft and it can travel through walls and you don't have to constantly charge it, it's useless. A 7' cord works great for a console controller. Any farther away, and you can't see the TV good anymore. It's an excellent idea, but finding a practical application for it would be difficult. I can't think of anything that would be worth spending extra money on to get this feature. Keep trying and I'm sure you'll think of something that will blow our minds

 

[AndrewPaulNet]

I thought I mentioned all the practical applications for it...Keyboards, Mice, Game Controllers. Anything that you want to use and not have cables bother you. They're all already wireless - my idea was simply enhancing that to the part that you don't have to keep buying batteries for the product. I had a wireless system once...I had both the Logitech Keyboard and Mouse...wireless. I sold that thing as fast as I could
use it, and why? How bout' new batteries every 2 weeks at the MOST. That to me is absolutely ridiculous.
I had always thought that wireless devices lasted like 2 months - how much power can a mouse or keyboard take? Apparently enough to drain 8 batteries in 2 weeks. And I tried Duracess, Energizer E2s and Energizer Accucell Rechargeables.

I mean, maybe it's ok for the person who powers up to write email or a document and uses the pc maybe 14 or so times for a week - but not for the average gamer, surfer, pc user, college student (essays and projects galore to type). So I was thinking of something that enhanced the wireless idea with a way to:

1. not waste money on batteries
2. efficient so as to be able to be used even when the batteries are dead.
3. efficient so as to charge in any way possible (by being attached through usb or to a power circuit)

You have no idea how it feels to be in the middle of an email, game or a school paper and have the pointer and/or keyboard stop working. It's frustrating, cuz if you don't have a ready supply of batteries, you bet your ass your driving yourself to a store to get some - God forbid it's 3 am in the morning.

Sure you can say....if you have a wireless device that requires bat. you ought to have some ready; well...you should, but that's not practical, and I don't think of that as an answer. And yeah sure I can have some rechargeables on hand but believe me, thats not an answer either.

Then you may say, ok...make a rechargeable cradle for the devices. But what happens when I want to use it, NOW?

Maybe you see no use or practical application...but I bet me and the thousands, maybe more people out there who'd prefer cordless devices would love something like this. And the product that uses the 'pak' doesnt need to be more expensive - all it's doing is adapting to have a usb cable plug INTO it (switchable with the 'pak' whenever you wanna go wireless), and basically, using the pak would make the device think it was being plugged into the pc through usb directly, so even then it's not a big change. Just make the usb cable detachable, that's all.

As for having the cord plug into it ..... as i said before, that's when the bat. on the pak is done....so instead of 'replacing batteries' you simply either:

1. stick the usb cable into the pak which both charges it slowly and allows you to use it simultaneously
2. take the pak off and charge it using an empty usb slot or it's power cable and plug the USB into the device you're using so you can continue using it.
3. stick the power cable into the pak and use it from wherever u want in the room. Lets just say it comes with an almost transparent 12 foot power cable. Nice and long and you don't see it all that much.

The device doesn't need to work through walls! I mean come on, we're not talking about a Dish movie control or anything that you need to control from another room. We're talking something you'll be using from the most, about 10 ft (depending on your monitor size and resolution ofcourse).

I dunno...not sure what could convince you. I guess maybe if you saw em' you'd understand.

Get back - and don't be mean!
It's just an idea, I guess it's a bad one but, shoot, I'd buy it..and i'm pretty sure I wouldn't return it.

 

[cavingjan]

The battery issue is a non issue anway. You could use rechargable batteries (which you would have to in your model) and suffer the shorter life span (AKA 2 weeks rather than 6 weeks) due to the higher internal resistance draining them over time. The other catch (and why I currently do not own a color PDA) is you can't swap out that batteries for long gaming sessions. For my PDA nothing is better than when I'm into hour 9 of a meeting with no power in the room and my battery warning light comes on, pop off the back cover and drop in a new set of AAAs. This is a situation I face a minimum of two weeks a year and usually a lot more. But I digress.

I'd also be worried about the cord wiggling loose while I'm playing.

(You've got the start of a great idea. Take the criticisms, find a fix for them and improve.)

 

[AndrewPaulNet]

Heya,

Well I thought of it more like, it's not going out of anyones way to put a cord into the device - so whenever you're done using it (bedtime, going out for a while, etc) you just throw in one of the many cables u can charge it with

The wiggling out is not an issue, cuz' you can always make a support 'lock' for any cables that plug into it.



On day I'm gonna try to make a pic and post it so you can see what I mean....