Smart Displays are Here!!!

[Krk3561]

Viewsonic has started to sell Smart Displays. Compusa has advertised them this week, $999 for the 10" and $1299 for the 15". Think these are a great idea, they just need to come down in price before I would buy one.
Here's a link to Viewsonic's web page: Link

ViewSonic® Corporation, a worldwide Visual Technologies? leader, announced today that it will be the first U.S. Microsoft industry partner to make Smart Displays available to consumers through leading online and storefront retailers. The airpanelTM V110 and V150 Smart Displays which will enable users to experience always-on, anytime mobile connectivity to a PC from anywhere in the home, will be available to customers across the U.S. beginning January 8, 2003.

In his keynote speech at COMDEX Fall 2002, Microsoft® chairman and chief software architect, Bill Gates, also revealed that consumers can pre-order their ViewSonic airpanel V110 and V150 Smart Displays through participating retailers, including Comp USA, Amazon.com, Buy.com, Fry?s Electronics and RCS. Customers that take advantage of the pre-order program will not only be among the first to own a Smart Display, but will also receive a free docking station?up to a $199 value.

?Today?s technology savvy consumers want access to their PC in different rooms in their homes, away from the desktop,? said Marc McConnaughey, senior vice president of the Advanced Technology Group, ViewSonic. ?Our airpanel V110 and V150 Smart Displays will give customers access to information, applications and services at any time, in any room, and in offering them an opportunity to pre-order the devices, we can meet demand more rapidly.?

The airpanel V110 and V150, 10-inches and 15-inches respectively, are wireless touch screen monitors intended for remote mobile use throughout the home, while the V150 can also be employed as the primary desktop monitor. For additional value and ease of use, both airpanel Smart Displays will be offered with everything the consumer needs to get the devices up and running right out of the box, including integrated wireless support, a USB wireless adapter solution (up to a $100 value), and an upgrade to the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system (a $200 value). The airpanel V110 and V150 are available for estimated street prices of $999 and $1,299 respectively.

?Microsoft and ViewSonic have worked closely over the past year to deliver on our vision of enabling consumers to access their Windows XP-based PCs from anywhere in their homes, at any time,? said Keith White, senior director of the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group at Microsoft Corp. ?Early feedback from families testing Smart Displays has been extremely positive, and we are excited that customers can preorder their Smart Display before they become broadly available January 8.?

Pre-order buyers of Smart Displays are expected to be the traditional ?early adopters? of technology. This audience?composed of customers eager to apply forward-looking technology and gadgets to their daily lives?can test drive the airpanel V110 and V150 at COMDEX Fall 2002 where they will be on display in the Microsoft Smart Display tent outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. Additional information about ViewSonic Smart Displays can also be found at www.viewsonic.com/smartdisplays.

 

[zayened]

:Q

 

[PCMarine]

Interesting to say the least. I don't know If I could justify the price tag though.

 

[rpc64]

I saw the Smart Displays at Comdex, they are very cool. I knew they were going to cost a fortune when they came out. I could see them catching on quite well with consumers, but they do need a significant price drop first.

 

[DaveSimmons]

and an upgrade to the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system (a $200 value).

Too bad they can't skip this and knock $50-100 off the price, but unfortunately MS decided not to let these work with XP Home.

 

[Joony]

can these things run by themselves? Like as a large PDA? it has a built in 400mhz Xscale processor and "Includes a whopping 32MB ROM and 64MB SDRAM". Thats about the same specs as my Toshiba e740...It even has Win CE according to their specs

 

[Krk3561]

I think it uses Windows CE and needs ram because it has to process the data being sent over the Wi-Fi connection and display the picture on the screen along with being able to use it as a touch screen.

 

[jello]

It has to have XP pro because it uses the remote desktop to work. All the processing is done on your machine w/ the gui thrown over 802.11b to the mobile monitor. All this thing is really is a cordless LCD w/ a touch screen. For the money you would be much better off kicking in a few hundred more and getting a tablet PC (assuming you want that sort of interface) or spending the same on a fairly good laptop.

 

[Krk3561]

Anyone get or use one yet? Someone on these boards has got to have bought one!

 

[IamDavid]

Can you have multiple screens on a PC? These would be kewl to have around the house in different rooms..

 

[Gunbuster]

$1000 for a screen with 802.11 running terminal services umm no, how about $350-500

 

[vetteguy]

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
$1000 for a screen with 802.11 running terminal services umm no, how about $350-500

No kidding...more like $1000 for a screen with terminal services, or $750 for a 1.5GHz laptop with 802.11b.

 

[MasterSamwise]

Originally posted by: jello
It has to have XP pro because it uses the remote desktop to work. All the processing is done on your machine w/ the gui thrown over 802.11b to the mobile monitor. All this thing is really is a cordless LCD w/ a touch screen. For the money you would be much better off kicking in a few hundred more and getting a tablet PC (assuming you want that sort of interface) or spending the same on a fairly good laptop.

You are correct. I have read a few reviews of the devices that say they are overpriced for the functionallity they offer, except the idea is good. One big gripe is the Windows XP Pro Upgrade, because you cannot use Remote Desktop in Windows XP Home.

MS