A call for innovative design: HTC Evolve concept tablet PC
With the growing stream of new tablet PC/MID products hitting the market recently, it's getting harder to find a truly interesting, original design that combines the prerequisite attractive styling and functionality with innovation. Hence, it is very refreshing to see a new design concept called the HTC Evolve designed by Timur Pinar.
It looks like this isn't an officially sanctioned concept design from HTC, so don't expect to see a prototype or find one of these on store shelves anytime soon. Nevertheless, the Evolve concept has some nice touches and interesting ideas including a stunning "concave side" ergonomic body that beautifully integrates a large OLED touch screen and a pop-out additional OLED touch screen that has programmable buttons. The design also includes a stylus for drawing/rendering in a practical, efficient way.
The rest of the hardware specification includes an Intel Atom processor, 128GB SSD, 1.5GB of RAM, two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, 3.5mm headphone jack, a front-facing webcam, and a microphone. It is envisaged that a custom skinned version of Android would be the main OS, with Google's new Chrome OS being possibly incorporated as an "instant on" fast-booting option.
Although strictly a concept, indicated by inconsistencies in the potential hardware specs (i.e., potential compatibility issues between the CPU and operating systems), the HTC Evolve is certainly an interesting design study and I would love to see more companies trying to innovate more in their MID designs. Who agrees with me? And as a thought for the weekend, let us know your nomination for the best designed MID on the market today. In the meantime, I'll be hoping someone over at HTC sees this!
What’s innovative, that there’s a popout screen touchpad (which I think is both useless and basically a “break me” switch)? I’d much, MUCH rather have a set of definable switches on one or more of the edges. Other than that, having curved sides (sorry, “stunning concave sides”) isn’t innovative.
This is what the iTablet ought to be.
I think “stunning concave sides” is innovative.
Think about holding the device and how it would nestle into the groove between two fingers. It may seem obvious and non-innovative in hindsight, but no previous MID has this ergonomic feature, so perhaps its not so obvious afterall.
I agree with Dave here. I think that popout screen touchpad is useless and breakable. Physical buttons would be much more useful, especially on multi-use devices. MIDs that are focused devices (ie. Media players with some Internet surfing) may not require any buttons at all. And I don’t think curved sides is innovative. Now if HTC does come out with one of these devices …. I’ll get it … because XDA + HTC = Love.
Just give me a Tenori-On design and I’m fine.
Capacitive OLED on the back, E-Paper on the front – or vice versa.
Make a conveniently to use docking station, please.
And if I see a conventional desktop on it … no thank you.
“Think about holding the device and how it would nestle into the groove between two fingers.”
I’m not seeing this.
If anything … your hands are likely to accidentally touch the very edge of the touch screen and set it off when you don’t want to.