Slim line? » BUG Community

Oct 11, 2007 6:56pm

digital1 32 posts

Are you guys considering having a "default",slim-line bug config that has the lcd,camera, and GPS built-in? Just a question. :-)

Jan 2, 2008 4:51pm

jtoeman 57 posts

Good suggestion – we’ll be handling these kinds of things based on demand. So if we get a huge amount of support for a version with these features integrated, we can work through that. If demand appears low, well, that’s what the modular nature of the system enables anyway, so either way the configuration becomes a possibility.

This will be a learning process in a lot of arenas, especially including product configurations. Topics that seem like "no-brainers" often are exactly the opposite!

Thanks again for the suggestion, would anyone else like to jump in on the discussion?

Jan 4, 2008 3:40am

oceanic 6 posts

LCD certainly looks good in a standard offering. Different people will have different takes on this issue though. It will depend a lot on which markets does BUG catch on.

I see BUG as a quick prototyping platform for a lot of industry and research applications, so communication makes sense. I think having a wireless communication module (not necessarily wifi) will be a good idea.

Another thing is that it should be able to buy even the standard BUG base with some kind of comm module embedded in it. Why waste a connector? Over time, the greatest common divisor across all markets should be available as the standard feature set. But I wonder if the labs would rather take the hassle.

Jan 21, 2008 7:45pm

dudenz 5 posts

It would be ok if GPS and other radios would be part of the BUG but concerning the camera and display and other modules, I think those should not be incorporated into BUG as those would close up the space for other modules to plug in.
But as the formfactor is of importance as well, if there will be a display module which takes up one whole side (two plugs), it could be made nice and slim – slimmer as the standard module because it is the only one connectable on the one side.
Also it would be good to have not only separate modules for bluetooth, edge, 3G etc. but combine those meaningful together. separate modules could still be made, but then for maybe a somewhat lower price.

Feb 22, 2008 1:42pm

anddarr 1 post

I think its a great that the bug gives you the option to create any kind of device you would like. Creating a new base that incorporates some of those devices takes away from that and more or less mainstreams the bug. Also in adding more functionality, some of the other functionality may have to be left out. Really the only device I can see being justified in a new model would be the LCD screen since probably over 50% of future applications will use it in some way. However if more features can be incorporated into the BUG without leaving out previous functions, I'm all for it :D

Feb 24, 2008 9:31pm

jtoeman 57 posts

good feedback everyone, these are exactly the kinds of points we are interested in hearing about. There’s the constant challenge of figuring out the fine lines between making a product too bloated (and expensive) versus not useful enough. We’ll start posting a few surveys in the future as to what tradeoffs everyone’s comfortable with and help understand priorities, but in the meantime, any other thoughts on what a BUGbase "should" have?

Feb 25, 2008 12:10am

kschultz 107 posts

I think if it where I’d want a BUGpda slim line. Full touch screen on the front, two BMI on the back. Make sure it has wireless/wifi, microphone, speaker, a gps, and a headphone jack. That could replace pretty much every device I have now from cell phone to Ipod to Garmin GPS to PDA. Then the two module connects would allow me to expand for the more unusual applications with a motion detector etc. Some people may say camera on a PDA but for me, I’d rather plug in a bigger module and get better quality than the tiny cell phone style CCD cameras, that isn’t much better than no camera at all.

Mar 2, 2008 10:39pm

wimora 10 posts

a BUGpda slim line. Full touch screen on the front, two BMI on the back. Make sure it has wireless/wifi, microphone, speaker, a gps, and a headphone jack.

I think this would handle everything that I can think of at the moment that I'd use on a regular basis and probably 95% of everything I'd ever do with the Bug.

Also, I saw that someone asked somewhere what the measurements and the weight of the base are but I don't remember ever seeing an answer. I guess what I really want to know is how big (and heavy) are the base, LCD and GPS together?

Mar 4, 2008 6:25pm

mcaric 64 posts

Hello wimora,

Here are the weights of the units:

Weights
Complete Box with product – 2lb 2.75oz
Base – 5.375 oz
LCD 1.5 oz
Camera 1.25 oz
Motion and GPS 1.125oz
Power adapter – 5.5 oz

As for the measurements, I do my best to get those for you shortly :)

Thanks,
Melinda

Mar 4, 2008 7:39pm

wimora 10 posts

Thanks!
I’ve just been wondering about carrying this thing around in a pocket.
Hmm…

Mar 4, 2008 8:36pm

kschultz 107 posts

For comparison the Ipod weighs 5.7 oz so the base is actually smaller/lighter than the Ipod. I have been kinding of thinking of it as 2 ipods stuck together when you have the modules on it.

Mar 5, 2008 7:03pm

mcaric 64 posts

Thanks for your patience, I finally got those measurements for you.

Measurements in inches: The base unit is 5.1 by 2.625 by .567. The LCD is 2.518 by 2.518 by .470, and the GPS is 2.513 by 2.518 by .755. Those measurements do not include the islands/connection slots on the base unit or the BMI interface connectors on the modules, as I’m assuming you would want the measurements of the base/modules when they are snapped together.

Melinda

Mar 7, 2008 8:45am

wimora 10 posts

Thanks for the info.

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Oct 11, 2007 6:56pm digital1 32 posts	Are you guys considering having a "default",slim-line bug config that has the lcd,camera, and GPS built-in? Just a question. :-)
Jan 2, 2008 4:51pm jtoeman 57 posts	Good suggestion – we’ll be handling these kinds of things based on demand. So if we get a huge amount of support for a version with these features integrated, we can work through that. If demand appears low, well, that’s what the modular nature of the system enables anyway, so either way the configuration becomes a possibility. This will be a learning process in a lot of arenas, especially including product configurations. Topics that seem like "no-brainers" often are exactly the opposite! Thanks again for the suggestion, would anyone else like to jump in on the discussion?
Jan 4, 2008 3:40am oceanic 6 posts	LCD certainly looks good in a standard offering. Different people will have different takes on this issue though. It will depend a lot on which markets does BUG catch on. I see BUG as a quick prototyping platform for a lot of industry and research applications, so communication makes sense. I think having a wireless communication module (not necessarily wifi) will be a good idea. Another thing is that it should be able to buy even the standard BUG base with some kind of comm module embedded in it. Why waste a connector? Over time, the greatest common divisor across all markets should be available as the standard feature set. But I wonder if the labs would rather take the hassle.
Jan 21, 2008 7:45pm dudenz 5 posts	It would be ok if GPS and other radios would be part of the BUG but concerning the camera and display and other modules, I think those should not be incorporated into BUG as those would close up the space for other modules to plug in. But as the formfactor is of importance as well, if there will be a display module which takes up one whole side (two plugs), it could be made nice and slim – slimmer as the standard module because it is the only one connectable on the one side. Also it would be good to have not only separate modules for bluetooth, edge, 3G etc. but combine those meaningful together. separate modules could still be made, but then for maybe a somewhat lower price.
Feb 22, 2008 1:42pm anddarr 1 post	I think its a great that the bug gives you the option to create any kind of device you would like. Creating a new base that incorporates some of those devices takes away from that and more or less mainstreams the bug. Also in adding more functionality, some of the other functionality may have to be left out. Really the only device I can see being justified in a new model would be the LCD screen since probably over 50% of future applications will use it in some way. However if more features can be incorporated into the BUG without leaving out previous functions, I'm all for it :D
Feb 24, 2008 9:31pm jtoeman 57 posts	good feedback everyone, these are exactly the kinds of points we are interested in hearing about. There’s the constant challenge of figuring out the fine lines between making a product too bloated (and expensive) versus not useful enough. We’ll start posting a few surveys in the future as to what tradeoffs everyone’s comfortable with and help understand priorities, but in the meantime, any other thoughts on what a BUGbase "should" have?
Feb 25, 2008 12:10am kschultz 107 posts	I think if it where I’d want a BUGpda slim line. Full touch screen on the front, two BMI on the back. Make sure it has wireless/wifi, microphone, speaker, a gps, and a headphone jack. That could replace pretty much every device I have now from cell phone to Ipod to Garmin GPS to PDA. Then the two module connects would allow me to expand for the more unusual applications with a motion detector etc. Some people may say camera on a PDA but for me, I’d rather plug in a bigger module and get better quality than the tiny cell phone style CCD cameras, that isn’t much better than no camera at all.
Mar 2, 2008 10:39pm wimora 10 posts	a BUGpda slim line. Full touch screen on the front, two BMI on the back. Make sure it has wireless/wifi, microphone, speaker, a gps, and a headphone jack. I think this would handle everything that I can think of at the moment that I'd use on a regular basis and probably 95% of everything I'd ever do with the Bug. Also, I saw that someone asked somewhere what the measurements and the weight of the base are but I don't remember ever seeing an answer. I guess what I really want to know is how big (and heavy) are the base, LCD and GPS together?
Mar 4, 2008 6:25pm mcaric 64 posts	Hello wimora, Here are the weights of the units: Weights Complete Box with product – 2lb 2.75oz Base – 5.375 oz LCD 1.5 oz Camera 1.25 oz Motion and GPS 1.125oz Power adapter – 5.5 oz As for the measurements, I do my best to get those for you shortly :) Thanks, Melinda
Mar 4, 2008 7:39pm wimora 10 posts	Thanks! I’ve just been wondering about carrying this thing around in a pocket. Hmm…
Mar 4, 2008 8:36pm kschultz 107 posts	For comparison the Ipod weighs 5.7 oz so the base is actually smaller/lighter than the Ipod. I have been kinding of thinking of it as 2 ipods stuck together when you have the modules on it.
Mar 5, 2008 7:03pm mcaric 64 posts	Thanks for your patience, I finally got those measurements for you. Measurements in inches: The base unit is 5.1 by 2.625 by .567. The LCD is 2.518 by 2.518 by .470, and the GPS is 2.513 by 2.518 by .755. Those measurements do not include the islands/connection slots on the base unit or the BMI interface connectors on the modules, as I’m assuming you would want the measurements of the base/modules when they are snapped together. Melinda
Mar 7, 2008 8:45am wimora 10 posts	Thanks for the info.