Mar 9, 2008

A Printing Laptop, anyone?

In the times when we see fusion of different technologies into one instrument, we still have computing and printing done with different machines. How about a laptop which also manages to print a few pages, when there is absolute necessity and you don’t have to run around finding a printer? Hmmm..it may not be the ideal time to advocate a new technology which is likely to make laptops thicker and heavier, when Macbook Air is creating sensations; but the take-home lesson from Macbook Air is, it is possible to make the heart of the laptops extremely thin. Imagine blending with it printing facility, one is likely to have a laptop which is not thicker and heavier than what most of us use anyway. Lemme explain you how..
When one can take fotos and print immediately using Polaroid camera technology, which is around for a long time, why is it not possible to merge printing into laptops? It need not be cumbersome like common printers – 6 to 10 pages of A4 papers are enough to be stored at any time in a laptop, just for some emergency. Without the necessity of any tray, a motion detector will sense a paper being fed and store them inside. Rest is easy. How about it? For starters, it is OK to start with a black-ink printing facility; after further improvement in technology, a full-color printing is possible. If and when such a facility is marketed in the future, remember where you read it first.. :)

18 comments:

Unknown said...

http://www.jfbdtp.com/Pentax/Pentax.html

if they could integrate this into a laptop a 4.4 lb laptop would weigh close to 6 lb (still lighter than some of the heavier laptops sold today).

nice thought..

:)

Badri said...

WoW!Get a patent first!

Nag said...

interesting thought

Anonymous said...

I agree with you especially when one is in an odd place. Portable printer is something that I don't want to carry around. Hopefully yoor idea reaches the designers soon. Creative idea :)

Pappuli

J said...

super, Raju :-) nice thought. kandipa antha maathri laptop varumnu thonuthu.
okay okay gavanam vachukarom :-)

Raju said...

Sundar, I wasn't aware of the portable printer. Thanks for the info. Since there are several overlapping electronics for a laptop and a printer (battery, chips and casing, to name a few), I think the weight of a printing laptop would be lower than the sum total weight of a laptop and a portable printer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Badri, LOL.. I am thinking of registering this blog with Creative Commons Licensing.. then lemme see.. :)

Raju said...

Nagesh, :) Thanks..
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pappuli, I also dont think portable printer is a hit (atleast not yet). And, I think HP is nicely placed to make this printing laptops, since they are experts in both printers and laptops.

BTW, what is the name 'Pappuli'? Never heard b4, but cute.. ;)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
J, thanx.. :)

mitr_bayarea said...

Raju-

feels good to be back and catch up on the posts....absolutely true..printing laptop vanthal will remember where I read the idea from.

Anonymous said...

nice idea Raju, it will definitely come in handy, although it is not the top priority nowadays when it comes to laptops. i would just like a usb powered printer which is the size of macbook air that can hold say 10-15pgs and can print when it is connected to any computer or through wifi, that would be interesting to see. btw, just recently switched to mac and so far its not too bad, but still dont understand the hype behind the os. still feel windows is more robust.

Unknown said...

if at all anyone does this it will be the fruit guys.. aka pazhams or apple!

why dont you pitch it to Jobs?

:)

ps. Will remember where we read the idea first!

Balaji said...

good ideas always have a small start - fulfilling a need WE have. this is a great one :)

Me too said...

Good one! Necessity is the mother of (your) inventi(ve)on (idea), I guess! Can I see you with your printing laptop on 'As seen on TV' someday?!!

Raju said...

Mitr, welcome back again.. :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nitin, I agree that it is not the top priority, but rather surprisingly. One common problem that we often encounter with printers might be an obstacle to this reality.. that is when the page(s) get stuck in a printer. Since laptops are not openable easily, that might pose a disadvantage.

I saw Mac in Best buy and it looks and feels tremendously slim and light. And I am also more comfortable with Windows than with Mac.

Raju said...

Sundar, LOL at the 'fruit guys'.. Saadharana pazhama.. Billion dollar pazham aachey? ;) Let me see if I can communicate with any of the 'open-for-ideas' PC manufacturing people..
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Balaji, Thanks.. :)
yeah the 'small start' part is very true.. Often times when I am stuck in a remote place I have felt like printing something, which was the reason behind this post.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aparna, thanks to U too!
LOL.. it has a long way to go before getting into 'As seen on TV' days..

S.G.Ramkumar said...

Interesting idea. probably you can patent the idea...

Ramya said...

Hmmm.. good thought.. but how far it will be useful..how efficient the performance will be.. why should a laptop be able to print.. paavam, too much of overhead on it.. officialy, when you want to take printouts, walking till the printer is some sort of exercise atleast.. my conclusion is too much of technology makes humans very lethargic and unhealthy.. who knows raju, kaligalaam! nalekke unga idea click aanaalum aagalum...

Raju said...

Ram, thanks Kanna.. will try to do that.. :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ramya, I agree with u that it can make someone more lazy.. but, most people have the printers within a few inches of the laptop/desktop on their computer table, rite? So, I dont think they are doing any exercise even now.. but imagine having such a facility in urgent places (like in a car/cab/bus/flight, when you are urgently finishing off some work and need to print out before you reach ur destination)... useful-a illaiya? (Imagine Sivaji rolling his eyes and asking Nakkeeran)..

Ramya said...

ha ha ha:)) sivaji-nakeeran...LOL.
ennoda case la naraya distance iruku printer, adhanaala sonnen.. hmm.. maybe useful at times...