The problem with a wireless mouse is that it can run out of charge. Skeptics maintain that even the possiblity of being locked out of your system while your mouse recharges defeats any gains from cutting the cord. I think I agree, but I still want a cordless mouse. So what if it came with a USB mousepad? The wireless mouse will work anywhere, but when used on the pad it will draw power (and recharge) through contact with that surface. This way you could never run out of power. The worst that could happen would be that you'd have to temporarilly use it on the pad if it lost all it's charge (that's assuming you didn't always use it on the pad anyway.)
Are you giving this brilliant idea away ? My friend Bob Wallace died unexpectedly last week. He was the number nine hire at Microsoft & the "inventor" of shareware. He was the founder of Mind Books & Dance Safe & a tireless defender of all things psychedelic. He was a Browny as well. I had many extraordinary conversations with him & he was an important & brilliant teacher of modesty, poverty & humility. The Times Obit quoted him as saying he wanted to make a living not a killing. It went way beyond Shamanic philanthropy. He was a true geek. The only person I know who is even a little like him is Jim.
Yes, I saw the obit in the Times. I tried to say something, but couldn't really come up with anything. Super important guy, for sure. Obviously nothing to do with me. Here's the bit about shareware: He copyrighted his PC-Write program and sold the diskette for $10, at the same time giving users permission to share the program.Customers who found value in the software were able to register the program for $75 and obtain a printed copy of the manual.
Initially, he was uncertain about whether his strategy would work.
"If I make enough money to live on, I will continue the experiment," he said in an interview in September 1983, when he introduced the program. "If not, I will approach software publishers to see if they are interested in marketing a PC-Write II version of the program for me commercially."
Within several years, Quicksoft had 32 employees and annual revenue of more than $2 million.
As for the mouse pad, I just want someone to make it. Could that be a rule of ideas? Is it that if you are really committed to your idea you just want to see it happen; but if you don't care as much about your idea, then you'll only let it happen if you can make a buck off it? Maybe that's too harsh. Obviously people have to make money. But sometimes I wonder...
yes an honorable man, how did he die??
"Bob Wallace... died on Friday at his home in San Rafael, California..... The cause was not immediately known and the results of an autopsy are not yet available..."
there's a great scene in putney swope (the best movie about the media business ever) where putney has haggled a photographer down from his asking price of thousands of dollars until the photographer finally says "i'll do it for free, i need the work". Putney's response: "for free I can get anyone. take a walk." Sometimes if you want people to take your idea seriously enough to act, it's useful to assign a price to your idea. Many many people see price as value.
Just a reminder that there are alternatives to the "price as value" philosophy, particularly in a digital context. Go, Jim!
FWIW, here's a company with the same idea, but for your whole laptop. Not sure how convenient that really is. But clearly the concept works. Maybe they'll make the mouse pad.
what powers the power surface and how mobile is that? as you said, not too convenient.
Looks like wireless recharging might finally be for real.
Tesla!
are we now moving finally into novelty??
WiPower touts breakthrough in wireless power.
A wireless charging plate seems quite feasible, and could cut down on mobile-device-charger-clutter. I've got something like this, which is a low tech approach.
I remain skeptical of claims of *practical* charging at a distance (other than the well-known 93 million mile approach).
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- jim 9-30-2002 10:39 pm
Are you giving this brilliant idea away ? My friend Bob Wallace died unexpectedly last week. He was the number nine hire at Microsoft & the "inventor" of shareware. He was the founder of Mind Books & Dance Safe & a tireless defender of all things psychedelic. He was a Browny as well. I had many extraordinary conversations with him & he was an important & brilliant teacher of modesty, poverty & humility. The Times Obit quoted him as saying he wanted to make a living not a killing. It went way beyond Shamanic philanthropy. He was a true geek. The only person I know who is even a little like him is Jim.
- frank 10-01-2002 3:14 am
Yes, I saw the obit in the Times. I tried to say something, but couldn't really come up with anything. Super important guy, for sure. Obviously nothing to do with me. Here's the bit about shareware:
As for the mouse pad, I just want someone to make it. Could that be a rule of ideas? Is it that if you are really committed to your idea you just want to see it happen; but if you don't care as much about your idea, then you'll only let it happen if you can make a buck off it? Maybe that's too harsh. Obviously people have to make money. But sometimes I wonder...
- jim 10-01-2002 4:59 pm
yes an honorable man, how did he die??
- Skinny 10-01-2002 5:31 pm
"Bob Wallace... died on Friday at his home in San Rafael, California..... The cause was not immediately known and the results of an autopsy are not yet available..."
- jim 10-01-2002 7:39 pm
there's a great scene in putney swope (the best movie about the media business ever) where putney has haggled a photographer down from his asking price of thousands of dollars until the photographer finally says "i'll do it for free, i need the work". Putney's response: "for free I can get anyone. take a walk." Sometimes if you want people to take your idea seriously enough to act, it's useful to assign a price to your idea. Many many people see price as value.
- big jimmy 10-01-2002 9:23 pm
Just a reminder that there are alternatives to the "price as value" philosophy, particularly in a digital context. Go, Jim!
- tom moody 10-01-2002 11:40 pm
FWIW, here's a company with the same idea, but for your whole laptop. Not sure how convenient that really is. But clearly the concept works. Maybe they'll make the mouse pad.
- jim 10-02-2002 7:35 pm
what powers the power surface and how mobile is that? as you said, not too convenient.
- dave 10-02-2002 9:14 pm
Looks like wireless recharging might finally be for real.
- jim 4-01-2007 6:55 pm
Tesla!
- tom moody 4-01-2007 7:56 pm
are we now moving finally into novelty??
- Skinny 4-03-2007 5:06 pm
WiPower touts breakthrough in wireless power.
- jim 9-25-2007 9:31 pm
A wireless charging plate seems quite feasible, and could cut down on mobile-device-charger-clutter. I've got something like this, which is a low tech approach.
I remain skeptical of claims of *practical* charging at a distance (other than the well-known 93 million mile approach).
- mark 9-25-2007 10:07 pm