Mind the pad is a mind-tracker application-concept for cell phones and PDAs that is at the same time a scribble & write sketch pad, an address book, agenda and file organizer.
The main principle behind the application is that information is not saved on a fixed location, but is stored as separate pieces that are auto organized as the user reach for it. Each piece of information, or meme, is a small text file along with a drawing (superimposed over the text), which can be linked to images or any file. Upon reading the user may underline some words and they will be transformed on special index words. When the user clicks an index word all information is re-organized and every data containing this index will be joined. Consequently, the user will be able to bridge ideas and concepts while searching for different data or files.
Each index is also associated to data fields as email or telephone number, so his address book is seaming less joined into the idea flow.
As the user does not need to previously organize it, information can also be inserted by medias such as voice and images. With a built-in text-to-speech technology, he may insert multiple, unrelated, voice memos during the day, which will automatically be converted into easily retrievable, therefore useful, data.
If the hardware has a camera, Mind the Pad becomes even more powerful. The user may add a voice comments to each photography he takes, that will be converted in an associated meme so he will be able to navigate thought his image library much in the same way his brain works when he is telling a story about a trip: by bridging and information association.
Later, the user can use the built in optical character recognition, to retrieve information about some images. Then he may quickly photograph an advertising, a note on the wall or a business card to insert the information about it.
This is a radical idea. I’m not even sure I understand it all. How cool it would be to have a three-in-one so reliable in applications you have just described. Just thought I’d comment.
Comment by Thomas — September 19, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
What you talk about is something that should be put on a much larger scale. Non-linear, wiki-like user interfaces should be the basis of modern operative systems. If the data is sorted in a tree-like model, it should be so intuitive you feel the branches.
Some un-provoked brain-storming follows (a bit unstructured)>> Take a data-screen. You turn the computer on. A large button appears in the middle (could be marked “start”). Click it, and all the items you choose to associate to it appears, encircling the startbutton. Clicking one of them shows you items associated with that item, and so forth. Holding down Ctrl shows you click-history. Alt shows you other active sessions. Ctrl+Alt shows you History with links to were you “branched” auxiliary sessions. Holding down another buttong while dragging the mouse over a link deletes the link. Some similarity to your “le Button”. Well quite alot actually. Perhaps The two could be combined. Combine the button with a pen and an in-built camera. the pen registers your writing, linking it into your current session. camera shoots pictures to combine to your text.
Comment by Per — December 23, 2007 @ 9:39 pm