Why did you decide not to include a storage device (other than the smart card) in the list of potential add-ons, especially where network links may be unreliable?
First of all, the Simputer is more likely to be used in a client/server environment where it is primarily an access device and the Storage requirements will be met by storage at the Server. Internal storage would have consumed substantially more power and real-estate.The Smart Card should not be seen as a storage medium of any significant capacity, though capacities could increase as technology advances. It is better viewed as a “personalization” and security device.Internal storage, of limited capacity, is already available through Flash memory. Though limited in size, it is still substantially higher than the Palm-based PDAs that are so popular.We have also decided to use the USB as the medium for access to external peripherals. Products like the M-Systems Disk-on-Key Flash Disk are now available on USB. They can provide reliable storage ranging from 16MB to 1GB in capacity. So we do not see the lack of an internal storage as a major problem.
First of all, the Simputer is more likely to be used in a client/server environment where it is primarily an access device and the Storage requirements will be met by storage at the Server. Internal storage would have consumed substantially more power and real-estate. The Smart Card should not be seen as a storage medium of any significant capacity, though capacities could increase as technology advances. It is better viewed as a “personalization” and security device. Internal storage, of limited capacity, is already available through Flash memory. Though limited in size, it is still substantially higher than the Palm-based PDAs that are so popular. We have also decided to use the USB as the medium for access to external peripherals. Products like the M-Systems Disk-on-Key Flash Disk are now available on USB. They can provide reliable storage ranging from 16MB to 1GB in capacity. So we do not see the lack of an internal storage as a major problem.
