Combining a phone and a tablet, anyone?

[tytung]

I would like to get some opinion from you guys....
I am a new startup developing a mobile device that combines a phone and tablet - putting a 7" screen on a less than 5" phone body. It is not like Galaxy Note, where the size is fixed.

SO when you just want to make calls, check SMS and emails, just use the "phone mode" with a 4"+ screen.
When you want to surf web, watch videos/photos, transform it into a 7"-screen tablet.

Now my question is about the potential market for this device, as it seems that no company is creating a device like this, I am worried if there's no market for it.

a) For those of you carrying two devices (a phone and a tablet), are you feeling a bit inconvenient, annd would you like to have this device?

b) For those of you carrying only a phone, would you like to have a bigger screen, perhaps 7", while retaining the same portability?

c) Would you still buy a 10" tablet after you have this device? (assuming you already have a laptop)

 

[ssddx]

this role is already somewhat filled by the folding tablet. i'm not sure if it has phone capability (maybe internet phone) but it combines a large screen into a small package.

a 4.5" screen is ideal for most smartphones as it is large enough to get done what is required but not too large to fit into a pocket. for people who require a larger screen then the current top end models which have large screens are usually more than sufficient. anything larger is too big to carry comfortably.

--

if you want some ideas on what might be an option to enter the market with then i will provide two.

android based phone with an average sized 5" screen but with 720p+ resolution. dual core, high ram, mini hdmi, sdcard slot. if you make it global capable that would be even better. now for the kicker... include a battery 3 to 4 times as large as what is currently on the market. even if the thing weighs 3x as much as current phones this is what we require. i want a phone where i can go a few days without charging it. current manufacturers are packing more power and less battery into phones and that does not make sense at all. the razer model seems to take this to heart but fails for other reasons.

another option is to use a fold up tablet design with a screen on the outside as well as the inside. perhaps using some sort of rotation like some netbooks use to make them into tablets. have the one screen mode for use like a phone and two screen use for a tablet function. use ultra-thin bezels on the sides with a larger area on the top and bottom for sensors, buttons, and handholds. include a charger stand/keyboard connection for business work in tablet or phone mode.

i currently own a laptop and a smartphone. to me a tablet is a worthless expense. however if a phone transformed into one while maintaining the features we need it would definitely turn my head enough to consider it.

oh and we need phones without bloatware and crapware installed.

 

[tytung]

this role is already somewhat filled by the folding tablet. i'm not sure if it has phone capability (maybe internet phone) but it combines a large screen into a small package.

a 4.5" screen is ideal for most smartphones as it is large enough to get done what is required but not too large to fit into a pocket. for people who require a larger screen then the current top end models which have large screens are usually more than sufficient. anything larger is too big to carry comfortably.

--

if you want some ideas on what might be an option to enter the market with then i will provide two.

android based phone with an average sized 5" screen but with 720p+ resolution. dual core, high ram, mini hdmi, sdcard slot. if you make it global capable that would be even better. now for the kicker... include a battery 3 to 4 times as large as what is currently on the market. even if the thing weighs 3x as much as current phones this is what we require. i want a phone where i can go a few days without charging it. current manufacturers are packing more power and less battery into phones and that does not make sense at all. the razer model seems to take this to heart but fails for other reasons.

another option is to use a fold up tablet design with a screen on the outside as well as the inside. perhaps using some sort of rotation like some netbooks use to make them into tablets. have the one screen mode for use like a phone and two screen use for a tablet function. use ultra-thin bezels on the sides with a larger area on the top and bottom for sensors, buttons, and handholds. include a charger stand/keyboard connection for business work in tablet or phone mode.

i currently own a laptop and a smartphone. to me a tablet is a worthless expense. however if a phone transformed into one while maintaining the features we need it would definitely turn my head enough to consider it.

oh and we need phones without bloatware and crapware installed.

Thanks for your feedback!

When you mention the folding tablet do you mean Sony's Tablet P? However, since there is a bezel between the two screens, it cannot be seen as a one screen tablet when unfolded. In fact this is one of the main reason why it gets poor reviews and market reactions (http/www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-21/what-was-sony-thinking-with-tablet-p-rich-jaroslovsky.html). The bezel is simply annoying.

Our startup have found a way to remove the bezel.

Regarding the battery issue, we will take it to heart.

On your suggestion of the fold up tablet design, Yes our product has a one screen "phone mode" which can easily slip into pockets; and a "tablet mode" that combines two screens into one screen, WITHOUT the bezel in between.

 

[ssddx]

i had the chance to tour the sony building in japan and i happened to see a folding tablet so my guess is that you are correct on it being the tablet p. the concept is a good one but they do fail on the execution. a bezeless (or very minimal 1/16" or less bezel) would have been ideal.

by combining i hope you mean that the device folds open to reveal a larger screen...or rotates and folds into a larger screen. joining two devices together for a larger screen would not be good execution and will doom a product from the start.

remember that thinner is not always better. even if the device is an inch thick it is still pocket sized. just remember to design everything for ease of use for the end user... such as not putting the SD card slot under the battery or making speakerphone mode only available when the unit is folded open. common sense perhaps but i've had phones which had such shortcomings (which really doesnt make you want to buy their products again).