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Tech Frustrations
By Jacob Cohen | August 25, 2005
Every now and then, I get frustrated with the lack of useful technology that should already exist, but doesn’t. Or, if it exists, it is horribly expensive and limited in its flexibility.
As an example, take your average KVM switch. These typically allow you to use a single monitor, keyboard, and mouse with multiple computers. However, the computer peripherals industry seems bent on churning out hundreds of varieties of these devices that all fail to be truly useful in one or more ways.
- All consumer KVM switches (and every server grade switch that I know of) has a fixed number of computers it can control, so you have to plan very carefully to avoid overspending initially, or needing costly upgrades later.
- Most if not all KVM switches only support a single set of connectors or protocols. All your computers must use USB, or all of them must use PS/2. All of them must use DVI, or all of them must use analog VGA. This makes a heterogenous environment difficult if not impossible (difficult because you can sometimes buy expensive adapters to make your connectors appear homogenous to the KVM unit). If you have legacy systems, you must buy a KVM switch that supports PS/2. However, this then precludes you from using that same switch to also control a newer, legacy-free system.
- The units are often minimized in size, despite the sheer number of cables that need to be connected. It’s virtually impossible to find a spot on your desk for an elegant looking KVM switch that has twenty pounds of cables sticking out of it from all sides.
Also, what’s the deal with putting all these “internet buttons” all over newer keyboards and never selling a keyboard that includes KVM switch control buttons? If there’s one thing a button would be useful for, is preventing me from having to type “scroll-lock scroll-lock 2 k” to switch my keyboard to computer number two.
A perfect KVM switch would be expandable - you buy more pieces that connect an additional computer, and hook it on to the rest. Each of these could have its own set of connectors and supported protocols, so that you can control newer and older systems with the same switch.
My next gripe is with car audio products. It is still difficult to find a car that will let you listen to CDs, satellite radio, and your iPod or other portable music device. You’re faced with the choice of planning well ahead and trying to buy a car that supports all of your music sources, or replacing the factory sound system later with an aftermarket unit that has the features you need.
Each car manufacturer has their own way of wiring stereos, so that you need to purchase a specific wiring harness to attach a stereo head unit to the car’s power and speaker systems. Conveniences such as steering wheel controls are not guaranteed to work with an aftermarket system. There are several competing CD changer protocols.
How much simpler would it be if instead of RCA connectors, speaker connectors, and a wiring harness with 30 color coded wires, the back of a stereo simply had a standardized power connector and about 20 USB ports. Audio devices would all connect to the stereo via this interface, regardless of what they are. Want to have 8 different CD changers mounted at various points in your car? No problem, just snake the cables and plug them in. Want to control your iPod from your steering wheel controls? Easy, just plug the iPod cradle in. Want satellite radio? Simple, just mount the receiver somewhere in your car and run a cable up to the stereo and plug it in.
For that matter, once bluetooth and other wireless protocols become more prevalent, there should be no reason you can’t add support for them to one of these stereos. Plug in the wireless receiver/transmitter along with your other devices, and the stereo doesn’t need to know the difference. Add a mic somewhere in the dashboard and you can record voice notes to your iPod or talk on your wireless phone without needing additional hardware gadgetry.
Update: Apparently at least one automaker is starting to think like this, too. According to this article, Volkswagen will offer a USB connection option on several of its models next year.
Topics: Tech |
