Intel, Asus partner on 'dream PC' design site

If you could design your own computer, what features would your dream machine have?

That's what Intel and Asus are hoping to learn from WePC.com, a Web site launched jointly by the two companies Wednesday that solicits ideas from consumers with the goal of producing what they call "the world's first community-designed PCs."

The site divides its focus into three "conversation groups," in which consumers work together to design Netbooks, notebooks, and gaming notebooks.

"Visitors to the site can share ideas, vote on submitted concepts and engage in discussions with other community members about the qualities of the 'dream' PC," Intel said in a statement.

"Intel believes the spark for innovation can come from anywhere," Mike Hoefflinger, general manager of Intel's Partner Marketing Group, said in a statement.

Many of the contributors' suggestions are fairly mainstream desires for most PC users: more powerful batteries, less shiny screens, and lighter overall weight. Some have specific desires for processors, while others have asked for high-definition screens and 3G connectivity.

However, there have been some creative suggestions that some visitors might not have considered. One suggestion asked for a durable notebook that was waterproof with a "nighttime look to glow in the dark."

One reader suggested doing away with the notebook's buttons and screen for a virtual reality experience. "I know that the technology for plugging your nervous system directly into your brain is very far off, but we've got some fairly cheap technology that could be applied to a computer that would be fairly awesome." Another reader suggested telepathic communication that would rely on the sensing of brainwaves.

But some ideas may just leave you shaking your head.

"I like the idea of a laptop that has hair on it. You can than cut said laptop's hair to your liking. The hair of course grows so you can have multiple haircuts a year," wrote one visitor.

Some of these ideas may make it into a PC some day--if they make the cut.

[x223459kk]

There are some interesting concepts like these two :
http://www.wepc.com/vote/view/idea/440/Asus_Touch
http://www.wepc.com/vote/view/dream/404/Ultra_Netbook

[jaypres]

I will like a pc with an Apple logo on it running OS X.

Asus, there are designers and engineers in this world to help you decide what is good in a pc. If you need an grandpa and grandma to help you design, please close shop,

Thanks.

[ywkhgqo]

God forbid intel and asus try to figure out what their customers want? Apple still doesn't, because you still can't send MMS messages with the iphone or even copy text. Yes it's a phone, but it shows the companies attitude towards its customers. I have an asus laptop ad it was some of the best money i ever spent

[shane--2008]

dream notebook/netbook?

take the macbook air. multiply the ram by 4 and the disk drive by 8. keep it as an SSD. cut out half a pound and give it the new glass trackpad. sell it for under $1500. if you could do that, you would have 70% of the market as fast as you could make them......

or, just do what all other PC makers do, and go make a cheap looking clunky knock-off of all the Macs and count on windows lock in to get you some customers. tell us how that works out......

[Super2online]

Well, I can tell you how it has already worked out... 90% of the computers in the world, and you didn't even have to wait for the answer!

[warpsix]

If i am going to have 4 gigs or more ram then i would like to have some of that hold the kernel as rom. ssd's are fast but ram is quicker . if they can't make a faster cpu then lets move the operating system to a faster place. glass trackpad is a must, maybe make the case out of solar cells. a touch screen would be nice along with dual webcams

[William Crow]

Bring back and expand the offering of the track-point mouse device while eliminating the touchpad. The re-adoption of the track-point device would allow for a much smaller laptop/notebook computer.
Is there a way to freeze/lock the registry in the OS? (I'm not a guru) Its the main reason for my former Windows OS to slow to a crawl on a regular basis, forcing a complete reload 3-4 times a year.
Now I'm an Apple head. No problems now.

[gregbright]

Have you all read the user agreement?

Hi. I just singed up and it appears to me that Asus and Intel are just getting a whole bunch of free ideas with zero compensation to the creator.

I already have one patent for a laptop stand that is in production and I am not sure I am willing to share my other good ideas for zero reward.

Caveat Emptor People!