Sure, we're all about the futuristic designs around these parts, but the Cup PC concept take futuristic design to a completely new level. This idea takes the average PC and tries to make it as simple as drinking a cup of tea. It does so by actually integrating the PC into what seems to be a simple ceramic cup, but it is far beyond simple. The cub contains a holographic projector and serves as the main interface of the Cup PC. It uses other types of interactivity like stacking cups to share data, pouring data and other very farfetched features.
I spill my coffee and tea as much as the next guy, but I don't want to be encouraged to do so with ideas like the Cup PC. Come on, designers. I know the Wii and iPhone took the world by storm, but this is pretty far out there. How about some baby steps, first?
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Via Gizmowatch
editor@dvice.com
By Klashnikuv480 at 9:41 PM ON 03/27/08
Nothing is to high tech, when you can listen to it, and multi-task.
By eri at 3:29 AM ON 04/03/08
hi~
By no at 4:19 PM ON 04/04/08
What if you get mixed up and pour your real coffee into your buddy's Cup?
By Sean at 4:21 PM ON 04/04/08
This seems like a glorified iPod or projector. Good for displaying information and simple interactions, but as for media (images, text, video, sound, etc) creation... completely worthless.
A hologram projector would be pretty neat, but I don't see a use for a hologram projector that can hold/copy data really.
By kkqq at 4:33 PM ON 04/04/08
Wow... Someone sure likes to smoke weed and use photoshop...
By Bad Joker at 4:47 PM ON 04/04/08
I think the name needs to be shortened.
For your consideration: PCup
By dumb at 5:00 PM ON 04/04/08
this is dumb
By Clark at 5:04 PM ON 04/04/08
Great idea. Too bad it, um, doesn't actually exist.
Seriously. How much more vaporware does the human race really need?
By jacksprat at 5:10 PM ON 04/04/08
Youve got to be kidding. There are some people that need to get their creativity back inside the box. This isn't creative or innovative it stupid. New designs should improve usability or productivity, not look nifty or taking some uncreative existing tools and trying to apply them to computers.
By z4nd4r at 5:14 PM ON 04/04/08
For your consideration: PCup
Nah. Call it the iCUP
By J.L. at 5:18 PM ON 04/04/08
WANT!
By Forrest_Gump at 5:28 PM ON 04/04/08
Stupid is as stupid does. This is as stupid as it gets. Once holographic technology and input get there, maybe, but wouldn't there be an easier way to use something? The cup wasn't designed as a multi-use device - it's for drinking. This cup-computer would be damned hard to use compared to something, say, designed for computing?
Good creativity, but put some more thought into this sort of thing.
By lightbrite at 5:38 PM ON 04/04/08
Light typically travels in a straight line. How would they make it bend around the edges of the cup, as in the picture with the people at the table? It also has to be liquid resistant. I'm getting flashbacks of people's computer coffee cup holder breaking in the 80's.
By JURN at 5:50 PM ON 04/04/08
Seriously, this is stupid. "Pouring information"? "Collecting information" by stacking cups? There is no analogy here... it makes absolutely no sense.
By greensweater at 5:52 PM ON 04/04/08
The designer is taking a novel approach to computing in an unexpected way. This interface is actually quite intuitive when you think about the machine in terms of a vessel for data. The device would also naturally be warm to the touch due to the electronic components, which would make having sex with the device much more agreeable.
By Sukalia at 6:57 PM ON 04/04/08
Why would anyone want to slander someone who is trying to advance technology, no matter if the idea is odd?
Get a grip, at least these creators are trying something and moving forward in advancements. Even if it doesn't work, there will have been a lot gained in the process of its creation.
I look forward to what people like this will bring to our future.
By That Guy at 7:21 PM ON 04/04/08
I can definitely see this being used if it was smaller "the Shot Glass" maybe? then it'd be like a flash drive/PMP crossover, which this seems to be perfectly suited to. want to give your friend some new music to listen to? pour some of your "shot" into his "glass" and voila!
By nudeagain at 7:25 PM ON 04/04/08
""Pouring information"? "Collecting information" by stacking cups? There is no analogy here... it makes absolutely no sense."
Actually, it does.
All the comments here that downplay the potential usefulness of his concept reminded me of the following quote:
"The telephone has too many shortcoming to be seriously considered as a means of communication." - Western Union executive, 1876
By she_died at 8:06 PM ON 04/04/08
This is thinking outside the box. It's like Sukalia says, the next guy will see something different in this, and take it either one step further, or go off on a tangent, and free us from that aging desktop metaphor.
By Uh at 8:45 PM ON 04/04/08
"The device would also naturally be warm to the touch due to the electronic components, which would make having sex with the device much more agreeable."
LOLWTF
By svoloch at 9:35 PM ON 04/04/08
Am I the only one to think that's April Fool's (April 1st) Joke???
By JURN at 10:57 PM ON 04/04/08
"""Pouring information"? "Collecting information" by stacking cups? There is no analogy here... it makes absolutely no sense."
Actually, it does."
Please explain it to me then.
By alaskanime at 12:06 AM ON 04/05/08
Bizzare, but I want one....or two.
If they could get the media editing capabilities (perhaps using a stylus with gyroscopes/accelerometers like the wiimote), then I would be absolutely sold.
By Hu Mi? at 1:57 AM ON 04/05/08
Well, the user interface already exits: (BumpTop: http://bumptop.com)
By wtcupf at 5:46 AM ON 04/05/08
What the hell are they thinking? This is the stupidest idea I've ever seen. And I've seen some dumb ideas. Back to the drawing board, and this time no shroom tea.
By hvidstue at 10:02 AM ON 04/05/08
I'll sign up for one too! :-)
By keyahno at 12:58 PM ON 04/05/08
amazzing webarnold
By bob at 4:26 PM ON 04/05/08
You April Imbeciles !!!
Lattes that compute?? Please..!!
[Removes tinfoil hat and condom]
I can't believe you were all bamboozled by this
Crap!!
By BOB at 5:50 PM ON 04/05/08
Something this stupid can only come from Japan.
By Johnny at 6:44 PM ON 04/05/08
This is so obviously an April Fools article.
In the first place, it's incredibly impractical. The 'pouring data/stacking cups' stuff is dumb, as others have said.
In the second place, any computer replacement will have to have some way of live data input. The pictures only show options for displaying data. I suppose this could be a backup storage device just for storing your data from a *real* computer...
Third, this hologram technology *might* be possible in about 10 or 20 years, but who'd want to use it in this fashion. Even if you find some other way to enter data (voice recognition? virtual keyboard?), it gonna be inconvenient.
Lastly, anything that will replace the current keyboard-monitor-mouse combo has to be easier. Difference just to be different has never had value except for the psychopathic collectors out there. New technology that makes things easier is what wins.
By anon at 10:36 AM ON 04/07/08
two girls, one cup anyone?
By يبلا at 1:31 PM ON 05/22/08
ghjlhjk
By butt munch at 3:05 PM ON 06/28/08
dis is aussem i love dis