Cool! Maybe we can collaborate on a design that incorporates it...
Just make sure they credit the DC and these great designers for the ideas...
Some contributions to the DC in the form of royalties would be very nice...
Heheh... A new laptop wouldn't hurt either.. LOL
Just kidding.. :)
Let me know if they think it's a viable product to use in the tracking of
things like laptops or PDA's and cell phones.. etc... It might be just the
thing for this sort of product... If it's pricey, maybe they could make a
low cost version for consumer products... I was looking up some circuit
diagrams for remote car alarm systems, there are a lot of published circuits
available for devices like that...
This really shouldn't be too hard to prototype... The costs in packaging it
would be a little more significant... I know a great injection molding place
in Los Angeles called Accent Plastics that could manufacture the molded
package for the clicker, they do a lot of work for us here at Titan
already... and some sort of integration plan would have to be developed to
make it fit in any laptop... maybe as a external wireless device or plugged
into a slot inside the computer. Hard to say, there are a lot of laptop
manufacturers, and they all are somewhat different inside... though it might
make sense to sell it to an OEM like Dell, or Sony or some big manufacturer
and have it designed into the Laptop up front... a nice edge over their
competition to be able to offer that feature... eh?
I really think we could do this...Of course someone will probably go off and
design and build it without any of us seeing a dime... but hey... it happens
all the time, right? (grrr) But, what can you do... at least folks won't
have to go through the loss I experienced again. That would be best of all.
Of course if they want to hire me to design the boards or the packaging and
give me some of the royalties... I wouldn't mind that either... (and then I
woke up, LOL) Okay back to real life...
Best regards,
Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
http://www.dtwc.com
http://pcbwizards.com
-----Original Message-----
From: James Jackson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:35 AM
To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill
Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
Bill,
I am working for a company right now that is in the process of making a
'tracking device'.
I cannot go into details in public...
While it is not oriented towards tracking 'laptops', it certainly will be
small enough to do it.
I am going to approach my boss today or tomorrow and talk to him about this
as an additional market.
Regards,
James Jackson
Oztronics
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brooks,Bill" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 1:22 PM
Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
> Yea! I'm serious.. are you kidding?
>
> This is a great product idea with great potential... and a huge market.
>
> I think a company could easily be formed around it or at the very least it
> could be a product for someone in the business already...
>
> Heck yea...
>
> I think I can pull together a team to design it an build it.. there are
> costs involved with development however... getting financing is not my
> strong suit. But I know a few guys that have managed to acquire 9 mil in
VC
> money before... it could be done. Let me make a few phone calls...
> We could go public in about 2 years... heck it might make a nice
retirement
> account for someone...
>
> Who knows... stranger things have happened before...
>
>
>
> Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
> PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
> Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
> http://www.dtwc.com
> http://pcbwizards.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sally Price [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:14 AM
> To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill
> Subject: RE: [DC] Warning... when attending events
>
> Pulling my tongue out of my cheek, Bill, you got my joke, I really do
> think it is brilliant and I have a couple bucks if you are serious!
>
> Sal
>
> Sally Price
>
> Senior PCB Designer
>
> NVISION, Inc
>
> 125 Crown Point Ct.
>
> Grass Valley, CA 95945
>
> Phone: (530) 265-1049
>
> FAX: (530) 265-1055
>
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Brooks,Bill
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:09 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
>
> Anybody have some investment capital to put into it? I'm ready... let's
> design it... where's the Samuel Adams Lager? We'll need at least a keg
> to
> get started... Let's see at 5 cents a share... times 2 million or so....
> hmmm... we could be going someplace with this...
> :)
>
>
> Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
> PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
> Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
> http://www.dtwc.com
> http://pcbwizards.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sally Price [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:59 AM
> To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill
> Subject: RE: [DC] Warning... when attending events
>
> I think you all have found another source of business, the design to
> secure both laptops and desktop computers! The last idea, having a car
> alarm hand held type device that can be activated as you walk away from
> it. Simply Brilliant! Let's go have a beer and celebrate.
>
> Sal :o)
>
> Sally Price
>
> Senior PCB Designer
>
> NVISION, Inc
>
> 125 Crown Point Ct.
>
> Grass Valley, CA 95945
>
> Phone: (530) 265-1049
>
> FAX: (530) 265-1055
>
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Brooks,Bill
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:50 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
>
> Or better yet. I might be more like a car alarm, with a key ring clicker
> that you activate if you leave it unattended for any length of time...
> and
> if someone disturbs the Laptop, it sends the alarm to you remotely on
> your
> clicker and sounds a local alarm and tracking device option...
> Just another possibility.
>
> Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
> PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
> Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
> http://www.dtwc.com
> http://pcbwizards.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brooks,Bill [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:11 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
>
> Great idea Dee!
>
> If someone picked it up and moved it could have a screen pop up that
> indicated the Alarm system was activated... start screaming a siren
> noise
> and dial your cell phone to notify you... then transmit its location so
> it
> can be tracked. If the Lap top had a 'cell phone' type video camera
> built in
> you might even get a shot of the perpetrator!
>
> I like it...:)
>
> Best regards,
>
> Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
> PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
> Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
> http://www.dtwc.com
> http://pcbwizards.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dee Stover [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:03 AM
> To: (Designers Council Forum); Brooks,Bill
> Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
>
> A motion sensor - transmitter / receiver so the you have an idea when
> the
> laptop first gets on the move. Alarm goes off and tracking starts. That
> way you can get on the move to find it as soon as the alarm goes off.
>
> At 09:46 AM 10/19/2004 -0700, you wrote:
> >Thanks George,
> >
> > The theft of Laptop computers seems to be more common than I
> suspected...
> >This could be an opportunity for a EE, a programmer and a PCB designer
> to
> >come up with an add on product that would protect or at least help
> recover
> >your laptop in the event someone tired to steal it.
> >
> > I like the idea of some sort of 'LoJack' tracker built into a
> Laptop...
> >I was discussing the subject with a friend of mine... One idea was some
> sort
> >of a virus-like program that occasionally pops up and asks for an ID
> and if
> >it's not forthcoming, the first time it's connected to the Internet it
> sends
> >e-mails out to the authorities with your Laptop's GPS location...
> >
> > Another idea was some sort of radio beacon that can be tracked with
> the
> >right equipment, but that might be rather expensive, how about say
> something
> >built into your cell phone for example... With text based cell phones
> it
> >could give you direction finding information... right over your
> phone...
> >that might make the chase more possible... and immediate. (you can't
> run or
> >hide... we will find you).
> >
> > I don't know if there is anything like this out there, but it sounds
> like
> a
> >great product enhancement... Laptops cost as much as Cars used to... in
> the
> >1970's anyway, and they are expensive enough that they qualify as
> 'Felony
> >Grand theft' larceny.
> >
> >Maybe if there is someone out there that wants to work on a project
> like
> >this we could get together and create a product and sell it to the
> Laptop
> >manufacturers.
> >
> >GPS receivers are very small now and easy to add into the Laptop
> geometry...
> >
> >It could work.
> >
> >Thanks for the kind words, George... I could find great satisfaction in
> the
> >'thermite charge' idea.. but I want my Laptop back... :(
> >
> >
> >Best regards,
> >
> >
> >Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
> >PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
> >Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
> >http://www.dtwc.com
> >http://pcbwizards.com
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: George Patrick [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> >Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 11:09 AM
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
> >
> >What a drag...
> >
> >It is an absolute hassle to lug everything around with you when you
> leave
> >the room, but with the way things are now it's the only way to keep
> things
> >like this from happening.
> >
> >Too bad they don't put thermite charges in notebooks that are set off
> by
> >cell phone (or LoJack trackers, but that's less fun to think about) ;D
> >
> >--
> >George Patrick
> >Tektronix, Inc.
> >Central Engineering, PCB Design Group
> >P.O. Box 500, M/S 39-512
> >Beaverton, OR 97077-0001
> >Phone: 503-627-5272 Fax: 503-627-5587
> >http://www.tektronix.com http://www.pcb-designer.com
> >
> >It's my opinion, not Tektronix'
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> >Brooks,Bill
> >Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 10:52
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: [DC] Warning... when attending events
> >
> >
> >Designers,
> >
> >I know some of you use laptop computers in your work as I do, and I
> just
> >want to share this experience with you so you do not have to experience
> what
> >happened to me and Mary Sugden last weekend...
> >
> >Mary was leading the CID+ Workshop and exam in San Marcos California,
> and I
> >was attending it along with some other fine designers. We broke for
> lunch
> >and were gone from the room for a very short time... only to return to
> the
> >room to find that someone of low scruples decided that our laptop
> computers
> >would make a great addition to their personal collections... Mary had
> to
> >continue the workshop and test from her hand written notes... it was a
> very
> >difficult experience. Mary was a real trouper and still did an
> excellent
> job
> >of covering the material and we went on to take the exam on Saturday.
> >
> >The most painful realization occurs when you recall that you left your
> >checkbook(s), and your personal information in your carrying case, and
> they
> >now know where you live, what your home phone number and work number
> is,
> >what your bank account numbers are, e-mail, stocks, you name it...
> etc...
> >etc.. Not to mention the data that you have on your hard drive, that
> you
> >have not backed up... Laptops are terribly portable... it takes only 30
> >seconds for someone to pass by and grab them and stash them for later
> >retrieval. We looked high and low and searched the entire area for the
> >thief(s)... and they had vanished.
> >
> >Mailing lists, passwords, lost reference information, jobs you may have
> been
> >working on, etc... this can be a very sickening experience...
> >
> >The laptops can be expensive, mine was over 2,700 dollars (a Dell
> Inspiron
> >8200 with 64MB DDR ram, 40G hd, leather case, high end video, extra
> >batteries... ugh...)and they are targets of thieves, who seem to watch
> and
> >wait for you to make a mistake or get careless for an instant, even
> when
> you
> >think your stuff is safe in the confines of a classroom environment...
> don't
> >let your equipment out of your sight... And think about what you have
> on
> >your computer... and what it would mean if someone managed to walk away
> with
> >it.
> >
> >Please don't let this happen to you...
> >
> >Best regards,
> >
> >
> >Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
> >PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
> >Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
> >http://www.dtwc.com
> >http://pcbwizards.com
> >
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