Week 12 - Post 1: Amazon Patents Remote Display

        The most recent article I read was about Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com, who was one of two inventors to have recently filed a patent for:  "A remote display system including a portable display that wirelessly receives data and power from a primary station."  Essentially, this display system would reduce the modern day tablet to a mere lightweight screen, without all of the data processing equipment and batteries, drastically reducing the potential size of such a device.  Specifically, "the primary station, which is remote from and without a tangible connection with the portable display, includes a data transmitting element and a power transmitting element." The display would be able to receive both power and data from the primary station, effectively allowing the tablet to have a substantially longer or even permanent battery life.  Clearly this technology has the opportunity to be a real game-changer, and the potential uses for such a technology seem limitless, and it will be up to Amazon to decide how it intends to pursue the many business opportunities such a device would allow.

        Most interestingly, listed in the patent Bezos filed, potential applications for such a device included perhaps having several primary stations on a college campus and then issuing or renting the mobile screens to students for however long they needed.  The primary station would handle data and Wi-Fi processing so that the device would be able to perform all the functions of a standard tablet - but with greatly enhanced mobility, battery life, and even performance.  It was also stated that there may be potential applications for digital reading, hinting that this may be the future of the Amazon Kindle.  The patent stated the device could even be used as an attachment to a car windshield, to glasses, or to an earpiece.  The opportunities seem limitless for Amazon with this type of technology,and we can likely expect more patents to follow as Amazon further explores the potential of this technology.

Link: http://www.geekwire.com/2013/future-kindle-amazons-bezos-eyes-wireless-power-remote-processing-device-displays/