The Mozilla Seabird Concept

Every once in a while something comes along that really opens your eyes to the potential technology has reached in the recent year. In the mobile market these eye-opening events happen more often because of the dramatic leaps that are made in such a short amount of time. Today I present you with a smartphone concept that could easily be made into reality.

The wonderful people over at Mozilla, the makers of the extremely popular internet browser, Firefox, started a division“…where people come together to create, experiment, and play with new Web innovations and technologies.” They call this playground Mozilla Labs. This is the place where “Crazy ideas and inspirations are encouraged as we all explore and experiment with brand new ideas in whole new ways. Mozilla Labs is about inspiring and harnessing the intelligence, wisdom, and energy of the Mozilla community”. So, basically this is a division of Mozilla meant to push the envelope of creative design with technology, something that we love at ThinkComputers.

A big part of Mozilla Labs is something they call The Concept Series. “The Concept Series is an open forum for sharing your ideas, expertise & vision for the future of the Web, the Mozilla project and Firefox.  Collectively, we explore design directions, develop ideas and turn them into mock-ups & prototypes.” From this amazing forum the idea for one of the most awesome looking smartphones I’ve seen was birthed.

In 2009 a forum member named Billy May produced a “throw-away” concept for Mozilla Labs Open Web Phone Concept. After much feedback from the community May finished his project and presented the world with the Seabird.

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This smartphone’s primary focus is on what May considers to be “the lagging ability to efficiently input information”. The input methods he employs in this concept are rather unique and from a logistical standpoint are quite possible. If you view the video below and say to yourself, “that’s not possible” let me assure you that the technology for data inputting in this fashion has been out for several years, it’s just never been executed in a way that seems practical. Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard

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The use of dual Pico projectors is something that really surprised me. Ever since I first saw the Sapphire Mini-Projector 101 I’ve imagined when something like this would be incorporated into a phone. May, definitely wet my appetite with the projector potential.

All in all you have to realize that this phone is more eye candy than anything. Mozilla has absolutely no intention of trying to make this phone a reality but could some other manufacturer produce this phone? Yes. Would it cost a fortune? Most definitely! Mozilla has allowed the groundwork to be laid on what could potentially be the most amazing phone in history. The biggest question is who is going to step up? Motorola, HTC, Samsung…Billy May has put you to shame!

If you’re interested in more information about the project check out http://www.MozillaLabs.com/seabird