Phones and MP3 Players as the Core Component in Future Appliances

In the 1980s, we used power toolsets that consisted of five or six power tools but were delivered with a single motor attachable to each of the tools. The tools themselves were motorless. At the time, the rationale for this design was twofold: the motor was an expensive component and not replicating it saved money, and people did not need both their circular saw and their power drill at the same time. This approach has a long tradition and was also common, for example, with early electric kitchen appliances. Such systems have become uncommon. However, looking at current consumer electronics it seems that a similar trend might be emerging. This time the expensive and complex components are the user interface and the embedded processor. Hence, this component is shared among appliances.The variety of available devices, especially for the Android platform, is massive. Hence, many designs will likely include a mobile device whose size, processing power, and user interface capabilities can realize the requirements of the "computer." There are essentially two approaches to using mobile phones and MP3 players as computing components: in one, devices are sold as accessories to the phone; in the other, the phone becomes a part of the device. Examples for the first one can already be found in the market; for the second one, we have not seen examples yet.