Motorola to release phone with no bezel by end of year. | Hacker News Reader

Motorola to release phone with no bezel by end of year.

androidpolice.com

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One should note this is the first phone developed by Google under control of Motorola. When this is released, it will finally answer many questions about how much Google will influence them. This news about the lack of bezel is the first sign that Google might be willing to use Motorola as a test lab for weird innovation.

> This news about the lack of bezel is the first sign that Google might be willing to use Motorola as a test lab for weird innovation.

I think this is more about avoiding Apple's design patents. I'm pretty sure that a rectangular bezel was one of them.

While the microphone and buttons (if any) fit well on device's edges, I wonder how do they provide earpiece? Do they drill a hole through the display, or is it some sort of flat panel speaker? The later probably would be bad for privacy.

I can think of two ways to do it.

First, you could put the piezo film (commonly used in speakers for cellphones, more efficient for smaller transducers but requires a special amplifier) directly below (but in contact with) the display and use the display as the 'diaphragm'. Makes the entire display a speaker, but would require some interesting sound cancelling tricks to avoid feedback with the microphone.

Second, you could use a piezo below the display with an airgap and use something akin to the laser used in the power LEDs on the Macbooks to poke enough airholes to direct the sound toward the ear.

A third method, which I'm not sure would work, is to suspend the piezo material between two ITO layers (like that used in the capacitive touchscreen) and put it above the display. Depends on if someone has found a transparent piezoelectric material yet; I haven't been keeping up with the materials science side of things.

Just put the mic and speaker on the sides too!

http://i.imgur.com/zCzGe.jpg

Remember the Nokia Aeon concept phone?

http://www.nokiaaeon.com

PS: Also picked this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2nG9qy6vs) up from http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1921701

I'm curious to see the usability. If I look at the way I usually hold my phone, about 5-7mm of the front are obscured. I'm not saying this is bad, but I'd have to see it in action.

The one big question is not answered by the article. Will they get a design patent for it?

Most probably, and they will sue Apple if they ever use a similar design. Motorola is under Google's management now. So, they must do whatever it takes to protect the Android ecosystem and thattheir partners. Sadly, that mostly means to sue somebody these days.

Well, that's the difference between deterrence and Thermonuclear War. Once the despots strike, there's no going back.

Whatever next? Flat loudspeakers!?! Telegraphic communication!?!?!

Where did the photo in this article come from?

Iron Man probably.

yup, Iron man 2.

What about accidental touches?

Surely you can make a UI to deal with this.

Sure, just setup the UI so that no elements are within 1/4 inch of the edge of the screen so that your fingers don't activate something. Simple.

Or just ignore the fingers that comes in all the way from the edge of the screen.

Wait even better, we could put some kind of border around the screen that isn't responsive!

And send movie playback, which doesn't need touch, back to postage stamp territory!

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