Above: Experimenting with the folds of the paper screen. Scroll left and right through this gallery above to see to see the many ways that each screen could be arranged. Our test user is changing the order in which you fold the screens. Each fold position/orientation is determined by which screens are currently touching in between the front and back screens (which screens are not currently in view and in use). An app may also extend beyond a crease, in a dual-view sort of fashion.
The Interface
Brainstorm
1. Front and back displays. Smaller front display.
2. Front and back displays. Fills up all space on both sides.
3. Pull out keyboard.
4. Foldable or flexible physical keyboard.
5. Multiple screens.
6. Flexible screens that allow for multiple screens.
7. Phone that opens like a book.
**8**. Folding wallet-like phone, with multiple folds. Made out of thin, flexible material.
9. Writing on a phone screen, much like a palm pilot.
10. Physical scroller on the side or at the bottom, like iPod classic.
11. Laptop-phone-tablet hybrid that is portable.
12. "Bootcamp" for compatibility in iOS/Android/other mobile platforms.
The Pholdable Phone was my favorite idea, because upon shaping the cardstock, I found that in its most compact mode (folded 4 times, into 16 sections), it fit like a wallet. It was about the same weight as well. As I flipped open each section, it felt comfortable and also more like a book than anything. Playing with this solar panel-like alternating fold pattern inspired and opened up a lot more ideas for what sort of app/screen interfaces could work as well.
The laptop interface was my tester's favorite. As the phone opened up, the keyboard rested comfortably and the folds allowed for the device to stand up. Additionally, he enjoyed the dual screen, where the apps extended into another "monitor", which was my solution to having a rather extra wide screen. It is something that may be used in a home setting, but now is much portable.
Lastly, he especially liked that it could be folded into a wallet-size and carried around much like a wallet. This is helpful in that it feels like a valuable device that you don't want to lose track of.
I came upon many new insights in having this physical prototype, which surprised me. I knew that it would be difficult to figure out what screens were open and which app should go in what screen/screen resolution/width, but as this was a prototype, I decided that there would be no physical limitations to what the device can handle or what shape it may take. I think that is a very powerful thing to have, because I had this idea that many, many actions could be user customized, such that the order in which the user chooses to open up the folds matters to which view that will be shown in sequential order.
Additionally, different screens across the paper could be put next to each other. This sort of electrical paper material, similar to e-paper, is a technology that I would love to see happen in the near future. It would open up so many new utilities and creations. This is definitely an exciting thing to experience and experiment with.
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