I often hear the health care angle and frankly a good tablet is something that I see as wanted in this industry.
Actually, I've watched them go from slates to convertibles because typing on a real keyboard is preferred.
If you're going lug around an external keyboard a lot you might as well have a laptop. You could easily get a slightly thicker MBA as a convertible. You're adding a multitouch sensor (thin) and a digitizer (thin) and a swivel to the base MBA form factor.
As I have said many times already, I would settle for a convertible laptop/tablet from Apple, but with a few requirements…
I would like to see a 10" convertible with both multi-touch AND stylus (stored in the unit itself) capabilities. The internals from the MacBook Air would be good, and a screen with a high dpi (like the iPhone has) would be great. BlueTooth tethering to an iPhone nano on the go would be sweet, and a stereo BlueTooth headset/mic combo would be sweeter. This unit would sync with the new Apple Home Server/Media Center when in the house, and with MobileMe while on the go.
It's doesn't have a built-in tablet rest. It's too think and heavy for being a small tablet. It's not the real Apple-made thing, so it lacks a cocoa touch OS X, multi-touch and a capacitive glass touch screen. It also lacks the fit, finish and touches an Apple set-up would have. I've seen them in action, you can't use your fingers for a start, yuck! And when you use the stylus there's a cursor tracking along under it, horrible. Not to mention its touch keyboard is the God awful. Besides, it's 13" not 10.
seems a very narrow "fan-boy" view.
and if Apple brought out any other size than 10" you wouldn't buy it. I believe I said something to that effect in another thread to you already.
you have this dream of how it should look and act, I really think you'd be disappointed no matter what Apple bring out.
please, do tell me how I'm being presumptuous and you are not?
I'm not the one saying Apple WILL do this or WILL do that, am I? so pot, meet kettle.
I HAVE set out some problems that seem reasonable to have to overcome in order to reach as big a market as possible. If its not clear to you, I am capable of holding two ideas in my head at once
1. Apple has a lot of problems to over come in order to SUCCESSFULLY bring this type of product to market. so CAN we work them out?
and
2. that they wont be able to overcome them successfully any time soon.
I realise you are fairly new to Apple as a company and it seems like they can do no wrong, also that Steve is one of their biggest assets, yet you continually call him a liar. but Apple does have its faults, and it IS run by humans.
"any technology far enough removed, will seem like magic"
Apple only seem to have the magic fairy dust that falls upon their products, but it takes REAL hard work and thinking to arrive at those points, and I am simply trying to get a coherent rational answer as to what is the one single MUST have feature for this device that has MASS MARKET appeal? if it was easy the market would already be there, because its hard the market is tiny and converged on the scant few niche uses, that I'm trying to get away from and find out what would excite the masses
I agree with you in principal that MT computing will become more pervasive in the future* but in what form?
those of us that post on this board are not the average person on the street that now FINALLY uses an ipod /maybe. we are more likely to have or want the "bother" of a home server, docks and all the paraphernalia that might support a Mac Touch. but most people want simplicity, they want the device to have one clear advantage to their lives.
can you or anyone answer what that one clear advantage is?
not yet I see.
----
as an aside, and to try and move from your impasse, could I ask what your views are on a multitouch iMac are? are you for or against it? and why?
* "in the future" is rather vague, I believe it will take longer than you think, but if we don't see it in 4 to 5 years time, then I would be surprised, however it will TAKE 4 to 5 years, and then that will be dependant on how reliable VERY thin screen tech. moves forward. IMO. please note, that I am not being presumptuous in saying I KNOW, but that it is an opinion only, and also that I have given a REASON, I find it very presumptuous that someone should NOT show their "working out" and just arrive at the "FTW" answer. [smile]
As I have said many times already, I would settle for a convertible laptop/tablet from Apple, but with a few requirements?
I would like to see a 10" convertible with both multi-touch AND stylus (stored in the unit itself) capabilities. The internals from the MacBook Air would be good, and a screen with a high dpi (like the iPhone has) would be great. BlueTooth tethering to an iPhone nano on the go would be sweet, and a stereo BlueTooth headset/mic combo would be sweeter. This unit would sync with the new Apple Home Server/Media Center when in the house, and with MobileMe while on the go.
That's hardly "settling" and far better than a 10" slate would be.
I would like to see a 10" convertible with both multi-touch AND stylus (stored in the unit itself) capabilities. The internals from the MacBook Air would be good
There's a problem right there. Using the internals from the MBA would instantly make it expensive. Adding more capabilities including MultiTouch screen and it easily becomes a $2k+ machine. No, they need to build it from the ground up with cheaper components, like Moorestown. With Intel implementing things like H.264 decoding in hardware for portable devices, we don't desperately need high-speed CPUs for a device that won't be doing things like Final Cut editing.
"I don't see one kind of interface, multi-touch or whatever it is, [replacing] the traditional keyboard and mouse. When the mouse came about, the keyboard didn't go away."
There's a problem right there. Using the internals from the MBA would instantly make it expensive. Adding more capabilities including MultiTouch screen and it easily becomes a $2k+ machine. No, they need to build it from the ground up with cheaper components, like Moorestown. With Intel implementing things like H.264 decoding in hardware for portable devices, we don't desperately need high-speed CPUs for a device that won't be doing things like Final Cut editing.
No, it's not a problem and the Air is in no way a very fast machine. Why? Because unless it is VERY cheap (cheap netbook cheap...like $300-$400 or so) it's still too expensive unless it's a full notebook replacement. Otherwise you have to buy a MacBook/iMac AND a tablet AND an iPhone and that would just be annoying. Bad enough that you sync a phone to want to sync three ways even with a cloud somewhere as your common point.
You could use the MB sans optical drive as the base. I doubt that would be much thicker. But a MB based convertible tablet can serve as a desktop replacement (hooked up to a large ACD and keyboard/mouse), a notebook (since it has an integrated keyboard) and a tablet (because it's a convertible).
If you really really want a slate, then it should dock into a notebook form. But if folks thought a convertible hinge was hinky this is even more problematic. But possible. And of course there are the inevitable pictures of a tablet docked into an iMac from the patent office.
But you sure as hell don't want a Moorestown based iMac.
"I don't see one kind of interface, multi-touch or whatever it is, [replacing] the traditional keyboard and mouse. When the mouse came about, the keyboard didn't go away."
I don't care what Jeff Han says. He didn't invent MT either. Anyway, if this came out I'd still own a desktop - so in that respect I agree. Besides, those who "really" want a physical keyboard will still be able to buy them.
Maybe the 10" Mac touch will actually be the 10" MacBook touch, a convertible laptop/tablet??!?
Again, taking a fairly expensive ($1299) machine and adding more capabilities (i.e. touchscreen) pretty much guarantees a computer that's too expensive to be popular.
It is cost that keeps me coming back around to the idea of a pure slate tablet over the flexibility of a convertible device.
Taking out the keyboard and simplifying the chassis without the clamshell lid (or the convertible hinge) is gonna knock something off the price. Dropping FlashRAM prices is gonna knock something off the price. Pulling from a standard parts bin (MacBook Air & MacBook internals), especially if those same parts bins are being used by a revamped Mac mini & possibly low-end iMacs, should lower prices with volume purchases.
All I ask is for enough compute power to reasonably run Mac OS X and it's bundled apps; Safari, Mail, iChat, iLife, etc.; and a few key apps, such as the iWork suite & World of Warcraft?
For that matter, three free months of WoW with every purchase (must also purchase a year of MobileMe) would be a great sales incentive!
If Apple could offer a 10" Mac touch slate tablet with BOTH multi-touch & stylus capabilities for US$899 they would have a hard time keeping them in stock. Love it or hate it, everyone would want to at least try it?
If Apple could offer a 10" Mac touch slate tablet with BOTH multi-touch & stylus capabilities for US$899 they would have a hard time keeping them in stock. Love it or hate it, everyone would want to at least try it…
I think Apple's target price will be $999. There's something I think you should remember when considering specs though, the likelihood is this device won't be ready until Macworld 2010. A lot can change in over a year in this industry, this thing will be quite powerful for what it is.
I don't care what Jeff Han says. He didn't invent MT either. Anyway, if this came out I'd still own a desktop - so in that respect I agree. Besides, those who "really" want a physical keyboard will still be able to buy them.
The point is that a significant MT researcher does not believe MT replaces the physical keyboard. Therefore, for most users, they probably still WILL want a physical keyboard so a convertible makes more sense than a slate.
If you need to own another notebook or desktop, then that large a device will likely fail.
Besides, I certainly know that Han didn't invent MT. Not sure that Buxton can claim that title either but he was at UoT where a lot of early work was done. Univeristy of Toronto or Bell Labs likely claims that first. Maybe CMU.
I've suggested this before, thought I'd mention it again.
Once they are able to do "tactile feedback" multi-touch, the days of "physical" keys and physical mice will be numbered.
For example, the "desktop" keyboard is a glass/etc curved, organic surface. However, imagine if besides being multi-touch responsive, there is also some sort of "tactile" feedback.
Some sort of (non-damaging) nerve-stimuli to make you "feel the keys", or even say, "feel textures" as you use it. Should be possible with some sort of minor electrical discharge.
Am I the only one thinking about the awesome pr0n applications of this!!! I mean, let's just keep it focused on the finger stimuli first...
Jeez, I am a dirty bastard, aren't I...
Seriously though, tactile feedback.
As many of us know, when typing on the keyboard or even SMS-ing when we used to/ when we have/ Nokias and Sony Ericssons, tactile button response is very important.
I pretty much type now most of the time looking at the screen not the desktop keyboard at all. Bring tactile to multi-touch, make it as humanly-intuitive as possible, and voila! The death of the mouse and keyboard will *not* be exaggerated then...
Imagine first-person-shooter gaming. Would be wicked. I say, put virtual-reality and 3D and "feedback vests" aside. Make mainstream multi-touch electro-nerve tactile feedback, fully blank-slate input devices available within 5 to 10 years. Multi-touch meets Biotechnology meets UserInteractionDesign.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinea
The point is that a significant MT researcher does not believe MT replaces the physical keyboard. Therefore, for most users, they probably still WILL want a physical keyboard so a convertible makes more sense than a slate.
If you need to own another notebook or desktop, then that large a device will likely fail.
Besides, I certainly know that Han didn't invent MT. Not sure that Buxton can claim that title either but he was at UoT where a lot of early work was done. Univeristy of Toronto or Bell Labs likely claims that first. Maybe CMU.
Oh, and of course tactile is very relevant for Mac Touch tablet down-the-line, and of course accessibility for deaf/blind/dumb* (not sure what the politically correct terms for those are) users.
*hearing, visual, etc. impaired... I mean.
*Tactile* multi-touch will be the biggest user input device revolution since the mouse came out of Xerox PARC (IIRC)...!
I've suggested this before, thought I'd mention it again.
Once they are able to do "tactile feedback" multi-touch, the days of "physical" keys and physical mice will be numbered.
We've seen this before in the Starfire concept except that the textured surface would allow you to discern desktop from "papers" on the desktop
Quote:
For example, the "desktop" keyboard is a glass/etc curved, organic surface. However, imagine if besides being multi-touch responsive, there is also some sort of "tactile" feedback.
Some sort of (non-damaging) nerve-stimuli to make you "feel the keys", or even say, "feel textures" as you use it. Should be possible with some sort of minor electrical discharge.
One issue with losing a physical keyboard determination of what is a keypress and what is just resting on the keys. It depends on the typist how much they rest on the keyboard but today, physical keyboards can sense this difference because of key travel.
You'd want fairly discrete pressure sensing and you still have little travel which is an issue even with thin physical keyboards.
Quote:
Seriously though, tactile feedback.
As many of us know, when typing on the keyboard or even SMS-ing when we used to/ when we have/ Nokias and Sony Ericssons, tactile button response is very important.
Notice that some phones are better than others for texting. One key factor is key feel and the flat keys on some phones have little travel.
Quote:
I pretty much type now most of the time looking at the screen not the desktop keyboard at all. Bring tactile to multi-touch, make it as humanly-intuitive as possible, and voila! The death of the mouse and keyboard will *not* be exaggerated then...
Adding real tactile feedback is still a challenge for our industry. There are some approaches in the labs but none that I've seen (I'm about 6 months behind though in my journal reading and I skipped a conference or two this past year) but not very suitable to put on top of a LCD. The few Ive seen use projection onto a tactile surface.
So I don't disagree except that the challenge is difficult and the physical dimensions tend to preclude a lot of simulated key travel. At best you get a membrane keyboard kinda feel.
Comments
I often hear the health care angle and frankly a good tablet is something that I see as wanted in this industry.
Actually, I've watched them go from slates to convertibles because typing on a real keyboard is preferred.
If you're going lug around an external keyboard a lot you might as well have a laptop. You could easily get a slightly thicker MBA as a convertible. You're adding a multitouch sensor (thin) and a digitizer (thin) and a swivel to the base MBA form factor.
I would like to see a 10" convertible with both multi-touch AND stylus (stored in the unit itself) capabilities. The internals from the MacBook Air would be good, and a screen with a high dpi (like the iPhone has) would be great. BlueTooth tethering to an iPhone nano on the go would be sweet, and a stereo BlueTooth headset/mic combo would be sweeter. This unit would sync with the new Apple Home Server/Media Center when in the house, and with MobileMe while on the go.
Just gimme the man-sized iPhone/iPod touch HD already
5.25" x 3" x 1"
160GB HDD or more.
Better processor and d/a jack.
Dope high-res multi-touch screen
Charge me $749
Ask questions, but lose the presumptuousness.
It's doesn't have a built-in tablet rest. It's too think and heavy for being a small tablet. It's not the real Apple-made thing, so it lacks a cocoa touch OS X, multi-touch and a capacitive glass touch screen. It also lacks the fit, finish and touches an Apple set-up would have. I've seen them in action, you can't use your fingers for a start, yuck! And when you use the stylus there's a cursor tracking along under it, horrible. Not to mention its touch keyboard is the God awful. Besides, it's 13" not 10.
seems a very narrow "fan-boy" view.
and if Apple brought out any other size than 10" you wouldn't buy it. I believe I said something to that effect in another thread to you already.
you have this dream of how it should look and act, I really think you'd be disappointed no matter what Apple bring out.
please, do tell me how I'm being presumptuous and you are not?
I'm not the one saying Apple WILL do this or WILL do that, am I? so pot, meet kettle.
I HAVE set out some problems that seem reasonable to have to overcome in order to reach as big a market as possible. If its not clear to you, I am capable of holding two ideas in my head at once
1. Apple has a lot of problems to over come in order to SUCCESSFULLY bring this type of product to market. so CAN we work them out?
and
2. that they wont be able to overcome them successfully any time soon.
I realise you are fairly new to Apple as a company and it seems like they can do no wrong, also that Steve is one of their biggest assets, yet you continually call him a liar. but Apple does have its faults, and it IS run by humans.
"any technology far enough removed, will seem like magic"
Apple only seem to have the magic fairy dust that falls upon their products, but it takes REAL hard work and thinking to arrive at those points, and I am simply trying to get a coherent rational answer as to what is the one single MUST have feature for this device that has MASS MARKET appeal? if it was easy the market would already be there, because its hard the market is tiny and converged on the scant few niche uses, that I'm trying to get away from and find out what would excite the masses
I agree with you in principal that MT computing will become more pervasive in the future* but in what form?
those of us that post on this board are not the average person on the street that now FINALLY uses an ipod /maybe. we are more likely to have or want the "bother" of a home server, docks and all the paraphernalia that might support a Mac Touch. but most people want simplicity, they want the device to have one clear advantage to their lives.
can you or anyone answer what that one clear advantage is?
not yet I see.
----
as an aside, and to try and move from your impasse, could I ask what your views are on a multitouch iMac are? are you for or against it? and why?
* "in the future" is rather vague, I believe it will take longer than you think, but if we don't see it in 4 to 5 years time, then I would be surprised, however it will TAKE 4 to 5 years, and then that will be dependant on how reliable VERY thin screen tech. moves forward. IMO. please note, that I am not being presumptuous in saying I KNOW, but that it is an opinion only, and also that I have given a REASON, I find it very presumptuous that someone should NOT show their "working out" and just arrive at the "FTW" answer. [smile]
As I have said many times already, I would settle for a convertible laptop/tablet from Apple, but with a few requirements?
I would like to see a 10" convertible with both multi-touch AND stylus (stored in the unit itself) capabilities. The internals from the MacBook Air would be good, and a screen with a high dpi (like the iPhone has) would be great. BlueTooth tethering to an iPhone nano on the go would be sweet, and a stereo BlueTooth headset/mic combo would be sweeter. This unit would sync with the new Apple Home Server/Media Center when in the house, and with MobileMe while on the go.
That's hardly "settling" and far better than a 10" slate would be.
I would like to see a 10" convertible with both multi-touch AND stylus (stored in the unit itself) capabilities. The internals from the MacBook Air would be good
There's a problem right there. Using the internals from the MBA would instantly make it expensive. Adding more capabilities including MultiTouch screen and it easily becomes a $2k+ machine. No, they need to build it from the ground up with cheaper components, like Moorestown. With Intel implementing things like H.264 decoding in hardware for portable devices, we don't desperately need high-speed CPUs for a device that won't be doing things like Final Cut editing.
- Jeff Han
Perceptive Pixel
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/11/...all/index.html
There's a problem right there. Using the internals from the MBA would instantly make it expensive. Adding more capabilities including MultiTouch screen and it easily becomes a $2k+ machine. No, they need to build it from the ground up with cheaper components, like Moorestown. With Intel implementing things like H.264 decoding in hardware for portable devices, we don't desperately need high-speed CPUs for a device that won't be doing things like Final Cut editing.
No, it's not a problem and the Air is in no way a very fast machine. Why? Because unless it is VERY cheap (cheap netbook cheap...like $300-$400 or so) it's still too expensive unless it's a full notebook replacement. Otherwise you have to buy a MacBook/iMac AND a tablet AND an iPhone and that would just be annoying. Bad enough that you sync a phone to want to sync three ways even with a cloud somewhere as your common point.
You could use the MB sans optical drive as the base. I doubt that would be much thicker. But a MB based convertible tablet can serve as a desktop replacement (hooked up to a large ACD and keyboard/mouse), a notebook (since it has an integrated keyboard) and a tablet (because it's a convertible).
If you really really want a slate, then it should dock into a notebook form. But if folks thought a convertible hinge was hinky this is even more problematic. But possible. And of course there are the inevitable pictures of a tablet docked into an iMac from the patent office.
But you sure as hell don't want a Moorestown based iMac.
"I don't see one kind of interface, multi-touch or whatever it is, [replacing] the traditional keyboard and mouse. When the mouse came about, the keyboard didn't go away."
- Jeff Han
Perceptive Pixel
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/11/...all/index.html
I don't care what Jeff Han says. He didn't invent MT either. Anyway, if this came out I'd still own a desktop - so in that respect I agree. Besides, those who "really" want a physical keyboard will still be able to buy them.
Slate tablet as desired, physical keyboard as needed…
Size of a netbook, but so much more…!
;^p
Maybe the 10" Mac touch will actually be the 10" MacBook touch, a convertible laptop/tablet??!?
I don't think it will be though. Auto-correction added to Snow Leopard is another clue the keyboard will be an onscreen one.
Maybe the 10" Mac touch will actually be the 10" MacBook touch, a convertible laptop/tablet??!?
Again, taking a fairly expensive ($1299) machine and adding more capabilities (i.e. touchscreen) pretty much guarantees a computer that's too expensive to be popular.
It is cost that keeps me coming back around to the idea of a pure slate tablet over the flexibility of a convertible device.
Taking out the keyboard and simplifying the chassis without the clamshell lid (or the convertible hinge) is gonna knock something off the price. Dropping FlashRAM prices is gonna knock something off the price. Pulling from a standard parts bin (MacBook Air & MacBook internals), especially if those same parts bins are being used by a revamped Mac mini & possibly low-end iMacs, should lower prices with volume purchases.
All I ask is for enough compute power to reasonably run Mac OS X and it's bundled apps; Safari, Mail, iChat, iLife, etc.; and a few key apps, such as the iWork suite & World of Warcraft?
For that matter, three free months of WoW with every purchase (must also purchase a year of MobileMe) would be a great sales incentive!
If Apple could offer a 10" Mac touch slate tablet with BOTH multi-touch & stylus capabilities for US$899 they would have a hard time keeping them in stock. Love it or hate it, everyone would want to at least try it?
I am thinking?
1.6GHz Core2Duo CPU/ 2GB RAM/ 64GB SSD/ nVidia 9400M GPU
?!?
If Apple could offer a 10" Mac touch slate tablet with BOTH multi-touch & stylus capabilities for US$899 they would have a hard time keeping them in stock. Love it or hate it, everyone would want to at least try it…
I am thinking…
1.6GHz Core2Duo CPU/ 2GB RAM/ 64GB SSD/ nVidia 9400M GPU
I think Apple's target price will be $999. There's something I think you should remember when considering specs though, the likelihood is this device won't be ready until Macworld 2010. A lot can change in over a year in this industry, this thing will be quite powerful for what it is.
I don't care what Jeff Han says. He didn't invent MT either. Anyway, if this came out I'd still own a desktop - so in that respect I agree. Besides, those who "really" want a physical keyboard will still be able to buy them.
The point is that a significant MT researcher does not believe MT replaces the physical keyboard. Therefore, for most users, they probably still WILL want a physical keyboard so a convertible makes more sense than a slate.
If you need to own another notebook or desktop, then that large a device will likely fail.
Besides, I certainly know that Han didn't invent MT. Not sure that Buxton can claim that title either but he was at UoT where a lot of early work was done. Univeristy of Toronto or Bell Labs likely claims that first. Maybe CMU.
Once they are able to do "tactile feedback" multi-touch, the days of "physical" keys and physical mice will be numbered.
For example, the "desktop" keyboard is a glass/etc curved, organic surface. However, imagine if besides being multi-touch responsive, there is also some sort of "tactile" feedback.
Some sort of (non-damaging) nerve-stimuli to make you "feel the keys", or even say, "feel textures" as you use it. Should be possible with some sort of minor electrical discharge.
Am I the only one thinking about the awesome pr0n applications of this!!! I mean, let's just keep it focused on the finger stimuli first...
Jeez, I am a dirty bastard, aren't I...
Seriously though, tactile feedback.
As many of us know, when typing on the keyboard or even SMS-ing when we used to/ when we have/ Nokias and Sony Ericssons, tactile button response is very important.
I pretty much type now most of the time looking at the screen not the desktop keyboard at all. Bring tactile to multi-touch, make it as humanly-intuitive as possible, and voila! The death of the mouse and keyboard will *not* be exaggerated then...
Imagine first-person-shooter gaming. Would be wicked. I say, put virtual-reality and 3D and "feedback vests" aside. Make mainstream multi-touch electro-nerve tactile feedback, fully blank-slate input devices available within 5 to 10 years. Multi-touch meets Biotechnology meets UserInteractionDesign.
The point is that a significant MT researcher does not believe MT replaces the physical keyboard. Therefore, for most users, they probably still WILL want a physical keyboard so a convertible makes more sense than a slate.
If you need to own another notebook or desktop, then that large a device will likely fail.
Besides, I certainly know that Han didn't invent MT. Not sure that Buxton can claim that title either but he was at UoT where a lot of early work was done. Univeristy of Toronto or Bell Labs likely claims that first. Maybe CMU.
*hearing, visual, etc. impaired... I mean.
*Tactile* multi-touch will be the biggest user input device revolution since the mouse came out of Xerox PARC (IIRC)...!
That's not "tactile." That's haptic.
Actually that would be tactile, Apple have a patent on this - the idea of which scares me.
I've suggested this before, thought I'd mention it again.
Once they are able to do "tactile feedback" multi-touch, the days of "physical" keys and physical mice will be numbered.
We've seen this before in the Starfire concept except that the textured surface would allow you to discern desktop from "papers" on the desktop
For example, the "desktop" keyboard is a glass/etc curved, organic surface. However, imagine if besides being multi-touch responsive, there is also some sort of "tactile" feedback.
Some sort of (non-damaging) nerve-stimuli to make you "feel the keys", or even say, "feel textures" as you use it. Should be possible with some sort of minor electrical discharge.
One issue with losing a physical keyboard determination of what is a keypress and what is just resting on the keys. It depends on the typist how much they rest on the keyboard but today, physical keyboards can sense this difference because of key travel.
You'd want fairly discrete pressure sensing and you still have little travel which is an issue even with thin physical keyboards.
Seriously though, tactile feedback.
As many of us know, when typing on the keyboard or even SMS-ing when we used to/ when we have/ Nokias and Sony Ericssons, tactile button response is very important.
Notice that some phones are better than others for texting. One key factor is key feel and the flat keys on some phones have little travel.
I pretty much type now most of the time looking at the screen not the desktop keyboard at all. Bring tactile to multi-touch, make it as humanly-intuitive as possible, and voila! The death of the mouse and keyboard will *not* be exaggerated then...
Adding real tactile feedback is still a challenge for our industry. There are some approaches in the labs but none that I've seen (I'm about 6 months behind though in my journal reading and I skipped a conference or two this past year) but not very suitable to put on top of a LCD. The few Ive seen use projection onto a tactile surface.
So I don't disagree except that the challenge is difficult and the physical dimensions tend to preclude a lot of simulated key travel. At best you get a membrane keyboard kinda feel.