Apple looks to take multi-touch beyond the touch-screen

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  • Reply 21 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    What you are describing is a long way off. There has to be baby steps for each transition. As pe a recent RD article, I think that a mutli-touch trackpad (note that they already are multitouch on the MBP and MBA) with a visual output is the next step.



    I could really see some functional value in the trackpad idea, perhaps as an alternative to the mouse, but "clicking" on a trackpad is a poor alternative to a physical switch/button.
  • Reply 22 of 37
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    I could really see some functional value in the trackpad idea, perhaps as an alternative to the mouse, but "clicking" on a trackpad is a poor alternative to a physical switch/button.



    I'm not sure I get what you are saying. I don't see the physical mouse button going away. I like the feel and tactile response and would lose any natural progression aspect. What I see is that the trackpad itself will not only take complex inputs, but also allow for a visual medium so you can do more things that are easier with direct finger inputs over a more specific medium.



    Take a software calculator, for instance. If I'm on my Mac I will grab my iPhone to do a calculation because it's the best option I have since using my finger to to hit buttons is better than using the mouse to click around the screen or using the row of numbers on the keyboard. There are several apps that I use the iPhone for even with a Mac in front of me because it's easier and faster. This just makes sense that Apple would do a parallel move of their touch technology into their Macs. People think that the Mac Tablet would be cool and that futuristic movies have cool gadgets but the reality is that if it's more tedious to use than it's predecessor it won't catch on because that isn't progress, no matter how radical it is.
  • Reply 23 of 37
  • Reply 24 of 37
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post






    Transparant aluminum (also from that scene) would make Macs more seamless and eco-friendly.
  • Reply 25 of 37
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    I'm raising my hand. A fully gesture driven computer would be a huge waste of movement and energy. It's inefficient. T



    I'm not so sure. This is obviously just the very beginning of this technology. Over time, it could very well evolve into something much better than what we use now.



    I do see voice as eventually becoming important, though there would be times and places for its use.



    The combination of several concepts used together will make for a very powerful UI.



    Remember how people who didn't use a mouse thought how useless it was?



    The same thing was thought true for computers.
  • Reply 26 of 37
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I'm right there with you. The move to new tech isn't about being cool to look at in a movie, it's about feeling natural. We want to use less effort and get more for the result and moving windows around with wild arm gestures and fancy hand twists isn't going to cut it except in Hollywwood.



    You won't be doing that on a small screen. Besides, CNN used a large touch screen during the primaries, and will use it during the elections. Very useful.



    Quote:

    What you are describing is a long way off. There has to be baby steps for each transition. As pe a recent RD article, I think that a mutli-touch trackpad (note that they already are multitouch on the MBP and MBA) with a visual output is the next step.



    We might see something pretty advanced in ten years. This will take time, but I think it's the future.
  • Reply 27 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    You won't be doing that on a small screen. Besides, CNN used a large touch screen during the primaries, and will use it during the elections. Very useful.



    I've seen those on a few TV news programs. To me it's always looked like the reporter is 'miming' the touch screen and there's actually some tech guy behind the scenes just clicking NEXT on the broadcast equivalent of Powerpoint.
  • Reply 28 of 37
    Okay, so the screen is gonna be the camera. The computer only boots up if it recognizes your face or fingerprint or voice. Instead of moving your mouse cursor to an icon, you simply look at it, the computer can recognize the difference between a casual glance and an intent look. If it sees an intent look the icon will get bigger. If you wish to open the icon, blink at it. Steve Jobs is more than a man and less than a god.
  • Reply 29 of 37
    I predict at multi-touch keyboard that is also mobile tablet/PDA/large iPod touch. Instead of a docking station inside your iMac, when you plunk your tablet down in front of your iMac it syncs and becomes a context specific multi-touch keyboard/giant track pad/input device. When you take it away it is your media player, web-enabled tablet mobile computing solution.
  • Reply 30 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    Besides, CNN used a large touch screen during the primaries, and will use it during the elections. Very useful.



    I tend to disagree. The CNN device is pure showbiz. There are older technologies that enable an interactive screen (I'm thinking of the old football announcer's screen) that are less theatrical, but just as efficient about getting the point across. And just look at that stupid wipe-off board that Karl Rove has been using....
  • Reply 31 of 37
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aegisdesign View Post


    I've seen those on a few TV news programs. To me it's always looked like the reporter is 'miming' the touch screen and there's actually some tech guy behind the scenes just clicking NEXT on the broadcast equivalent of Powerpoint.



    I can't speak for other networks, but CNN uses a screen made by one of the pioneers in the business. I think its a company that asian guy set up (forgot his name).
  • Reply 32 of 37
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    I tend to disagree. The CNN device is pure showbiz. There are older technologies that enable an interactive screen (I'm thinking of the old football announcer's screen) that are less theatrical, but just as efficient about getting the point across. And just look at that stupid wipe-off board that Karl Rove has been using....



    I don't know how you can disagree with that. It's a simple fact. The CNN screen works very well and does far more than those old screens did, which was nothing, really.
  • Reply 33 of 37
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    I don't know how you can disagree with that. It's a simple fact. The CNN screen works very well and does far more than those old screens did, which was nothing, really.



    They are cool but I am coming up short trying to find a widespread consumer use for the technology. Only flashy marketing uses come to mind when I think of large, MS Surface-like touchscreens.



    Going off topic here...

    Even on a smaller scale I find the tablet technology falls apart when it gets too large or becomes the main input for your all your data. Except for health care and few other occupations I don't see how a tablet notebook would make things easier for the majority.
  • Reply 34 of 37
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    They are cool but I am coming up short trying to find a widespread consumer use for the technology. Only flashy marketing uses come to mind when I think of large, MS Surface-like touchscreens.



    Going off topic here...

    Even on a smaller scale I find the tablet technology falls apart when it gets too large or becomes the main input for your all your data. Except for health care and few other occupations I don't see how a tablet notebook would make things easier for the majority.



    I see no problem, if it's properly done. I'm not wedded to the way we do things now.



    I liked my Palm. I liked my old Wacoms, I like my new Wacom Cintiq 12", and I like my new iPhone.



    In all these cases, I can do more, easily. I'm really looking forwards to newer methods to use similar devices.



    I keep my Cintiq in my lap most of the time, where it works well. I see no problem if that were a multitouch screen, as well as a graphics tablet. I'd love the idea of a key that would switch between graphics and other input usage.



    I really believe that some people are having a difficult time getting a grasp of the ease of use, and possibilities.



    I can imagine all sorts of ways this could work.
  • Reply 35 of 37
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    I see no problem, if it's properly done. I'm not wedded to the way we do things now.

    [...]

    I can imagine all sorts of ways this could work.



    I'm not either, I am looking to future and constantly speculating on what I think the next move will be, but it has to feel natural and allow you to be more productive in the end.
    ? A giant TV with a touch interface that you run your fingers on seems so difficult compared to a mouse, keyboard or remote control.



    ? A notebook with no physical keyboard just another screen with a virtual keyboard would be murderous on my hands and would require me to look at the keys.



    ? A notebook with the main screen being a touchscreen would be awkward. I'd either have to swivel it to use it as a touchpad without the use of the keyboard or keep the screen upright which is awkward.
    Making the touchpad dynamic with a visual output and more complex inputs that match the output is the only touchscreen transition that seems like a natural evolutionary process. I'd love to hear hear your ideas because I'm coming up short seeing any sort of natural progression with the ideas that are commonly floated around hear.
  • Reply 36 of 37
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I'm not either, I am looking to future and constantly speculating on what I think the next move will be, but it has to feel natural and allow you to be more productive in the end.
    ? A giant TV with a touch interface that you run your fingers on seems so difficult compared to a mouse, keyboard or remote control.





    That giant monitor does look to be helpful. I was watching the primaries, and once they got the software fixed, which was glitching in the beginning, the screen was very helpful.



    Quote:

    ? A notebook with no physical keyboard just another screen with a virtual keyboard would be murderous on my hands and would require me to look at the keys.



    Probably, at first, there will be a keyboard, and this will be an addendum to that. A complete new interface is likely years away. In an older thread about this I showed some work that is being done to give a screen keyed surfaces when needed. There is technology being worked on that can, with tiny electrical signals, stretch, and shrink the surface of special materials that could be used for screen surfaces.



    By stretching the space around a square area, the surface is intented as an arc. By doing that, there are spaces delineated as keys. With judicious working of the materials, the center of those "keys" can be made to indent when a finger is pressed lightly, by using the capacitive effects of the finger, interacting with the electrically sensitive surface of the key, which is adjusted to respond to it.



    Thus, you would have the feel of a keypress, perhaps attended to by a click, or some other suitably annoying attention getting action.



    This could even give the bumps found on most keyboards (lacking on Apple's latest, for some reason) for the centering keys, the "F" and the "J".



    When the keyboard isn't needed, a press on a button off the screen would make it go away. This could be used for any shape.



    There is no reason to believe that anything but good can come from this.



    Quote:

    ? A notebook with the main screen being a touchscreen would be awkward. I'd either have to swivel it to use it as a touchpad without the use of the keyboard or keep the screen upright which is awkward.



    Quote:

    Making the touchpad dynamic with a visual output and more complex inputs that match the output is the only touchscreen transition that seems like a natural evolutionary process. I'd love to hear hear your ideas because I'm coming up short seeing any sort of natural progression with the ideas that are commonly floated around hear.



    See above.
  • Reply 37 of 37
    Apple is getting ready for when computers will have entered or system and we will have no keyboards for interacting with them. The computer industry of the future is bound to be Apple dominated.
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