LG holds iMac-suitable touchscreen; new iTunes plus hints
One of the companies who supplies display panels for the iMac line is said to have a touch-screen version ready for Apple's picking. Meanwhile, iTunes shoppers have discovered hints that the company may be preparing to broaden its iTunes Plus service with more DRM-free tracks.
Touchscreen iMac display
LG recently opened the doors of one of its factories to gadget publication Stuff.tv, a move that revealed the electronics maker to be working on "full multitouch display for computers."
Seeing as LG supplies displays for the iMac, Stuff speculates that the discovery "actually points to something far bigger – a multitouch Mac."
The report is mostly speculative, however, and provides no evidence to suggest that Apple holds any near term plans to use the part, though it's said that the touch-screen display appears to be ready for production.
Despite the appearance of a related job posting and some patents covering full-sized multi-touch devices, Apple has largely relegated the concept of touch-screen Macs to a "research project."
During a question and answer session last year, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs noted that multi-touch technology is nicely suited for the iPhone but said he was "not sure it makes sense" on the Mac.
More iTunes Plus tracks arriving
Meanwhile, a couple of readers this weekend noted some strange happenings on iTunes Store. Specifically, they claim that a handful of tracks from record labels Universal, Sony BMG, and Warner appeared briefly as tracks upgradable to iTunes Plus format.
Of the four major record labels, only EMI has announced support for the DRM-free iTunes format. However, recent reports have suggested that Apple is currently in talks with the remaining three labels over offering their catalogs through iTunes Plus in the near future.
In particular, readers claim that tracks from 3 Doors Down, Nine Inch Nails, and Neil Young were briefly available for upgrade to iTunes Plus. Although AppleInsider could not reproduce the majority of those findings on Monday morning, it did discover that a handful of Neil Young tracks (Warner) show up as iTunes Plus tracks through the iTunes search function (but not on their respective album pages).
Touchscreen iMac display
LG recently opened the doors of one of its factories to gadget publication Stuff.tv, a move that revealed the electronics maker to be working on "full multitouch display for computers."
Seeing as LG supplies displays for the iMac, Stuff speculates that the discovery "actually points to something far bigger – a multitouch Mac."
The report is mostly speculative, however, and provides no evidence to suggest that Apple holds any near term plans to use the part, though it's said that the touch-screen display appears to be ready for production.
Despite the appearance of a related job posting and some patents covering full-sized multi-touch devices, Apple has largely relegated the concept of touch-screen Macs to a "research project."
During a question and answer session last year, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs noted that multi-touch technology is nicely suited for the iPhone but said he was "not sure it makes sense" on the Mac.
More iTunes Plus tracks arriving
Meanwhile, a couple of readers this weekend noted some strange happenings on iTunes Store. Specifically, they claim that a handful of tracks from record labels Universal, Sony BMG, and Warner appeared briefly as tracks upgradable to iTunes Plus format.
Of the four major record labels, only EMI has announced support for the DRM-free iTunes format. However, recent reports have suggested that Apple is currently in talks with the remaining three labels over offering their catalogs through iTunes Plus in the near future.
In particular, readers claim that tracks from 3 Doors Down, Nine Inch Nails, and Neil Young were briefly available for upgrade to iTunes Plus. Although AppleInsider could not reproduce the majority of those findings on Monday morning, it did discover that a handful of Neil Young tracks (Warner) show up as iTunes Plus tracks through the iTunes search function (but not on their respective album pages).
Comments
For the record I was first. Anyways, I guess I will stick to this thread and abandon mine.
I buy all of my music from Amazon now because it works on all of my devices...
I do too. And amazon has a little application that makes porting over music and album art over to itunes a breeze.
Its funny though, I thought for sure we would have seen a new multi-touch mobile device first before we would have seen a multi-touch screened iMac.
MacWorld will be here soon.
I buy all of my music from Amazon now because it works on all of my devices...
I wish we had that in Canada...
Jimzip
Its funny though, I thought for sure we would have seen a new multi-touch mobile device first before we would have seen a multi-touch screened iMac.
I hope we never see one. Or if we do, it had better have a clever implentation.
Moving things around on a large screen with your arms all over the place seems more cumbersome than using a mouse. Perhaps if the iMac were horizontally mounted like a screen on a tabletop rather than vertical.
I hope we never see one. Or if we do, it had better have a clever implentation.
Moving things around on a large screen with your arms all over the place seems more cumbersome than using a mouse. Perhaps if the iMac were horizontally mounted like a screen on a tabletop rather than vertical.
I'd think a multi-touch pro keyboard would be a possible next leap for the desktop if not going full-blown touch display.
On the other hand - if anyone can come up with something interesting and useful that incorporates a touch screen on the computer, it'll be Apple.
P
I hope we never see one. Or if we do, it had better have a clever implentation.
Moving things around on a large screen with your arms all over the place seems more cumbersome than using a mouse. Perhaps if the iMac were horizontally mounted like a screen on a tabletop rather than vertical.
Exactly. This is what I was thinking when HP put out that touch iMac clone. People think touch will replace a keyboard and mouse, but the last thing I would want to do is spend 8 hours a day at work with my arms out like Frankenstein's monster using a desktop touch monitor.
I can't say I have much use for a touch tablet either, but a tablet would make FAR more sense than a desktop model.
On the other hand - if anyone can come up with something interesting and useful that incorporates a touch screen on the computer, it'll be Apple.
This is one area, unfortunately where Apple has been beaten to the punch.
Someone beat Apple to the punch in the area of cell phones too.
And just because someone beat them to the punch, does the product work well?
This is one area, unfortunately where Apple has been beaten to the punch.
I sure don't agree with that. I do agree with other comments about not wanting to spend the day with arms out in front. Get ready for some giant ergonomics pamphlets in your HP box along with the first lawsuits. And touch on a laptop makes no sense to me. A track pad is a scaled version of your display, that makes more sense for travel distance when dragging.
In addition to reaching your arms out, today's screens have a lot of space to drag across. That said, I haven't used the HP product at all.
I firmly believe small tablets will eventually replace laptops for road warriors. Laptops are cumbersome and unsuitable for airplanes (in coach). In many cases they're simply overkill, but a phone isn't quite enough.
If not this Macworld we'll see the tablet at the next one. How's that for a bold prediction.
I agree - a touch screen mac doesn't seem very practical. I'm not sure that you would ever use it for much more than swiping through your pics - but why not just use the arrow key? A mouse pointer is much more exact than your finger. I see the HP touch computers and I think that there's not really anything useful there.
On the other hand - if anyone can come up with something interesting and useful that incorporates a touch screen on the computer, it'll be Apple.
P
I've seen a lot of point of sale apps that make great use of touchscreen capabilities. Personally, I wouldn't want to get oily fingerprints and swipes all over my beautiful glossy display!
But if there's one thing I don't need it's greasy smears all over my Mac's screen. We already have plenty of input device options in the keyboard, mouse and trackpad (now with gestures). Yes, a touchscreen may be desirable for specialized applications such as kiosks, but for a personal computer? You can keep it.
It has taken me 5+ years to train friends and family not to touch LCDs. DO NOT PRESS ON THE MONITOR, I tell them. All for naught.
I have taught my four year old in vain not to touch screens. And now he knows how to operate an iPhone like a breeze.
I have taught my four year old in vain not to touch screens. And now he knows how to operate an iPhone like a breeze.
Awesome
__________
I buy all of my music from Amazon now because it works on all of my devices...
Doesn't the lack of DRM on the iTunes plus tracks (hopefull all iTunes music soon) mean music purchased on iTunes will work on all your devices as well?