Apple Refining the Touch Screen Interface? Evidence for a Tablet Mac?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Throughout 2005, Apple continued to apply for numerous touch-screen technology patents (http://www.macrumors.com/site.php?mode=search&term=patent&submit=Search+Site). These patents aren't simply attributable to the rumored touch-screen iPod (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/02/20060209095419.shtml). Many of the patents have shown Mac OS X elements (http://guides.macrumors.com/Gallery_of_Gesture_User_Interface_Patent) and interfaces.

The most recent addition was filed in September 2005 and called "Operation of a computer with touch screen interface". Again, individuals at Apple appear to be spending a lot of time on the potential interface for users of a touch screen device. The patent describes the the possible advantage of touch screens by being able to "glean much more information about a user's actions" than from conventional keyboards.

The methods described are intriguing in that it appears that there could be a level of refinement to the touch interface that has not been present in previous devices. Again, Apple describes the utility of offering a multi-touch (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/02/20060211144712.shtml) capable display which can process multiple figures and gestures to provide additional information.

The authors describe a number of interesting potential techniques to gather more information from the user operating the virtual interface (keyboard and GUI elements on the screen)

- Both pressure and time of screen presses could also be used to interpret action and intention by the users. (Chart (http://guides.macrumors.com/Image:touchinputpatent2.png))
- In one example, the user might be required to hold down on a "delete" button longer than is required to activate the "keep" button for an item. The delete function requiring more time to ensure that data is not accidentally erased. (Picture (http://guides.macrumors.com/Image:touchinputpatent4.png))
- Gestures are described to provide additional "hidden" functionality. For example, in describing an on-screen keyboard, a user could press on the letter "e" and then stroke the finger in a particular direction away from the letter to invoke a special variation (such as é). (Picture (http://guides.macrumors.com/Image:touchinputpatent.png)). Of historical interest, individuals at Apple had done research into similar point/flick gesture interfaces in 1994 ("T-Cube: a fast, self-disclosing pen-based alphabet" (http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=191666.191761)) when researching alternative input methods for the Newton (http://guides.macrumors.com/Newton).
- Additional gestures may be required to activate special functionality... "wiggle" is given as an example. Again, the Newton allowed users to erase text by simply performing a zig-zag "crossing out" gesture over the text. (Quicktime Movie (http://homepage.mac.com/weeno/.Movies/newtonsayhello.mov)).

Again, patent applications do not necessarily mean these technologies will turn up as shipping technologies, but its clear a significant portion of research at Apple involves touch-screen technology. Rumors of a Tablet Mac last peaked in 2003 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/02/20030221004455.shtml) with a traditionally reliable source of information pointing to a Mac OS X tablet at that time:

(2003) My sources sketch the following picture: A device that superficially resembles a large iPod with an 8-inch diagonal screen, lacks a keyboard, packs USB and FireWire ports, and runs Mac OS X along with a variety of multimedia goodies.

Steve Jobs was skeptical of the success (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/09/20020911210852.shtml) of the Tablet form factor in 2002. Indeed, the Tablet PC's have not been a great success, but with Microsoft/Intel's introduction of the Ultra Mobile PC (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/03/20060309112302.shtml) form factor, the market may see a renewed interest in the tablet form factor.

As a final interesting hint, in July of 2005 a small company called FingerWorks (http://www.fingerworks.com) cryptically posted that they had ceased operations as a business. Multiple reports indicated that the company had been sold, but details were scarce (http://fingerfans.dreamhosters.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9). According to individuals close to the company, Apple had indeed purchased the company and related technology/patents. At the time, FingerWorks had offered advanced input devices, including a multi-touch product called iGesture Pad (http://www.fingerworks.com/igesture_tech.html) which allowed users to use Gestures (http://www.fingerworks.com/userguides.html) to interface with their Mac. At the time it was thought that Apple was interested in touch and click-wheel related technology for the iPod, but the Gesture/MultiTouch technology may have been an important part of the acquisition.

[blackfox]

The plot thickens...

Though not necessarily in the market for such a device, if in the future Apple comes out with as elegant of a product as is implied, I may have to give them my money out of sheer appreciation...

I look forward to seeing this come to fruition, though I look less forward to yet more threads discussing this (as of now) phantom device.

[JerMander]

Maybe Jobs was telegraphing exactly what they are working on with the 8" iPod screen (minus the 10 pound weight, hopefully). Here's hoping!

[Staffroomer]

This sounds like the future of computing to me. Seriously, I don't think keyboards and mice are going to be around forever. It'll be interesting to see how things play out..

I reserve the right to be totally wrong and change my mind about this at any given time though.

How postmodern of me. :p

[Doctor Q]

There's a downside to some of these methods. Just as you have to learn the various combinations of shift/control/option/command with other keys to use those functions, using gestures to invoke functions means you have more methods to learn, and there may be no visible indicators of what they are.

Holding a key longer might be convenience as a way to make an indication of your meaning, but only if you know to do that. The same with holding a key while making a gesture.

The average user can learn a few gestures, but not dozens and dozens all at once, so they'd have to learn them over time.

[dontmatter]

Given the hugely underwhealming interest in tablets (and microsoft can push things to be bought even if they're crappy, we know), I think it's obvious that a computer without a decent input device just doesn't make sense. See my post earlier today for more on that.

Hope this is wrong, it just seems like an idea nerds would love and everybody else wouldn't touch.

[arn]

Holding a key longer might be convenience as a way to make an indication of your meaning, but only if you know to do that. The same with holding a key while making a gesture.


I actually thought the impressive part of the examples given is that they are relatively intuitive or could be.

The pressing longer isn't something that needs to be told. If someone hits a button and it doesn't respond, the natural response is to hold it down harder/longer. I don't think we're talking about holding it down for 10 seconds. Probably 1-2 seconds instead of instantly.

As for the gesture letters. I think if you held down the character, the special characters would appear around the original letter. So as you became familiar with them, you could simply gesture instead of hold down and look at the pop-up menu. That's how I interpreted the description. Also it's how the T-Cube (Newton) interface worked. Press and hold and a menu came up, then you could gesture the correct direction. Otherwise, you could just click and flick without waiting if you knew what you were doing.


arn

[shrimpdesign]

I think it's obvious that a computer without a decent input device just doesn't make sense. See my post earlier today for more on that.

Hope this is wrong, it just seems like an idea nerds would love and everybody else wouldn't touch.
I agree that a computer without a decent input just doesn't make sense, but I think Apple, king of all UIs, would never release a Tablet without a great UI and input system. I remember a story about Steve Jobs using the prototype iPod ..... he'd yell at the workers if he couldn't find a song in 5 seconds ... and I can just see Jobs saying, "Why can't I type an email in a under 5 minutes?" If the MacTablet ever comes out, it'll be awesome.

[Rye Brye]

Hearing all of the talk about Newton makes me miss my old friend... Oh - and that video is a really crappy illustration of the scribble... You could really scribble it out vigorously like you would scribble out stuff normally - and it would work like magic...

Steve Jobs killed the Newton as one of his first acts as iCeo - and ticked off a lot of the developers...

They could just release a small color version of the Newton with a faster processor and built-in grafitti support (along with the option to turn on the handwriting recognition) and they would make me very happy... Oh, and add on a music player (iPod) and you would rule the world...

Come back Newton... come back!

[NewtypeCJ]

God I hope they're working on a portable touch device. I would very much like to purchase such an iPod/Mac tablet, what I would imagine would look like a more elegant and simplified variant of Microsoft's ugly and unwieldly looking Origami. I would hope it would offer wifi and a small selection of OSX's best apps and widget compatibility. I don't need a full laptop but I'd like something that would sync to the Mac and would offer more than just music/video/photos.

[ScottB]

That's a nice roundup thanks. I'm intrigued to see how Apple will enter this market if they do infact plan on doing so. I see a fully bloan tablet as unlikely but what this information suggests to me is an iPod/Tablet venture, simular to that of Samsung's new announcement is already be in Apple plans.

[MacsomJRR]

I for one really hope that Apple is working on somekind of tablet type PC if only because I have faith that their creation will be something that is actually worth buying. I would LOVE to have an Apple tablet for taking notes during classes or even out in the "field" and then making those notes come to life with movies and pictures and sounds and... oh boy I'm getting a little too excited.

Please make a tablet PC Apple, pleeeeease:)

[puuukeey]

as far as I can tell, the only multitouch product on the market is the lemur.

I think its undeniable that built in multitouch technology would benifit users greatly.

multitouch technology is something that DESERVES being built into a system unlike address books and buddy lists. FEH

I am a computer musician, and when I get multitouch technology, I will be a seriously excited musician.

the lemurs price point and ability just isn't good enough.

[miketcool]

As a design student, I can tell you all the problems associated with design software. The transition from manipulating things like clay, paint, models; is very difficult. You dont simply just choose tools, you have to choose how you will choose the tool and what you will manipulate exactly.
I would love to see a way in which two hands can manipulate things, why limit yourself to one input (mouse point). I would love to be able to hold something down and manipulate it with the other hand. Or do my CAD drawing with a Wacom pen and use my left hand to select button off a hidden or translucent interface. Spread two fingers to zoom. Spread four fingers to copy (two hands, not "live long and prosper"). 3-4 fingers on one hand next to each other hold down and object. A hard tap explodes. The possibilities are endless.
Ultimately it becomes refreshing. You teach by showing. Not by taking note son which menus to navigate. Welcome to the 21st century, lose the mouse. It makes manipulation fun...

[c-Row]

The average user can learn a few gestures, but not dozens and dozens all at once, so they'd have to learn them over time.

When switching to my PowerBook two years ago I also had to learn all those new keyboard shortcuts - mind you, I don't even know all of them today. :p

I think with USB capabilities the touch screen interface would be a nice option, but not necessarily the only way of working with the tPod/tPad/tHehe/whatever.

[Philsy]

This sounds like the future of computing to me. Seriously, I don't think keyboards and mice are going to be around forever. It'll be interesting to see how things play out..

I reserve the right to be totally wrong and change my mind about this at any given time though.

How postmodern of me. :p

While I can see the appeal in a touch-screen, I can't see them replacing keyboards for people who use computers for a lot of inputting - writers, for instance. The keyboard is going to be with us for a long time yet.

[lebnjay]

http://mrl.nyu.edu.nyud.net:8090/~jhan/ftirtouch/

[lebnjay]

This site has an awesome video demonstrating some of the uses of multitouch technology. Really amazing stuff.
Apple could do great things with this.

http://mrl.nyu.edu.nyud.net:8090/~jhan/ftirtouch/
also on google video
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6379146923853181774&q=apple+multi+touch
lebnjay

[goddylla]

Yeah, I saw that video a few weeks ago.

There are real and exciting possibilities that tech like this brings to users.
Saying that there will invarriably be people who will still use a keyboard vs this tech is like saying there are people who prefer albums to CDs. Touchtech just opens new doors that we didn't even know we had the keys to.

[aussie_geek]

This site has an awesome video demonstrating some of the uses of multitouch technology. Really amazing stuff.
Apple could do great things with this.

http://mrl.nyu.edu.nyud.net:8090/~jhan/ftirtouch/
also on google video
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6379146923853181774&q=apple+multi+touch
lebnjay


yep, someone posted these the other week. great stuff!! i just watched them again and was still baffled... :)


aussie_geek

[psxndc]

Sorry to be an IP nazi, but please please please please don't refer to patent applications as "patents," even if you've already referred to them as patent applications. If you are going to shorthand them, call them "applications."

They are very very different things legally. Yes, this is a distinction that probably only I care about, but anyone can apply for a patent on anything. That doesn not mean they will get a patent on it.

Thanks.

-p-

[bluebomberman]

As much as I hope I'm wrong (I'll be amongst the first to order a Tablet Mac or Newton), I'm guessing Apple does not want to make one anytime soon because it:

a) won't be substantially better than the competition (PDAs, Tivo), or
b) will be doomed to be a niche of a niche (Tablet PCs)

That said, there's been an unusual amount of activity in this sector. Something's going on, but what? I'm guessing whatever Apple's doing, it's got to be a lot bigger than the Origami device. Maybe a full-blown iPod video PDA? One can only dream.

[DCapple]

well this touch screen mac will be something that i we should wait for...this will be very interesting!!:D

[Bad Beaver]

Hearing all of the talk about Newton makes me miss my old friend...

Well, go get one of eBay, they are pretty cheap to come by. And still usefull for a lot of things. They are especially useful for GUI designers as a demo object. SO THEY CAN GET A CLUE.



Oh - and that video is a really crappy illustration of the scribble... You could really scribble it out vigorously like you would scribble out stuff normally - and it would work like magic...

Rrrright :) It also still scares the crap out of unsuspecting non-geeks :cool:

[MacRonin]

8" widescreen multi-touch LCD
1.06GHz ULV Core Duo CPU w/2MB shared cache
533MHz FSB
512MB NAND flash memory
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots)
80GB 1.8" HDD
Intel GMA950 integrated GPU
WUSB (wireless USB)
AirPort Extreme
BlueTooth
Quad band cell capabilities
Pivoting iSight camera
stereo BlueTooth headset w/microphone
Lithium-Ion nano-tech battery
Stylus
Mac OS X 10.4.6
iLife
iWork

About the size of a DVD case (which is really close to a 16:10 ratio) and half again as thick...

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

[combatcolin]

Easily the biggest Macrumors admin post i've seen!

[Shamus]

8" widescreen multi-touch LCD
1.06GHz ULV Core Duo CPU w/2MB shared cache
533MHz FSB
512MB NAND flash memory
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots)
80GB 1.8" HDD
Intel GMA950 integrated GPU
WUSB (wireless USB)
AirPort Extreme
BlueTooth
Quad band cell capabilities
Pivoting iSight camera
stereo BlueTooth headset w/microphone
Lithium-Ion nano-tech battery
Stylus
Mac OS X 10.4.6
iLife
iWork

About the size of a DVD case (which is really close to a 16:10 ratio) and half again as thick...

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

now THAT would be truly SPECTACULAR :D

[howard]

remember mp3 players in the beginning? Apple certainly wasn't the first, and they weren't doing very well at all, but then the ipod just killed it.

I could see apple doing the same thing with umpcs or a tablet.

[MacQuest]

[See specs in thread]

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

now THAT would be truly SPECTACULAR :D

Except the price would be US$777...because we'd all be in heaven. :D

I think US$666 is what miCrapsoft's "Horridgami" is selling for.

[mdriftmeyer]

Except the price would be US$777...because we'd all be in heaven. :D

I think US$666 is what miCrapsoft's "Horridgami" is selling for.

The price would be more in-line with $1099 - $1499.

[intlplby]

i think that the key to this being successful over any windows counterpart rival is always going to come down to "it's the software stupid"

for a tablet type device to be really successful it's got to integrate completely seemlessly with your main computer..... it's got to be completely and totaly effortless for the two to act as one.

[iMeowbot]

The average user can learn a few gestures, but not dozens and dozens all at once, so they'd have to learn them over time.
This is so true! Even the dozen gestures used by Inkwell take a fair bit of acclimation time, and those only cover a few basic tasks. I suspect that many users would rely on things like virtual keyboard and mouse/trackpad overlays and never really progress to "real" gestures, and fail to see any benefit to the whole thing.
They are very very different things legally. Yes, this is a distinction that probably only I care about, but anyone can apply for a patent on anything. That doesn not mean they will get a patent on it.
It's especially important for technologies like this touch screen stuff, where Apple are definitely not the only players. Many of these recent applications have a distinct "me too" flavor.

[Jerry Spoon]

The price would be more in-line with $1099 - $1499.
I'm extremely hesitant, but I just can't help but start to long for some really cool tablet. Ah, tablet rumors. How you took up so much of my 2003! All I can say is if Apple does put out a cool product, I hope it's at a price point where I can drop down the money and get one right away.

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I think the only viabel input option, for writing anything on this, would be a projected keyboard on to any surface. Like this one: http://www.gadgets.dk/product_info.php?products_id=616&osCsid=063bdb9fa245a7843900b4513f104bc6

[Mr Skills]

I just thought I should point out - I've always thought Front Row is designed beautifully for touchscreen access. I've only seen it on the web, but it looks to me like it's designed for simple gestures to spin the icons round etc.

Maybe Front Row isn't Apple preparing for Media Centre Mac Minis, maybe it's them preparing for Media Centre Tablets or touchscreen ipods.

iPod FrontRow, anyone? :cool:

[mrgreen4242]

8" widescreen multi-touch LCD
1.06GHz ULV Core Duo CPU w/2MB shared cache
533MHz FSB
512MB NAND flash memory
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots)
80GB 1.8" HDD
Intel GMA950 integrated GPU
WUSB (wireless USB)
AirPort Extreme
BlueTooth
Quad band cell capabilities
Pivoting iSight camera
stereo BlueTooth headset w/microphone
Lithium-Ion nano-tech battery
Stylus
Mac OS X 10.4.6
iLife
iWork

About the size of a DVD case (which is really close to a 16:10 ratio) and half again as thick...

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

Take out the 2gb RAM, replace with 512mb and a single slot for up to 1gb, go down to a 60gb HDD, make the cell phone network interoperbility non standard and a mini PC Card (or whatever those are called) added feature, fix the iSight in place internally (like the other built in iSight), make the headset an option, up the price to $799 and I think you'd be on to something!

One thing I would like to see is a single USB and FW (400 would be fine) port on one side (next to a power adaptor plug), and on the other a single, multipin port that you plug into a break out box that came with the thing. This box would have power, video, audio, USB, firewire, and wired network connections so when you took the thing home you could drop it into a dock and have it connected to all your peripherals in one easy step.

It'd be an interesting little device, then...

[salmon]

I agree, I think this will be the future of computing. I am quite confident that Microsofts' is going to suck and be irritating to use - the same as almost all of their products.

I don't see a device like this as being a complete laptop replacement, I see as more of a desktop extension. It's going to have to have some type of keyboard input in addition to the touch screen, but it will be something for web surfing, email, simple writing, book reading, music, videos, fancy remote control for front row, etc. It will be somthing to take and view and show documents created on the desktop/laptop, but it's not going to be something that is a full-featured-install-any-application device, IMO.

The origami video I watched illustrates many of the functions I would like to see in a device like this, but it's Microsoft, so it doesn't warrant any consideration from me (I don't consider Microsoft an option any more, and I won't until their market share drops to at least 75% or so).

The one criticism I've seen about a small tablet-type device is "no one is going to carry around something that doesn't fit in their pocket". I guess that would be true for some people, but there are scads of people (like me) that carry around paper organizers, and this wouldn't really be any bigger than one of them. The battery life is a bigger issue, I would guess.

[age234]

I really hope this turns into something cool.

If anyone has used Shake, it has a rudimentary mouse-based gesture interface, where you can disconnect a node simply by shaking it back and forth. It makes software feel a lot more natural to use, and I can't imagine how nice it'll be with a touchscreen.

[macintel4me]

Gheez, Apple is planning to come out with a multi-touch, pressure sensitive, gesture-oriented touchpad to improve the user input interaction. I have an idea! How about friggin' 2-button mouse!!!!

[roland.g]

Gheez, Apple is planning to come out with a multi-touch, pressure sensitive, gesture-oriented touchpad to improve the user input interaction. I have an idea! How about friggin' 2-button mouse!!!!

Uh, how bout the Mighty Mouse!

[age234]

Gheez, Apple is planning to come out with a multi-touch, pressure sensitive, gesture-oriented touchpad to improve the user input interaction. I have an idea! How about friggin' 2-button mouse!!!!
They came out with one last year.

[iMeowbot]

I just thought I should point out - I've always thought Front Row is designed beautifully for touchscreen access. I've only seen it on the web, but it looks to me like it's designed for simple gestures to spin the icons round etc.
Front Row looks cool, but its actual interface is extremely limited. One place where I think it really suffers is with menu scrolling. I'm not convinced that the reduced number of controls on the remote lives up to the Apple hype.

I've become less satisfied with the iPod wheel over time for similar reasons. Scrolling starts to become tiresome once there is a list of hundreds or thousands of entries. It gets too easy to overshoot the target. Somehow I don't think that more or deeper trees would be the answer, I really want alphanumeric input of some kind.

Both the remote and ¡Pod are really limited to linear "gestures" so this really shouldn't be taken as a criticism of gestures in general. It's only to say that Apple still have a long way to go.

[Platform]

8" widescreen multi-touch LCD
1.06GHz ULV Core Duo CPU w/2MB shared cache
533MHz FSB
512MB NAND flash memory
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots)
80GB 1.8" HDD
Intel GMA950 integrated GPU
WUSB (wireless USB)
AirPort Extreme
BlueTooth
Quad band cell capabilities
Pivoting iSight camera
stereo BlueTooth headset w/microphone
Lithium-Ion nano-tech battery
Stylus
Mac OS X 10.4.6
iLife
iWork

About the size of a DVD case (which is really close to a 16:10 ratio) and half again as thick...

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

Yes...thats it...but it could be a little less powerful...it a protable...core solo, 512MB RAM, and then it could be $499 or even less :D

[macintel4me]

They came out with one last year.
I was referring to their laptops. All the laptops still have only one button.

[age234]

I was referring to their laptops. All the laptops still have only one button.
Oh...

Yeah, I can see where you're coming from.

[ebow]

Yes...thats it...but it could be a little less powerful...it a protable...core solo, 512MB RAM, and then it could be $499 or even less :D

Well Apple's original product was the Apple I personal computer kit which sold for $666.66 (I've heard / read this from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Computer) among other sources). I could see them coming out with a version of the MacTablet (MacPad?) that's a bit underpowered but at the $666 price point. Maybe. Then again they're not the Apple of old anymore.

[p0intblank]

I've already said this in another thread or two, but I think I would buy a tablet Mac. It'd be great to do graphics work on the go, especially with pressure sensitive technology. Editing photos after shooting them would be a dream come true for many in my opinion. I realize this is already possible with a notebook, but this just extends the possbilities. I think this kind of thing would also be great for audio and video production.

[ickies]

There's a downside to some of these methods. Just as you have to learn the various combinations of shift/control/option/command with other keys to use those functions, using gestures to invoke functions means you have more methods to learn, and there may be no visible indicators of what they are.


A few people are bemoaning having to learn a new UI, but think about how much EASIER it will be to learn a mulitouch UI by osmosis. Kids growing up will simply see their parents/older siblings computing and probably pick up the basics. It will also be great for seniors for whom even basic double-clicking and dragging is a confusing concept.

Plus, I think a physical act is easier to remember than a key-combination. So this is going to be great for the whole gamut of computer-users, novice to expert.

Will it replace a keyboard? I think this could relegate the keyboard to more specialized role. The success of blackberries, treos, and text messaging shows that for a lot of purposes, we can get by just banging out a few short sentences. Many of us don't need a full keyboard as often as we think we do.

[Seasought]

This offers immense potential.

Goodbye traditional keyboard and mouse. Hold your hand over a sensor and move it to control the cursor. The touch-screen keyboard elminates bulky keys to provide more space, easier customization of the keyboard layout, fullbright key lighting and of course, a sleeker look.

I'm still hoping for the type of tech in Minority Report (http://www.donnarosenartists.com/artists/dale-rutter/big-art/minority-report.jpg). If anyone starts doing it, Apple would be the one.

[Thanatoast]

Apple's got some high hurdles to get past before it can make this iTablet a reality. Even with all the new, nifty patent applications there will be problems.

For one, the tech might not be up to it. Touch interfaces are really neat, and that NYU video is awesome, but what happens in a year or two? Will it still be as responsive? What about dust and grime? What if it fritzes? Do you have to replace your whole computer? What's the method of input and how reliable is it? I mean, people are going to be using this interface every day for work or pleasure, it needs to be robust.

For two, the UI is going to be virgin territory. Even Palm owners basically use their stylus' as a mouse. How are they going to program the interface? How are you gonna browse the web with your fingers? How are you gonna check your email? Wouldn't all the icons have to be larger to accomodate fingers rather than small mouse pointers? What about those people who's screen res is set really high?

The thing I'm trying to get across is that this amazing new touch screen has to be incredibly hardy to withstand daily use and abuse, and it has to be incredibly intuitive to get people to switch from their keyboard and mouse, or else why bother? Sure, it's neat, but does it work? Does it do what I want it to seamlessly without my having to fuss with it?

Therein lies the problem, and the potential genius if Apple can pull it off.

[sishaw]

This offers immense potential.

Goodbye traditional keyboard and mouse.

That's fine for certain specialized uses, but not for real writing. The keyboard has proven to be a particularly long-lasting means of inputing text, at least in English, from the early days of the typewriter in the late 19th century. So, what you are suggesting here is basically an "infotainment" device, and the question is: assuming one already may have an iPod and a smart phone, as well as a home computer and/or laptop, is there really room in the mass market for yet another device that duplicates some features of each of these products? Or is this thing going to be the Segway of the gadget world (i.e., filling a "gap" that for most people doesn't really exist?).

Or to put it another way: would an Apple tablet be the next iPod or the next Audrey (http://cactus.eas.asu.edu/Partha/Columns/04-16-AccidentInvention.htm)?

One way to add a keyboard and keep a sleek look -- I wonder if a laser projection keyboard could be integrated into one of these devices, and if it would well enough in all conditions to reasonably substitute for a hardware keyboard?

[hayesk]

I was referring to their laptops. All the laptops still have only one button.

Uhm... your fingers are already there by the keyboard - hit the control key.

[nagromme]

One more pieces of evidence--the BIGGEST piece of evidence that Apple is (eventually) considering shipping a product: the recent "Handwriting Recognition Engineer" job posting.

http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2005/08/apple_hiring_ha.html

Quote:
Do you strongly believe that using a stylus and a tablet is the way to interact with computers?

Posted in August 2005, AND still current (do they need more people, or a replacement?) as of Feb 2006 (maybe someone has a better link).

I see lots of problems with tablets (one of which Microsoft's recent thumb keyboard answers nicely) but I wouldn't put it past Apple to "do it right" and I DO want the most portable, even pocketable, Mac OS X machine I can get.

PS, I had bookmarked FingerWorks and was sorry to see them go. Pretty cool stuff. Maybe I should not have worried :)

[whooleytoo]

This sounds like the future of computing to me. Seriously, I don't think keyboards and mice are going to be around forever. It'll be interesting to see how things play out..

I reserve the right to be totally wrong and change my mind about this at any given time though.

How postmodern of me. :p

;)

Well, I'll keep ya company then, I too think keyboards and mice are a dated form of input. Prone to coffee spills too! :p

[~Shard~]

I'll say it again, how do you keep the screen from smudging? Protective coating of some sort? ;) :D

As as for the system being used in this video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6379146923853181774&q=multi+touch+screen+movie), what kind of graphics card would you need to drive that thing and perform those tasks in real-time like that, let alone the processing power required in general?

[waveman216]

I think everything about the touchscreen would be awesome, even learning all the different inputs. If you need to use the new actions enough it'll become second nature.

The one thing I don't see them doing is putting a touch keyboard on the screen. Think about it, half of typing is knowing you're hitting the keys. I can tell when I screw up because I can FEEL that I didn't hit the right key. A touchscreen keyboard would suck.

[iMeowbot]

One more pieces of evidence--the BIGGEST piece of evidence that Apple is (eventually) considering shipping a product: the recent "Handwriting Recognition Engineer" job posting.
Well... The other side of that coin is the handwriting recognition on existing Apple hardware. It is already pretty good, good enough to use daily (and I do). It's definitely not perfect, though, and could use more refinement.

The current system has some real weak points. It seems to rely mostly on timing to decide If I am writing, selecting, dragging, drawing, etc. It doesn't always make the correct guess. It can also make some strange choices regarding capital letters and punctuation.

Apple still have a long way to go before a tablet can be a true replacement for a keyboard. The multiple touch stuff is neat, but there are more basic problems that need to be solved.

[Philsy]

Try to type more than a sentence or two on a touch sensitive screen and you'll want a keyboard back. For someone like me who writes thousands of words a day, no one has yet bettered the keyboard.

[w00master]

Except the price would be US$777...because we'd all be in heaven. :D

I think US$666 is what miCrapsoft's "Horridgami" is selling for.

Except that I don't think you understand the $666 reference. This was the original price of the Apple I.

w00master

[Cinch]

For one, the tech might not be up to it. Touch interfaces are really neat, and that NYU video is awesome, but what happens in a year or two? Will it still be as responsive? What about dust and grime? What if it fritzes? Do you have to replace your whole computer? What's the method of input and how reliable is it? I mean, people are going to be using this interface every day for work or pleasure, it needs to be robust.


I think you are right. I rather have a desktop and this device than say a laptop. I think a laptop is to big and delicate. I don't want wire going into a wall at a Cafe or home (of course charging it at night is different).

Cinch

[Cinch]

Try to type more than a sentence or two on a touch sensitive screen and you'll want a keyboard back. For someone like me who writes thousands of words a day, no one has yet bettered the keyboard.


What device on the market now that allows you to do this feat i.e. typing thousands of words on a touch screen? I think it is hard to be critical of something when you don't have experience. Of course I can be wrong, in your case.

Cinch

[Philsy]

What device on the market now that allows you to do this feat i.e. typing thousands of words on a touch screen? I think it is hard to be critical of something when you don't have experience. Of course I can be wrong, in your case.

Cinch

I suspect it would be hard to type on a touch screen because you need some sort of feedback through the keys - that's why computer keyboards are not touch sensitive, but require you to depress each key a fair amount. They also make a clicking sound because that's expected. Of course, you could argue that's because it's what people are used to.

The QWERTY keyboard is an anomaly in the 21st century, but no one has yet bettered it. Although, anyone remember that one-handed device that allowed you to type by pressing different combinations of five buttons? Clever idea, but never took off.

[iMeowbot]

What device on the market now that allows you to do this feat i.e. typing thousands of words on a touch screen?
That's nothing new. Cintiq (http://www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index.cfm) + OS X (http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/inkwell/) allow this, on ordinary Macs, now. This isn't some weird, far out future stuff. And yes, it is good enough for writing "thousands of words."

[ccrandall77]

Given the hugely underwhealming interest in tablets (and microsoft can push things to be bought even if they're crappy, we know), I think it's obvious that a computer without a decent input device just doesn't make sense. See my post earlier today for more on that.

I agree. I thought tablets were too clunky to easily carry around, they are prone to being dropped, and it's hard to hold it in one hand and tap out a message with the other.

I think something the size of the iPod that had dashboard widgets would be the most useful. With a stylus or even with a simple voice interface it should be easy to call up a widget... you just sync your preferences to the device and 90% of what you need can be accessed with a stylus. For those other 10% of the time, it won't be so bad to have to use voice recognition, handwriting recognition, or a plan old virtual keyboard to enter in a URL or a short SMS message, etc.

[Philsy]

I wonder if anyone's explored the idea of borrowing from phone technology and developing a predictive text system.

[jouster]

Try to type more than a sentence or two on a touch sensitive screen and you'll want a keyboard back. For someone like me who writes thousands of words a day, no one has yet bettered the keyboard.

The point isn't to write thousands of word a day. Obviously, you need a kb to do that efficiently. The point is to give you access to already-written documents on the go. Sure, laptops do this, but they are not nearly as convenient. PDAs do it to, but they are too small and not powerful enough.

[Kuru Kuru]

Ever since I saw the mockups for the new video iPod, and heard about Apple's touchscreen patents, my Netwon fangirl radar has been going off (I keep looking for a stylus shaft in the mockups, for some reason ;P). It wasn't the right time back then, but now, with tablet PCs coming out of the woodwork, it could work - and be a lot prettier than it was back then. Those things are still useful, and the handwriting recognition on them was great. So Apple has still got the basics, they just need to put it all together.
I agree that it would have to have maybe an expresscard slot or something, and I wouldn't buy it without firewire, airport AND bluetooth. As far as cell phone standards, I wouldn't place any weight on that at all.
Apple would be the ones to get this to look elegant, but I don't know about rugged... that's a concern.

[Philsy]

Here's an interesting idea, which could be used with a touch screen

http://www.tengo.net/tengo_others.html

[Cinch]

I guess what i'm trying to say is that we can't create a device that doesn't solve anything. What do you want to do with this device?

What does the Blackberry do again that makes your life easier? I don't get it.

Cinch

[the-fish]

This is interesting. If they release a touchscreen computer, I hope they don't overprice it.

[Philsy]

I guess what i'm trying to say is that we can't create a device that doesn't solve anything. What do you want to do with this device?

What does the Blackberry do again that makes your life easier? I don't get it.

Cinch

Good question. I guess some uses are:

Web browsing
Emailing
Presentations
Games
Music
Films
Calendar
Contacts
Document reading
Instant messaging
Phone calls
Texting

Er, that's a start.

Funnily enough, you can do most of this already on a smartphone :confused:

[Hattig]

Apple knows that there will be a good time to introduce the technology, and that wasn't when Microsoft's TabletPC was tanking...

A tablet PC has got to be cheap. Microsoft's origami device has the right price points, although the OS and designs aren't totally inspiring.

Battery life is also important for these things - they're oversized overfunctioned PDAs really. Origami's 3 hours is not enough. However if the hardware is going to be similar there is no way Apple can gain over Origami without having a bigger battery.

Anyway, I reckon the hardware specifications would be similar to Origami's, but in an iPod like casing. Yes, there will be an iPod-style dock connector, and locking switch. I hope there'd be USB and Firewire ports too. Oh, and a $149 leather case.

Apple will excel over Origami by having a better thought out user interface (hopefully), as the patent applications show. The software will be better and more relevant, possibly tweaked for tablet use?

Apple's 1-click for most actions interface will be a winner with a stylus/finger based input system.

I don't see Apple using cheaper, but not as powerful, XScale chips from Intel, even though they would be better suited for the task than a low power Celeron M. They'd have to create an ARM build for that, and why alienate developers. So it will be x86 based, ULV Celeron M. It won't be intended as a primary system, so the hard drive will be as small as Apple can afford - a 20GB 1.8" perhaps. Mac OS X will be cut down - maybe enough to get away with 256MB RAM by default. Of course it will have integrated graphics, wireless, bluetooth.

I hope they have a decent screen protecting layer, like the TDK BluRay disc coating stuff.

[boncellis]

Let me preface this by saying that I think all of the people who have posted in this thread are thinking about the evolution of the personal computer in a critical and thus laudable manner. The only thing I would add (and have in previous instances) is that a touch-based interface is not necessarily meant to replace the current mouse and keyboard, but to complement it.

Try to think of it on a much, much larger scale--as built into the OS as part of the core functionality to work with all computers. The NYU video showed several examples of how this might help a user input information in a way currently limited by the traditional interface.

If Apple can develop this the right way, what graphic-oriented design or production company wouldn't want a system running OS X with that capability? I guess the point I'm trying to make is that this isn't limited to a tablet or video iPod, it could be implemented as a central function to all computers.

[Cinch]

Good question. I guess some uses are:

Web browsing
Emailing
Presentations
Games
Music
Films
Calendar
Contacts
Document reading
Instant messaging
Phone calls
Texting

Er, that's a start.

Funnily enough, you can do most of this already on a smartphone :confused:
Web browsing (shopping etc.) = okay
Emailing = maybe
Games = Xbox, PS2, PSP
Music = iPod
Films = large screen TV
Calender = okay
Contacts = okay too
Document reading = okay although similar to web browsing
Instant messaging = see web
Phone calls = maybe if hot spots are ubiquitous and if they are they wouldn't be hot spots anymore. can you do without your cell?
Texting = see web browsing

How about replacing your calender book? A calender book with web access? Okay now I'm just farting air.

Cinch

[Philsy]

Let me preface this by saying that I think all of the people who have posted in this thread are thinking about the evolution of the personal computer in a critical and thus laudable manner. The only thing I would add (and have in previous instances) is that a touch-based interface is not necessarily meant to replace the current mouse and keyboard, but to complement it.

Try to think of it on a much, much larger scale--as built into the OS as part of the core functionality to work with all computers. The NYU video showed several examples of how this might help a user input information in a way currently limited by the traditional interface.

If Apple can develop this the right way, what graphic-oriented design or production company wouldn't want a system running OS X with that capability? I guess the point I'm trying to make is that this isn't limited to a tablet or video iPod, it could be implemented as a central function to all computers.

Interesting idea. I could sit here now and select files simply by touching them, rather than using a mouse. Much as you do with a PDA etc. And then I'd still have a keyboard for text entry.

I can see that working, you'd just need to keep a cloth handy for wiping your screen (no rude comment, thank you!)

[Philsy]

Web browsing (shopping etc.) = okay
Emailing = maybe
Games = Xbox, PS2, PSP
Music = iPod
Films = large screen TV
Calender = okay
Contacts = okay too
Document reading = okay although similar to web browsing
Instant messaging = see web
Phone calls = maybe if hot spots are ubiquitous and if they are they wouldn't be hot spots anymore. can you do without your cell?
Texting = see web browsing

How about replacing your calender book? A calender book with web access? Okay now I'm just farting air.

Cinch

Regarding phone calls, apparently, the Origami device was demonstrated on TV by someone holding it up to their ear, saying it could be used for phone calls. Yep, it looked silly :) I guess you wouldn't need to be near a hot-spot because the device could have a 3G phone built in, giving an alternative way of getting online.

[Cinch]

Anyway, I reckon the hardware specifications would be similar to Origami's, but in an iPod like casing. Yes, there will be an iPod-style dock connector, and locking switch. I hope there'd be USB and Firewire ports too. Oh, and a $149 leather case.



Okay, I'm just being a belligerent hardass here. So take this lightly. The iPod doesn't have a USB or a Firewire port, and it seems to be doing quite well.

Why don't we include a parallel port for my 100MB Zip drive while we are at it! Fabulous:D

Design to solve a problem not and imaginary vision of tomorrow!

[boncellis]

Interesting idea. I could sit here now and select files simply by touching them, rather than using a mouse. Much as you do with a PDA etc. And then I'd still have a keyboard for text entry.

I can see that working, you'd just need to keep a cloth handy for wiping your screen (no rude comment, thank you!)

In addition, I liked the comment about the TDK blu-ray film that would help keep your screen clear. To really make it slick, I think you would eventually have to ditch the stylus.

You're right about the text entry--until the voice recognition technology becomes what we've all hoped it would.

[Philsy]

Design to solve a problem not and imaginary vision of tomorrow!

I think Steve Jobs said of the original iMac, he was giving people something they didn't realise they wanted.

[jouster]

Okay, I'm just being a belligerent hardass here. So take this lightly. The iPod doesn't have a USB or a Firewire port, and it seems to be doing quite well...

Huh? My iPod mini has FW and my Shuffle has USB.

Assuming you mean there isn't a standard USB port, my response would be 'so what? it ships with a connector that has the right format at the end that doesn't plug into the iPod.'

edit: typo

[Cinch]

Huh? My iPod mini has FW and my Shuffle has USB.

port to take another device, i think that is what we are refering to.

I'm thinking of the grotesque back end of a Dell laptop.

[Cinch]

I think Steve Jobs said of the original iMac, he was giving people something they didn't realise they wanted.


The original iMac is a computer. We have computers before the all in one iMac (which is not the first all in one Mac, nevermind PC).

Cinch

[Cinch]

I think Steve Jobs said of the original iMac, he was giving people something they didn't realise they wanted.

I think he meant to say that the iMac solve two things. One, make personal computer easy for the masses, and two, make PC aaesthetically more pleasing (yes this is a problem, unless you're an idealist right or left):D

[Philsy]

I think he meant to say that the iMac solve two things. One, make personal computer easy for the masses, and two, make PC aaesthetically more pleasing (yes this is a problem, unless you're an idealist right or left):D

So maybe we don't know we want a tablet computer in the same way we didn't know we wanted a raspberry coloured, see-through computer.

No, I'm not convinced either...:confused:

[Damek]

Granted, MS has bigger pockets and a full research division, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that Apple has nothing specific in mind but just thinks touch-technology can be improved drastically and is putting some research into it. It wouldn't be unheard of in the history of companies for some company to research something they think has potential with no particular plans for what they hope to produce/discover.

On a related note, that multi-touch screen interface that had a video going around a while ago looked really promising, but part of me was thinking, what does this do to the menu/window paradigm? If I can be moving the window and sending commands via the menus at the same time, the software needs to be more complex to handle that...

And while we're improving software, another thing occurs to me: I only have so many appendages, and the more I put to use, the more dexterity and coordination is required. Where's the revolution in speech/facial-expression/telepathy interfaces? C'mon, Apple, I want a Mac nano I can slip in my shirt pocket and whisper dark secrets to as it summons up iTunes in my freakin' MIND! (preferrably while not also frying my brain)

[Philsy]

Canon cameras have eye-control viewfinders. How about that? Glance at a file and it opens.

[euclidw]

I think Apple will use a similar strategy on this device as they did with the original iPod. Each version of the iPod added new useful features (e.g. ical sync, address book, games, color, iphoto, video). I think the initial device will simply be a super video iPod. It will include all the features of the iPod, but will add a notepad. Subsequent versions (or perhaps some of these features will be on the first version) will include wifi & bluetooth, web browsing, isight, ichat, Mail, preview & the ultimate front row remote. I think eventually it will have the ability to be the ultimate mac desktop companion, running VNC to remotely run any Mac program from inside your home or from another continent. It will also be a functional input/control device when you are at your desktop (functioning like lemur or fingerworks) and providing additional display real estate).

I would love a device like this and would buy new hardware everytime they improved it.:)

[Hattig]

Okay, I'm just being a belligerent hardass here. So take this lightly. The iPod doesn't have a USB or a Firewire port, and it seems to be doing quite well.

Why don't we include a parallel port for my 100MB Zip drive while we are at it! Fabulous:D

Design to solve a problem not and imaginary vision of tomorrow!

Um, an iPod isn't a computer.

This tablet will also be a computer. Maybe Firewire is too much, but USB would be useful for a keyboard/mouse/digital camera/etc.

[Kingsly]

I think Steve Jobs said of the original iMac, he was giving people something they didn't realise they wanted.
Which is exactly why there isn't a demand for Tablets. Yet.
I would love to see the look on Bill's face on April 1st.
I. Want. An. Apple. Origami!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dornoforpyros]

am I the only one who really, really wants to play with that lavalamp looking demo? hehe

[achie25]

I look forward to seeing this come to fruition, though I look less forward to yet more threads discussing this (as of now) phantom device.



And yet here you are. ;) Just like the rest of us.

[nagromme]

Try to type more than a sentence or two on a touch sensitive screen and you'll want a keyboard back. For someone like me who writes thousands of words a day, no one has yet bettered the keyboard.
Ultraportables will never be the ONLY computer someone needs if they do heavy writing/typing all day. Just like a laptop will never be the ultimate high-end gamer's rig, and a tower will never be for computing on the go.

But for portability, it can be worth making sacrifices. Tablet input can be BETTER for some kinds of things (such as drawing, and using while standing up). In other ways it is a sacrifice. I tend to prefer the sacrifice of using a tiny keyboard--a very tiny/wide-format clamshell sub-subnotebook. But that's a compromise too when it comes to typing.

Whatever the compromise may be, I'll accept it for pocketability.

And like many people, I'll still need a full screen and keyboard some of the time too.

[iMeowbot]

It wouldn't be unheard of in the history of companies for some company to research something they think has potential with no particular plans for what they hope to produce/discover.
There is also the IBM approach, patent everything under the sun just in case. Such patents are used for defensive and offensive moves, either to ward off other companies' royalty demands with cross licensing or to coerce other companies into favorable contract terms for unrelated products and services.

Apple have played the cross license card frequently over the years, most notably with Microsoft and IBM.

[nagromme]

Well... The other side of that coin is the handwriting recognition on existing Apple hardware.
Yes, but that job posting is worded more strongly than could be explained by just a "little extra for Wacom users." (Although Inkwell is very cool as far as it goes.)

That said, a lot of Apple products get only so far in the labs and then never make it to market. They still needed employees to design them!

But a job posting shows Apple's at least seriously considering bringing something to market. Maybe not a tablet Mac, maybe something in some new direction we haven't thought of. But something--if the project doesn't get canned.

[jaredbbauer]

Why couldn't they have this as an option? If they did I would buy one in a heartbeat!

http://news.com.com/2100-1041-5057530.html

[yac_moda]

:eek: Apple is going to buy iMAX to be announced any day now, and because of the seating of the audience in relationship to the screen they will be able to do laser tracking on each member of the audience.

They will use this to make fully interactive movies, games that the entire audience will be able to participate in.

Of course these games may be the basis for single player games in a new gaming platform.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Or maybe Disney will buy iMAX and then Apple will buy Disney, it could be a lot cheaper this way -- Steve will acquire the nickname of Max :eek:

[jaredbbauer]

Granted, MS has bigger pockets and a full research division, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that Apple has nothing specific in mind but just thinks touch-technology can be improved drastically and is putting some research into it. It wouldn't be unheard of in the history of companies for some company to research something they think has potential with no particular plans for what they hope to produce/discover.

On a related note, that multi-touch screen interface that had a video going around a while ago looked really promising, but part of me was thinking, what does this do to the menu/window paradigm? If I can be moving the window and sending commands via the menus at the same time, the software needs to be more complex to handle that...

And while we're improving software, another thing occurs to me: I only have so many appendages, and the more I put to use, the more dexterity and coordination is required. Where's the revolution in speech/facial-expression/telepathy interfaces? C'mon, Apple, I want a Mac nano I can slip in my shirt pocket and whisper dark secrets to as it summons up iTunes in my freakin' MIND! (preferrably while not also frying my brain)



I think you may have been born a few generations to soon.

:) Here's to hoping for reincarnation!!! Well if you get to be a human and assuming apple is still around in 80 years.

[iMeowbot]

Why couldn't they have this as an option? If they did I would buy one in a heartbeat!

http://news.com.com/2100-1041-5057530.html
Those laser projection keyboards look cool but disappoint. I finally got my hands on one after the first would-be model turned into vapor, and ended up sending it back. It was much too awkward and error-prone to be useful. Perhaps in the future somebody will get it right, but it's not ready for prime time.

[jeremy.king]

The one criticism I've seen about a small tablet-type device is "no one is going to carry around something that doesn't fit in their pocket". I guess that would be true for some people, but there are scads of people (like me) that carry around paper organizers, and this wouldn't really be any bigger than one of them. The battery life is a bigger issue, I would guess.

Didn't "they" say this about the original iPod too? Also, with fuel cells not too far off, imagine the possibilities an ultramobile - ultrathin - tablet from Apple. I like the 7-8" size, but say at a thickness of the new video iPods...That would be pretty sweet...

[blueice02]

I'm not sure if anyone has suggested this yet, but has anyone considered the possibility of a 'transistion' device? The idea is simple. Add one of these new multi-touch displays to the iMac line. Now you have two ways of interacting with the computer instead of just the keyboard and mouse. The provides the opportunity to expose a large number of people to the concept of using touch to interact and even gives them the opportunity to become comfortable with this method. Say, 2 years later, and Apple releases a tablet version, which to those that already have experience really is just a portable computer to them and not necessarily something new or novel. See where I am going with this? Just because Apple is working on a multi-touch display doesn't mean that it is destined for a tablet, at least not right away.

[Thanatoast]

Since we're all fantasizing I propose this:

How about a pcmcia slot (or that new one from the MBP) thus leaving space for a EVDO modem? Then, instead of having a phone, you could have skype or somesuch. An always-on, portable internet-based phone.

That's not even counting audio or video iChats.

[baddaddy]

[QUOTE=boncellis]Let me preface this by saying that I think all of the people who have posted in this thread are thinking about the evolution of the personal computer in a critical and thus laudable manner. The only thing I would add (and have in previous instances) is that a touch-based interface is not necessarily meant to replace the current mouse and keyboard, but to complement it.
QUOTE]


I think you are absolutly right. As I sit here I can think of several uses ways that I would use such a device daily.

1) At work. I work on the salesfloor of a bedding company. I could look up prices, cost and write contracts with the customer without breaking the moment up by walking to my pc.

2) Portable media. Movies, TV, and Music to go...thank you very much.

3) Web browsing.


4) Interfacing. Use it as an interface for audio-avdio programs as shown in patents.

5) Email anywhere.


I don't want this to replace my imac, but I don't want a toy either. I want something that is functional and portable. I want something that helps me do basic computing anywhere, and create everywhere.

I think that is the genius behind apple computers. Right brained people get them, want them, use them, and create with them. They are made to produce. This format simply makes it easier for people to do so.

[yac_moda]

I have a tooth implanted in my mouth that has a laser that scans my tongue and lips for PERFECT voice recognition. :eek:

I have BT solar microphones glued to finger nails that can hear my joints bend and my finders tap the table for keyboard and touch-pad.

The actual computer in inside my special shoes.

I have another mic glued into my belly button so the computer knows when to feed me. :eek:

I have another mic near my tail bone that can tell when I am sitting for too long and it shocks me when its time to exercise, and then it counts my footsteps and pace to tell how fast I am walking or running. The one in my belly button tracks my heart rate.

That same mic can hear me FART and the computer tracks what I eat so it automatically eliminates the foods from my diet that give me gas. :eek:

If some one yells at me all the mics can hear it and the computer automatically shots them with a Taser.

The computer can detect when my boss or anyone else is lying and so it automatically tells him off, quite obnoxiously, and then I apologize, this way I get to be nice to everybody all of the time.

It can also measure other stresses in peoples voice, so when a woman in love with me it tells me HOW MUCH she is loving me at the moment and I use this to know what things she likes to do most and what parts of my personality to accentuate. Thus, I know her better then she knows herself.

Also, I have these really small speakers in my ears that have fuel cells that run off of ear wax, this is how the computer talks to me without other people hearing.

Oh, and the computer itself is quite powerful and small but uses a LOT of power so I have a special attachment that extracts my urine and that goes to the fuel cell to power it.

These are patches in various places on my body that the computer stimulates now and then to give me exercise and build my strength.

If I do something wrong the computer zaps the patch over my heart which knocks my down like having the breath knocked out of me. :rolleyes:

As long as I put on by heart stimulator patch each day the cyber police leave me alone, and I can go into the police free zones !!!

And if I continue to put it on concurrently for the last 90 days, then I can also get the better jobs, of course.

The RFID in my shoe is used to ID me for purchasing and my computer keeps my personal record of purchases and all purchases are also confirmed over the internet and with my banking and or trading accounts.

Its so easy to buy and trade things now for money sometimes the computer has to tell me to confirm the price, it even steps in and helps negotiate when it seeing an opportunity to barder, I have her set aggressive negotiations in ALL business dealings.

Its soo hard to find work these days because the standards have become so HIGH with the worldwide competition, but this also makes things very cheap, even the prices of houses has started to come down and land is no longer going up now that people are moving into space and living at sea.

And I have PLENTY of money in the bank since I got that low interest loan for a couple of million since I agreed to put my organs into the organ bank should I die. When they did my gene analysis they found my blood type to be rare and I had some valuable traits so my overall value was pretty good, especially since there turned out to be an above average number of potential wealthy buyers in my gene market.

[balloot]

I am 100% sure that Apple is, at the very least, devoloping a Tablet Mac.

How do I know? Slipped into Tiger was this interesting feature that only would be noticed by Cocoa programmers. Cocoa is the Apple designed-and maintained technology that programmers use to create the interface for Mac programs. Anyway, these methods were slipped into Cocoa upon the release of Tiger. Now, keep in mind that these are programming calls used, by definition, only on software that runs on Mac OS. You can confirm this by googling "NSEvent Cocoa":

In the NSEvent class:
Getting Tablet Proximity Information
– capabilityMask
Returns a mask whose set bits indicate the capabilities of the tablet device that generated the event represented by the receiver.

– deviceID
Returns a special identifier that is used to match tablet-pointer events with the tablet-proximity event represented by the receiver.

– isEnteringProximity
Returns YES to indicate that a pointing device is entering the proximity of its tablet and NO when it is leaving it.

– pointingDeviceID
Returns the index of the pointing device currently in proximity with the tablet.

– pointingDeviceSerialNumber
Returns the vendor-assigned serial number of a pointing device of a certain type.

– pointingDeviceType
Returns a NSPointingDeviceType constant indicating the kind of pointing device associated with the receiver.

– systemTabletID
Returns the index of the tablet device connected to the system.

– tabletID
Returns the USB model identifier of the tablet device associated with the receiver.

– uniqueID
Returns the unique identifier of the pointing device that generated the event represented by the receiver.

– vendorID
Returns the vendor identifier of the tablet associated with the receiver.

– vendorPointingDeviceType
Returns a coded bit field whose set bits indicate the type of pointing device (within a vendor selection) associated with the receiver.

Getting tablet pointing information
– absoluteX
Reports the absolute x coordinate of a pointing device on its tablet at full tablet resolution.

– absoluteY
Reports the absolute y coordinate of a pointing device on its tablet at full tablet resolution.

– absoluteZ
Reports the absolute z coordinate of pointing device on its tablet at full tablet resolution.

– buttonMask
Returns a bit mask identifying the buttons pressed when the tablet event represented by the receiver was generated.

– rotation
Returns the rotation in degrees of the tablet pointing device associated with the receiver.

– tangentialPressure
Reports the tangential pressure on the device that generated the event represented by the receiver.

– tilt
Reports the scaled tilt values of the pointing device that generated the event represented by the receiver.

– vendorDefined
Returns an array of three vendor-defined NSNumber objects associated with the pointing-type event represented by the receiver.

[iMeowbot]

I am 100% sure that Apple is, at the very least, devoloping a Tablet Mac.
This is all existing Wacom support. See? (http://www.wacomeng.com/devsupport/mac.html)

[NewtypeCJ]

I would love an Origami-esque Mac device (iTablet? iPad?) that has a 7-8" screen. Here's a short wishlist:

- decent battery life (6-8 hours of continuous use, more in sleep mode)
- one-touch wake-up from sleep, kind of like iPod -- you touch it and it's already on and ready.
- Front Row or iTunes-style interface for music, videos and photos.
- 20/40 GB configurations
- Simple versions of iLife/OSX apps like Mail, iChat, iCal, Preview (for PDF booklets) and Safari. Bonjour access so you don't need internet to interconnect. New iChat lets you send doodles with messages.
- A tray of widgets (6-8) that you can swap out for use on the go -- for weather, driving directions, dictionary, calendar, calculator, etc.
- Wifi for buying iTunes tracks and TV at wifi hotspots, bluetooth for interacting with your Mac desktop (maybe being able to pull up and display documents remotely) or AirTunes/iPod HiFi
- Dock sync-up with dekstop Macs. When docked, device acts as a picture frame / iPhoto slideshow viewer / iTunes remote.
- Simple note-taking / doodling application (maybe based on Pages?)
- Ability to run presentations from Keynote, slideshows from iPhoto (with accompanying iTunes tracks) to TV or other display.
- Simple password protection (symbols or squiggles or signature) as an anti-theft measure.

Price: ???

[balloot]

This is all existing Wacom support. See? (http://www.wacomeng.com/devsupport/mac.html)

OK. So how does this contradict my point that Apple is surely working on a tablet?

[yac_moda]

I am 100% sure that Apple is, at the very least, devoloping a Tablet Mac.
[/i]

Uuh, UuuuuuH, Huuuu, :eek:

Do you think any of these calls indicate NATIVE tablet support, please indicate which ones.

Tiger will automatically configure itself to support a tablet if one is attached, like a Wacom tablet through the USB.

I remember Apple demoing a tablet at ATG Night at WWDC, I think it was 1991 :eek: :eek: :eek: I AM STILL HOLDING MY BREATH !!!

[DStaal]

I doubt Apple would be ready for anything with this yet this year. Though maybe.

A good touchscreen minicomp is probably something that will be a hit when it finally gets released. Apple is a likely candidate for someone to finally get it right.

The problem is, almost right is nothing in this case. A dedicated PDA or smartphone or laptop does most of the job, and are easier to use then an almost minicomp.

What I think people are aiming for is something along the lines of Star Trek's PADD: A universal interface to your personal computer system, that you can carry and use on the fly, without any other tools. It's the mobile interface. You probably have a more efficiant data input interface in some fixed location as well. (Keyboards are faster and more accurate input devices than anything else we've ever dreamed up. There might be a better layout, but it easily beats anything else.)

It would need to sync/share data and programs easily with the rest of your system (though for some users it could be the whole system). It would need to be easy to use and learn to use. It would need to be easy to carry and charge.

Done right, it would be amazing. Done wrong, it is trash. Apple can probably do it right. When? Don't know.

[balloot]

Uuh, UuuuuuH, Huuuu, :eek:

Do you think any of these calls indicate NATIVE tablet support, please indicate which ones.

Tiger will automatically configure itself to support a tablet if one is attached, like a Wacom tablet through the USB.

I remember Apple demoing a tablet at ATG Night at WWDC, I think it was 1991 :eek: :eek: :eek: I AM STILL HOLDING MY BREATH !!!

They all do. Cocoa is an API that is created and supported solely by Apple. All of Apple's programs (Mail, Safari, iTunes, etc, etc) are written in Cocoa. NSEvent is the class that handles events in all these programs. They have now equipped it to handle tablet events.

[iMeowbot]

OK. So how does this contradict my point that Apple is surely working on a tablet?
The APi only proves that Cocoa has support for tablets that already exist. It demonstrated nothing about new products, all the listed features are already implemented.

[balloot]

The APi only proves that Cocoa has support for tablets that already exist. It demonstrated nothing about new products, all the listed features are already implemented.

Cocoa IS ONLY USED FOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE MADE FOR MAC OSX. If a tablet is going to run Mac OSX, it must be made by Apple. I don't see how you people don't get this...

[balloot]

The APi only proves that Cocoa has support for tablets that already exist. It demonstrated nothing about new products, all the listed features are already implemented.

In what Mac tablet are those features implemented? Am I missing something?

[iMeowbot]

In what Mac tablet are those features implemented? Am I missing something?
All those features are already supported using Wacom tablets. Tiger introduced a new interface that's much more efficient, but the support has been there for years.

[yac_moda]

They all do. Cocoa is an API that is created and supported solely by Apple. All of Apple's programs (Mail, Safari, iTunes, etc, etc) are written in Cocoa. NSEvent is the class that handles events in all these programs. They have now equipped it to handle tablet events.


I do NOT agree with your interpretation of the purpose of these features in any way.

Apple WILL NOT ship some kind of tablet device until their testing and integration teams indicate that these features are robust enough that a new device would be revolutionary.

At least that is how Apple normally does it.

Your knowledge of the APIs does not indicate any special kind of knowledge, there are lots of developers in these forums. :eek:

[balloot]

I do NOT agree with your interpretation of the purpose of these features in any way.

Apple WILL NOT ship some kind of tablet device until their testing and integration teams indicate that these features are robust enough that a new device would be revolutionary.

At least that is how Apple normally does it.

Your knowledge of the APIs does not indicate any special kind of knowledge, there are lots of developers in these forums. :eek:

So you really think that they updated the Cocoa API to handle tablet events just for the heck of it? You know, because there are tons of people sitting around Apple with nothing to do so they just had them go modify Cocoa....

I said nothing about the shipment of a tablet Mac. All I said is it is a slam dunk that they are developing one right now.

[texasmafia]

Cocoa IS ONLY USED FOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE MADE FOR MAC OSX. If a tablet is going to run Mac OSX, it must be made by Apple. I don't see how you people don't get this...


I don't see how you don't get it.

I think everyone else on this board gets it so apparently you are the odd man out.

[balloot]

All those features are already supported using Wacom tablets. Tiger introduced a new interface that's much more efficient, but the support has been there for years.

But here's the question - WHY did Tiger introduce a new interface that's much more efficient? How many other obscure 3rd party products have caused Apple to update one of the main classes in its central application development API?

[balloot]

I don't see how you don't get it.

I think everyone else on this board gets it so apparently you are the odd man out.

Hey, I tried. If you guys want to sit around and pontificate about something that's blatantly obvious, be my guest.

[yac_moda]

But here's the question - WHY did Tiger introduce a new interface that's much more efficient? How many other obscure 3rd party products have caused Apple to update one of the main classes in its central application development API?

And they shipped Jestures that may have been better than anyone else and are probably patented in Mac OS X in Jaguar but they have not shipped a tablet yet.

BUT Wacom has shipped a revolutionary LCD touchscreen tablet and other new tablets, soo is Apple's tablet developement gone beyond a normal level of experimentation -- this is not indicated. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Apple would include features that they want to own in patents just to ensure that they own it. Patenting something and then not shipping my not be defendable in court especially if someone else ships it.

[yac_moda]

Hey, I tried. If you retards want to sit around and pontificate about something that's blatantly obvious, be my guest.

The API is obvious your distictions of it are not.

[balloot]

And they shipped Jestures that may have been better than anyone else and are probably patented in Mac OS X in Jaguar but they have not shipped a tablet yet.

BUT Wacom has shipped a revolutionary LCD touchscreen tablet and other new tablets, soo is Apple's tablet developement gone beyond a normal level of experimentation -- this is not indicated. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Apple would include features that they want to own in patents just to ensure that they own it. Patenting something and then not shipping my not be defendable in court especially if someone else ships it.

Please humor me and explain exactly how any of Wacom's products make use of the Cocoa API.

And there is no patent involved in simply handling tablet events in a system API. Windows has been doing it for years.

[yac_moda]

Please humor me and explain exactly how any of Wacom's products make use of the Cocoa API.

And there is no patent involved in simply handling tablet events in a system API. Windows has been doing it for years.

It not my job to save you :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[balloot]

It not my job to save you :eek: :rolleyes: :D

Translation: "I dunno"

[iMeowbot]

But here's the question - WHY did Tiger introduce a new interface that's much more efficient?
I reckon it was probably related to the fact that the old interface kind of sucked, it was a bit of a CPU hog.
How many other obscure 3rd party products have caused Apple to update one of the main classes in its central application development API?
What is so obscure about tablets? Graphics applications comprise one of the core Mac markets, tablets are very popular in that market, and all the key graphics applications have been tablet-aware for years.

[baddaddy]

"Can you feel the love ton-night...." Sing it with me!

[yac_moda]

Originally Posted by yac_moda
It not my job to save you

Translation: "I dunno"


Translation: I DO know.

Send me a check for $250 and AFTER it goes through, then it will be my job to teach YOU ALL those things you don't know !!! :D


We don't need no stinking tablets ...

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/info-tech/dn8826.html

"The machine makes it possible to type messages onto a computer screen by mentally controlling the movement of a cursor. A user must wear a cap containing electrodes that measure electrical activity inside the brain, known as an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal, and imagine moving their left or right arm in order to manoeuvre the cursor around." :eek: :eek: :eek:

[aussie_geek]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Throughout 2005, Apple continued to apply for numerous touch-screen technology patents (http://www.macrumors.com/site.php?mode=search&term=patent&submit=Search+Site). These patents aren't simply attributable to the rumored touch-screen iPod (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/02/20060209095419.shtml). Many of the patents have shown Mac OS X elements (http://guides.macrumors.com/Gallery_of_Gesture_User_Interface_Patent) and interfaces.

The most recent addition was filed in September 2005 and called "Operation of a computer with touch screen interface".

Just noticed after looking at the images section of the patent application, it mentions that the image pages were published on 9th March '06. Could this be an update from Apple or something?

aussie_geek

[iMeowbot]

Just noticed after looking at the images section of the patent application, it mentions that the image pages were published on 9th March '06. Could this be an update from Apple or something?
USPTO don't publish applications immediately, it takes months before the process gets that far.

Normally you can look up the PAIR data for an application to see what the activity to date looks like, but the records for application 11/228700 are not public yet.

[balloot]

I reckon it was probably related to the fact that the old interface kind of sucked, it was a bit of a CPU hog.

What is so obscure about tablets? Graphics applications comprise one of the core Mac markets, tablets are very popular in that market, and all the key graphics applications have been tablet-aware for years.

I don't know how to explain this any more clearly...

I understand that there are tablet PCs in existence. But unless there is a Mac tablet, there is absolutely no need for tablet event handlers in the Cocoa API. Get it?

[balloot]

Translation: I DO know.

Send me a check for $250 and AFTER it goes through, then it will be my job to teach YOU ALL those things you don't know !!! :D


We don't need no stinking tablets ...

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/info-tech/dn8826.html

"The machine makes it possible to type messages onto a computer screen by mentally controlling the movement of a cursor. A user must wear a cap containing electrodes that measure electrical activity inside the brain, known as an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal, and imagine moving their left or right arm in order to manoeuvre the cursor around." :eek: :eek: :eek:

Still waiting on your response on what applications use tablet events in the Apple Cocoa API...

It's pretty obvious you don't know ****, by the way.

[aussie_geek]

USPTO don't publish applications immediately, it takes months before the process gets that far.

Normally you can look up the PAIR data for an application to see what the activity to date looks like, but the records for application 11/228700 are not public yet.


ahhh thanks for that. :) so we will have to keep an eye on it yeah?


aussie_geek

[iMeowbot]

I don't know how to explain this any more clearly...

I understand that there are tablet PCs in existence. But unless there is a Mac tablet, there is absolutely no need for tablet event handlers in the Cocoa API. Get it?
There are Mac tablets, and there have been Mac tablets for a very long time. Most of them are made by Wacom.

I am writing this message on a Mac with a tablet. I do not live in the future. I am not holed up in some secret lab, tablets much like this one can be found in shopping malls all over the world.

I am performing this feat using none other than InkServer.app, a Cocoa application (actually, one of those creepy critters that mixes Carbon and Cocoa) that is included with every copy of Tiger.

I bet you will never guess what API it uses.

[yac_moda]

Still waiting on your response on what applications use tablet events in the Apple Cocoa API...

It's pretty obvious you don't know ****, by the way.

I am still waiting for my check.

The price just went up $300.

It is in the mail isn't, you would be pulling my leg would you ???

I won't tell you anything till it goes through.

Why don't you pull out the Cocoa documentation and copy some of the Quicktime calls to a post and swear Apple is building professional video projector with applications and drivers ???

And that it will have embedded information to support nonliner play-back !?!?!!? :eek:

And a network of Macs with remote laser interfaces and audience support :eek:

And Disney is going to buy iMAX and take it to 3D ...

... and Apple will buy Disney because it will ALL be very cheap ...

And Disney will be shipping the projectora with their iNeXT movie to the theaters and THAT is why Stevey J. is now sitting as chairman of Disneys board.

Billy G. is going to be SOOO jealous !!! :cool:

[steveh]

They came out with [a two-button mouse] last year.

No, they didn't; the Mighty Mouse is effectively a four-button mouse.

[steveh]

I was referring to their laptops. All the laptops still have only one button.

There you go again; they're more like 5- or 6-button trackpads.

Your hands are on the keyboard anyway, why not use the buttons; they've been supported for years.

[steveh]

Um, an iPod isn't a computer.

Of course it is.

It accepts (more than one type of) input data, processes it in any of a few different ways, and outputs processed data both visually and audibly.

It's not a *general-purpose* computer, but it's still a computer.

[steveh]

Cocoa IS ONLY USED FOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE MADE FOR MAC OSX. If a tablet is going to run Mac OSX, it must be made by Apple. I don't see how you people don't get this...

You're assuming that Apple must be making a tablet computer.

As at least one other poster has pointed out, the calls in question are already used to support the Cintiq products; there is no reason why Apple *must* be working on a tablet product of their own.

Now, they may be, they almost certainly have looked at them in the past; but it doesn't necessarily follow that a tablet computer is a near-term product in development.

[steveh]

I don't know how to explain this any more clearly...

I understand that there are tablet PCs in existence. But unless there is a Mac tablet, there is absolutely no need for tablet event handlers in the Cocoa API. Get it?

Sure. You're wrong.

They're usable by devices such as the Cintiq graphics tablets.

For all we know, Wacom paid Apple big bucks to update tablet support in Cocoa, and it won't progress past that.

[Ghibli]

8" widescreen multi-touch LCD
1.06GHz ULV Core Duo CPU w/2MB shared cache
533MHz FSB
512MB NAND flash memory
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots)
80GB 1.8" HDD
Intel GMA950 integrated GPU
WUSB (wireless USB)
AirPort Extreme
BlueTooth
Quad band cell capabilities
Pivoting iSight camera
stereo BlueTooth headset w/microphone
Lithium-Ion nano-tech battery
Stylus
Mac OS X 10.4.6
iLife
iWork

About the size of a DVD case (which is really close to a 16:10 ratio) and half again as thick...

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

It's mine!! Can I already pre-order it?

Jokes apart, I really think that all this patent applications really goes toward something like this...

[jonharris200]

How about a scroll wheel on the back of an iPod Video?

As you use the familiar circular and five-way push button mechanism on the back of the iPod, a digital version of the scroll wheel appears on the screen at the front.

This would obviously not be a full-blown user input such as a keyboard/mouse combination provides, but it could be a handy way of keeping a scroll wheel on the iPod while enlarging the screen... and avoiding greasy fingerprints.

Pure speculation, you understand.

[my2cents]

Although it's possible Apple is working on a tablet I don't think they'll do anything this radical until both all their hardware transition is complete and OS 10.5 is ready. In my opinion, these features are something that Steve Jobs would love to preview in OS 10.5 just before or after Windows comes out with Vista. It definitely won't be coming out on April 1st, so we should stop building April 1st into a tablet or nothing update.

Steve is building up features slowly, like the iMac G5 transition to an iMac G5 with iSight and Front Row and THEN the intel iMac with iSight and Front Row. He wants to keep building a computer that has JUST ENOUGH cool new stuff to tempt you to upgrade. Why would he bring out a touchscreen MacTablet with all this cool stuff before you can even buy an intel iBook?

[shrimpdesign]

How about a scroll wheel on the back of an iPod Video?

As you use the familiar circular and five-way push button mechanism on the back of the iPod, a digital version of the scroll wheel appears on the screen at the front.
Too akward ... even if the digital touchscreen showed up on the screen, it would be much too confusing ... if Apple releases a touchscreen iPod, they'll solve the "fingerprints" problem.

[MacRonin]

8" widescreen multi-touch LCD
1.06GHz ULV Core Duo CPU w/2MB shared cache
533MHz FSB
512MB NAND flash memory
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots)
80GB 1.8" HDD
Intel GMA950 integrated GPU
WUSB (wireless USB)
AirPort Extreme
BlueTooth
Quad band cell capabilities
Pivoting iSight camera
stereo BlueTooth headset w/microphone
Lithium-Ion nano-tech battery
Stylus
Mac OS X 10.4.6
iLife
iWork

About the size of a DVD case (which is really close to a 16:10 ratio) and half again as thick...

US$666

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Computer

NEW!

Apple Leather Case for MacPad mini

Hand-crafted from fine Italian leather, the Leather Case offers luxurious protection for your MacPad mini.

Help protect your MacPad mini from dust and scratches with Apple's Leather Case. It features a slim, form-fitting design that maintains its shape and a soft microfiber interior that ensures a snug, secure fit when your MacPad mini is inside.

Removing your MacPad mini is a breeze, thanks to an ingenious black ribbon built into the case. Just give it a gentle tug and your MacPad mini slides out gracefully.

US$149

(Come on, it's Apple and they like their fat profit margins...)

[MacQuest]

Think about it, half of typing is knowing you're hitting the keys. I can tell when I screw up because I can FEEL that I didn't hit the right key. A touchscreen keyboard would suck.

I'M A CHICKEN PECKER!!! :D

I type farely quickly but I only use my left and right hand index fingers along with my thumb for the space bar, while looking at the keyboard the whole time. In other words my index fingers peck the keys I need individually, like a chicken pecks at its seeds.

CHICKEN PECKERS UNITE!!! ... Dyslexic chicken peckers UNTIE!!!

We're nowhere near as fast as people who know how to "really" type [professionally, without looking at the keyboard and by touch], but I know that the vast majority of people aren't professional typers... typists.. whatever.

The MacPod/MacPad and it's virtual keyboard wouldn't be meant for those people who need a traditional keyboard in order to right the sequel to "War and Peace" or write lengthy respones in rumor forums, it's meant for those of us who are just going to enter an email address or web url, etc. and maybe just want to read the responses in rumor forums.

We are the majority.
We are the proud.
We are... the chicken peckers.

AND WE WANT THIS MACPOD/MACPAD!!!

- FWIW, I would want it to be something like the image linked below BUT clipboard sized [12"w x 9"h x 1/2"d x 2 pounds max] and with the ability to be used in landscape and portrait orientations.

http://www.macshrine.com/2006/02/25/mactablet/

very large 16"w x 20"h!!!. Like I said above, "clipboard sized".]

Try to type more than a sentence or two on a touch sensitive screen and you'll want a keyboard back. For someone like me who writes thousands of words a day, no one has yet bettered the keyboard.

The MacPod/MacPad is for the millions of people who are not like you "who write thousands of words a day".

We have a very limited use for a keyboard and primarily just want the viewing/playback [8.5" x 11" letter, 8" x10" photo, widescreen video] and connectivity [WiFi, Front Row, Bluetooth, InfraRed] aspects of Mac OS X in a thin and light weight, clipboard sized Apple tablet/pda hybrid.

[MacQuest]

Except that I don't think you understand the $666 reference. This was the original price of the Apple I.

w00master

No I didn't. I thought the original poster was trolling and either calling this device or Apple "evil". That's why I said the price would be $777 instead... and no, I'm not religious.

I got it now though, thanks. :)

[fluidinclusion]

Although it's possible Apple is working on a tablet I don't think they'll do anything this radical until both all their hardware transition is complete and OS 10.5 is ready. In my opinion, these features are something that Steve Jobs would love to preview in OS 10.5 just before or after Windows comes out with Vista. It definitely won't be coming out on April 1st, so we should stop building April 1st into a tablet or nothing update.

Steve is building up features slowly, like the iMac G5 transition to an iMac G5 with iSight and Front Row and THEN the intel iMac with iSight and Front Row. He wants to keep building a computer that has JUST ENOUGH cool new stuff to tempt you to upgrade. Why would he bring out a touchscreen MacTablet with all this cool stuff before you can even buy an intel iBook?

Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!
Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!Tablet or Nothing!

:)

[yac_moda]

Please humor me and explain exactly how any of Wacom's products make use of the Cocoa API.

And there is no patent involved in simply handling tablet events in a system API. Windows has been doing it for years.

I bought Wacom's cheapest tablet about 2 years ago.

I still have NOT upgraded to Tiger YET.

The tablet came with a Wacom driver, but I switched to the driver in OS X which supported basic Gestures, and I tried them out.

"there is no patent involved in simply handling tablet events"

No there is NOT and YOU are the ONLY ONE that is suggesting THIS.

Obviously YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT GESTURES ARE !!!

I suggest you do some studying and find out what they are before you go arguing for conclusions that makes NO SENSE AT ALL :eek: :eek: :eek:

[512ke]

Sorry to jump into a post I haven't fully read...

But I found these on the net and I thought some were really cool.

They seem to be mockups of future Apple products from a Japanese web site.

Maybe they've been posted here... but I sure hadn't seem 'em.

http://it.enorth.com.cn/system/2006/03/01/001244895.shtml

http://it.enorth.com.cn/system/2006/03/01/001244895_01.shtml

One can dream...

512ke

[maesy]

Apple Newton... Reborn (http://web.mac.com/ckmaes/iWeb/Site/Wishes%20do%20come%20true.html)

[yac_moda]

Apple Newton... Reborn (http://web.mac.com/ckmaes/iWeb/Site/Wishes%20do%20come%20true.html)

I have said for a couple of years now that Apple should have 2 brands and should produce more experimental products, and it occurred to me just now that they should call it ATG "Apple Technology Group" products.

These would be experimental products and products for engineers, things not completely finished or highly technical APIs that they want to charge for.

This division would be how they would ease into Robotics.

Products like the HiFi, the phone which Jobs actually said was for experimentation, and things like a tablet that everyone wants but may not be as good as Apple wants would go into this category.

AND THEN I WOULD NOT COMPLAIN AT ALL like I did with the WhyFi !!! :eek:

[Indiana82]

1. There are many efforts from Apple concerning touchscreens and User Interfaces uprising in the last months.
2. These Interfaces are more than to use on an iPod only, as seen.
3. A very, very large Software (or something like that) Gigant and Apple Challanger has recently announced a Tablet PC.
4. Using of Powersaving CPU'S indicates a progress on the mobile market.
5. Apples high sucess on non esthablished markets, like the mp3 player market was once - while it still hold lesser shares on esthablished markets. This could be a new field to harvest.

And then let us pray LET US PRAY ALL TOGEHTER!!:p

[MacRonin]

Imagine this in black, with a wicked stylus & ultra-cool stereo BlueTooth headset/microphone rig...

[chmgd]

I know we all see fake Tablet Mac pictures, but I receive a few days ago an ad from Apple for the Apple Expo 2006. In that mail, there is a photo of a booth, with kids (they have strange white pens in hands), around strange thin vertical screens... it's here : http://chmgd.free.fr/article.php3?id_article=39 BUT after a second look and after I put my glasses on my nose, well, it's only iBooks... just wanted to see what I dream for a long time ! :-)
----
Chmgd

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I know we all see fake Tablet Mac pictures, but I receive a few days ago an ad from Apple for the Apple Expo 2006. In that mail, there is a photo of a booth, with kids (they have strange white pens in hands), around strange thin vertical screens... well, perhaps its not THAT, but if you want to have a look on it... it's here : http://chmgd.free.fr/article.php3?id_article=39 (the text is in french).
I dream a little (as a looot of Mac users).
----
Chmgd :-)
Dude, those are clearly MacBooks. You can even see the bottom of it clearly.

Its probably a pencil he's holding.

[BigGarb]

Sure. You're wrong.

They're usable by devices such as the Cintiq graphics tablets.

For all we know, Wacom paid Apple big bucks to update tablet support in Cocoa, and it won't progress past that.

I think the above statement is likely.

I just installed software for my Wacom tablet and the "Ink" system preference appeared. "Gestures" is a palm type command where you make certain pen movements for specific functions like undo, redo, etc.

Not to say Apple won't create a tablet Mac in the future but I'm not sure if this is necessarily an direct indicator.