Apple Depicts Advanced Multitouch Gesturing Control Panel in Mac OS X

[MacRumors]

In case there were any doubts that Apple was exploring the use of advanced multitouch gestures under Mac OS X, a recent Apple patent application authored by Wayne Westerman (of Fingerworks) shows mockups of a Mac OS X gesturing control panel with options to configure standard trackpad, basic multitouch, and advanced multitouch settings:




Apple's notebooks already contain what we presume to be "basic multitouch" with two-finger scroll, rotate, and zoom, but "advanced multitouch" has not yet been seen in shipping products.

The patent application depicts how one could customize these advanced gestures for Expose and Dashboard, by using four finger swipes up/down/left/right:



File operations, such as Open, New, Save and Close using gestures based on your Thumb and Forefinger:



And even editing operations such as Copy, Cut, Paste, Undo, Select All, Tab, and Cancel using gestures based on your Thumb and Two Fingers:



They also claim to be able to distinguish between various combinations of fingers, including adjacent and non-adjacent finger presses. In particular, they point out that the pinky finger when applied sideways to the trackpad (as in the bottom of a fist) generates a unique pattern and could be used for its own customizable functionality: such as adjusting volume or putting the computer to sleep.

Over the past few years, numerous multitouch patent applications have been revealed Apple's ongoing work on gesture computing. Apple has been making small and steady steps at introducing the multitouch interface -- first in the iPhone, and now in the MacBook Air. Apple is expected to expand this multitouch trackpad to the remainder of their notebook product line.

Article Link

Patent Application Link

[DMann]

This is quite impressive. Looking forward to multi-touch on the new MacBook Pros. Perhaps, even the next generation Mighty Mouse will incorporate Multi-Touch capabilities.

[MacFly123]

Originally Posted by DMann

This is quite impressive. Looking forward to multi-touch on the new MacBook Pros. Perhaps, even the next generation Mighty Mouse will incorporate Multi-Touch capabilities.

I really think it will. I do not see them doing touch displays on either the laptops or desktops at all. If they do it probably will only be on one specific product and not for several years.

[koobcamuk]

I guess a pinky finger is the little finger?

Mine's the same colour as my other fingers. Although my ring finger is not ring-shaped...

I still think people want copy and paste on the iPhone

[asrmatt]

Hey guys, apple store is down and nobody says anything?

or maybe I'm posting on the wrong thread...

(by the way this multitouch would be greeeat on the new MBP and today is tuesday! )

[Sbrocket]

This sounds to be like a feature that'll be incorporated in 10.6 because its a major feature. It would also explain the panels for both Basic and Advanced Multitouch since undoubtedly 10.6 will be installed on machines with both. Apple will go ahead and add the improved multitouch trackpads to its notebook lines as new revisions are pushed, and then the real usefulness behind them will be added in 10.6.

[iZoom P5]

Originally Posted by asrmatt

Hey guys, apple store is down and nobody says anything?

or maybe I'm posting on the wrong thread...

(by the way this multitouch would be greeeat on the new MBP and today is tuesday! )

You're not going crazy, the store really IS down. Just checked the store and I'm greeted with a big yellow sticky. If a new MBP comes out today, it will seriously make me reconsider the MBA.

[Zwhaler]

Well, here's to hoping, but I won't be able to enjoy any of these features on my current setup, unfortunately.

[wesrk]

cool news. If the MBP get updated tomorrow or whenever they do, they'll probably have it.

[coolfactor]

Next Up:

Apple re-inventing the human-computer interface with... full-body computing.

The mouse is going to see so archaic in a couple of years.

I sit around 20 hours a day working on my computer (or so it feels), and my gut is paying the price. I welcome a little more physical movement in my computer usage.

[Lord Nerdos]

It would be cool to have this option for desktops too... New Apple keyboards, anyone?

[Muzzway]

Perhaps the next patent application we will see will be a way to infuse all of these gestures into your memory...

[Rogzilla]

Alas for the tablet hopefuls. I think we can safely assume that Apple is going to focus on its touchbased computing through the trackpad and its portable devices for the time being. We may get a UMPC (Newton II or whatever) but not a Mac touch.

I still think there will someday be a Mac tablet, but it doesn't look like it will be 2008.

Looks like I am gonna be getting the HP TX2000 for my tablet/portable computing needs.

[MacFly123]

Lol, I just barely made this then I looked at the home page and saw this article

[dsl4c]

Originally Posted by MacFly123

Lol, I just barely made this then I looked at the home page and saw this article

eww.. that macbook pro is ugly..

[Prof.]

Can't Apple release an update making ALL macbooks have multi-touch track pads?

[MacFly123]

Originally Posted by shadowfax

You know what they say... it's all fun and games till you close the laptop too hard and the glass shatters...

I don't think it would be glass like the iMac, it is just a mock-up.

Originally Posted by Prof.

Can't Apple release an update making ALL macbooks have multi-touch track pads?

This has been covered a MILLION TIMES. NO..... The MacBook Air has the same Multi-Touch chip that the iPhone has! This has been confirmed in the disassembly.

[Prof.]

Originally Posted by MacFly123

This has been covered a MILLION TIMES. NO..... The MacBook Air has the same Multi-Touch chip that the iPhone has! This has been confirmed in the disassembly.

Sorry, I didn't know. Don't get your knickers in a knot.

[MacFly123]

Originally Posted by dsl4c

eww.. that macbook pro is ugly..

Well thanks for the compliment, but I think it is HOT As do lots of other people that have made mock-ups that are very similar! Guess we will see what Apple thinks in the next couple weeks or so.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by MacFly123

Well thanks for the compliment, but I think it is HOT As do lots of other people that have made mock-ups that are very similar! Guess we will see what Apple thinks in the next couple weeks or so.

The dark keypad definitely looks better than the current MBP - the TiBook design is looking stale and dated. Like something that was called "modern" in the 1950s.

It needs more contrast... I like the mockup.

[shadowfax]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

The dark keypad definitely looks better than the current MBP - the TiBook design is looking stale and dated. Like something that was called "modern" in the 1950s.

It needs more contrast... I like the mockup.

what they really need to do is a zebra keyboard like those people have done with the white iBook keys and the black TiBook keys... remember that? lol.

[GregorBehr]

Originally Posted by dsl4c

eww.. that macbook pro is ugly..

While my hats off to the ability to crank out the mock up... I would have to agree that I dislike it. And I'm sadly thinking that whenever a updated MBP comes out, it is going to look a hell of a lot just like that

[Orng]

Originally Posted by dsl4c

eww.. that macbook pro is ugly..

I kinda like it myself. I'm sure it won't end up having the black border around the screen, but I have no problem with it.
It's too easy to jump all over people who make mock-ups, just because their vision is different than ours; but bear in mind that 1. Our own vision isn't necessarily better or worse, just different and 2. The person who made the mock-up may or may not have any training in industrial design and is just expressing what they'd like to see with the skills they have. Though I think this one is well done as a mockup whether you like the concept or not.

Originally Posted by Cleve

Putting the Mac to sleep by applying the bottom of your fist? It is so natural!

Big deal, my old PentiumII, (barely) running Windows 98 had a similar feature; wake it up from a frozen state by applying the bottom of the fist to the side of the tower. It didn't always work so well. Also, if you wanted to tell the OS to go F**k itself, you could bang the mouse on the desk.

And here's another example of existing multitouch that's been around for ages: everybody knows that pressing a button multiple times in rapid succession makes elevators go faster and walk signals change sooner.

[cnote678]

Originally Posted by MacFly123

Lol, I just barely made this then I looked at the home page and saw this article

Nice mock-up. However I sincerely hope they use white keys, I think it would add to the professional appearance. If they ever update it.

[MacFly123]

I love the way it would let you choose "Standard Trackpad", "Basic Multi-Touch", and "Advanced Multi-Touch. That will make it a LOT less intimidating. Apple rules I can't wait to see how they tackle this for desktops