Apple Tablet Interface to Come With 'Steep Learning Curve'?

[jaw04005]

Seriously? Does anyone really think that Apple, with its long history of attention to detail in design and ease of use, would come up with a device that required a steep learning curve?

I call complete BS. Apple would NEVER do that. ESPECIALLY when Steve Jobs himself has been PERSONALLY overseeing every aspect of its design and is rumored to be EXTREMELY HAPPY with its outcome!

Apple's not perfect. They've had a few "huh" designs like the third generation iPod with the touch screen buttons that you had to look at to control the device or the current iPod shuffle that only uses voice control.

Both are seriously flawed (in terms of ease of use and usability) in my book.

However, I don't think the iSlate will be one of those devices.

 

[harley3k]

I can't see it requiring two hands for casual input.
I need to hold the device with one hand.
Unless the holding hand can input with a grip style of input.


The more I think of this (and as I type this post on my iPhone) I like the idea of an on screen touch keyboard with some raised texture on the screen to easily find the home keys but not obscure the display.

 

[jaykk]

Here's the patent：

https://www.macrumors.com/2007/05/10/patent-multisided-and-touch-screen-ipod/

.

And if the screen become transparent the moment you start the touch process, it will be cool. See this new samsung laptop with transparent screen.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/samsungs-14-inch-transparent-oled-laptop-video/

 

[gibbz]

And if the screen become transparent the moment you start the touch process, it will be cool. See this new samsung laptop with transparent screen.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/samsungs-14-inch-transparent-oled-laptop-video/

I don't know if I'd like it, but that is pretty awesome.

 

[MacFly123]

Apple's not perfect. They've had a few "huh" designs like the third generation iPod with the touch screen buttons that you had to look at to control the device or the current iPod shuffle that only uses voice control.

Both are seriously flawed (in terms of ease of use and usability) in my book.

However, I don't think the iSlate will be one of those devices.

Yes I know Apple is not perfect. But whether people like it or not, Steve Jobs does have a gift! And when it comes to the BIG GUNS like the iPhone and I believe the iSlate, he gets it very right!

 

[Bye Bye Baby]

If the Apple tablet is primarily for consuming data, it can get by with some version of the iPhone UI, tweaked for a larger screen. With some additional gestures, it could become elegant. Such a device could be successful, but would not be a paradigm shift.

To be truly revolutionary, the tablet would also have to have a superior mechanism for input. IMO, nothing beats a traditional, full-size physical keyboard for the input of text and commands. A tablet won't have one, so...

I agree. Needs something that makes it worthwhile.

I watch video on my TV and listen to music on my ipod and use my computer for internet DTP and WP. Why would I want a slate?

 

[johnnyjibbs]

Well, that better mean 'unique/new', rather than 'complicated'. If I want a complicated, difficult to use interface, I go straight to Microsoft.

The problem for Apple is that everyone is anticipating this thing and now others are being first to market their own devices. Everyone else is obviously going for the 'bigger iPhone' approach so Apple better have something clever and revolutionary up its sleeves if it wants to wipe the floor with the competition.

 

[doctor-don]

And if the screen become transparent the moment you start the touch process, it will be cool. See this new samsung laptop with transparent screen.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/samsungs-14-inch-transparent-oled-laptop-video/

I saw this demonstrated yesterday morning. Hopefully, the transparency can be turned on/off for privacy.

 

[aucl]

1) apple wouldnt made a product with a steep learning curve
2) apple wouldnt have a "meeting" to discuss things about this never mentioned or even remotely hinted or seen device.

'Steep Learning curve' usually equals 'hard to use.' It means you need to learn how to use it and it will take time and mistakes to get it right. It doesnt mean its new and you will just get use to it after some use.

it also could mean that it is intuitive, and easy to use, but the full power comes after exploring some of the cool new ways of interacting.
Two finger scroll is a good example for that i think. there were other ways, but it got cooler.

 

[fteter]

Seriously? Does anyone really think that Apple, with its long history of attention to detail in design and ease of use, would come up with a device that required a steep learning curve?

This report smells of bogosity.

Good call...+1.

 

[aucl]

Sounds like one of those "controlled leaks". "Wouldn't go in to detail but stated she hopes we like learning"... That's exactly what it sounds like.

• educational discounts
• school book reader
• notebook.app with handwriting recognition like one note (yes MS made something nice once)

 

[farmboy]

And if the screen become transparent the moment you start the touch process, it will be cool. See this new samsung laptop with transparent screen.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/samsungs-14-inch-transparent-oled-laptop-video/

Riiiight. Is this the same forum that is filled with posters endlessly bitching about glossy screens, and can't read it if it's not e-ink, and pixel density, and resolution and viewing angles...and you think seeing all the distractions through the screen is "cool"?

 

[Thex1138]

Go!

Amex ready to go...

 

[SXR]

this is hard to believe for me , since Apple has always been all about a easy to use device and easy to use OS.

It might have something entirely new, which requires some getting used to - but i dont think it will have a ' steep ' learning curve , thats just not Apple.

 

[k1121j]

Fingerprint Recognition ?

I think the device will do all that of the iphone with added fingerprint recognition......

 

[heartsleeve]

Seriously? Does anyone really think that Apple, with its long history of attention to detail in design and ease of use, would come up with a device that required a steep learning curve?

I think the "learning" comment was taken out of context. I think it deals with the fact that the tablet will be a boon to students or anyone else in an educational or research setting, where a souped up, multi-function e-reader would be hot commodity.

Hence, "I hope they like to learn" because this will be made for learning.

Steve Jobs would never introduce a gizmo that wasn't absolutely intuitive and sexily easy to grasp.

My .02.

 

[Gromit]

Steep learning curve - hope you like learning

I can exclusively reveal, that the iSlate is operated by speech commands, but only recognises Chinese.

 

[Gromit]

The Apple Mouse without a right click was too difficult a concept for many to bother to learn. Let's hope the learning curve is on that scale.

 

[kgraf6]

Seriously? Does anyone really think that Apple, with its long history of attention to detail in design and ease of use, would come up with a device that required a steep learning curve?

I think the "learning" comment was taken out of context. I think it deals with the fact that the tablet will be a boon to students or anyone else in an educational or research setting, where a souped up, multi-function e-reader would be hot commodity.

Hence, "I hope they like to learn" because this will be made for learning.

Steve Jobs would never introduce a gizmo that wasn't absolutely intuitive and sexily easy to grasp.

My .02.

+1

I really like your interpretation of the comment. Seems quite logical really.

 

[badmac78]

Finger tracking on the back of the tablet? I seem to remember such patent applications. In theory I suppose you could learn to type with your fingers on the back of the device as you hold it with both hands, maybe it will even have a physical keyboard on the back. Oh I love rumors.

I definitely remember that showing up somewhere. Would be very different. Not everyone can type anyway.

I'm not sure "backhanded" typing will work though...

 

[Data]

Seriously? Does anyone really think that Apple, with its long history of attention to detail in design and ease of use, would come up with a device that required a steep learning curve?

I think the "learning" comment was taken out of context. I think it deals with the fact that the tablet will be a boon to students or anyone else in an educational or research setting, where a souped up, multi-function e-reader would be hot commodity.

Hence, "I hope they like to learn" because this will be made for learning.

Steve Jobs would never introduce a gizmo that wasn't absolutely intuitive and sexily easy to grasp.

My .02.

Are you a student yourself, hoping it will be great for you maybe ?

I don't see apple making a device that is specificly for students, specially with the pricetag you can expect from apple.

Neither do i think it will be anything like a wacom but more like a large iphone with much more functionallity in it, don't ask me what only steve and a few others know that at this point of course.

I agree on your last sentence there ;-).


Anyways, after seeing all the tablets from the CES, that are basicly all the same, i really want to see what steve and his people came up with this time around, if would be so owsome if they could pull the same trick as they did with the iPhone ( now all brands call there devices multi touch ), all over again, can't wait.

 

[mikeinternet]

Whilst waving my hands tonight in front of a sensor-driven paper towel dispenser, I thought this is how the new tablet will work -- by mid-air gestures as well as on the screen.

We'll enlarge images by pulling in the air, shrink them with a quick finger pinch above the screen, brush documents away, pull them out of the air, and like magicians, point to a spot for instant actions.

This will supplement touching the screen itself, but allow it perhaps to be controlled while at an angle, as if on a bookstand.

The learning curve may also be for the machine, figuring out how to read my mind.

And if the March deadline slips, we call it the isLate.

I like the sound of this. How about handwriting gesture input in midair???
HAHA I love this stuff.

 

[Bregalad]

Bulla shitta

No device from Apple, particularly a pet project of Steve Jobs, is going to come with a steep learning curve.

A paradigm shift might require the user to do something that previously hadn't been possible, but once over that one small bump everything will be second nature.

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

If the Apple tablet is primarily for consuming data, it can get by with some version of the iPhone UI, tweaked for a larger screen. With some additional gestures, it could become elegant. Such a device could be successful, but would not be a paradigm shift.

To be truly revolutionary, the tablet would also have to have a superior mechanism for input. IMO, nothing beats a traditional, full-size physical keyboard for the input of text and commands. A tablet won't have one, so...

...if the pie-in-the-sky predictions that Apple is about to change computing forever are true, then there would indeed have to be some revolutionary method of inputing text and commands. That would require a learning curve, possibly a steep one.

So I hope this rumor is true, because it portends something very exciting, surprising, and "game-changing."

I don't necessarily agree thats's true. The keyboard is fast becoming an outdated piece of technology. It's really not an extremely efficient way of entering data. There are missed key strokes. It's slower than more intuitive methods like talking to the device.

Which is not to say that better methods exist currently, but I've been very surprised by thumb-typing on the iPod Touch keyboard in Landscape mode.

It's intelligent--for such a tiny screen, it's amazing how easy it is to hit the right keys with my thumbs.

I think a decently sized, intelligently designed onscreen keyboard could be more efficient than a full size hardware keyboard.

It just depends on the design.

 

[finchna]

learning new things is fine....

and hope there will be simple touch typing and pen input -- along with fingers and, perhaps, voice, etc. -- for note taking and entering different types of data.