I just posted this to Apple's Feedback Page. Let be know what you think.
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I love my PowerBook G4 500, however after reciently purchasing a Nintendo DS, my mind began creating new ideas, and I feel that Apple needs to be on the forefront of technology. To that end I feel that with many companies moving to touch-screen technology, like Safeway/Vons for their Club Card/ATM/Credit Card KeyPads, Nintendo's DS portable video game system, and most vehicle GPS/Navagation systems, that Apple should begin to integrate touch screens into the PowerBook line. The ultimate goal would be replacing the entire keyboard/trackpad section with a touch screen. This would reduce mechanical defects, by removing all but the Power Button from this equation, it would protect the internal components from spillage, as LCD Touch Screens are usually spill resistant, allow for more flexibility in UI design, and user experience, could allow for advanced image editing and graphic design, by allowing an artist to manipulate an image with a stylus on the "lower" screen, showing realtime changes, and tracing lines onto the screen. It also addresses the small demand for a tablet Mac by allowing the same functions with out giving up current features.
Imagine the Possibilities
An owner of a "new" PowerBook would be allowed to customized their keyboard for a variety of purposes, writing a letter or paper, they could move the keyboard closer to the edge, allowing for more efficient writing. Conversing in a foreign language would be made easier, by allowing more efficient access to special characters, or in the case of non-Latin based languages, access to all characters, some of which you simply can't type on a typical American QWERTY Keyboard. It would also allow for easier adoption of alternative keyboard layouts, like DVORAK or PLUM. It would also allow for better use of keyboards for gaming, by allowing the player to configure the controls as they see fit would move gamers to the Mac to play games that take advantage of the technology.
Mousing anywhere
Allows for convenient placement of the trackpad, wherever the user wants it. It would also allow users to configure the trackpad they way they want it, it would default to single button settings, but the user could configure it for two button setups, three buttons for UNIX software, and a great plethora of programable macro buttons they can configure as they see fit.
For the Business
It would allow for business users to configure the keyboard to have a keypad (something many new Wintel laptops feature) and could easily help in the area.
Please think about the benefits to such a move, not to mention the possibility of people creating their own Okudagrams (Name for Michael Okuda, the creator of the UIs in Star Trek, with touch screens). It would be a great feature to be able to hold over the heads of the Wintel community to prove how much stronger and better Apple is over the competition.
Thomas Gill
Computer Engineering Student
Kettering University
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TEG
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I love my PowerBook G4 500, however after reciently purchasing a Nintendo DS, my mind began creating new ideas, and I feel that Apple needs to be on the forefront of technology. To that end I feel that with many companies moving to touch-screen technology, like Safeway/Vons for their Club Card/ATM/Credit Card KeyPads, Nintendo's DS portable video game system, and most vehicle GPS/Navagation systems, that Apple should begin to integrate touch screens into the PowerBook line. The ultimate goal would be replacing the entire keyboard/trackpad section with a touch screen. This would reduce mechanical defects, by removing all but the Power Button from this equation, it would protect the internal components from spillage, as LCD Touch Screens are usually spill resistant, allow for more flexibility in UI design, and user experience, could allow for advanced image editing and graphic design, by allowing an artist to manipulate an image with a stylus on the "lower" screen, showing realtime changes, and tracing lines onto the screen. It also addresses the small demand for a tablet Mac by allowing the same functions with out giving up current features.
Imagine the Possibilities
An owner of a "new" PowerBook would be allowed to customized their keyboard for a variety of purposes, writing a letter or paper, they could move the keyboard closer to the edge, allowing for more efficient writing. Conversing in a foreign language would be made easier, by allowing more efficient access to special characters, or in the case of non-Latin based languages, access to all characters, some of which you simply can't type on a typical American QWERTY Keyboard. It would also allow for easier adoption of alternative keyboard layouts, like DVORAK or PLUM. It would also allow for better use of keyboards for gaming, by allowing the player to configure the controls as they see fit would move gamers to the Mac to play games that take advantage of the technology.
Mousing anywhere
Allows for convenient placement of the trackpad, wherever the user wants it. It would also allow users to configure the trackpad they way they want it, it would default to single button settings, but the user could configure it for two button setups, three buttons for UNIX software, and a great plethora of programable macro buttons they can configure as they see fit.
For the Business
It would allow for business users to configure the keyboard to have a keypad (something many new Wintel laptops feature) and could easily help in the area.
Please think about the benefits to such a move, not to mention the possibility of people creating their own Okudagrams (Name for Michael Okuda, the creator of the UIs in Star Trek, with touch screens). It would be a great feature to be able to hold over the heads of the Wintel community to prove how much stronger and better Apple is over the competition.
Thomas Gill
Computer Engineering Student
Kettering University
---------------------------
TEG
