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Touchscreen iMac - as likely as a refrigerator with toaster

theSeb said:
"You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those aren’t going to be pleasing to the user.”
Click to expand...
A refrigeroaster? Or iRefrigeroaster? Either way, the idea of a touch screen on an iMac or even a notebook is an ergonomic nightmare.
 
Anyone who thinks a touchscreen iMac is a good idea should sit in front of their iMac and point at the screen for 5 minutes. Now - put your arms back on your desk and think about why this idea may not work so well in practicality.

I like my touchscreen iPad. I like my iMac. I don't think I would like them as much if your frankensteined them together.
 
How can a toaster with a fridge be bad? All you have to do is stick some bread in there, and while your waiting you can get butter or jam or whatever you put on bread out of the refrigerator and by the time you get it *ding* your toast is done! You can accomplish all that without walking back and forth! Perfect!

Oh yeah the iMac thing, um... no.
 
I like the idea of touch screen for some actions or programs but without a different stand to allow the user to lay the iMac almost flat with the desk I agree it would be tiresome quickly.

Now I'm more interested in the gesture control we see in the xBox and some smart TVs. Again it would compliment the mouse/touch pad as a way to control the computer.
 
GGJstudios said:
A refrigeroaster? Or iRefrigeroaster? Either way, the idea of a touch screen on an iMac or even a notebook is an ergonomic nightmare.
Click to expand...

:D Patents pending on that one? I can't imagine what a Retina / Touchscreen version of a 27" imac would cost. I wouldn't buy one that's for sure...The way the imac is designed for desktop use just won't work as a touchscreen.
 
Waiting for New IMAC

I am the owner of a Gateway ZX6900 23" Touch Screen computer, purchased in 2010. The computer has served me well. I experimented with the touch screen the first day that I had it. I have not touched the touch screen since. The touch screen and the on screen typing element of a 23" let alone a 27" are not practical. :)
 
Orange furball said:
How can a toaster with a fridge be bad? All you have to do is stick some bread in there, and while your waiting you can get butter or jam or whatever you put on bread out of the refrigerator and by the time you get it *ding* your toast is done! You can accomplish all that without walking back and forth! Perfect!

Oh yeah the iMac thing, um... no.
Click to expand...

Ermm..

You're seriously not thinking through the convergence issues. Let me get you started. At least one of the following will be true:
1) The heating element of the toaster will interfere with the cooling function of the fridge.
2) The cooling function of the fridge will interfere with the heating element of the toaster.
3) The insulation between the toaster portion and the fridge portion will be so think as to greatly diminish fridge capacity.
4) A new kind of insulation invented for this task will be so expensive as to quadruple the cost of a premium fridge plus a premium toaster.
 
Whether or not it's a good idea, it's obvious that Apple is not going this route.

In Windows 8 you see the traditional UI controls being enlarged and stretched to make it possible to use them on a touch screen. Meanwhile as new OSX versions are released the standard window controls, toolbar buttons, and menus remain as mouse-friendly and touch-unfriendly as ever.
 
My father in law has one of these attachable keyboards for his iPad that allow it to sit like a laptop. It looks awful when he is trying to touch the screen. Just hold the damn thing and use the touch screen keyboard as it was intended!
 
What I don't get is how other companies (like HP) make these touch screen all-in-ones, then make them so light/flimsy that they move when you push on the screen. It's gotta be solid if you're going to be pushing on it all day (ergonomic nightmare or not).
 
If it wouldn't cost much, I don't mind a touchscreen iMac. It could be fun/useful for some tasks/programs/games. Just don't make it replace keyboard and mouse.
 
forty2j said:
Ermm..

You're seriously not thinking through the convergence issues. Let me get you started. At least one of the following will be true:
1) The heating element of the toaster will interfere with the cooling function of the fridge.
2) The cooling function of the fridge will interfere with the heating element of the toaster.
3) The insulation between the toaster portion and the fridge portion will be so think as to greatly diminish fridge capacity.
4) A new kind of insulation invented for this task will be so expensive as to quadruple the cost of a premium fridge plus a premium toaster.
Click to expand...

Working in thermal engineering I'd say this would be pretty damn easy to insulate. The issues more so lies with the... where the f$*k does the bread go!? Does it drop down like an ice maker, but on the right side? Pop up on the right... shoot out the front like two flour powered home-seeking missiles? haha
 
I dislike physical touch interaction with the iPad because of the fingerprints that it leaves, so I use a stylus, but that would be cumbersome to use on a desktop. That's why I pre-ordered LEAP; I think the keyboard/mouse input paradigm augmented by gesture recognition is a winner.
 
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