Advanced Multitouch: Writing Without a Stylus and More

[MacRumors]

More Apple patent applications published today rehash previous patents applications that were revealed in November. Still, the technology behind the advanced multi-touch are impressive enough to bear repeating.

The patent, originally published in November 2007, describes methods for interpreting a remarkable amount of gestures that allow for a rich vocabulary of gestures -- such as interpreting the use of an imaginary stylus. The possibilities are best summarized by this description from PCJoint::

- Need to move a cursor across the screen? Just slide your finger and it goes.
- Want to enter text? Just start typing and the text is there. You even get the touch feedback as if really pressing the keys.
- Need to erase some text? Use the backspace or just slide the finger backwards
- Have to write or draw something? Just pretend you hold a stylus or pen in your hand and start writing/drawing.
- If that is still not good enough, pick up the real stylus and start writing with it.
- All these cool touch gestures that Apple has implemented in iPhone and is exploring further? You know, scrolling, zooming, rotating & moving objects, etc; They are here too
- 3D object manipulation? Select a few 3D objects on the screen and use all 5 fingers on both hands to play with them.
- Want to take a break to relax and afraid to put your hands on the touch surface? Don’t worry Multi-touch 2.0 thingie knows that and does not pay attention to your resting palms or fingers

The surface used would be a larger curved surface, pictured above, resembling Fingerworks' TouchStream keyboard.

Article Link

 

[Grimace]

Put it on a multi-touch tablet and I'll pay $3299

 

[happydude]

Put it on a multi-touch tablet and I'll pay $3299

yah, no doubt. this is some pretty awesome technology. i'm sure we won't be seeing it in the immediate future, but the mid future looks pretty awesome!

i like the wording here: "Don’t worry Multi-touch 2.0 thingie . . ."

 

[twoodcc]

Put it on a multi-touch tablet and I'll pay $3299

i'm not gonna pay that much. but yeah, put it on a tablet, please

 

[justflie]

wowzas. I'm not quite sure how the writing without the stylus would work, but everything else looks fantastic. This type of product would be the next BIG thing (like all the iPhone buzz) that gets a ton of press.

 

[Shervin]

wheeeeennn?

if Apple get this on MacBook Pro instead of the normal keyboard

I will just pre-order it right now...
sound so cool and official...

 

[Otaviano]

Apple should team up with Adobe and bring a mutli-touch Mac to the market as Adobe releases a compatible version of photoshop.

 

[sterlingindigo]

i'm not gonna pay that much. but yeah, put it on a tablet, please

Thank you!

 

[MrT8064]

so will we see this on the 2010' iMac?

 

[sterlingindigo]

Apple should team up with Adobe and bring a mutli-touch Mac to the market as Adobe releases a compatible version of photoshop.

Yes, anyone use Bamboo products by Wacom with Adobe (with Mac)? http://www.wacom.com/bambootablet/

 

[PDE]

I used to use a fingerworks touchstream keyboard and it's really great, but it take time to get used to. I'm sure Apple will develop it further so that eventually it can be used in a mainstream way. It's amazing to type on and be able to switch to gesture mode without lifting your hands. Once you get used to not having the physical feedback, it's a floating, seamless experience. Not for everybody, but definitely something that could be offered as an option.

I'm so excited that Fingerworks' technology is being popularized by Apple!!!

 

[amac4me]

This is so cool.

Chalk me up for a Mac with these features. I'll buy they day they are released.

 

[puckhead193]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I think apple is trying to invent the mouse and from the looks of it I can't wait to see this in Macs and iphones

 

[aaronsullivan]

It's fun to see Apple gradually preparing people for this with the MacBook and iMac and now every keyboard with the flat surface keys. Makes me think this could happen pretty fast. I mean, the MacBook Thin has the gestures... I could see this coming in 2009 even. As far as learning goes for the user, it's not that much of an adjustment.

 

[JC4]

Looks great. Bout time someone figured out how to merge the mouse and keyboard, so only on input device on my desk, plus not having to reach for the mouse all the time.

Where do I place my order?

 

[QuarterSwede]

You can definitely tell that Apple wants to make the "PC" world obsolete. If this came out and worked better than what we currently have, it'll change the computing world.

 

[elppa]

Doesn't look any more impressive than Surface to me.

 

[dernhelm]

A keyboard that eliminates the need for a mouse...

Yeah, I would buy that. Especially on a laptop.

This just gets better all the time.

Doesn't look any more impressive than Surface to me.

...And at only 0.001 times the cost!

 

[lazyrighteye]

Pretty neat to see (at time of posting) a 24 positive, 0 negative rating.
Pretty fascinating tech.
Can't wait to see this full-blown 'thingie' implemented in a Mac.

 

[tgildred]

Doesn't look any more impressive than Surface to me.

haha... I agree. Why would I want to seamlessly interact with my Mac via a small tablet or keyboard shaped peripheral when I could walk over to my coffee table and do the same thing for thousands of dollars more?

 

[guzhogi]

I like how you can use a stylus or not. Some people may find using a stylus easier than your hands. Given that choice, many people should be happy. If you want to use your fingers, that's fine. If you don't like using your fingers, you can use a stylus & vice versa. From the picture, it looks like the screen's going to be different from the keyboard/writing area. That's fine. But I would still like something like the iPhone/iPod Touch where the screen & where you touch is the same thing.

I remember of an article I read about this OLED keyboard where each key has its own monitor and shows program-specific keys. Kinda cool. Also the consoles used on Star Trek. Those are cool. I remember in one episode of Voyager (I think "Year of Hell") where Tuvok becomes blind so he asks the computer to make his console tactile feedback. Pretty cool.

 

[iBunny]

Looks like a Helm console from the USS Enterprise (Star Trek)

 

[applefan69]

Hows this for an idea f a macbook?

It's just like a regular macbook.... except

Where the track pad is, and for MOST of the keyboard (like going up to the number keys) is just one giant multitouch pad... It'd have to be completely revolutionary though. THEN, above that, at the top, where, like F1-F12 keys are, there would be well... basically function keys and they would be useful for things like...

F1 = turn multitouch pad into a keyboard (so that it now, functions like a keyboard and if you start typing on it, it'll be just like typing on a keyboard)

Other ideas of that sort. Idk, it's be weird and maybe feel gimmicky at first, but if apple could pull it off, it could be the futre of computers.

 

[crees!]

Doesn't look any more impressive than Surface to me.

Heh. Surface has a full-size computer with cameras in it now. It's nothing like this.

 

[macintel4me]

All I can say is "WOW"! I love it when a technology shift elimates traditional tradeoffs. Simply wow!