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Actually, the mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart at the Stanford Research Institute, although the moving ball mouse was developed at Xerox PARC about four years later.

Thank you. So I was right about what is today our mouse, but a little off in the initial :)
 
Can't wait, looks awesome. I really don't think we will see this for about 2 years though. Right now Apple is gradually training us with little samples of Multi-Touch being put into the products and then in about 2 years when they release 10.6 they will fully implement it with these devices and the laptops will probably be keyboardless and just have a surface like this.

Now I do wonder about one thing... Windows is going to be adding this to Windows 7 and I know they will not be able to implement is as well as Apple already is with hardware. But isn't anyone concerned about standardization??? Right now as far as mouse and keyboard all OS's basically function the same. But with each having their own Multi-Touch, each OS is going to have totally different chords and gestures and it will be really confusing to go from one OS to another unless they standardize these chords and gestures. Anyone have thoughts on this???
naw microsoft will probably copy everythig apple does, making whatever apple does the standard :)
 
Now someone said this can't be out in the next OS. I highly disagree. Apple still has almost 2 years till their next OS is due and that is plenty of time. They have been planning this in stages for years. Notice CoverFlow in everything now? Notice the iPhone and iPod Touch? Notice how they have made all their keyboards basically flat now? Notice how the laptops are getting Multi-Touch trackpads? This has all been planned and is leading to full implementation with these devices by 10.6. If they don't do it by then Microsoft will beat them to it with Windows 7 and all the training Apple has done will be in vain because people will learn a different style of Multi-Touch. You are also going to see the rest of the iPods go to Multi-Touch screens with the Nano and an iPhone Nano.

I am a bit concerned with standardization with everyone having their own style of Multi-Touch as I said in my previous post. If they don't standardize it somehow it will be really confusing to users on different systems.

I did say it won't be out in the next OS and your comments really don't prove how it will. What Cover Flow has to do with patents for an advanced multi-touch system is beyond my comprehension. As well as flat keyboards signaling the arrival of advance tablet computing. Cover Flow is in everything now because it is a feature that Apple developed and was received well by consumers. Smaller keyboards can be attributed due to the fact that consumers want smaller peripherals. Don't just look at Apple, compare the size of keyboards produced by Dell, Logitech, etc. And as for your statement of how all laptops are getting multi-touch trackpads, well, your wrong if your talking about the trackpad of the MBA. Now if you referring to two-finger scrolling, then that doesn't count. Most laptops, Mac or PC, can recognize two points of contact. Windows 7 isn't due til late 2009 which is a rush date from MS's original release date of 2011. Only because Vista is such garbage that they're stepping up development. They are most likely going to have to scrap some features to accomplish this. Add that to the fact that Windows is designed as more of an enterprise OS than a personal computing OS. Corporations don't care about multi-touch capabilities and the tablet form factor. This means that Apple doesn't have to rush to bring this out. Jobs has said quite clear that he wants to push out a new OS every 18 months. Thats too soon for development, post Leopard completion, of an entirely new OS experience. Not to mention the new hardware that will need to be developed to support this. Apple is gradually giving it to us but we are far from what this new patent is describing.
 
I did say it won't be out in the next OS and your comments really don't prove how it will. What Cover Flow has to do with patents for an advanced multi-touch system is beyond my comprehension. As well as flat keyboards signaling the arrival of advance tablet computing. Cover Flow is in everything now because it is a feature that Apple developed and was received well by consumers. Smaller keyboards can be attributed due to the fact that consumers want smaller peripherals. Don't just look at Apple, compare the size of keyboards produced by Dell, Logitech, etc. And as for your statement of how all laptops are getting multi-touch trackpads, well, your wrong if your talking about the trackpad of the MBA. Now if you referring to two-finger scrolling, then that doesn't count. Most laptops, Mac or PC, can recognize two points of contact. Windows 7 isn't due til late 2009 which is a rush date from MS's original release date of 2011. Only because Vista is such garbage that they're stepping up development. They are most likely going to have to scrap some features to accomplish this. Add that to the fact that Windows is designed as more of an enterprise OS than a personal computing OS. Corporations don't care about multi-touch capabilities and the tablet form factor. This means that Apple doesn't have to rush to bring this out. Jobs has said quite clear that he wants to push out a new OS every 18 months. Thats too soon for development, post Leopard completion, of an entirely new OS experience. Not to mention the new hardware that will need to be developed to support this. Apple is gradually giving it to us but we are far from what this new patent is describing.

I invite you to open your mind a bit and see that the things Apple has been doing the last couple years isn't just coincidence.

CoverFlow is the most obvious implementation to introduce Multi-Touch into the GUI of the OS. Many people have noted that.

This patent doesn't talk about tablets at all, it talks about a keyboard type peripheral and I promise you it isn't just coincidence or consumer demand that made Apple introduce an almost flat laptop style keyboard for desktops. I have never seen a keyboard like this for desktops. If there were it wouldn't have been such a big deal when Apple released it with the iMac. This is a step toward the device the patent refers to.

I am not referring to two-finger scrolling on the laptops. The MacBook Air does have Multi-Touch in the trackpad unless you want to disagree with Apple on that, and you watch the rest of the laptops get it very soon as well. Right now the MacBook Air can read at least 3 points of input. This is again, a step toward more advanced 5 or 10 point Multi-Touch The desktops will then follow with the type of device this patent describes.

The entire OS would not have to be redesigned. As you can see that they are already implementing it with the MacBook Air in the CURRENT OS and GUI. The only thing that will change is the degree to which they are implementing it which is in stages. The final stage will give you the options we just saw of: "Normal", "Basic", and "Advanced Multi-Touch" in the system preferences. Steve wasn't just spewing words when he said Apple pioneered the mouse, the click wheel, and now they are bringing Multi-Touch to the market. The iPhone and iPod Touch are the products that are steps toward this movement.

As much as I don't care for Microsoft, they are starting to catch onto the consumers and the digital life. If Apple wanted to just take their sweet time and not worry about implementing Multi-Touch because Microsoft will probably delay again then they wouldn't be in the process already as we can see. I'm sure they want to get as far ahead as they can, and they have been waiting and strategizing for the "Vista Window of Opportunity" (no pun intended) for that to happen.

I don't think Apple will create an entirely new OS for this. They will build on the solid foundation they already have as you can see that they are already starting with the MacBook Air... Somehow they found time to get all that into the software already. And again they are already preparing the hardware RIGHT NOW with the MacBook Air and the other laptops will obviously follow.

So, I see no reason at all that Apple couldn't and wouldn't have this "Normal", "Basic", and "Advanced Multi-Touch" in 10.6. It is perfect to transition the user with the options. And then maybe the next OS after that really gets a face lift etc. But when the laptops are already headed there it is only obvious people are going to say..... What about the desktops??? Well, that is where this patent device comes in. Not that far of a stretch!
 
i have a gyration mouse, and i thought it was the most amazing thing ever, but you have to set it down to type well, or one finger peck with the hand holding the mouse. i thought how it would be nice to have a trackpad where the num pad would be on an extended wireless keyboard. then i thought, why not have they key surfaces be one big multitouch pad? nothing different with the keyboard, it would just be able to see when you fingers were touching, but not pressing keys. then i saw apple had a pattent for it. nice
 
CoverFlow is the most obvious implementation to introduce Multi-Touch into the GUI of the OS. Many people have noted that.

That statement couldn't be further from the truth. Cover Flow in OSX doesn't use multi-touch at all. As for Cover Flow on the OS of the iPhone and iPod Touch, it only uses one point of contact. Doesn't quite meet "multi-touch" criteria. Not a good point to try and prove your theory. Bottom line, the multi-touch device that this patent describes is like a quantum leap in multi-touch capabilities compared to what is currently available. And the masses are not ready for it yet. Apple will continue to give it to us in smaller portions before this comes out. A few more years my young padawan.
 
Doesn't look any more impressive than Surface to me. :)

Keyboard sized multi-touch input panel vs. enclosed interactive table complete with 100 watt LCD projector, desktop PC, and overhead cameras ??

hmm... what to choose... what to choose... :p:p
 
That statement couldn't be further from the truth. Cover Flow in OSX doesn't use multi-touch at all. As for Cover Flow on the OS of the iPhone and iPod Touch, it only uses one point of contact. Doesn't quite meet "multi-touch" criteria. Not a good point to try and prove your theory. Bottom line, the multi-touch device that this patent describes is like a quantum leap in multi-touch capabilities compared to what is currently available. And the masses are not ready for it yet. Apple will continue to give it to us in smaller portions before this comes out. A few more years my young padawan.

LOL ok nice end lol. You ever see the Triumph at Star Wars bit lol? I never claimed that Cover Flow uses Multi-Touch. I do know what Multi-Touch is you know! I stated that it is an obvious move in the GUI to prepare things for a Multi-Touch interface and many many people have commented on that obvious fact. So was that all you had? Ok then ;) What's funny is that you are trying to argue with me so much when I am saying about 2 years and you are saying 3 (if you mean a few literally) lol. I don't really disagree with you in theory. I just recognize the "smaller portions" that they are already making in order to prepare us and you think they will take longer.
 
itouch1.jpg
 
Oh come on...

Oh come on, just look at wacom tables. One of their smallest ones is almost $230 (http://www.wacom.com/intuos/4x6.cfm) thats only 4x6 inches and what this looks like is at least 12x6.

So lets just use the 2.4 Ghz 15 inch as an example (as it'll probably use more processing power). So thats $2500 plus the costs of the extra hardware. Pretty soon you're looking at that $3300 price point.



Photoshop is already compatible with similar things like the wacom tablets. Tablets are awesome for photoshop and it probably wouldn't be hard at all to translate that potential to this... ...keyboard thing



I think that it'd be really cool to do something more like star trek, almost a cross between that OLED keyboard, this apple keyboard thing, and the iPhone. Also for people who want tactile sensation they could make it vibrate a little bit when you hit the keys, i know one of the LG phones does this with it's touch sensitive buttons.

So kind of make a big iPhone like keyboard, so that buttons can appear or disappear. It also would be cool for gaming because you could completely customize your control scheme rather rather than working around using the keyboard.


You know what...Wacom tablets are completely overpriced. Yes they're good, but the technology hasn't really changed for 10 years. Oooooh they've got a bit bigger and added a few buttons here and there. It really gets me that no other tablet manufacturers get proper drivers made for the mac. They are so much cheaper! Am I in the slightest bit bothered by some silly extra buttons on my tablet? No of course not.

Come on Apple. Do it, and do it SOON.
 
great

I wonder why heads of Nokia and Sony do not afraid of these things and bring out something more innovative. Apple is in real terms light years ahead of other biggies and even Armani.

Sachin
 
Yeah, Star Trek has a lot of cool technologies. Plus, it kind of predicted some technologies:
-original communicator: cell phone
-holodeck: virtual reality

Now all we need are replicators, a real holodeck & transporters.

What? The communicator is a radio. Nothing more. It predicted nothing save maybe the clamshell form factor.

Virtual reality was being described long before the holodeck ever appeared.
 
You know what...Wacom tablets are completely overpriced. Yes they're good, but the technology hasn't really changed for 10 years. Oooooh they've got a bit bigger and added a few buttons here and there. It really gets me that no other tablet manufacturers get proper drivers made for the mac. They are so much cheaper! Am I in the slightest bit bothered by some silly extra buttons on my tablet? No of course not.

Come on Apple. Do it, and do it SOON.
I agree.
 
Doesn't the MS Surface computer do all this already?
I thought it used RFID tags.

Apple may not have come up with multi-touch (they didn't) but what they're good at is coming up with GUI's and gestures* that people will actually use and bringing them to market at least a year before any one else. Simply put, Apple is a company that brings others together to move the technology industry forward.

*even if they buy up companies to do so (ex. Fingerworks, CoverFlow).
 
my only question is: who the hell votes a negative on this besides M$ fanboys, and if your an M$ fanboy, wtf are you doing on a mac only website?!

i mean, comeon, this is cool, how can you vote a negative on it :O
 
my only question is: who the hell votes a negative on this besides M$ fanboys, and if your an M$ fanboy, wtf are you doing on a mac only website?!

i mean, comeon, this is cool, how can you vote a negative on it :O

Somebody made a comment in another thread that it could very well be somebody accidentally clicking around and hitting negative. I myself thought it was bull, until I was browsing MR on my iTouch and... accidentally clicked negative for an article! I'd meant to read the comments, but the article itself wasn't very positive (if I had to vote I would have given it a negative anyway, though I generally try not to vote).

Or it could just be somebody bitter at the world... Or they're doing it just because they can... As Penny Arcade says: Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = Total D*ckwad
 


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.

121516-Picture 8.png


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

Article Link

so when'll we see the patents for moving the cursor with our ~minds~ ?? :cool:
 
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