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Apple Refining the Touch Screen Interface? Evidence for a Tablet Mac?
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MacRonin said:
Shamus said:now THAT would be truly SPECTACULAR
Except the price would be US$777...because we'd all be in heaven.
I think US$666 is what miCrapsoft's "Horridgami" is selling for.
MacQuest said:Except the price would be US$777...because we'd all be in heaven.
I think US$666 is what miCrapsoft's "Horridgami" is selling for.
The price would be more in-line with $1099 - $1499.
i think that the key to this being successful over any windows counterpart rival is always going to come down to "it's the software stupid"
for a tablet type device to be really successful it's got to integrate completely seemlessly with your main computer..... it's got to be completely and totaly effortless for the two to act as one.
for a tablet type device to be really successful it's got to integrate completely seemlessly with your main computer..... it's got to be completely and totaly effortless for the two to act as one.
This is so true! Even the dozen gestures used by Inkwell take a fair bit of acclimation time, and those only cover a few basic tasks. I suspect that many users would rely on things like virtual keyboard and mouse/trackpad overlays and never really progress to "real" gestures, and fail to see any benefit to the whole thing.Doctor Q said:
It's especially important for technologies like this touch screen stuff, where Apple are definitely not the only players. Many of these recent applications have a distinct "me too" flavor.psxndc said:
I'm extremely hesitant, but I just can't help but start to long for some really cool tablet. Ah, tablet rumors. How you took up so much of my 2003! All I can say is if Apple does put out a cool product, I hope it's at a price point where I can drop down the money and get one right away.mdriftmeyer said:
I think the only viabel input option, for writing anything on this, would be a projected keyboard on to any surface. Like this one: http://www.gadgets.dk/product_info.php?products_id=616&osCsid=063bdb9fa245a7843900b4513f104bc6
What about Front Row
I just thought I should point out - I've always thought Front Row is designed beautifully for touchscreen access. I've only seen it on the web, but it looks to me like it's designed for simple gestures to spin the icons round etc.
Maybe Front Row isn't Apple preparing for Media Centre Mac Minis, maybe it's them preparing for Media Centre Tablets or touchscreen ipods.
iPod FrontRow, anyone?
I just thought I should point out - I've always thought Front Row is designed beautifully for touchscreen access. I've only seen it on the web, but it looks to me like it's designed for simple gestures to spin the icons round etc.
Maybe Front Row isn't Apple preparing for Media Centre Mac Minis, maybe it's them preparing for Media Centre Tablets or touchscreen ipods.
iPod FrontRow, anyone?
MacRonin said:
Take out the 2gb RAM, replace with 512mb and a single slot for up to 1gb, go down to a 60gb HDD, make the cell phone network interoperbility non standard and a mini PC Card (or whatever those are called) added feature, fix the iSight in place internally (like the other built in iSight), make the headset an option, up the price to $799 and I think you'd be on to something!
One thing I would like to see is a single USB and FW (400 would be fine) port on one side (next to a power adaptor plug), and on the other a single, multipin port that you plug into a break out box that came with the thing. This box would have power, video, audio, USB, firewire, and wired network connections so when you took the thing home you could drop it into a dock and have it connected to all your peripherals in one easy step.
It'd be an interesting little device, then...
I agree, I think this will be the future of computing. I am quite confident that Microsofts' is going to suck and be irritating to use - the same as almost all of their products.
I don't see a device like this as being a complete laptop replacement, I see as more of a desktop extension. It's going to have to have some type of keyboard input in addition to the touch screen, but it will be something for web surfing, email, simple writing, book reading, music, videos, fancy remote control for front row, etc. It will be somthing to take and view and show documents created on the desktop/laptop, but it's not going to be something that is a full-featured-install-any-application device, IMO.
The origami video I watched illustrates many of the functions I would like to see in a device like this, but it's Microsoft, so it doesn't warrant any consideration from me (I don't consider Microsoft an option any more, and I won't until their market share drops to at least 75% or so).
The one criticism I've seen about a small tablet-type device is "no one is going to carry around something that doesn't fit in their pocket". I guess that would be true for some people, but there are scads of people (like me) that carry around paper organizers, and this wouldn't really be any bigger than one of them. The battery life is a bigger issue, I would guess.
I don't see a device like this as being a complete laptop replacement, I see as more of a desktop extension. It's going to have to have some type of keyboard input in addition to the touch screen, but it will be something for web surfing, email, simple writing, book reading, music, videos, fancy remote control for front row, etc. It will be somthing to take and view and show documents created on the desktop/laptop, but it's not going to be something that is a full-featured-install-any-application device, IMO.
The origami video I watched illustrates many of the functions I would like to see in a device like this, but it's Microsoft, so it doesn't warrant any consideration from me (I don't consider Microsoft an option any more, and I won't until their market share drops to at least 75% or so).
The one criticism I've seen about a small tablet-type device is "no one is going to carry around something that doesn't fit in their pocket". I guess that would be true for some people, but there are scads of people (like me) that carry around paper organizers, and this wouldn't really be any bigger than one of them. The battery life is a bigger issue, I would guess.
I really hope this turns into something cool.
If anyone has used Shake, it has a rudimentary mouse-based gesture interface, where you can disconnect a node simply by shaking it back and forth. It makes software feel a lot more natural to use, and I can't imagine how nice it'll be with a touchscreen.
If anyone has used Shake, it has a rudimentary mouse-based gesture interface, where you can disconnect a node simply by shaking it back and forth. It makes software feel a lot more natural to use, and I can't imagine how nice it'll be with a touchscreen.
Gheez, Apple is planning to come out with a multi-touch, pressure sensitive, gesture-oriented touchpad to improve the user input interaction. I have an idea! How about friggin' 2-button mouse!!!!
Front Row looks cool, but its actual interface is extremely limited. One place where I think it really suffers is with menu scrolling. I'm not convinced that the reduced number of controls on the remote lives up to the Apple hype.Mr Skills said:
I've become less satisfied with the iPod wheel over time for similar reasons. Scrolling starts to become tiresome once there is a list of hundreds or thousands of entries. It gets too easy to overshoot the target. Somehow I don't think that more or deeper trees would be the answer, I really want alphanumeric input of some kind.
Both the remote and ¡Pod are really limited to linear "gestures" so this really shouldn't be taken as a criticism of gestures in general. It's only to say that Apple still have a long way to go.
Platform said:Yes...thats it...but it could be a little less powerful...it a protable...core solo, 512MB RAM, and then it could be $499 or even less
Well Apple's original product was the Apple I personal computer kit which sold for $666.66 (I've heard / read this from Wikipedia among other sources). I could see them coming out with a version of the MacTablet (MacPad?) that's a bit underpowered but at the $666 price point. Maybe. Then again they're not the Apple of old anymore.
I've already said this in another thread or two, but I think I would buy a tablet Mac. It'd be great to do graphics work on the go, especially with pressure sensitive technology. Editing photos after shooting them would be a dream come true for many in my opinion. I realize this is already possible with a notebook, but this just extends the possbilities. I think this kind of thing would also be great for audio and video production.
What hasn't been mentioned:
A few people are bemoaning having to learn a new UI, but think about how much EASIER it will be to learn a mulitouch UI by osmosis. Kids growing up will simply see their parents/older siblings computing and probably pick up the basics. It will also be great for seniors for whom even basic double-clicking and dragging is a confusing concept.
Plus, I think a physical act is easier to remember than a key-combination. So this is going to be great for the whole gamut of computer-users, novice to expert.
Will it replace a keyboard? I think this could relegate the keyboard to more specialized role. The success of blackberries, treos, and text messaging shows that for a lot of purposes, we can get by just banging out a few short sentences. Many of us don't need a full keyboard as often as we think we do.
Doctor Q said:
A few people are bemoaning having to learn a new UI, but think about how much EASIER it will be to learn a mulitouch UI by osmosis. Kids growing up will simply see their parents/older siblings computing and probably pick up the basics. It will also be great for seniors for whom even basic double-clicking and dragging is a confusing concept.
Plus, I think a physical act is easier to remember than a key-combination. So this is going to be great for the whole gamut of computer-users, novice to expert.
Will it replace a keyboard? I think this could relegate the keyboard to more specialized role. The success of blackberries, treos, and text messaging shows that for a lot of purposes, we can get by just banging out a few short sentences. Many of us don't need a full keyboard as often as we think we do.
This offers immense potential.
Goodbye traditional keyboard and mouse. Hold your hand over a sensor and move it to control the cursor. The touch-screen keyboard elminates bulky keys to provide more space, easier customization of the keyboard layout, fullbright key lighting and of course, a sleeker look.
I'm still hoping for the type of tech in Minority Report. If anyone starts doing it, Apple would be the one.
Goodbye traditional keyboard and mouse. Hold your hand over a sensor and move it to control the cursor. The touch-screen keyboard elminates bulky keys to provide more space, easier customization of the keyboard layout, fullbright key lighting and of course, a sleeker look.
I'm still hoping for the type of tech in Minority Report. If anyone starts doing it, Apple would be the one.
Apple's got some high hurdles to get past before it can make this iTablet a reality. Even with all the new, nifty patent applications there will be problems.
For one, the tech might not be up to it. Touch interfaces are really neat, and that NYU video is awesome, but what happens in a year or two? Will it still be as responsive? What about dust and grime? What if it fritzes? Do you have to replace your whole computer? What's the method of input and how reliable is it? I mean, people are going to be using this interface every day for work or pleasure, it needs to be robust.
For two, the UI is going to be virgin territory. Even Palm owners basically use their stylus' as a mouse. How are they going to program the interface? How are you gonna browse the web with your fingers? How are you gonna check your email? Wouldn't all the icons have to be larger to accomodate fingers rather than small mouse pointers? What about those people who's screen res is set really high?
The thing I'm trying to get across is that this amazing new touch screen has to be incredibly hardy to withstand daily use and abuse, and it has to be incredibly intuitive to get people to switch from their keyboard and mouse, or else why bother? Sure, it's neat, but does it work? Does it do what I want it to seamlessly without my having to fuss with it?
Therein lies the problem, and the potential genius if Apple can pull it off.
For one, the tech might not be up to it. Touch interfaces are really neat, and that NYU video is awesome, but what happens in a year or two? Will it still be as responsive? What about dust and grime? What if it fritzes? Do you have to replace your whole computer? What's the method of input and how reliable is it? I mean, people are going to be using this interface every day for work or pleasure, it needs to be robust.
For two, the UI is going to be virgin territory. Even Palm owners basically use their stylus' as a mouse. How are they going to program the interface? How are you gonna browse the web with your fingers? How are you gonna check your email? Wouldn't all the icons have to be larger to accomodate fingers rather than small mouse pointers? What about those people who's screen res is set really high?
The thing I'm trying to get across is that this amazing new touch screen has to be incredibly hardy to withstand daily use and abuse, and it has to be incredibly intuitive to get people to switch from their keyboard and mouse, or else why bother? Sure, it's neat, but does it work? Does it do what I want it to seamlessly without my having to fuss with it?
Therein lies the problem, and the potential genius if Apple can pull it off.