bluebomberman said:Geez, this thread looks awfully familiar...
As much as I want a Mac tablet, I ain't holding my breath.
ah... good catch... reference to "gestures" is new though
arn
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Serious about Gesture and Handwriting Interface?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
ah... good catch... reference to "gestures" is new though
arn
Whistleway said:
The Newton was a bit ahead of its time... the first versions had some issues, but when the Newton 2000 came out, it was pretty amazing. People who used it really liked it a lot. It was really starting to catch on, but due to Apple's financial issues, the Newton project was killed. It probably would have been targeted at more vertical markets (health care, etc...) than consumer.
But... I will say the biggest problem with the Newton, is that it was poorly integrated with the Mac. Connectivity was poor. Syncing and moving files back and forth was far more difficult than it should be. What's interesting is that Apple seemed to have already learned this lesson with the excellent integration of the iPod with iTunes and the Mac and PC.
arn
That's what I was thinking. There's no reason they shouldn't be able to fix that with how well everything works with the iPod.arn said:
I agree with another poster who didn't think this would lead to a traditional tablet device. I think Apple may have something entirely new up their sleeve. Maybe some type of device that would work with the rumored media Mac mini.
I was there, though not in Apple, and helped write some third party software for the rollout. At the end there was one and only one problem with the Newton - the form factor. Obviously that would be no problem today. The Newton, inside and out, hardware and software, was a thing of beauty. It was only killed for two reasons. One, the stated reason, that they didn't want to have to support two operating systems, Newton and Mac OS, and the other reason, politics.Whistleway said:
Steve must put those long ago politics aside and come out with a modern day equivalent of the Newton. I believe he can put the politics of it aside. Unfortunately, the Newton OS is dead. However, a number of its technologies are still available to Apple.
I've come to believe that the thing to do is make a pocket sized version of the Macintosh. Running Mac OSX. Full Mac OSX. It's possible to put all of Mac OSX in your pocket, with only a few modifications. Having no inside info, I'd bet the farm that this is exactly what Apple will do someday. What exact day? I dunno, but Intel _is_ working on suitable chips for this. I want it this year. My guess as to such a device (and I've said this long ago in these forums, before the current round of video iPod rumors):
Take a Sony PSP and chop off the two sides with the game controls, leaving basically just the screen. That's the form factor. Keep the replaceable battery, lose the optical disk and probably USB, put in a hard disk. Stylus/touch screen. Inkwell. Guestures including handwriting, virtual keyboard and virtual scroll wheel. WiFi. Bluetooth, keyboard/mouse not included but supported. FireWire video out. Stereo earphones and Bluetooth.
And if you want to stick a GSM phone in there too I'm all for it. I've got a set of predictions for an iPhone as well.
Someday there will be a converged pocket device - iMac, iPod, iPhone. You want it, I want it, everyone wants it, Apple CAN do it. Will do it someday.
Something big has got to be coming...I haven't seen MacRumors this active on a weekend in a long time, even before MWSF.
Hmmmm........Can't wait til April 1.
Hmmmm........Can't wait til April 1.
Apple's Modus Operandi
That is an inspired thought. One has to take a step back and look at the way in which Apple operates nowadays, though. Certainly they have the right design and development teams and the capital to strike out in several different directions, but the genius of Apple's innovation is not to redo a failing product in their own image just because they can. Instead, they survey the landscape and do things the way they should have been done in the first place--that's what breeds their users' loyalty.
The Newton was ahead of its time, I think, but that doesn't necessarily mean its time is now. The mantra of "think different" does not mean creating a new product and hoping its ingenuity will automatically convince consumers to adopt, nor does it mean an implementation of something forced into use out of ubiquity (read: MS). It means giving consumers what they really need and want. The way the market is now, I'm not sure a tablet on its own would be viable, but Apple has a distinct ability to integrate products we already use with technology we didn't realize we needed...
supermacdesign said:
That is an inspired thought. One has to take a step back and look at the way in which Apple operates nowadays, though. Certainly they have the right design and development teams and the capital to strike out in several different directions, but the genius of Apple's innovation is not to redo a failing product in their own image just because they can. Instead, they survey the landscape and do things the way they should have been done in the first place--that's what breeds their users' loyalty.
The Newton was ahead of its time, I think, but that doesn't necessarily mean its time is now. The mantra of "think different" does not mean creating a new product and hoping its ingenuity will automatically convince consumers to adopt, nor does it mean an implementation of something forced into use out of ubiquity (read: MS). It means giving consumers what they really need and want. The way the market is now, I'm not sure a tablet on its own would be viable, but Apple has a distinct ability to integrate products we already use with technology we didn't realize we needed...
seriously, i would SO much rather type something in than hand write it.
the gesture thing is kinda cool based on the one demo video i saw.
But I can certainly type fifty times faster than write it.
the gesture thing is kinda cool based on the one demo video i saw.
But I can certainly type fifty times faster than write it.
Forget handwriting, how about gestures-writing!
Such a gestures-based mac could be an amazing interface for translating gestural languages (e.g., American Sign Language) to and from text. Currently it can be pretty difficult to "type" in sign language. And if you happen to know a sign, but not its meaning, it's pretty difficult to look it up in a dictionary. It would still be pretty difficult in a 2D-gestures medium, but how much further away can the 3D version be
Go macs!
Such a gestures-based mac could be an amazing interface for translating gestural languages (e.g., American Sign Language) to and from text. Currently it can be pretty difficult to "type" in sign language. And if you happen to know a sign, but not its meaning, it's pretty difficult to look it up in a dictionary. It would still be pretty difficult in a 2D-gestures medium, but how much further away can the 3D version be
Go macs!
Tablets are great for any situation in which you can't sit down: security guards, tour guides, factory or construction foremen, salespeople...anyone who has to walk around during their work
Tablets are also nice for meetings or classes where a laptop lid presents a barrier or distraction to the discussion.
So far, these markets are pretty limited. I wonder if Apple has any plans to expand the appeal of tablets into the mainstream.
Tablets are also nice for meetings or classes where a laptop lid presents a barrier or distraction to the discussion.
So far, these markets are pretty limited. I wonder if Apple has any plans to expand the appeal of tablets into the mainstream.
A Cue From iPod
I agree entirely. One way they might be able to do it is to make it dockable. This isn't really anything new in the way of merging a portable device with more stationary needs (such as a larger monitor and mouse, etc.), except that one has to anticipate the Apple version being that much more elegant. I would look hard at an Apple product that merges the basic functionality of the Mac Mini in a tablet form factor, so that I could take it from room to room if necessary (keep reading in the john?), but also dock it like an iPod and use the wireless inputs and gorgeous Cinema Displays. Again, this sort of combination is already out there, but Apple's development of the dock is not only better than any other I've seen, it's already part of their consumers' mindset. The key would be to make it as seamless as the iPod dock--no release levers, lids to open and close--just grab it so you can keep reading about all the crazy rumors coming down the pike from ThinkSecret about that 42" Apple plasma.
If anyone can do it, it's Mr. Ive. I, for one, enjoy the speculation within these threads as to what the future will bring from the depths of Apple's labs, perhaps only because I like to think about how he will design and implement it.
portent said:
I agree entirely. One way they might be able to do it is to make it dockable. This isn't really anything new in the way of merging a portable device with more stationary needs (such as a larger monitor and mouse, etc.), except that one has to anticipate the Apple version being that much more elegant. I would look hard at an Apple product that merges the basic functionality of the Mac Mini in a tablet form factor, so that I could take it from room to room if necessary (keep reading in the john?), but also dock it like an iPod and use the wireless inputs and gorgeous Cinema Displays. Again, this sort of combination is already out there, but Apple's development of the dock is not only better than any other I've seen, it's already part of their consumers' mindset. The key would be to make it as seamless as the iPod dock--no release levers, lids to open and close--just grab it so you can keep reading about all the crazy rumors coming down the pike from ThinkSecret about that 42" Apple plasma.
If anyone can do it, it's Mr. Ive. I, for one, enjoy the speculation within these threads as to what the future will bring from the depths of Apple's labs, perhaps only because I like to think about how he will design and implement it.
Am I the only person who loves PDA and would love and OSX based PDA? Imagine it being able to sync with iLife to take some vids and music and pictures around with iTunes support and such while having Mail and Page support in it. I would use that all the time. Possibly a Widget function to add whatever little measurement and reminder unit you might want.
I know I used to use my PDA till it went through the washer all the time
I know I used to use my PDA till it went through the washer all the time
spotlight....
i understand the opinion of the keystroke being faster than the touchscreen - for typing.
but putting typing notes / email / letter aside, OS X is perfect for all other key stroke commands - searching through spoltight is lighting with only a couple of letters and drag and drop enables you to organise files, iCal, iTunes, etc.
i think it's a mobile device first (iPod, touch screen remote), then one day it will eventually rival full keyborads.
i understand the opinion of the keystroke being faster than the touchscreen - for typing.
but putting typing notes / email / letter aside, OS X is perfect for all other key stroke commands - searching through spoltight is lighting with only a couple of letters and drag and drop enables you to organise files, iCal, iTunes, etc.
i think it's a mobile device first (iPod, touch screen remote), then one day it will eventually rival full keyborads.
Not Gonna Happen
Sorry guys, but it's NOT gonna happen...these patents are probably for yet another iPod, nothing else...Apple is NOT gonna enter the dead market of PDAs and Tablets...Microsoft tried and got screwed big time.
No one is interested in tablets, and no one writes faster with a pen than he/she can write by typing...tablets are one of those buzzword concepts that NEVER took off, simply because they are NOT supposed to work. Apart from a few specialized uses (like UPS or Pizza Hut employees and people doing some field work), tablets are NOT for the rest for us...sorry to burst your bubble.
Sorry guys, but it's NOT gonna happen...these patents are probably for yet another iPod, nothing else...Apple is NOT gonna enter the dead market of PDAs and Tablets...Microsoft tried and got screwed big time.
No one is interested in tablets, and no one writes faster with a pen than he/she can write by typing...tablets are one of those buzzword concepts that NEVER took off, simply because they are NOT supposed to work. Apart from a few specialized uses (like UPS or Pizza Hut employees and people doing some field work), tablets are NOT for the rest for us...sorry to burst your bubble.
Tablets Dead?
I gotta vote in favor of the tablet here. Never thought I'd be the one saying this, but when you spend hours a day in front of the computer, it's hard to imagine needing a tablet. The reality, however, is that tablets are easier and more accessible to use in the same way that a notepad is easier and more accessible than a laptop. The digital age of aquarius is upon us, and everyone has a laptop, but who doesn't still keep a pen and paper around? The blunt reality is that it's a lot more convenient to have a device you can hold and operate with one hand without needing a surface or any level of commitment to get it going. I keep a notepad with me at all times because it's simply easier than remembering half the stuff I'm supposed to, and I don't think I'm alone. A well executed tablet at a decent price that would work WITH you, not against you like every other damn personal organizer I've ever worked with, would be amazing. The concept of the gestures makes this even better. The tablet has failed because execution and cost have kept it from becoming a success, not because the world is ready to give up an easy, one-handed means of inputting data in favor of a two-handed rather clumsy method. Remember, people who can type faster than they can write are still in a significant minority, and anything that makes computing more accessible and less intrusive has a place in the market and the world.
I gotta vote in favor of the tablet here. Never thought I'd be the one saying this, but when you spend hours a day in front of the computer, it's hard to imagine needing a tablet. The reality, however, is that tablets are easier and more accessible to use in the same way that a notepad is easier and more accessible than a laptop. The digital age of aquarius is upon us, and everyone has a laptop, but who doesn't still keep a pen and paper around? The blunt reality is that it's a lot more convenient to have a device you can hold and operate with one hand without needing a surface or any level of commitment to get it going. I keep a notepad with me at all times because it's simply easier than remembering half the stuff I'm supposed to, and I don't think I'm alone. A well executed tablet at a decent price that would work WITH you, not against you like every other damn personal organizer I've ever worked with, would be amazing. The concept of the gestures makes this even better. The tablet has failed because execution and cost have kept it from becoming a success, not because the world is ready to give up an easy, one-handed means of inputting data in favor of a two-handed rather clumsy method. Remember, people who can type faster than they can write are still in a significant minority, and anything that makes computing more accessible and less intrusive has a place in the market and the world.
I've only played with a tablet twice, and I have to say I like the concept. But like many have pointed out, the execution of the format hasn't been the greatest. I remember seeing on Tomorrow's World (a cool science program in the UK which sadly is no longer around) the theoretical impact of tablets - and being very impressed by the idea.
Now if Apple do it, and its done right, then I'll happily get one instead of a MBP. I'm presuming that if they do do it, it'll coming with an iMac like dock - if its a screen only design.
Now if Apple do it, and its done right, then I'll happily get one instead of a MBP. I'm presuming that if they do do it, it'll coming with an iMac like dock - if its a screen only design.
Hey guys,
someone I know just sent me a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVI6xw9Zph8
Seems very similar to what apple my be trying to implement, if you look closely at the patent pictures.
Cheers
Peter
someone I know just sent me a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVI6xw9Zph8
Seems very similar to what apple my be trying to implement, if you look closely at the patent pictures.
Cheers
Peter
If it is a iPod like device, how about the ability to stream my music directly to any speakers in the hosue via AirportExpress/wiFi. So essentially the iPod acquires a remote-like use. ?You could also stream the video to any TV in the house via Airport AV, using 802.11n...
Whistleway said:
That's a tough question.
I knew an Apple-liscensed Newton retailer, and he believes that the Newton was too large, and too tricky for people to get used to. Maybe it was ahead of its time?
The Palm did it right with the size and graffitti was easier to learn.
iPDA
All this talk of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth touch screen iPods, and Apple Mobile Phones seems to be pointing us towards imagining Apple's version of a PDA phone. Are they just going to do this with greater style and iPod branding, or is something new and surprising waiting round the corner?
All this talk of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth touch screen iPods, and Apple Mobile Phones seems to be pointing us towards imagining Apple's version of a PDA phone. Are they just going to do this with greater style and iPod branding, or is something new and surprising waiting round the corner?