Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Working on Advanced Gesturing and Multi-Touch Version of iWork

MacRumors said:
The most interesting report from the article is that Apple is said to have "spent the past couple of years working on a multitouch version of iWork". Such a version of iWork would presumably allow the upcoming Apple tablet to be used for document creation rather than solely content consumption. It would also blur the lines between the functions of tablet and that of a more traditional laptop computer.
Click to expand...
As I've predicted for a long time…mobile version of iWork in the tablet.

I've also predicted iLife (I've been a bit less sure on that though) and an "extended" iPhone OS and associated apps (new and/or modified versions of existing ones) that give more editing (content creation) features than the current iPhone and iPod touch.
 
Bodhi395 said:
Therefore I hope Steve has some revolutionary way to enter text, other then simply the virtual keyboard that is on the iphone. If he does have this up his sleeve, and it works really well, the tablet will be a huge success.
Click to expand...

You are right, a plain old virtual keyboard would not work for iWork or any heavy text editing. But a tactile keyboard could work great, as detailed in Apple's patent.
 
iDisk said:
If Steve Allows iWork and XCode in the Tablet I'm buying it no matter what the price is.

iDisk

:apple:
Click to expand...


Same here...But I doubt XCode would run well on a mobile processor. If they did, I'd imagine programming might be literally dragging predefined 2D blocks of code onto the stack chain, linking members with wires, then gesturing it to the execute/compile zone area. Something like a redefined Quartz Composer but UI intuitive.
 
Another thought... would this version of iWork FINALLY support auto-saving? I don't care how stable OS X is said to be, kernel panics in the middle of document creation have been a thorn in my side multiple times. The lack of this feature alone made me switch to Office 2008.
 
mikethebigo said:
Another thought... would this version of iWork FINALLY support auto-saving? I don't care how stable OS X is said to be, kernel panics in the middle of document creation have been a thorn in my side multiple times. The lack of this feature alone made me switch to Office 2008.
Click to expand...

You might want to look into fixing having KPs constantly first. That isn't normal.
 
mikethebigo said:
Another thought... would this version of iWork FINALLY support auto-saving? I don't care how stable OS X is said to be, kernel panics in the middle of document creation have been a thorn in my side multiple times. The lack of this feature alone made me switch to Office 2008.
Click to expand...

I think there are some stand alone programs that will get around this and make iWork auto-save, but they are not free, and from what I've seen, are a bit intrusive. I agree, iWork's achilles heel is the lack of auto save. I remember writing some long document once only for Pages to crash when I went to save it when I finished. Word's auto-save is not perfect, but it has saved my hide a few times.
 
iPhone SDK currently runs $90.us, if Apple offers some form of XCode (iCode?) for the tablet, it will cost money and will start out somewhat less functional than the regular version. There will be only Cocoa app dev. I doubt it will be available in the first 12 months.
 
cmaier said:
However, in general, tablets are aimed toward content consumption, typically with subpar content creation input means.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you missed the point completely as if you didn't read the article or my reply.

This article is written as if the person exists in another dimension from reality. Or the writer isn't aware of what the market actually is. What that has to do with artwork or a classic style keyboard is immaterial. The point is document creation on any level. There are tablets that create and foster creation of document. I know several artists that use Modbooks to do their work. That's a tablet creating documents.
 
wizard said:
I just can't imagine a set of gestures and a touch system that would allow for anything other than extremely casual usage.
Click to expand...

I think some sort of finger-driven shapewriting system on a tablet could enable tablet apps that are just as effective (and powerful) as desktop apps.
 
Bodhi395 said:
My main question is how will you input text on the tablet?
Click to expand...

I agree - and there are plenty of options. In addition to the tactile surface, Apple might have managed to make an elegant, effective slide out keyboard and there are laser / projection keyboards available. (I have seen some nice mock-up of such a device but Google is not being forthcoming right now).

For me, this is probably the key deciding feature that determines whether the rumored device will be an entertaining toy or something actually useful and productive. Effective text input is a main discriminant when it comes to usage and market. If they can get that into a tablet, it will represent a big step forward in mobile computing.

It is nice to have the hope of being wow-ed on the near horizon, either way.
 
If iWorks will be running on the tablet, doesn't that mean that the slate gets the full-featured MacOS X like all Macs? Doesn't that also imply that it we will see version 10.7 soon, as the current version does not have sufficient support for the tablet?

Creating a new branch of the OS only for the tablet would take up a lot of manpower inside Apple, and Apple needed to convince developers to target the new platform as well. The mobile MacOS is probably too limited, and current iPhone apps probably look like **** on a 10-12" display.

If my guesses are right, I would expect that Apple will only announce the tablet in the next weeks with a production date later this year, just like they did with the iPhone earlier.
 
Lesser Evets said:
Yeah, you missed the point completely as if you didn't read the article or my reply.

This article is written as if the person exists in another dimension from reality. Or the writer isn't aware of what the market actually is. What that has to do with artwork or a classic style keyboard is immaterial. The point is document creation on any level. There are tablets that create and foster creation of document. I know several artists that use Modbooks to do their work. That's a tablet creating documents.
Click to expand...

I didn't miss the poster or your reply. I addressed that tablets can sometimes be used to create content. My point is that they are far superior at consuming content and less ideal for creating content, particular compared to other types of systems where users don't have to make compromises as far as input devices are concerned. If you feel like responding, fine, but don't be insulting.
 
I think my idea may be plausible, of Apple creating a new system of text input based on gestures. Basically reinventing the system of typing to be used on 21st century touch devices rather than typewriters.
 
Berlepsch said:
If iWorks will be running on the tablet, doesn't that mean that the slate gets the full-featured MacOS X like all Macs? Doesn't that also imply that it we will see version 10.7 soon, as the current version does not have sufficient support for the tablet?
Click to expand...
iWork itself doesn't mean it will run Mac OS X, but I think that part of the article could just as easily mean touchscreen-optimized Mac OS X (apps) as well as iPhone OS (or similar).

Berlepsch said:
The mobile MacOS is probably too limited, and current iPhone apps probably look like **** on a 10-12" display.
Click to expand...
That's probably why Apple told developers to adapt their apps for "full screen."
 
Is there a chance Apple could just be working on a Macbook Tablet ala HP? You can use it as a tablet or swing the screen around and use a keyboard.

I, personally, doubt it. But I would never use a touchscreen anything for document creation. But maybe other people would.
 
Bodhi395 said:
My main question is how will you input text on the tablet?

If you have a text editor program, you can use swipes and gestures for some things(like making text bold or copying), but the main bulk of it is entering text. Therefore I hope Steve has some revolutionary way to enter text, other then simply the virtual keyboard that is on the iphone. If he does have this up his sleeve, and it works really well, the tablet will be a huge success.
Click to expand...

Suggestion: You hold the tablet with both hands, thumbs on the front, four fingers on the back. Touch-sensitive areas on front and back. You type with your fingers on the back of the tablet, with software adapting to your hand position and size, word prediction like on mobile phones, with thumbs used for selecting between multiple words and correcting errors.

Apple has probably come up with something better than I did.
 
XCode needs a large monitor.

itsbarry said:
If XCode is on the Tablet, I'm not getting a laptop. I plan on getting a 13" MacBook Pro for XCode and portability, but I'm going to get a Tablet as well. I highly doubt XCode would be on the Tablet, though.

:apple:
Click to expand...

I'm note saying a 13" Mac Book won't work, just that the small screen will be fatiquing if you do a lot of coding. I have a 15" MBP and often wish for a larger monitor when coding.

As to XCode on the tablet that is an interesting thought. I don't think you would want to code big projects on the device but scripts would be nice. What I'm hoping for is that Apple ships the device with either a Python or Ruby environment for on device scripting. That would be great for those minor things that don't need Objective C.


Dave
 
Sydde said:
iPhone SDK currently runs $90.us, if Apple offers some form of XCode (iCode?) for the tablet, it will cost money and will start out somewhat less functional than the regular version. There will be only Cocoa app dev. I doubt it will be available in the first 12 months.
Click to expand...

Wrong. The SDK (and Xcode) is free. To join the developer's program to get your app on the App Store is $99. If Apple offers Xcode for their tablet, it too will be free.
 
touch pad on the back side

I really hope there's touch sensitivity on both sides of the device.... ( screen only one side though ) so you can type from behind. That would not only be very cool, it would allow you to hold the device and type with both hands.
 
I think Andy Inhatko pretty much sums it up http://bit.ly/4D1u30

The iPhone UI isn’t a desktop user interface where a pen takes the place of a mouse ... which is the model that previous smartphones followed. It was designed to be held in one hand and tapped with your thumb. Occasionally you’d use the index finger of the right hand to key things in.

You want to try to figure out the UI of the RAT (Rumored Apple Tablet)? Go get yourself a comic book, or any other rectangle that measures roughly 10” on the diagonal. Hold it as though you’re reading what’s on the surface.

You see the problem? Your fingers get in the way. Think about how big that surface is, too. That’s a lot of acreage to scan, looking for the right buttons to push.

While you’ve got it in your hands, imagine that it’s a sheet of thin steel. That’s heavy, isn’t it? Hard to hold up for long periods of time.

Think about how a user interface would have to incorporate those observations. Now imagine that you’ve been doing this experiment for four years and not four minutes.​
 
iWork is cool, buuuut....

For the masses, i believe a multitouch capable iLife would be the killer app for any Apple tablet. Apps like iPhoto, Garage Band and iMovie are perfect for a tablet. I would argue that this is the main reason we saw such massive changes to iMovie and iPhoto: to make them easier to use via touch. If you've ever played with ReelDirector on the iPhone, you would agree that iMovie would be absolutely SICK on a tablet computer.

Not only that, just the simple fact that most "normal" consumers don't use or even need a dedicated wordprocessing or spreadsheet app, yet almost all consumers use some sort of video or photo app.

My guess is that the killer apps for the rumored tablet will be iLife and iChat, provided there will be a front-facing camera on the tablet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back