Apple touchscreens the future.

condra

I've been pondering Apples future lately, and one thing that occurred to me was how Apple have already embraced the world of touch screens.

Are Microsoft missing a trick here?

If touchscreens are the future (and I believe for many people they will be), aren't Apple already off to a considerable headstart?

Creamy Goodness

Windows 7 - microsoft's new OS rumoured to be out sometime this year - takes advantage of touch screen monitors.

i like touch screen interfaces but there should be a limit.

i.e. touchscreen is really handy for like a tablet to control devices inside the house, or like microsoft's surface basically a table with touchscreen installed in pubs etc. where you could order your drinks from your table.

although for what i use my computers for (programming, photography, audio editing) nothing will beat the old keyboard and mouse.

Mr. Frost

I'm not a huge fan of touchscreen phones. For texting for example, if you're out and about you can't beat the tactile feedback from a normal keypad.

Yeah I'd say Apple are probably leading the way mobile wise...

K.O.Kiki

Keyboards won't be replaced for the same reason high-tech fighter aircraft use analog controls -- humans like to push buttons.

condra

Cheers for the replies lads.

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

i like touch screen interfaces but there should be a limit.

Interesting quote from an interesting article I read recently:
“Everything is best for something, and worst for something else.”
Jeff Han (founder of Perceptive Pixel)

I think the "limit" will be decided by consumers, but I hope software has a chance to prove the potential of touch-screens first, and I believe it will.

i.e. touchscreen is really handy for like a tablet to control devices inside the house, or like microsoft's surface basically a table with touchscreen installed in pubs etc.

Personally, I'm not impressed by MS Surface much, or its novel applications. I think it's cool, but something about it reminds me of the old computing cliche- "Some day there might be 8 of these things in Britian"

.. for what i use my computers for (programming, photography, audio editing) nothing will beat the old keyboard and mouse.

Programming aside, I disagree with you on this point.

I also use my computer for digital A/V, and this is an area which I imagine touch screens have huge potential.

Aside from mp3s, internet, etc, I already use my iPhone as a midi controller (ITM), aswell as a basic audio sequencer/editor (Beat Maker), and this really is just the beginning.

I think the mouse is an evil necessity and I pray for its demise on a daily basis.

The keyboard is great though, and even with touch-screen keyboards, sophisticated hand-writing (and speech) recognition, I find it hard to imagine it losing favour.

Kiki wrote:

Keyboards won't be replaced for the same reason high-tech fighter aircraft use analog controls -- humans like to push buttons.

I agree. Tactile feedback will never be possible with a touch screen. While keyboards will no longer be a necessity, most people will have and use a keyboard with their PCs/"laptablets".
_

I don't mean to be a psychophant, but I think Apple are great software guys. Between the already slick OSX, and their experience with the iPhone, I imagine their future touch-screen Operating Systems will be really slick and refined, and might leave Microsoft scratching their heads for some time.

Ultimatly, I think Apples market share could increase dramatically in the years to come, because of multi touch devices becomming must-have gadgets for fashionable, savvy consumers, aswell as many professionals.

Am I right in thinking that Windows 7 is supposed to be in Beta early this year, and released officially in Q4?

EDIT - Coincidentally. The iPhone is 2 years old today. Kinda.
http://www.macworld.com/article/54769/2007/01/iphone.html

Also, people might also be interested in the new ASUS "home computer" with touch screen.
http://www.osnews.com/story/20736/Trends_Are_Cyclical_the_Asus_Eee_Keyboard

J-blk

womoma wrote: »

Am I right in thinking that Windows 7 is supposed to be in Beta early this year, and released officially in Q4?

The public beta will be available for download from today - you can grab a copy and take it for a spin (doesn't seem to be up quite yet though).

As for the other points, I can see arguments for both sides: I love touchscreens and the iPhone especially has changed the way I think about certain things but on the other hand, I do a lot of coding and nothing can beat a good solid keyboard for me.

However, even though touchscreens are really starting to come along, I think the main problem currently is that software is not specifically written for them and this does not help the user experience. Once the software catches on (which could be the case with both Snow Leopard and Windows 7), then touchscreen adoption will hit a critical point.

I mean, look at the iPhone, which has a UI developed for a touchscreen and is a mostly positive experience and consider using Leopard with a touchscreen as your main input - not exactly the same experience...

projectmayhem

The problem with Windows 7 supporting touch screens is that it actually won't be that good. That's not microsofts fault though...

Because they only write the code to work, they sell it on to HP, Dell, etc. to make the hardware. So HP or Dell will make a touchscreen on the cheap (look at those HP touchsmart machines - horrific touchscreens next to the iPhone but cost a huge amount of money) that doesn't work well, which just dirties up Microsofts name (more then it already is!).

The advantage for Apple here is that they produce the software and hardware, and calibrate it themselves. If Microsoft made the hardware and calibrated the software properly for it, then they would be on to something. Otherwise, even with HP's cheap touchsreen ideas, Microsoft still make money.

randombar

Do you think the next generation will get a lot more used to touch screen and won't need the feedback when typing and that, I reckon we all like pressing buttons because we've all grown up doing that (so many jokes in there!) but if you grow up with iphones and tablets then maybe people will get used to typing on a touch screen, using the monitor for a lot more control of your applications etc. Reckon apple are quietly developing an airmac tablet of somekind with prob a slide out keyboard, oh I'm also looking for a cheapass mac mini in melbourne if anyone can help

J-blk

projectmayhem wrote: »

The advantage for Apple here is that they produce the software and hardware, and calibrate it themselves. If Microsoft made the hardware and calibrated the software properly for it, then they would be on to something. Otherwise, even with HP's cheap touchsreen ideas, Microsoft still make money.

Yep, that's a good point and a valid reason why Apple does not allow "clones" out on the market. Which is something I appreciate to be honest - I used to build/tweak my own machines, but at this stage, I like the "comfort" of just buying a system which I know works seamlessly with the OS, no messing about required.

GaryCocs wrote: »

if you grow up with iphones and tablets then maybe people will get used to typing on a touch screen, using the monitor for a lot more control of your applications

There's probably truth to that (I even find it now with typing vs actual writing with a pen/pencil - I'm way faster typing and prefer it greatly) but with the current implementations of software, some things still will not work. I don't mind the lack of tactile feedback (though there are working on that with touchscreens too) but it's one thing to type an SMS on the iPhone and another to type a huge chunk of code or a large document on your Mac. The software will need to first facilitate the touchscreen interface on all levels and then people will go for it more often than not. In that regard, Projectmayhem is correct, Apple is way better positioned than MS to pull off this transition sooner...

talla

To be honest, the only way I can see a touchscreen being useable on a desktop for all day to day applications as a replacement for a keyboard and mouse just from a pure ergonomics point of view, is if someone developed a desktop with two screens similar to a Nintento DS concept, the touchscreen which lys flat on the desk where all the interaction takes place e.g. typing, drag and drop, resize etc and the other screen for viewing the results. Problem I can see with that is Nintendo would possibly have some sort of patent.
Otherwise if you were sitting down at a desk all day, you would have to either a) reach across the desk all day to type, your neck, back and shoulders would be in bits or b) the screen would be way too close (could you imagine trying to type on a 24 inch imac). Of course the other alternative is to stand instead of sitting which I'm sure we don't want either.

Capt'n Midnight

Point of information ,even if you ignore Windows CE, tablet pc's with microsoft supported touchscreen have been around for a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_PC and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition - The original version released in November 2002.

light pen's are 1950's technology that were supported on first IBM PC and were used on this monster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi_Automatic_Ground_Environment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_pen

Type 17

Maybe a little OT, but Macs have worked with touch screens for a long time. In my youth, I worked in Dublin Castle as a tour guide (1991-92). In the gift shop (under the Chapel Royal in those days), there was a Mac IIci (or similar model) in a wooden cabinet with a special (non-Apple, I think) monitor with touch screen capabilities. It was a standard Mac with software to take input from the screen through the mouse/keyboard bus.

I can't remember if the screen allowed for dragging the cursor, because for the main function, which was to show a map of Ireland, the cursor was hidden. Clicking a county enlarged it, and showed all of the OPW sites in that county. Clicking the sites showed photos and details of the site.

I doubt that it's still there, but I wonder what happened to it (probably scrapped, but you never know...)

adox

The wheel is the future:
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary