I’d imagine that for many people, like myself, we take for granted the graphical user interfaces that we use today. The fact is that they could (and were) a lot less intuitive and useful. We have XEROX to thank for that.
But things are changing fast and we’re headed in a new direction with touch-technology and the way that we interact with computers. If what we see with the iPhone is any indication of the future then we really have just begun to scratch the surface.
I can’t even begin to imagine how this will change the way we engage with the lost; seriously, can you honestly think of what will change? I have no idea.
And hey, whatever makes blogging easier (and faster) right?
Learn more about the 10/GUI here.
tcg says
I'm not crazy about this. The interface *or* the software. Like how the beginning of the video shows a single hand changing the sliders up and and down simultaneously? Did anyone also notice how later on, if you use more than one finger, it changes the function of the software, so that using four fingers at once would not allow you to change four sliders at once? Unless… unless the application was in control of how your touches interacted with the screen and it's controls – but then, what happens when I want to zoom out? So then we're back to keyboard shortcuts, or similar, and aside from moving more than one thing at a time (which they never demonstrated, did they?) I can do zooming and swiping and gestures all with a mouse/key combo *currently*.
So what's new? Well, the ugly horizontal-only interface. This may be good for some people's workflow, but not mine, so I don't knock it too hard – but I wish they would have shown more actual use cases for the multiple touch than zoom/swipe/pan/rotate, which pretty much all happen on the iPhone already.
Am I forgetting something important? I watched the video a few days ago.
tcg says
Alright, I'm sorry if I'm totally hijacking this post, but I meant to refer to application inconsistencies right after "but then, what happens when I want to zoom out?".
We'll be put back in an ugly pit of the OS fighting the Applications, which is a problem that I'm sure all the Apple/Mac fans don't suffer with as much as the rest of us – beautiful, *consistent* interfaces. If applications are the ones that have to manage how our touches work, we're in trouble. If they're not, however, then this system needs more work.
I'm still totally stoked about the idea though. =)
Ray Pettersson says
Brilliant input system! Can't wait to be using one of this. Thanks for sharing!
Daniel_Berman says
Any new concept like this will have bugs to work out. Thats why they said its probably more suited to vertical hardware/software providers at the moment. This also shows why it will be neccessary to lay out a very specific interaction API, the challenge will be allowing room for growth without that OS – App struggle as the technology continues to develop….these all growing pains that come with something like this….
The challenge – who will adopt first – closed source or open source?
Greg Teegarden says
Very, Very Cool… Looks like a sceen right out of Minority Report….
stephenbateman says
They're right: the mouse is constrictive, it's like hopping around on one foot all the time.
I like that they're proposing solutions, and I can't wait to see what actually happens. This sector of innovation is going to have a hard time overcoming the very deeply entrenched mouse people (that's you Adobe). But in 3,5, or 7 years, we'll finally see touch technology make the jump into mainstream. I hope.
CookieofDoom says
This looks very promising. I love how it's running on Linux (or BSD… those are Gnome icons, though).
jasonthebaldguy says
The multi-touch is great, Apple already has window management handled. I really like the idea of a huge touch pad like that..