btlzu2's Journal: multi-touch should replace the mouse

if multi-touch is as cool as it looks, i would love it if it would replace the mouse. imagine having a better touchpad that gave you multi-touch for your desktop? that would be very cool. a few gestures to shrink the screen and control windows more "intuitively" than the mouse.

sounds like a killer application of this technology for a desktop. i imagine microsoft will find a "legal" way to embrace and extend this concept. of course, it'll be called "many-feel" or something--TOTALLY different. ;)

they'll need new screen surfaces

[subgeek]

because i hate fingerprints on the screen.

btw, you should be on apple's payroll.

Re:

[btlzu2]

it seems even you would *have* to admit that apple has had a big influence on modern electronic design, no?

the stuff they do is just incredible to use and look at. i've really been won over and i was quite the skeptical for ages and ages. i mean, i did have a bit of a soft spot for them when i was a kid programming on the Apple IIe, but after that, I wasn't too thrilled with them until OS X and the iPod.

Re:

[subgeek]

oh, i'd admit that apple has contributed to making tech (their own and others') look pretty. i just don't need to shout it from the mountain tops.

i've really been won over

we can tell ;)

Re:

[TechnoLust]

Another thing is... it's great for techies, but I want to see how Joe User can deal with it. I say this mostly because I had to show this girl at Publix how to use the touch screen to fill out a job application. She was younger than me by about 10 years, so she should have had exposure to computers most of her life.

Re:

[btlzu2]

i'd be interested in that as well. to me, it looks like it's meant for people without much computer knowledge because it is based on simpler "real life" metaphors--like scrolling through a Rolodex. i still have trouble figuring out how to conference call on my treo and it looks a hell of a lot simpler to do on the iPhone. ;)

some of the touch screen stuff you see today isn't well designed imo. i can figure it out, but a lot of people struggle. just go to the damn airport sometime--drives me insane! :)

Re:

[TechnoLust]

some of the touch screen stuff you see today isn't well designed imo... just go to the damn airport sometime--drives me insane! :)

Yeah, I know. I keep trying to use the touch screens there and the stewardess always says, "Sir take your hands off my breasts, just ASK me when your plane will arrive, ok?" Stupid interfaces. ;-)