TouchSmarter: Touch Screen Gadgets

Michael Brown has a posted an interesting read about how families are using computers these days. He comments how systems like the HP TouchSmart or a future multi touch Mac fill the needs families have in this digital age. Quick and easy access to their media is what Michael thinks families striving for. To do real work,  he sees people using laptops more and more.

As Michael Parekh’s comments allude to, touch computing has an uphill battle to gain widespread acceptance. He makes valid concerns about why would it be desirable on desktops. However, it seems to us it just takes a change of thinking to see touch’s potential, as has been mentioned on here a few times.

HP’s SmartCenter software that they include with the TouchSmart PCs is a start, but more touch enabled applications need to be released to help consumers see the value.

The Independent brings word that based on data released by IDC, HP has grown three times faster than the global average, based on Q2 2007. Growth without profits is not a strong business plan, but HP had record operating profits for its PC business.

Hopefully, all this success gives HP the freedom to experiment, as they have with the HP TouchSmart PC, and to give such experiments the time needed to work issues out and establish themselves, or their successors, as mainstay computer equipment.

Thanks to MarketWatch for this tidbit: The issue we brought to your attention earlier, the iPhone screen becoming unresponsive, may have been known to Apple prior to launch. Apparently, Apple bought the multi touch technology from a bankrupt Finnish company, and that company discovered that after three to six months of use, the screens would fail. The technology that allows the iPhone its much praised multi touch abilities uses a chemical that detects the heat of a finger.

It is too early to say that this current problem is the exact same one the Finnish firm was aware of. It could be that Apple addressed that issue only to uncover a new one. Everyone said Apple was taking a giant risk with the iPhone, and that risk included the fundamentals of the technology itself. Multi touch is a fascinating new technology, but as with anything new, growing pains are to be expected. Hopefully, for the future of multi touch, and for everyone with an iPhone, the cause of the defects will be determined and fixed by Apple in short order.

This is by far the most complete list of multi touch products and history that we have come across. Many thanks to Bill Buxton for compiling such a list.

This gives us hope for future versions of the HP TouchSmart PC. They call it the Interactive Canvas.

It is not showing us much in the way of new ideas or UI, but it is another sign that more and more companies are working on touch/multi touch interfaces and technologies.

Ryan Block was kind enough to write a very well done article on the iPhone. This review touches on many different aspects, but does focus a considerable amount on the touchscreen interface. He highlights the fact that the screens are not consistent in look nor usage. Given that the iPhone is the first consumer multi touch device, it is easy to forgive Apple for not getting it exactly right on the first try, no one argues that they got very close. It does highlight however the challenges in creating a touch interface.

The game for designers and developers gets changed dramatically when dealing with touch, especially multi touch. Developing something for use with a mouse/keyboard is easy, it has (mostly) all been done before. You want to select some letters, take the accurate mouse and highlight the selection. From all accounts, this very simple feature is missing on the iPhone, and it could be for a number of reasons, from oversight, to time, to the fact that a finger is not a good tool for selecting a few letters with.

Each iteration of touch technologies will improve on this problem, just as each iteration of hardware/software improved the mouse/keyboard. We feel there is no doubt that touch/multi touch will become a mainstay technology, but like any new and highly disruptive technology, there continual advancement, especially in the beginning stages.

Thanks to a post by Sherman, I heard about Cozi Central, a planning application for families. It is a shame Sherman missed the obvious connection between the software, and how suited it is for a PC like the HP TouchSmart. While not a touch focused application per say, it does seem touch friendly enough to find a place on many of the TouchSmart computers that grace families kitchens/living areas. The beauty of Cozi, is that there is a web version, that with just a little tweaking perhaps, could be used very well on a future touch screen/multi touch Mac computer.

The Cozi software takes the basic calendaring and post it note application bundled with the TouchSmart to the next level. In addition, it includes a shopping list feature, where little Johnny could create an ongoing wish list for birthday/Christmas presents. Rounding out the feature set is a photo collage screensaver, that not only looks good, but displays some of the upcoming items as well. There is also Outlook synchronization, which should almost be mandatory for a family scheduling application. Lets face it, the families that most need scheduling (and would choose to go the software route) are likely the ones that have at least one parent working a hectic job where they use Outlook/Exchange or a similar office tool).

Take a look at Cozi and give it a run through. Let us know what you think in the comments. Is it touch friendly enough? How could they improve it, both feature wise, and to enhance its touch appeal?

Thanks to PC Joint, there is some decent information and ideas about how Apple will take multi touch into the mainstream computing space. Perhaps most interesting is that it may not require special hardware, helping to keep costs down.

Lots of people were a buzz over the debut of new Apple iMacs today. Contrary to some rumors, there was not touch functionality mentioned. The Enderle Group stated “the iMac is lagging behind the HP TouchSmart.”

While I am glad to hear someone speak fondly of the TouchSmart, it would have been a large push for touch technologies if Apple had included it today. Still, it seems as if it is just a matter of time before they get to it.