TouchSmarter: Touch Screen Gadgets

Proving once again, that it is all about the software, an enterprising individual devised a multi touch system using just coloured water, a zip lock bag, and a camera. This setup highlights where a touch is happening, and then software takes over.

It may just be a matter of time until multi touch peripherals and software are marketed to consumers by small startups, allowing them to set the standard that Microsoft and Apple will have to catch.

Multi touch is the buzzword of 2007, with the iPhone, MS Surface, and Jeff Ban’s videos all contributing to the hype around this technology. All of these focus on redefining how we work with information by interacting with it directly on a computer screen.

However, critics have loudly complained that multi touch is not a practical technology for everyday computing. As much as we love multi touch/touch screens, we tend to agree. Even as multi touch takes off, the way people use their desktop PC day in and day out is unlikely to benefit directly.

One of the best aspects of innovative technologies like multi touch, is that it inspires more innovation. Loudestnoise.com posted a brilliantly simple (in concept) idea. Put multi touch where it will do the most good for the most people… right on the mouse. Perhaps it won’t be revolutionary, but it certainly will serve a purpose. Being able to scroll without a scroll wheel, or allowing the user to pinch to resize items will simplify and speed up common, repetitive tasks.

VOIPPhoneWatch.com has a rehash of all the multi touch goodness that makes Apple’s iPhone the most desired gadget of the year.

Multi touch is even influencing music videos. Take a look: (I make no promise that the music will be to your taste, mute if you wish).

The band is Sondre Lerche, and the song, Phantom Punch.

InternetNews.com has an article that details a little further the fascinating LucidTouch project from Microsoft. Most of the article rehashes information from the video we posted earlier, but it still makes for an interesting read, including why a true transparent screen was not used, and a mention that October will be when a research paper is published to further present the work.

The MS Surface is a great new direction from Microsoft. However, it has to share much of its technological achievements with Apple and the more available iPhone. Perhaps Microsoft dislikes sharing the limelight, or maybe they just really want to improve how people interact with technology. Either way, now there is LucidTouch.

LucidTouch is only in prototype form, so the physical unit and form factor are not yet ideal. Time will surely solve those initial issues. Looking past that, however, brings us an entirely new means of interacting with a mobile device. Basically, you hold the device similar to how you would hold a paperback book. You can then use all 10 digits to comfortably manipulate data.

Can not quite imagine what that would look like? No problem, here is a video for your viewing pleasure.

This is a great idea, and the video shows that they have a solid foundation to move forward with. It is true that Apple has filed patents that describe perhaps similar abilities, but you have to give Microsoft credit for going one step further and building a device.

Watch the set of commercials in the video. Nearly everything that was but an idea in 1993 has already happened, in some variation or another. This really makes you wonder what the next 15 years have in store for us.

A special thanks to ConsultaGlobal for bringing this to our attention. They have breakdown of how the close the concept and the reality are, nearly 15 years later.

Editing Organazized has some thoughts on the problems with multi touch. There are interesting arguments about the spatial limitations of multi touch, compared to the ability to lift a mouse and reposition on a mouse pad, but mostly it is the same concerns about multi touch on an office computer, and how arms will hurt from using it.

I hear similar arguments all the time, that multi touch on the desktop is just going to hurt your arms. And I will admit it would. However, I think the future of multi touch means a reworking of just how we interact with computers.

Multi touch makes complete sense immediately on mobile devices like phones and tablet PCs. As demonstrated by the many video demo’s floating around, it also works exceedingly well on very large wall type screens, which are used by those with deep pocket books and specific needs. However, kiosk type applications, such as the MS Surface platform, are where I think most people are going to get a change to use multi touch. Even PCs like the HP TouchSmart, or those digital picture frames that are all the rage, would be ideal candidates for multi touch.

And the argument made about never running out of space with a mouse, being able to lift it, reposition, lower it, and continue the movement, have already been addressed in multi touch. Want to make a picture smaller? “Pinch” it down. Once your fingers are touching, re-pinch.

Still, always glad to see people thinking about multi touch, the more interest and opinion, the more chance of progress.

Up until this point, the iPhone, and the multi touch goodness that makes it so special, has been available only to AT&T customers in the U.S. That has finally changed. No, Apple has not released it or made any changes, rather the iPhone has been unlocked. Engadget has the scoop on the latest developments, brought to us all by the iPhoneSIMFree.com team.

Aside from Visual Voicemail, all other aspects of the iPhone work as expected on any other GSM carrier. Engadget’s video:

Rob Bushway needed to know just how good the multi touch interface of the iPhone was, so he did the only thing he could… he bought one! He weighs in on the matter, and in short, is very impressed by the touch aspects.