BrerRabbit~SPARTA~ Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) "The operating system has changed little over the past several years. It continues to rely on a point-and-click, mouse-based interface at a time when computing is moving toward interactive touchscreens." A quote from an article I read today, claiming that Microsoft is banking heavily on Windows 8 and is going to try to close the gap between its self and iOS/Android. Ive seen a lot of articles covering this ground lately, all sounding the call that personal computing as we know it (PC stack/monitor/keyboard & mouse/point and click/etc.) is about to kick the bucket. I used to scoff at claims like this but this time around Im not too sure. Not so many months back I voiced my sceptisism about the viability of tablets, and I was convined that no one was really going to choose that interface over a laptop or desktop. Smart phones, sure ... but a tablet? Hell no. Well Im here to eat some crow because I bought a Toshiba Thrive tablet a few weeks back and I love the damn thing. No buyers remorse (yet) and its really filled a niche for me in mobile computing. I am using the tablet daily and that for me is the most important thing when assessing a big ticket technology buy; nothing worse than having a pricey piece of technology function solely as a dust magnet. But are we all about to transition to a tablet like computing and interface? Even for home personal computing? Are the keyboard and mouse and point and click user interface about to be buried? Is that likely, and if so does that mean a sort of dumbing down of personal computing? Does it mean a dumbing down of gaming? And then theres this TED talk from last year ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6YTQJVzwlI A museum where I work sometimes in DC has one of those Microsoft touch tables tucked away in an alcove. I just stumbled on it by accident one day. Its in a public space but I rarely see anyone using it; which is a shame because the damn thing is amazing. I think Microsoft must have given it to the Smithsonian and the Smith wasnt too sure what to do with it. Currently all its got is two East Asian prints you can interact with. Point is though, the potential for interactive surfaces and touch based computing, once you see on of these things in person, seems immense. Anyway, the Sparta community is pretty damn tech savy, if for no other reason than we all are avid gamers and consumers of high end gadgets. Im curious about what other Spartans think. Are we on the verge of a major shift in personal computing or is this just another "in the near future we will all have flying cars" flash in the pan. Edited September 12, 2011 by BrerRabbit~SPARTA~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I think the one problem with the touchscreen technology is overcoming the devices we've used since we've had computers, such as a mouse and keyboard. It feels much better pressing an actual button on a keyboard than it does on a touchscreen. Likewise, the mouse is flawed, but we've built up a natural muscle-memory for it through years of using it. My 4yr old can manipulate a mouse better than I can. Also, with fingers on a touchscreen, you don't get nearly as accurate input as you would a mouse or a pen pad. That being said, I'm sure using a stylus in Photoshop on something like the Toshiba to edit photos will be realized in the future, once a proper version is made for tablets. I still like using my mouse, but would think a cool thing to do is get rid of it altogether, using the mousepad as a direct touch device. Right now, the mobile market is the wild west. There are a million different types of screens out there and app makers/web designers can't possibly accomodate all of them and keep a budget. Once standards are put into place, on both the developing side and manufacturing side, things will get a lot better and move forward. It would be nice to visit sites that are both desktop and mobile compatable without having to design two types of pages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel~Sparta~ Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 incredable.... combine this with 3d screens, TrackIR, and tackile feedback (force feed back gloves) and you will have a winner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hajimoto Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Right now, the mobile market is the wild west. There are a million different types of screens out there and app makers/web designers can't possibly accomodate all of them and keep a budget. Once standards are put into place, on both the developing side and manufacturing side, things will get a lot better and move forward. It would be nice to visit sites that are both desktop and mobile compatable without having to design two types of pages. I think Microsoft is well on the way with its partners to help narrow the gap between these variables. The following video which is from the Computex 2011 in Taiwan. There is a fair amount of information that Mike Angiulo (M$ VP) presents as it relates to Win8 and is worth the 30 or minutes of viewing time. [YT]WDry3QUllYk[/YT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MH6~SPARTA~ Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Is it possible that we will one day have Minority Report-esque interface systems? Absolutely. Will it be the standard interface device, being shipped with all new PCs within the next 5 years, as the TED speaker claims? Absolutely not. It is a nice thought though. We could certainly combine our surround sound systems with the optics required to physically locate objects in 3D space (which is currently just a color/IR camera with an IR transmitter). It will take a long, long time for it to kill the mouse and keyboard though (if it even could--some things just aren't suited for a Kinect-style interface), and longer still for it to become infused within the architecture itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrerRabbit~SPARTA~ Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) Great vid Haji. For me the key part came at 12:09 when you see how you can switch between a "traditional" windows environ and the new "mobile OS" style. It seems like its a nice compromise between a real hands on environment and a "dummies" environment. I can already see me installing this on my mother's PC, setting it to the most senior friendly mode and then *fingers crossed* never having to do over the phone tech support for her again. I can see in the near future where, for example, your coffee table top will be an interactive surface running an OS like Win8. It will be light weight, scratch impervious, and waterproof. Play a game on it while on the sofa, then later pick it up and stick it on the wall for hometheater movie time. Edited September 12, 2011 by BrerRabbit~SPARTA~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster90 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Yeah, the coffee table touchscreen has always been a cool idea to me. Tons of digital board/card games pre-loaded into it, with Wi-Fi access to an app store to buy even more. And cool interactive wallpapers when it's not being used. That would be so cool! As for touchscreens taking over PC's... I doubt it will happen any time soon. As Durka pointed out, you cant match the accuracy and precision that a mouse+keyboard has in terms of gaming. Plus the point of having an actual tactile surface that you can feel and press down upon is another big factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Hmm, that new Windows interface is going to take some getting used to if you're primarily a desktop person. I'll wait to see more on that. The performance they are talking about sounds great, though. EDIT: I just saw that clip Brer pointed to about changing the interface. I must have been asleep on that part, doh! Rooster, when I was doing research on buying a tablet last year, I remember a technology that will be coming out pretty soon that sends electronic impulses up to your finger to simulate whatever surface you think you are touching. They had a corrugated steel photo to show, where you would "feel" the bumps as you ran your finger across them. It also had something that would simulate resistance, like it would be harder to move your finger or easier, depending on the smoothness of the simulated surface. It was pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster90 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 ^ That's friggen Star Trek crap right there, lol. I have a feeling Windows 8 won't really catch on though. Not because it's not a good idea, but it's way too soon off the heels of Windows 7. Maybe as an OS for tablets and mobile devices it'll be fine, but I read an article just the other day that the majority of businesses will not embrace Win 8, simply because most just upgraded to Win7. Obviously I think Win8 is more geared towards consumers anyway... but even I just got Win7 earlier this year. Not looking for a new OS any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batwing~SPARTA~ Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I am Amazed by this innovation on Win 8. I honestly do not think that the new UI has to "replace" the old style. I really believe the "Skin" Win 8 will use really matches needs as for Customers. It can adapt to Mobile Touch Devices: Smaller, Medium and Bigger. It can adapt to Users: Savvier, Medium and Dummies. It can adapt to PCs: This is the most challenging side because of the infinite ecosystem of hardware out there. It can adapt to CPUs: ARMs and AMD/Intel This is to me the most beautiful aspect of this innovation: Being able to Adapt To get used to the new interface, I do not think will be that major of a problem. We use that UI every day, being it iOS, Android or anything touchy-else. To me is nice to see Microsoft showing great mind and engineering are there to Innovate. I just wonder how many law-suites the Rotten Apple is planning to launch when all of this will ships. Rotten Apple is making Samsung life quite hard because of a possibility of iPhoneish / iPaddish look... but looking at all of those portable devices in that Microsoft presentation, they all llook like Better iPads to me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hajimoto Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Rotten Apple is making Samsung life quite hard because of a possibility of iPhoneish / iPaddish look... but looking at all of those portable devices in that Microsoft presentation, they all llook like Better iPads to me.... THE HELL YOU SAY?!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Rotten Apple is making Samsung life quite hard because of a possibility of iPhoneish / iPaddish look... but looking at all of those portable devices in that Microsoft presentation, they all llook like Better iPads to me.... lol and the lawsuits are probably because they are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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