I think I know what Apple is going to do!

[js]

I've had a revelation (or feel as if I've had one), and a number of things have all fallen into place. I don't know if I'm late to this, and only one among a number of others who have already said this or something similar, or if maybe this is far from widely speculated, but either way, I wanted to post this to see what others here think. A proviso: please let's keep all Apple vs. Microsoft sort of stuff out of this thread, otherwise it will turn into a train wreck sooner or later. If you want to join in the speculation and discussion about what Apple Inc. may or may not do in the coming years, that's great! But please refrain from participating if you won't be able to restrain yourself from saying how stupid Apple is vs. PC, or how stupid PC's are (or Windows) vs. Macs and OS X.

'nuff said.

So, here are the pieces of the puzzle that have all come together in my mind:

1. For months or even years before the 14 October, 2008 release of the new MacBooks, people were speculating, often very excitedly, about what the new line-up would be. Would there be an eSATA port? Would they finally offer a micro laptop? How would the aesthetics be redesigned? And so on. Then, when they were unveiled, most Mac fans (or at least many) were disappointed. No Firewire ports on the MB, and only one FW on the MBP, no eSATA, and--most contentious of all--no matte screen option. Also, there wasn't really much, if any, increase in performance, most significantly in the battery runtime. The power consumption was reduced, but so was the battery capacity, going from 60WH to 50WH (I think that's right). Also, Apple went to the eventual new industry standard display connector, the DisplayPort (or mini-DisplayPort), from the DVI. They did this at a time when it is almost impossible to find any computers or monitors that use the displayport standard. AFAIK, only Apple is selling computers and display(s) that use it. Why the early adoption? Granted, it is technically better--like going from parallel ATA to serial ATA--from a bulky 80 wire ribbon connector to a slim 7 pin SATA cable. But why right now? Not a popular move. Overall, the newline up seems (nay, is) somewhat of an anti-climax. Perhaps there is nothing to this except for a decent, but not-so-stellar update to the MB and MBP line-up. Or perhaps not.

2. Not only are all the laptops going to glossy only (and not just glossy, but glass), but also the monitors seem headed that way as well, with the release of the new 24 inch glossy display using the new DisplayPort connector standard, and with special considerations for those using a MB/MBP (the monitor has a built in power cable for laptop charging).

3. The unibody is undoubtedly cool, and when I watched the video at first I had a twinge of regret that I had just purchased (a week or so before) a classic styled, non-unibody MBP, but seriously, why would you need that kind of precision, those kind of tolerances. The previous MBP was plenty ridged enough without being machined from a single block of aluminum. Why go to all the expense and up-front cost to set up production of the uni-body laptops?

4. For a long time now, people have been wondering why Apple doesn't come out with a Tabliture PC, where you can write on the screen with a pen--that sort of thing. The iPhone and iPod touch basically scream out for just such a laptop.

5. For a while now, people have been wondering why Apple doesn't enter the so-called micro-PC market, with a super small laptop suitable for surfing the web and emailing and so on.

6. The new version of OS X--Snow Leopard--will not have any new bells and whistles--nothing like time machine or spot light or dashboard, but rather will be a meaner, leaner, slimmer, more efficient version of Leopard. The name even announces this fact!

So, how does all this fit together?

Well, I say that Apple will come out with a laptop the size of the macbook (or probably smaller) which will be essentially a giant iPhone in design, with the whole "top" being the screen--a TOUCH screen, with a very sophisticated interface, and like the iPhone or iPod Touch, the keyboard will appear displayed on the screen (but only when needed). If you've ever used an iP or iPT, you know that that very small screen serves much better than its size would suggest, because you can do a pinch motion to contract, or the reverse to expand the screen and can so easily move about the screen just by touching it and moving your finger. A 12 inch touch screen would be quite the equal of a 15 inch normal screen in my opinion. And this explains the move to glossy-only. You can't really do a matte type touch screen. Or shouldn't, anyway.

And this explains the whole unibody thing. They WILL need that kind of precision for an iMacBook Touch (or whatever). And it also explains why they want to go to the DisplayPort connector--because that will allow for equal data-streaming in BOTH directions--both TO the screen, and back from the screen. The Touch screen. Or rather the touch external monitor.

And it also (possibly) explains the smaller battery and Snow Leopard. If you are concerned with getting the most from your smaller battery, a more efficiently coded OS is very important. It's why you wouldn't want to run OS X Tiger on your iPhone! (plus, of course, the less capable CPU)

And you will see the intel solid state drives used instead of spinning platter hard drives.

I imagine that if you want a real, physical keyboard that you'd plug in an external keyboard (or a wireless bluetooth keyboard), and same for if you want a larger screen--external touch monitor. Or maybe the physical keyboard will retract from under and inside the body, like on those cell phones where the screen slides over or away from over the keyboard. But somehow that doesn't feel right.

Anyway, whatever, the main thing is that I think it's inevitable that Apple will go to just this sort of laptop at some point in the future, and it seem to me that they are in the process of gearing up for it right now.

Thoughts? Speculations? Comments? Links to where this was all said earlier and better?

Thanks!

 

[Moka]

I have to say a very interesting theory, I'm actually typing away right now on one of the Unibody MacBooks, and I have to say they're wonderful. The battery life is actually offset by the fact they are using alot more efficient electronics the flagship of which is the new LED based screen.
I'm getting 5hrs+ on my MacBook with wireless going... (which is the figure mac quoted iirc) I'll be very interested to see what snow-leopard brings to the table as far as the battery efficiency is concerned)

I believe eventually, (and I can't stress eventually enough) they will come out with a full touch screen tablet style computer, however they've been tried in the past by PC compatible companies and failed, whether Apple will succeed or not is another story...


I agree the getting rid of firewire on the macbooks was a VERY odd business decision, but they made it for a reason, and that reason is quite simply that firewire is an apple only thing, yes in an 'apple world' Apple would love everyone to use only apple products and have that monopoly, but I think they may be doing this simply because they realise they can convert more of the market by doing away with (some of) their proprietary products they have out. And switching over to some new products as part of the new line launch is a good move IMHO, the mini-DVI port as you said is actually a lot better and there will be other companies falling into line this year now... and as for the DDR3 ram, and the new graphics chipset, well that really does take the cake...

Finally the glass screen, they did that for 3 reasons that I can see (4 if your theory of the touch based tablet mac comes to fruition), one; for the fact they're using and LED screen not LCD (iirc, the glass is part of the led structure of the new screen) two; is asthetic, the glass is beautiful, imho the seemless glass looks awesome, something that could not have been achieved on the classic macbook chassis and three; the environmental side of the new macs, they (apple) tried to make the entire macbook recyclable, they got rid of alot of the plastic parts of the macbook and used arsenic free glass, the other reason to use glass was to eliminate the sheer number of parts involved in making the macbooks, then screen portion of the new macbooks has less than half the parts of the older models. Less parts (and the remaining parts being almost entirely recyclable) makes for an incredibly environmentally friendly laptop.

If you can't tell I am a little smitten for my new lappy, (i'm not entering into the mac v pc war but...) I was a pc fanatic, been using them since I was 4yo and loved them, but after using the new macbook (particularly the new trackpad... which is one of the best features) I believe Apple are on their way to becoming industry leaders where laptops are concerned and definately a better option for my personal uses...

 

[carrot]

IMHO Apple has always been leaders in the laptop market and if what you speculate is true js then it means a few interesting things. I for one hope you are right because I am always interested to get new hardware and I have been holding out on getting one of the netbooks as long as I can so that I can perhaps ride the first wave of Apple's entry into the fray.

Firstly, this is interesting because you could consider it Apple's take on the netbooks, but with a seriously different spin. The argument against the touch screen in this case (that it is difficult to type quickly on) is seriously lessened because the smaller keyboards of the netbooks are tough enough to write on, and with practice typing on a virtual keyboard as used on the iPhone becomes pretty easy to type quickly and accurately. Apple's experience with the virtual keyboards on their phones will help here, since their pattern recognition software is extremely good and corrects for common typos of "big" thumbs. Add to the fact that Apple pretty much has a monopoly on the most intuitive multi-touch gestures and they have a compelling product for which no other manufacturer has an answer. Because Apple controls both the software and hardware of the experience they are better able to make this happen -- the iPhones already blow tabletPC's out of the water as far as interface is concerned and this may be Apple's long awaited answer to the tablet format.

For some reason your prediction seems to coincide in my mind with the rumors about an 8" iPod tablet-- 8-10" seems like a particular sweet spot for a small tablet/netbook device, especially if well-executed. Apple is very much concerned with both hardware and software simplicity and I don't see a folding or sliding out keyboard as possible. The most likely thing I can imagine is using Bluetooth or USB to connect one of Apple's very sleek, slim keyboards. I can't see myself excited at the prospect of lugging both around so perhaps Apple or a third party will offer a tidy solution (a nice leather case that holds the device and a slim keyboard would be lovely). What I would be really curious to see is how Apple takes what they have learned in making the iPhone/Touch OS and adapting it to regular OS X. Apple is always very good at coming up with "crazy" things that work out and you have to wonder how the OS will deal without a proper cursor. I imagine there would be no trackpad, or if there was it would be a virtual one, but that seems inelegant. Unfortunately I find the tablet format cumbersome -- typing and then taking a pen to the screen, etc, but if they just "grew" the iPhone interface to fit OS X it should prove far less cumbersome than the traditional way.

Looking back at what I said I am not sure I made any sense at all but if I did I will call it purposeful and intentional.

 

[tiktok 22]

Introducing the new MACBOOK WHEEL!!!!

 

[greenlight]

Introducing the new MACBOOK WHEEL!!!!

Nice.

 

[WadeF]

I'm by no means a Mac guy, a fan of Mac, etc. However, I use iTunes and I have had various iPod's, the iTouch, and now the 3G iPhone. From using my iTouch and iPhone i always thing "Why doesn't Apple make a larger version of these?" Like you said, around a 12" screen, maybe smaller. They could put GPS in it, basically everything the iPhone has, minus the phone part. It could bluetooth to the iPhone to send and receive calls, transfer data, etc maybe. I'd love to sit around with something like that to surf the web, etc. I do plenty of it with the iPhone, but a larger unit would make it easier.

You're probably right on with your thinking js. I never was aware of all these puzzle pieces, but it certainly would look like this is the direction Apple is preparing to head in. Why lug around a laptop with a mechanical keyboard, folds open, etc, when it could be a solid unit, like a larger iPhone/iTouch, that would do everything most people would need it to (check email, surf the web, run iPhone/iTouch apps, etc).

 

[Black Rose]

Introducing the new MACBOOK WHEEL!!!!

"Virtually unbreakable unless dropped or hit" :laughing:

 

[carrot]

Introducing the new MACBOOK WHEEL!!!!

Nice thread derailment. :thumbsup:

 

[js]

I have to say a very interesting theory, I'm actually typing away right now on one of the Unibody MacBooks, and I have to say they're wonderful. The battery life is actually offset by the fact they are using alot more efficient electronics the flagship of which is the new LED based screen.
I'm getting 5hrs+ on my MacBook with wireless going... (which is the figure mac quoted iirc) I'll be very interested to see what snow-leopard brings to the table as far as the battery efficiency is concerned)

Yes, indeed, I didn't mention that, but I should have. The runtime is the same even though the battery is smaller, due to the more efficient LED screen, mainly. But even so, this has been an area of complaint for a long time now. Users want a longer runtime. If you're watching a movie, you have only just over 2 hours of battery life, which is problematic for watching some movies! If only Apple had kept the same 60WH battery, then you would have had a longer runtime. 20 percent longer. And thats something. But, they didn't go for it. Why though? Could what I'm saying be the answer? Maybe . . .

I believe eventually, (and I can't stress eventually enough) they will come out with a full touch screen tablet style computer, however they've been tried in the past by PC compatible companies and failed, whether Apple will succeed or not is another story...


I agree the getting rid of firewire on the macbooks was a VERY odd business decision, but they made it for a reason, and that reason is quite simply that firewire is an apple only thing, yes in an 'apple world' Apple would love everyone to use only apple products and have that monopoly, but I think they may be doing this simply because they realise they can convert more of the market by doing away with (some of) their proprietary products they have out. And switching over to some new products as part of the new line launch is a good move IMHO, the mini-DVI port as you said is actually a lot better and there will be other companies falling into line this year now... and as for the DDR3 ram, and the new graphics chipset, well that really does take the cake...

Firewire, aka IEEE 1394, isn't an Apple only thing, actually. It is an industry standard. True, it's development was largely (but not entirely) driven by Apple, but you can find PC motherboards that support it, and PCI or PCIe cards that provide it for PC's. And Firewire remains the primary transfer mechanism for almost all high end professional audio and video equipment, in fact. But, all of that said, I think that dropping it on the macbook line was a good move. Dropping the FW400 port on the unibody MBpro wasn't such a good move, in my opinion. And I am not alone. Firewire is awesome. Even though FW400 seems like it should be less capable than USB 2.0, in my experience, FW400 is noticeably better for external hard drives or cameras or audio/video. Plus, the spec provides substantially more power on the buss to the FW devices. I have an external DAC/ADC/MIDI interface (Apogee Duet) that is powered entirely from the FW buss, and which has a nice headphone amp in it that will drive even difficult to drive cans (although it likes the grados best, from all reports). Anyway . . .

Finally the glass screen, they did that for 3 reasons that I can see (4 if your theory of the touch based tablet mac comes to fruition), one; for the fact they're using and LED screen not LCD (iirc, the glass is part of the led structure of the new screen) two; is asthetic, the glass is beautiful, imho the seemless glass looks awesome, something that could not have been achieved on the classic macbook chassis and three; the environmental side of the new macs, they (apple) tried to make the entire macbook recyclable, they got rid of alot of the plastic parts of the macbook and used arsenic free glass, the other reason to use glass was to eliminate the sheer number of parts involved in making the macbooks, then screen portion of the new macbooks has less than half the parts of the older models. Less parts (and the remaining parts being almost entirely recyclable) makes for an incredibly environmentally friendly laptop.

There are few points that need correcting here. First of all is that you can have an LED backlit matte screen. My MacBook Pro, in point of fact, has just such a screen. Second, I could have gotten my classic MBP with a glass screen if I wanted to--the chasis supports it just fine. There was always the option to have either on the MBP, until after the 14th of October of 2008. Third, graphics professionals, by a significant majority, lament the loss of the matte option, although overall that preference is a minority preference.

But, I do love the new MB's. I love the unibody and I love the new trackpad. That is nice and is the one thing I really wish I could have on my classic MBP.

If you can't tell I am a little smitten for my new lappy, (i'm not entering into the mac v pc war but...) I was a pc fanatic, been using them since I was 4yo and loved them, but after using the new macbook (particularly the new trackpad... which is one of the best features) I believe Apple are on their way to becoming industry leaders where laptops are concerned and definately a better option for my personal uses...

The odd thing about the redesign of the lineup is that they basically got rid of the macbook Pro's and turned the mid-level macbooks into pros, more or less. They got much better graphics (but not as good as a classic pro like mine, hehe), an aluminum chasis, and better performance overall. Nice. But the pros design was morphed into the same geometrical layout as the macbooks. The DVD's/CD's load from the side now, and all the ports were moved over to the left. That's actually not good at all. Having a USB port on either side is best. So, I think the macbooks got a big win in the lineup change, but the pros really took a hit, for my taste. This is why I'm glad I bought a MBP just before the change.

Anyway, getting back on topic, I think that the glossy only screen thing and the unibody design change really do point towards a touch screen netbook type deal.

 

[js]

IMHO Apple has always been leaders in the laptop market and if what you speculate is true js then it means a few interesting things. I for one hope you are right because I am always interested to get new hardware and I have been holding out on getting one of the netbooks as long as I can so that I can perhaps ride the first wave of Apple's entry into the fray.

Firstly, this is interesting because you could consider it Apple's take on the netbooks, but with a seriously different spin. The argument against the touch screen in this case (that it is difficult to type quickly on) is seriously lessened because the smaller keyboards of the netbooks are tough enough to write on, and with practice typing on a virtual keyboard as used on the iPhone becomes pretty easy to type quickly and accurately. Apple's experience with the virtual keyboards on their phones will help here, since their pattern recognition software is extremely good and corrects for common typos of "big" thumbs. Add to the fact that Apple pretty much has a monopoly on the most intuitive multi-touch gestures and they have a compelling product for which no other manufacturer has an answer. Because Apple controls both the software and hardware of the experience they are better able to make this happen -- the iPhones already blow tabletPC's out of the water as far as interface is concerned and this may be Apple's long awaited answer to the tablet format.

For some reason your prediction seems to coincide in my mind with the rumors about an 8" iPod tablet-- 8-10" seems like a particular sweet spot for a small tablet/netbook device, especially if well-executed. Apple is very much concerned with both hardware and software simplicity and I don't see a folding or sliding out keyboard as possible. The most likely thing I can imagine is using Bluetooth or USB to connect one of Apple's very sleek, slim keyboards. I can't see myself excited at the prospect of lugging both around so perhaps Apple or a third party will offer a tidy solution (a nice leather case that holds the device and a slim keyboard would be lovely). What I would be really curious to see is how Apple takes what they have learned in making the iPhone/Touch OS and adapting it to regular OS X. Apple is always very good at coming up with "crazy" things that work out and you have to wonder how the OS will deal without a proper cursor. I imagine there would be no trackpad, or if there was it would be a virtual one, but that seems inelegant. Unfortunately I find the tablet format cumbersome -- typing and then taking a pen to the screen, etc, but if they just "grew" the iPhone interface to fit OS X it should prove far less cumbersome than the traditional way.

Looking back at what I said I am not sure I made any sense at all but if I did I will call it purposeful and intentional.

carrot,

It makes perfect sense. To me, anyway.

So, if they do do what I am thinking, they will definitely keep OS X, growing the touch interface to fit it. There won't be a trackpad, I don't think. The cursor will likely go away, or if it stays, it will move when you touch it and move it. But, why would it be needed? Maybe I just haven't given it enough thought, but it doesn't seem that disappearing the cursor will cause much trouble.

As for the physical keyboard thing, I agree: it would be cumbersome and silly. They will likely just have you use a bluetooth or USB external keyboard if you want an actual physical keyboard. And yes, there would likely be third party carry solutions so you could easily lug around both if you wanted. And, yes, the virtual keyboard-on-the-screen is actually remarkably easy to use once you get used to it--and that's with a freaking micro-layout on the iPod Touch or iPhone. A larger one would be that much easier. Obviously, it's not ideal if you're doing a lot of typing, writing a paper or a novel or something! But much of the time, when we're doing our routine computing stuff, we don't need to intensively use the keyboard. And having a laptop that was just one big iPhone/iPod Touch type deal would be remarkably easy to port around and use, via the touch interface.

And no freaking pen. That's just a step backward. The step forward would be the multi-touch interface taken to a two-hand level, with gestures involving multiple fingers on one hand, and even two hand gestures.

As for the "macbook wheel", yes, it was funny and does target some areas that deserve to have a little fun made of them,

BUT

seriously, the iPod wheel interface is a marvel of ergonomic and intuitive design. The first time I used an iPod, my sister spent just three seconds point out the interface and then just handed it to me, and I just started using it, and it was freaking amazing. When I wanted to do something, and hadn't been told how, I just did what came to mind and it worked. And the touch interface on my iPod Touch is just as amazing and intuitive. Brilliant, really. It points the way to so much more.

And isn't all of this stuff already in our faces? Don't we see the technology on TV (CNN's big election map touch screen) and in movies (the new bond movie, quantum of solace, or that movie "the island" where the people were human organ donor clones, for example). Don't we see whole DESKS that are big touch screen LED/LCD screens?

It's coming. Imagine being able to just grab two windows with three or four fingers on each hand, and just move them in different directions at the same time, or even collapsing one into a smaller view, while expanding the other and bringing it into the center of the screen. It's like something out of a movie--like Minority Report or Johnny Mnemonic (terrible movie).

And of course, you could rotate the iNet Touch (or whatever) so that it was in landscape or portrait mode. And yes, it could have built in GPS as well as WiFi. We're right at a knee-point in a curve here. We're going to see all this technology come together, much as it has come together in the iPhone. With Fibre Optic To the Premises, and it's incredible data transfer rates, we will be getting internet, phone, TV,--all of it, via the digital optical line into our house. And the cellular and/or wi-fi will start to get better and better and be more and more prevalent.

I'm getting ahead of myself, though. The point of this thread is just that I think that Apple is going to change the game, once again, by offering a touch screen computer/laptop that will redefine what the laptop is. I can see it. It's coming.

 

[Kiessling]

I think it is terrible. Touch screens are dirty. Touch screens require more movement of more body parts to achieve things than a mouse or trackball does. And typing on such a thing is good, like you said, if you don't actually need to type. A lot of people, like me, need to type, and will be left out with this sort of development.

I feared it might come to this for years, and seems doom is upon us all now :green:

bernie

 

[js]

bernie,

You are a remarkable and exceptional man! I love your presence in and contributions to our humble community! You have interesting and unusual takes on things. hehe

Yes, touch screens get all grimed up with finger oil, but they are super easy to clean.

As for movement of body parts, well, there's a lot of movement required to go from typing on a keyboard, to reaching over to grab a mouse, or to moving your hand down to reach the trackpad. If your hands were already right there at the screen, which was at a 45 degree angle close to and in front of you, then you would actually need to move a lot less than normal, in my estimation. Your hands would just be there on the screen, and would not need to leave it.

As for typing, yes, I totally agree, a real keyboard is best--but, as mentioned, you just carry one! The touch laptop would be more or less just the screen part of a normal laptop, without the keyboard. So you could always add it back in.

 

[Kiessling]

js ... :kiss:

The trouble is that usually I either type a lot or use the mouse a lot, I don't alter 2 times per second . And with the touchscreen I need to activate and deaktivate the keyboard and move things around with both hands, gasp! This is cumbersome.

If I need an external keyboard, I also need an external mouse since the screen is too far away to mess with ... and I need something to make the screen stand up. Making the whole thing a 4-part show, not counting the power supply. How terrible :green:

For "textworkers" like me, this is really bad news. Nice gadget, and I am sure I'll get the craving sensation to get one, but as with the iPhone, I'll resist.

bernie

 

[js]

Bernie,

Good points. Taken.

And, you should know that I'm a big fan of real keyboards, as evidenced by my whole thread on the subject. Even so . . . the whole touch screen thing is freaking cool! It just is.

 

[Pher]

I'm not quite sure whether I like the idea or not. After playing around with my iPod touch I got this Christmas the interface is very easy to use and the typing really surprised on how easy it is to type. However I don't know how great it would translate to a larger screen. I don't know how ergonomic it would be to type on a flat surface. But it would not be to hard to have a slim Bluetooth keyboard. As for the touch interface and gestures it would like keissling said be easier to scroll on a pad than to keep draging and flicking your finger up and down the screen. I do however like the idea of not having a combersome folding screen which gets in the way when sitting back and relaxing. If they released a larger iPhone or iPod touch I would see one before getting it.

Also I posted this off my iPod if that gives you an idea of ease of use.

 

[Tempest UK]

I love my iPhone 3G and my early 2008 MacBook Pro. I would hate for Apple to attempt to combine the two by releasing a large touchscreen computer. Touchscreens lend themselves well to small, portable devices such as iPhone and iPod touch, because you're rarely going to want/need to do any large amount of typing on them. A few quick emails, SMS, web browsing etc, is about the full extent of what most people use these devices for.

To have touchscreen keyboards on a "proper" computer such as the MacBook would be terrible. Entertaining for 5 minutes or so, but...actually no. I'd be sick of it well before 5 minutes were up. I couldn't stand to type out lengthy documents on such a device.

It could work, if you just took a normal MacBook and replaced the existing keyboard with a touchscreen keyboard. But that's just implementing new technology for the sake of it.

Regards,
Tempest

 

[js]

The device that I suspect Apple will release won't be aimed at replacing the macbook pro, but will be an entry into the netbooks, the micro laptops, whose purpose is more aimed towards email, surfing the web, and such-like.

However, one thing I don't understand is this concern with not being able to "scroll on a pad". I mean, if you want to, you could just make the exact same gestures in one small part of the screen, and it would be the same as scrolling on a trackpad. This is the point of the touch interface.

More importantly, however, is the fact that anyone who is serious about typing and who does copy work or editing work, will use an external keyboard with their laptop anyway. My brother is a copy writer and he plugs in both an external keyboard and an external mouse (as well as an external monitor) when working at home on his laptop. The touch interface, as I imagine it being implemented by Apple on a larger screened device, would NOT be just implementing a technology for the sake of just implementing a new technology.

The touch interface removes the middle-man in many screen interactions. Instead of having to move a cursor to a desired area with a trackpad, and then maybe do a two-finger scroll to see a different selection of one window's contents, you just put your finger on that window's content and move it up or down, and this scrolls it. If you want to move that window, just put your finger on the top move-bar of the window and move your finger. Want to shrink a window's contents? All you do is pinch it! No need to click on "view" in a menu and change it to 50%. Want to shrink the window itself? Just put your finger in the lower-left corner and move your finger. Now want to start typing? Tap your finger on area that will accept text and a keyboard appears right there just below where you will send the text. No need to move your hands down from the keyboard to the trackpad, move the cursor to the text area, CLICK, then move your hands up to the keyboard to start typing. Instead, your hands stay right there on the screen the whole time. And you have no idea how much faster it will be to manage multiple windows or even multiple desktops, like Spaces. The touch interface isn't just something relegated to smaller screen devices.

The touch interfaces works so well on small screens precisely because it is a much more efficient interface, ergonomically. This doesn't mean it is better for all applications! Not be a long stretch. And I don't want it to replace everything!

But seriously, it is a superior interface, and if it is implemented correctly, and augmented by an external keyboard and external mouse, then it would indeed suffer from no short comings, as a whole package. Just angle your touch-screen device at whatever normal angle you like to have your laptop screen. Now place your external keyboard and mouse right in front of it. Viola! No difference from normal.

Except . . . there is a difference. A big one. If you want to you can reach out and touch the screen and interact with it. Instead of reaching down to a trackpad, or over to a mouse, you could just reach up to a screen. Imagine it. You're typing away on your external keyboard which is right in front of your 45 degree angled touch-screen. Now you want to switch to another window. You hit the Expose button on your keyboard, all the windows appear in miniature, but instead of moving your hands down to the trackpad, moving around until you find where the blasted cursor is, moving the cursor to the window you want, clicking, then moving your hands back to the keyboard. Instead of all that, you just reach up and tap the new window to be made active.

You might not see it yet or imagine it yet, but the touch interface is going to change the computer world, just as the mouse did.

I mean, really, for crying out loud! I can't get my family to STOP touching my monitors! I hate finger prints on my nice matte screen Apple cinema display, or on my nice matte screen 15" macbook pro display, and I get all on edge when lots of new people are crowded around either of these displays, looking at something my wife is showing them. I just know that it will get touched. It's not a huge deal; I can clean them when enough dust and prints warrant it. But, I don't like it, and the matte screen scratch so easily, and are relatively delicate.

Why fight it? People effing WANT to touch screens. Why not take that natural impulse and make a screen that is MADE to be touched, and which cleans oh-so-easily?

And trust me, there are ergonomics to a large touch-screen that none of us has thought of yet. Stuff that once you start using you hate to lose again. It's going to be a game-changer.

And just like the Macbook Air, which has a separate DVD/CD drive connected wirelessly, there's no reason a touch screen netbook (or whatever) couldn't have any and all peripherals added on that people desired. Want a trackpad and keyboard, or a mouse and keyboard? No problem. Just add them on.

Obviously, yes, if you always want those things, then a traditional laptop is the answer. But, I think that Apple will keep the MacBook Pro models just as they are, more or less, and transform the macbooks (or maybe just one of the levels of them, or just add a line) into this larger touch-screen device.

However, just as obviously, I'm only guessing here. Time will tell.

 

[Kiessling]

Yeah yeah ... :nana:

But I can be very much more precise with a cursor than I can be with my fingers. Imagine working with the creation of tables in MS Word, pictures, ... whatnot. In addition to that, I can still see what I do when working with a cursor, because there ain't my big finger covering everything.

People touch screens to point out something. Imagine your wife's surprise when every little pointing at the picture does change something ...

A screen that is matte, that can be tilted and that can protect from the view of others and from the negative effects of sunlight is nice. A smeary touchscreen that has to lie down in order to use the computer or that requires a bazillion external devices and a stand to work is just not ergonomic in my world.
The beauty of a laptop is that it is one piece of equipment when used outside the house.

I guess you'll win though. They'll make it and the world follows.

bernie

 

[js]

bernie,

Good point about the accuracy of a cursor vs. a big ol' finger tip. But, there are plenty of ways around that, actually. In fact, at some point typing on my iPod Touch, I have accidentally entered a sort of magnifying window/bubble blow up region that followed my finger, and in the center of which was a text entry bar.

So there are a number of solutions that could be implemented there.

And, even so, you'd be surprised how accurate you can be with your finger tip once you get used to it. There is a learning curve, I admit, but when you get on the other side of it, you can be quite accurate--well, more accurate than you might expect initially.

As for "every little pointing changing something" that isn't usually the case. A finger touching a picture or word document wouldn't change anything, actually, unless it moved the window a bit. But, here again, this is a benefit. There is a consequence to touching the screen, and someone who learns on a touch screen learns NOT to touch the damn thing if he or she doesn't want anything to happen.

As for the benefits of a matte screen, you're preaching to the choir. I went out of my way to get a matte screen, in fact. I love matte screens, and I am not really all that thrilled with Apple's move to glossy-only. At least as far as that one thing goes.

As for the part about a touchscreen "having to lie down", that's far from given. I can imagine the iTouch Net (or whatever) having a hinged back section that locks at various angles allowing one to prop it up at different positions, like a picture frame of sorts.

More importantly though, the device would not "require" a bazillion external devices. That's the beauty of it! You don't need to add an external keyboard or trackpad or mouse or any of it. In terms of a "one piece of equipment" deal, a touch interface netbook would be even more all of a piece than a standard laptop.

You, bernie, yourself would maybe need to do so to make it useful for you, but then again, you won't be buying one! (Assuming they are even made!)

As for me "winning", it ain't me, bernie! It's Apple. Well, it's my guess as to what Apple will do. And the world has a way of following a course that no one predicted. So who knows!

 

[Kiessling]

Well ... you know, I am gadget-infected like anyone of us here
So if my wife won't safe me, I could well end up with one of those.

I don't doubt that one could learn how to use a touchscreen with various aids, but when I think of opening windows to have a keyboard, to activate a magnification bubble etc ... I am not thrilled.

The human-computer interface for most of our current applications is just fine I think, and I don't think the touchscreen has anything positive to add, quite the contrary.

And if you require an external keyboard and mouse to use it properly, you lug around two more items than with a standard laptop, which has all this useful stuff integrated

Let's just hope it won't happen
But if it does, you can say "I predicted the future for I am called JStradamus"

bernie