Multi-Touch Mac - No Hard Drive, but lots to Quick
Look at.
24/10/07 20:56 |
Apple
Recently
we wrote about the strong possibility that the
Multi-Touch Mac won't have a hard drive.
At the end of that post we described how adaption of a full-size operating system works against the success
of a tablet computing device.
Today we cover why Quick Look is just as important as the lack of a hard disk.
At the end of that post we described how adaption of a full-size operating system works against the success
of a tablet computing device.
Today we cover why Quick Look is just as important as the lack of a hard disk.
We've already made the connection between having a hard drive in a tablet and
a bad user experience. We believe that a proper tablet computing experience can't
be created by simply 'adding' a touch or handwriting recognition layer to an existing
desktop operating system.
Software for a tablet computer requires a different interface to software for a desktop or laptop.
The tablet software can't rely on accurate position inputs, it typically runs on a smaller display
and access to a keyboard is such a problem that it should be used only for text entry and even
then only if it is absolutely necessary.
The concept of a file browser (like Finder) as we understand it simply doesn't work on a small display.
A file browser running on a tablet computer can't rely on the user being able to read a long list of filenames
or accurately select a filename from that list. What is needed is a way for the user to select a document
based on its content, without reading a filename.
What is needed is a graphical representation of the contents and a way to select a document using broad,
simple gestures.
What you need is Cover Flow. It's perfect for the job, it already exists and if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch
you're already using it on a tablet computer.
What you need is a way to display the contents of a variety of file types, that's fast, simple and built right into
the OS - Movies, photos and music are already handled on iPods. A tablet needs to be able to show the contents
of word processor documents, spreadsheets and things we haven't thought of yet.
It needs a way for developers to tell Cover Flow how to display a preview of a document.
What you need is Quick Look. It's perfect for the job, it already exists and you're going to be using it on a tablet computer.
Quick Look allows you to view the content of files without loading the editor application. The editor application may
not even be installed, you won't have a hard drive so you'll have to pick what you need. Quick Look enables application
developers to provide plug-ins to represent their documents on the tablet.
Overkill technology for Finder on traditional OS X, perfectly suited for a tablet computer.
Quick Look is small, it can fit into flash memory and leave plenty to spare for your content.
It is fast because it doesn't need to load an application to display a document, so it doesn't need a power hungry processor.
And because of this it even saves on power, it allows the tablet to run for longer on a cheaper, smaller battery.
Quick Look and Cover Flow will replace Finder and provide 90% of the functionality users need from a full-size OS X installation,
right in your pocket.
Cover Flow and Quick Look will work together with Multi-Touch in Apple's next generation of mobile computers to provide the user
with the perfect interface - and in two years time, you'll wonder how it could have been any other way.
Broadmier and Zillatron
edit: Thanks to one of our readers for pointing out that its Quick LOOK not VIEW. We'll try not to rush so much next time!!
Thanks.
Z
|