Multi-Touch Future - There's something in the air
27/02/08 18:18 |
Apple
Since the
release of the Macbook Air, we've been shocked by the
explosion of arguments over the all new Macbook. We
take a look at the Air in a different light, rather
than review we want to look at how the Air fits into
the bigger picture.
Why is the 'Air' so important to OS X and what is so significant about Apple about bringing touch to the Mac?
Why is the 'Air' so important to OS X and what is so significant about Apple about bringing touch to the Mac?
Weeks have
passed and the dust has settled on the latest bomb
dropped by Steve Jobs and Apple, the Macbook Air.
This isn't just another ultra-portable laptop. Apple
is pursuing yet another interface revolution. If you
didn't believe it when the iPhone/iPod touch were
released, you should now.
While people were complaining that the solitary USB port stopped them from buying the Air, we looked into what the Air does have, Multi-Touch. Apple left out 'debatable' features like a built in DVD drive, lots of USB ports, firewire and weight but didn't sacrifice on everyday important things like screen real-estate, a real keyboard and now Multi-Touch. The future is available today (ok, 2-3weeks) for those who want it.
After the launch of the iPhone everyone realised that the lack of stylus and hardware keys were a requirement in creating a more adaptive user interface. Apple now appear more than prepared to bring touch to the Mac and the Air is the first step down that path. Although the native OS X interface is built around the more traditional keyboard and mouse, it wont be long before we see Apples team of interface designers bring more of the iPhone to the proverbial big screen.
Coverflow, Quick Look, Stacks and Time Machine all show signs of Apple searching for the right formula to make this the next big 'transition'. Getting Ma and Pa average to feel comfortable with a mouse didn't happen overnight but now you'd wonder where we would be without it. Multi-Touch is starting this all over again, helping the Mac evolve in two ways:
- Making the human-computer interface less visible by making it more 'natural'.
- Making the computer work more like you think, hiding more of the computer behind a less visible but smarter and more intuitive interface.
The Air is currently the only full size Mac that supports Multi-Touch outside the 'two-finger scrolling' generation of notebooks, this makes it unique and important. Showing OS X is up to the task of driving the latest hardware innovations is only the beginning. It proves Apple know the ideas that made the iPod such a phenomenal success help drive the future of their products, building a base off the original iMac, the iPod was born. Building a base of the iPod, the iPhone was born. The next generation of Mac's will bring this full circle and build off the iPhone and Multi-touch.
We wonder how flexible the hardware and firmware behind the new touchpads are. Can they only report the expanded set of gestures currently supported by Apple apps or can they be used by third party vendors to support an expanded set of gestures?
There is something in the Air...and it's not just a fancy touch pad.
Zillatron and Broadmier
While people were complaining that the solitary USB port stopped them from buying the Air, we looked into what the Air does have, Multi-Touch. Apple left out 'debatable' features like a built in DVD drive, lots of USB ports, firewire and weight but didn't sacrifice on everyday important things like screen real-estate, a real keyboard and now Multi-Touch. The future is available today (ok, 2-3weeks) for those who want it.
After the launch of the iPhone everyone realised that the lack of stylus and hardware keys were a requirement in creating a more adaptive user interface. Apple now appear more than prepared to bring touch to the Mac and the Air is the first step down that path. Although the native OS X interface is built around the more traditional keyboard and mouse, it wont be long before we see Apples team of interface designers bring more of the iPhone to the proverbial big screen.
Coverflow, Quick Look, Stacks and Time Machine all show signs of Apple searching for the right formula to make this the next big 'transition'. Getting Ma and Pa average to feel comfortable with a mouse didn't happen overnight but now you'd wonder where we would be without it. Multi-Touch is starting this all over again, helping the Mac evolve in two ways:
- Making the human-computer interface less visible by making it more 'natural'.
- Making the computer work more like you think, hiding more of the computer behind a less visible but smarter and more intuitive interface.
The Air is currently the only full size Mac that supports Multi-Touch outside the 'two-finger scrolling' generation of notebooks, this makes it unique and important. Showing OS X is up to the task of driving the latest hardware innovations is only the beginning. It proves Apple know the ideas that made the iPod such a phenomenal success help drive the future of their products, building a base off the original iMac, the iPod was born. Building a base of the iPod, the iPhone was born. The next generation of Mac's will bring this full circle and build off the iPhone and Multi-touch.
We wonder how flexible the hardware and firmware behind the new touchpads are. Can they only report the expanded set of gestures currently supported by Apple apps or can they be used by third party vendors to support an expanded set of gestures?
There is something in the Air...and it's not just a fancy touch pad.
Zillatron and Broadmier
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