I think people are missing the point on how Apple might integrate multi-touch technology with their Macs.
Here is my theory:
There are 2 recently released patents that give us some hints. First, there was a patent for a multi-touch mouse. The second was a patent for a trackpad that uses "visual stimuli".
The truth is, I think this multi-touch mouse/visual trackpad is already here. It's the iPhone. It could also include a new multi-touch iPod.
The iPhone/iPod would be connected to your Mac (via USB) and used as an auxiliary input device in addition to your mouse and keyboard. It would communicate with OS X in a similar fashion as Telekinesis but not via a web interface, showing you a section of your desktop screen. Alternatively, it could be programmed to show only certain windows or panels of applications.
Imagine starting up Logic, and using your iPhone/iPod to control a virtual mixer, or using it as a visual Wacom tablet for Photoshop, or zooming and scrolling desktop Safari by using your iPhone.
The iPhone would complement your main monitor. This would solve the conundrum of integrating multi-touch with desktop computing. We don't need multi-touch for every action. The keyboard and mouse are still king, but using a small multi-touch device in combination with your main input devices would be revolutionary and would change computing.
In this case, the iPhone is a Trojan horse. This functionality would only be available to Mac OS X users, which would encourage iPod owners to get a new Mac. This also seems to explain the delays with Leopard if the iPhone is to be integrated so closely with the OS (more than just syncing).
It's clear to me that Apple really is years ahead of the competition, namely Microsoft, which is the only other company that could deliver this kind of integration between a phone/DAP and an OS. Well played Apple, well played.
Thoughts?
Cross-posted from my site.
Here is my theory:
There are 2 recently released patents that give us some hints. First, there was a patent for a multi-touch mouse. The second was a patent for a trackpad that uses "visual stimuli".
The truth is, I think this multi-touch mouse/visual trackpad is already here. It's the iPhone. It could also include a new multi-touch iPod.
The iPhone/iPod would be connected to your Mac (via USB) and used as an auxiliary input device in addition to your mouse and keyboard. It would communicate with OS X in a similar fashion as Telekinesis but not via a web interface, showing you a section of your desktop screen. Alternatively, it could be programmed to show only certain windows or panels of applications.
Imagine starting up Logic, and using your iPhone/iPod to control a virtual mixer, or using it as a visual Wacom tablet for Photoshop, or zooming and scrolling desktop Safari by using your iPhone.
The iPhone would complement your main monitor. This would solve the conundrum of integrating multi-touch with desktop computing. We don't need multi-touch for every action. The keyboard and mouse are still king, but using a small multi-touch device in combination with your main input devices would be revolutionary and would change computing.
In this case, the iPhone is a Trojan horse. This functionality would only be available to Mac OS X users, which would encourage iPod owners to get a new Mac. This also seems to explain the delays with Leopard if the iPhone is to be integrated so closely with the OS (more than just syncing).
It's clear to me that Apple really is years ahead of the competition, namely Microsoft, which is the only other company that could deliver this kind of integration between a phone/DAP and an OS. Well played Apple, well played.
Thoughts?
Cross-posted from my site.