Tactile Feedback...

[mikeymoves]

I am sick of hearing this phrase. It seems like one person said it would be a problem and it spread like a California brushfire. The truth is, multitouch is a new, innovative evoultion in the input entry system. Years from now, our kids are going to laugh at the notion that we actually had to PRESS keys to enter in data. Lack of tactile feedback will take some getting used to, but so did riding a bike without training wheels for the first time.

 

[buymeaniphone]

You do have a good point. Its not like this is the first phone to have touch screen dialing.
Who knows maybe in the future Macbooks (or whatever apple will call the future laptops) will have two screens one for viewing information and the other will be a huge touchscreen keyboard, imagine no more dust or hair between the keys.

 

[mikeymoves]

You do have a good point. Its not like this is the first phone to have touch screen dialing.
Who knows maybe in the future Macbooks (or whatever apple will call the future laptops) will have two screens one for viewing information and the other will be a huge touchscreen keyboard, imagine no more dust or hair between the keys.

You can sign me up for THAT!!

 

[boss1]

i cant argue for or against a buttonless keyboard as ive only used the ones with physical buttons.

However we should keep in mind that the arguments for physical keys have good reason and are rooted deep in tech history. Remember students of a typing class on older typewriters used to get scolded for looking down at the keyboard when typing. Finger placement, hand positioning, and being able to feel your way around a keyboard is still considered to be essential to efficient input on such devices.

So we should easily see why not being able to touch and feel the individual keys might make a lot of people question the efficiency and practicality of a buttonless keyboard.

Now create a small portable keyboard so that you cant lay all 10 fingers down. One that its meant to be poked around with thumbs or index fingers only. So that the range and number of keys those fingers have to touch are increased substantially. And take away the buttons so its a flat surface with only visual feedback. Like i said. I can't say its impractical because i havent used it but I could see why there is concern.

Also I'm no beethoven but I do play piano and other musical instruments as a hobby. I can tell you that even in those areas tactile feedback (the word you seem to dislike) is extremely important to musicians who value the quality of instruments. Each key you press or plug (strings) has it's unique and valuable resistance, throw (momentum), and recoil speed. All factors that have an impact on how the musician sounds when playing the instrument.

Keyboards are not very different than musical instruments. I know hard core gamers that swear and stick to only the finest gaming input devices for the very reason of tactile feedback.

 

[mikeymoves]

i cant argue for or against a buttonless keyboard as ive only used the ones with physical buttons.

However we should keep in mind that the arguments for physical keys have good reason and are rooted deep in tech history. Remember students of a typing class on older typewriters used to get scolded for looking down at the keyboard when typing. Finger placement, hand positioning, and being able to feel your way around a keyboard is still considered to be essential to efficient input on such devices.

So we should easily see why not being able to touch and feel the individual keys might make a lot of people question the efficiency and practicality of a buttonless keyboard.

Now create a small portable keyboard so that you cant lay all 10 fingers down. One that its meant to be poked around with thumbs or index fingers only. So that the range and number of keys those fingers have to touch are increased substantially. And take away the buttons so its a flat surface with only visual feedback. Like i said. I can't say its impractical because i havent used it but I could see why there is concern.

Also I'm no beethoven but I do play piano and other musical instruments as a hobby. I can tell you that even in those areas tactile feedback (the word you seem to dislike) is extremely important to musicians who value the quality of instruments. Each key you press or plug (strings) has it's unique and valuable resistance, throw (momentum), and recoil speed. All factors that have an impact on how the musician sounds when playing the instrument.

Keyboards are not very different than musical instruments. I know hard core gamers that swear and stick to only the finest gaming input devices for the very reason of tactile feedback.

Good arguments, but my response is simply this: We will adapt. ANY gamer would surely give up even the most dynamic and ergonomic input device if they could simply use hand gestures (accurately and easily!)

 

[MacbookSwitcher]

One of the key advantages of tactile feedback is being able to feel the keys without looking at the device. On the Treo, you can concentrate on looking at the data you're entering while your hands type, since you can feel the notches on the F on the home row keys. Whereas on the iPhone you'll have to look at the key you're trying to type, to make sure your hands fit the correct 4x9mm area of the screen that is the button...so you won't be able to concentrate on the data as much. I would argue that you lose some ease of use due to this.

Another common use case is ignoring a call while in the pocket or purse..you can feel the hangup key and press it...where as the iPhone, you'll need to pull out the device then look at the area you need to press, then press.

But, as I always say, I'll reserve final judgement until I can use the device.

 

[mugwump]

So lemmie get this straight, you're reserving final judgement until you see the thing, and until then you are going to be this "chorus of one" of negative speculation?

Look, it's a device, it doesn't have every feature, and it was pre-announced way ahead of time which you term as "vapor." If any of this is throwing you for a loop, then an Apple-fan forum ain't for you.