Comments on: iPhones, Surface Computing – A New Way http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/ This is the blog of Glen Hiemstra, futurist speaker, keynote speaker, futurist consultant, and founder of futurist.com Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:46:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Glen Hiemstra http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/comment-page-1/#comment-12429 Glen Hiemstra Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:37:49 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/#comment-12429 Erik, you have a point of course. Voice commands, data gloves, touch screens have all been around, but not widely used by consumers except for touch screens. Heck, I tried a data glove and VR gogles in 1989. I ought to have mentioned that. My point is that the touch software in the iPhone and the gesture based system in Surface may change, and probably will change the interface as much as the mouse did versus the plain keyboard. Though iPhone is really just a variation on touch, when you use it and fly through lists according to the speed at which you flick your finger, it becomes a nice analogue for a real gesture. And Microsoft's Surface is even more revolutionary in its ability to see and respond to gesture rather than touch, though touch works also. Erik, you have a point of course. Voice commands, data gloves, touch screens have all been around, but not widely used by consumers except for touch screens. Heck, I tried a data glove and VR gogles in 1989. I ought to have mentioned that. My point is that the touch software in the iPhone and the gesture based system in Surface may change, and probably will change the interface as much as the mouse did versus the plain keyboard. Though iPhone is really just a variation on touch, when you use it and fly through lists according to the speed at which you flick your finger, it becomes a nice analogue for a real gesture. And Microsoft’s Surface is even more revolutionary in its ability to see and respond to gesture rather than touch, though touch works also.

]]> By: Adam http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/comment-page-1/#comment-12373 Adam Mon, 09 Jul 2007 20:41:46 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/#comment-12373 I think it's not so much that the input hasn't changed, it's more that the newer forms of input didn't have much support the first few times around. Anyone remember the P5 Glove from '01 or so? Didn't think so. Nintendo has been coming out with all sorts of new interfaces lately, and actually supporting them for once (unlike the old Power Glove). I have to wonder if maybe that's helping drive interest in all these new technologies. I think it’s not so much that the input hasn’t changed, it’s more that the newer forms of input didn’t have much support the first few times around. Anyone remember the P5 Glove from ‘01 or so? Didn’t think so.

Nintendo has been coming out with all sorts of new interfaces lately, and actually supporting them for once (unlike the old Power Glove). I have to wonder if maybe that’s helping drive interest in all these new technologies.

]]> By: Erik Swedberg http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/comment-page-1/#comment-12358 Erik Swedberg Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:51:31 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/2007/07/03/iphones-surface-computing-a-new-way/#comment-12358 I object to your blanket statements "amazingly little has changed" (since the invention of the mouse), and "[iPhone and Surface] are the first new thing[s] in digital interaction in decades". First, the mouse has been around since before 1981... as far as I know Douglas Engelbart unveiled it as part of his famous 1968 demo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Engelbart Next, all kinds of alternative computer interactions have been under development and possible for far longer than the iPhone and Surface have been around (stylus, gestural, voice, thought, wearable, etc.). You probably know more about this than I do, what with your involvement in the HITLab and all. I'm confused as to why the release of 2 new products make us so easily want to forget history. I object to your blanket statements “amazingly little has changed” (since the invention of the mouse), and “[iPhone and Surface] are the first new thing[s] in digital interaction in decades”.

First, the mouse has been around since before 1981… as far as I know Douglas Engelbart unveiled it as part of his famous 1968 demo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Engelbart

Next, all kinds of alternative computer interactions have been under development and possible for far longer than the iPhone and Surface have been around (stylus, gestural, voice, thought, wearable, etc.). You probably know more about this than I do, what with your involvement in the HITLab and all.

I’m confused as to why the release of 2 new products make us so easily want to forget history.

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