PC Joint

August 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 am

How Apple will implement Multi-Touch in Macbook, iMac and other devices

in: Uncategorized

The speculation about whether Apple will include it’s Multi-Touch user interface into other products started right after the new UI was unveiled during iPhone presentation.

To be more precise, there never was a question “If”. It was “When” and “How” Apple will go about making it’s Multi-Touch iMac’s, Macbooks and iPods.

New Apple’s patent application, called “Multi-Touch gesture dictionary” now gives the answer to the “how” question.

apple-multi-touch-macbook-imac-dictionary.jpg

To make your next Multi-Touch Macbook or iMac, Apple will create an interactive Multi-Touch gesture dictionary software application. This application identifies a chord (e.g., a combination of fingers, thumbs, and/or other hand parts) presented to the multi-touch interface by the user and displays a dictionary entry for the identified chord

Multi-Touch dictionary can be a separately installed application or it can be made a part of Mac OS running in the background, translating various Multi-touch gestures into a commands for other applications.

The application can also be made interactive, allowing the users or other application designers to define their own meanings for various multi-touch gestures.

And it does not stop at simple 2 finger gestures seen in the iPhone, but can interpret complex multi-finger and multi-handpart touch gestures as well.

Universal multi-touch dictionary application is the latest and most comprehensive indication how the new interface might be implemented.

And it does not even require any new fancy touchscreens. A simple touchpad, backside touchpanel on iPod/iPhone Nano or Multi-Touch mouse can capture the gestures and with the help of the dictionary translate them into application commands.

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3
  • iJob
    1:29 pm on August 2nd, 2007 1

    This is a dead donkey! How much do you think your arm would ache after just 5 minutes of puting your arm up and down the screen? Also, what if I want to get pixel accurate on something, what to I do, use a stylus? What an ergonomical nightmare that is!

  • Staska
    3:21 pm on August 2nd, 2007 2

    Multi-Touch does not necessary mean the touchscreen. It’s about multi finger gesture recognition and can be implemented in an enhanced touchpad and even a mouse.

  • bizarro ballmer
    3:56 pm on September 8th, 2007 3

    It’s about the alptop touchpad stupid

 

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