Future of Computing??

[tkam]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4217348.html

Pretty cool stuff I could really see something like this being the direction that computing goes in the relatively near future.

[thrice]

impressive indeed.

[qazwsx]

The monitor would have to be freakishly huge to have a completely touch screen keyboard to be comfortable.

And having no USB ports is a pretty crappy idea since I can't use my printer, or put songs on my iPod either.

[bhd812]

i walked in bestbuy the other day and they had like 4 or more computers without keyboards...all touch screen included now type of stuff...

i was like WTF?

no i really said WTF the letters out loud...really

[postjack]

Very cool. Reminds me of the Neal Stephenson book The Diamond Age.

I'm gunna go join the drummers.

[Eric5676]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4217348.html

Pretty cool stuff I could really see something like this being the direction that computing goes in the relatively near future.

I think it's definitely cool stuff straight out of Star Trek, but frankly

I'm skeptical. A touch-sensitive coffee table isn't a practical design to me. Assuming it is both a table and a computer, what happens when people treat it like a table -- i.e. if they put things on it (like six months worth of USA Todays, their muddy feet, or a steaming mug of cocoa) -- how does that affect the touch-sensitive controls?

And who wants to watch a movie hunched over a 30" table? Not me. You also need to be particular about where you place this thing, because light reflections will certainly interefere with trying to view its highly reflective surface.

I think I'll wait for Apple's next innovation (which Microsoft will innevitably try to copy anyway as usual.)

As always, all of the above = IMO, YMMV, etc.

[mjg]

i want a toilet seat touch computer, everytime i shit i want it to tell me in spanish that my poop smells pleasant. I'd also like google on my curtains, and digg.com on my dinner plate.

[tkam]

The monitor would have to be freakishly huge to have a completely touch screen keyboard to be comfortable.

And having no USB ports is a pretty crappy idea since I can't use my printer, or put songs on my iPod either.

Who said anything about needing to use a keyboard or mouse with this . The whole idea of the thing is a change in the way we interface with computers. LOL I really wouldn't worry about USB by the time something like this hits the consumer level in 5-10 years everything will be wireless anyways.

[tkam]

I think it's definitely cool stuff straight out of Star Trek, but frankly

I'm skeptical. A touch-sensitive coffee table isn't a practical design to me. Assuming it is both a table and a computer, what happens when people treat it like a table -- i.e. if they put things on it (like six months worth of USA Todays, their muddy feet, or a steaming mug of cocoa) -- how does that affect the touch-sensitive controls?

And who wants to watch a movie hunched over a 30" table? Not me. You also need to be particular about where you place this thing, because light reflections will certainly interefere with trying to view its highly reflective surface.

I think I'll wait for Apple's next innovation (which Microsoft will innevitably try to copy anyway as usual.)

As always, all of the above = IMO, YMMV, etc.

It's actually not a touchscreen in the way your thinking about it. It uses a system of cameras (i think 9 of them) in this particular demo of the tech. Wouldn't worry too much about the monitor thing as I doubt we'll see tech like this trickle down to the consumer level for another 5-10 years at which point I'm sure there will be plenty of nice big HDTV's w/ wireless capabilities built in.

[ojnihs]

meh...don't particularly see the point in ever having one of these...but oh well

[Eric5676]

It's actually not a touchscreen in the way your thinking about it. It uses a system of cameras (i think 9 of them) in this particular demo of the tech. Wouldn't worry too much about the monitor thing as I doubt we'll see tech like this trickle down to the consumer level for another 5-10 years at which point I'm sure there will be plenty of nice big HDTV's w/ wireless capabilities built in.

In any event, it's still cool!