The US Patent and Trademark Office released a rather large pile of patent applications earlier this morning filed by Apple, the bulk of which pertained to the ongoing research of multi-touch technology by Wayne Westerman, former cofounder of Fingerworks. These applications specifically dealt with the refining of the touch experience by avoiding unintentional contact, hardware advancements, as well as the use of gestures.
Written by Edward Kirk on July 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Apple and Gestures and Hardware and News and Patents and fingernail and multi-touch and pressure sensitivity and stylus.
Apple patents are the key to understanding the next generation of products. The latest submitted, by Wayne Westerman (of Fingerworks), is no different. This patent application shows diagrams directly relating to multi-touch on Mac OS X, illustrating a drop down control panel with advanced multi-touch settings. There are a series of 'chords', or combinations of different fingers, which to different operations. There are already basic multi-touch gestures instated in the Macbook/Pro's, but we can assume that those laptops are not equipped for the advanced gestures. The Macbook Air, however, may be able to adopt these through a software update.
This patent application effectively claims that the new multi-touch trackpads are sensitive enough to detect the various combinations of fingers which are being used. This opens up another world of functionality for Apple, and if the patents keep rolling in, it might be Apple-specific, which will really help to increase their market share. Mac-1 PC-0
Written by Will on February 20th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Apple and Chords and Gestures and Mac OSX and Macbook Air and Multi Touch.
Apple patents are the key to understanding the next generation of products. The latest submitted, by Wayne Westerman (of Fingerworks), is no different. This patent application shows diagrams directly relating to multi-touch on Mac OS X, illustrating a drop down control panel with advanced multi-touch settings. There are a series of 'chords', or combinations of different fingers, which to different operations. There are already basic multi-touch gestures instated in the Macbook/Pro's, but we can assume that those laptops are not equipped for the advanced gestures. The Macbook Air, however, may be able to adopt these through a software update.
This patent application effectively claims that the new multi-touch trackpads are sensitive enough to detect the various combinations of fingers which are being used. This opens up another world of functionality for Apple, and if the patents keep rolling in, it might be Apple-specific, which will really help to increase their market share. Mac-1 PC-0
Written by Will on February 20th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Apple and Chords and Gestures and Mac OSX and Macbook Air and Multi Touch.
Its pretty much a given that the fancy multi-touch trackpads recently instated in the Macbook Air will find their way across the whole Macbook line. Just as the iSight camera is now a standard piece of every Apple computer, the 3 finger glide and pinch gestures will become commonplace.
Multi-touch might seem like a 'gimmick' to some, but its another feature to add to the list of 'things' which separate Apple from the crowd. As well as looking cool, these gestures can seriously increase productivity, and become loved by the Apple crowd. Take the two finger scroll, for example- whenever I have to revert to PC, I wonder how I ever lived without it, and most Apple adopters feel much the same.
Multi-touch has been a feature of Mac-portables for a long while now, and current Macbooks/Pros already recognise multiple sources of contact (for the two finger tap/scroll). Once the more sensitive touchpads are instated, Apple can begin to broaden the capabilities of this hardware, and possibly open up multi-touch to software developers. Imagine- software specific motions tailored to each program. A pinch in iTunes could select a specific playlist, whilst in garage band it would begin recording...
I hope Apple fully take advantage of the avenues opened up by this technology. The optimisation of this technology may be a key factor in securing a larger market share, and maintaining the momentum built by the latest round of Apple products.
Written by Will on January 21st, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Apple and Computers and Gestures and MacBook and MacBook Pro and Macbook Air and Multi Touch and iSight.
