Finger input is fine for smaller devices such as the iPhone where using a stylus is just cumbersome. With decent enough real estate though it's nicer and more precise to use a stylus.
Either way until the Apple tablet gains some substance I've got much more interest in Microsofts courier device. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
@Odin: Well, some of the time. A stylus is irritating for casual use: fiddly, doesn't let you use it one handed, and one more thing to lose.
When I want to get some work done, however, a stylus is a nice addition. Plus, think of stylus + multi touch, and what kind of weird interactions you could have. Precise pointing with multi-touch gestures to modify objects (?). #appledigitalinkpenpatent
@mmmiles:
Well as I said, often whether a stylus is appropriate or not depends on the design of the device. Small devices like the iPhone don't benefit as much because of some of the reasons you mentioned. On a tablet scale device though you're unlikely to be using it one handed in the same way you would an iPhone. The screens too big to get the sort of reach with a thumb while holding it one handed and if you're using it on a flat surface you can still use it one handed with the stylus. Plus increased size means a good likelyhood there'll be a storage compartment for the stylus which alleviates some of the risk of losing it.
As for multi touch it's still quite feasible with a stylus. I know I could perform pinch/spread gestures with my index finger and thumb without having to put a stylus down. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
@Odin: I meant with your other hand, but that's a neat idea too. Too bad years of computer use and no training my art skills has left me with completely useless handwriting and pen skills.
Personally, I would expect them to borrow a lot from the iphone, especially in terms of one handed use, to help it appeal to a broader market (say, reading your newspaper or blogs in the morning, for presentations or any kind of casual reading). Just a hope, though. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
@mmmiles:
It's never going to be one handed use in the same sense as the iPhone though. Because of its size you're always going to need one hand to hold it and one hand to use it effectively. While on the iPhone you can reach a large percentage of the screen with a thumb while holding it. That percentage area is significantly reduced on a tablet sized device so you're going to be able to access a less effective area. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
If they had a Wacom style pressure sensitive pen I would just install Photoshop and Corel Painter on this thing and disable everything else. I'd be so cool to digitally paint on the fly. So many drawing applications, so little time. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
OK, so how does multitouch work with a stylus? Dual-input? Having the option of a stylus would be nice, but styus-only would be a dealbreaker for me. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
@tande04: ? Only styluses (styli?) I know of for the iPhone are those weird Pogo ones and equivalents. My impression has been that capacitative touch really doesn't lend itself to stylus input. But I'm probably wrong, I generally am:) #appledigitalinkpenpatent
@outeast: You're not wrong really. Its just that are ways of making it work.
The way that the capacitive screen works doesn't work like the old screen stylus combination but they did come up with a new way of working with it. I've never used one but they're apparently good enough for apple since they're using them on the new iPod touch POS. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
Why does Apple have to patent everything? Like every small thing that they think is their own original should be patented to them? I know why their doing the patents, but why do they have to do it for almost everything? #appledigitalinkpenpatent
I used to think we would have touchscreens all over the house.
Now I'm realizing we will have one little touchscreen computer that will work as the remote for everything from our car to our office door to our to paying for coffee to brewing coffee at home. #touchscreens
Looks like the touchscreen lies on top of a pressure sensor, so it's a lot like those screens that try to simulate pushing buttons by using haptic feedback. I guess having the pressure sensitive layer underneath the screen helps preserve the image quality. #touchscreens
@Biscuitcleaver: That's what I'm thinking. These patents tend to be filed years in advance. If this mess is gonna be in a tablet that is supposed to come out nine months from now (this time), somebody's been sitting on their hands for a while.
As with every one of these dang Tablet rumors....I'll see it when I believe it.
why is it that all these patent filings look like they were drawn in a 7th grade art class? couldnt those engineers hire an actual artist to draw those hands? its not like apple doesnt have the money.
Ugh, look this is proof of how Microsoft is stealing from Apple yet again. This time Microsoft has gone too far though, I mean to actually time travel to the future, steal Apple's ideas and then travel back and release a patent of their own weeks before Apple puts on one for their own touch applications, it's all just sicking. I wish for once M$ would just come up with something on their own, and before Apple releases something.
I mean, before you know it M$ is going to try to start saying that they've been doing "tablet pcs" for years and years, that their old CEO and founder has talked about nothing else for as long as anyone can remember. They'll go so far to say that they even had software called "Windows XP tablet pc edition" or something crazy like that. I mean how desperate can Microsoft get? If something like that existed, then explain why there's an one sitting on my desk right now, that I can physically touch, yeah explain that one you stupid M$ fanbois.... wait, a minute....
@Dr. Evil Genius: It COULD have been a mistake, as the rest of his comments dont really appear ban worthy. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt of tech issues this time. (If he does it again we will know for sure and can have a public hanging.)
That was invented before Panama Disease basically wiped out the population of Gros Michel bananas, leaving the public eating Cavendish from the '60s onward instead... I wonder what the size difference was between them, and what a good size would be to inject a Cavendish...
11/12/09
Either way until the Apple tablet gains some substance I've got much more interest in Microsofts courier device. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
When I want to get some work done, however, a stylus is a nice addition. Plus, think of stylus + multi touch, and what kind of weird interactions you could have. Precise pointing with multi-touch gestures to modify objects (?). #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
Well as I said, often whether a stylus is appropriate or not depends on the design of the device. Small devices like the iPhone don't benefit as much because of some of the reasons you mentioned. On a tablet scale device though you're unlikely to be using it one handed in the same way you would an iPhone. The screens too big to get the sort of reach with a thumb while holding it one handed and if you're using it on a flat surface you can still use it one handed with the stylus. Plus increased size means a good likelyhood there'll be a storage compartment for the stylus which alleviates some of the risk of losing it.
As for multi touch it's still quite feasible with a stylus. I know I could perform pinch/spread gestures with my index finger and thumb without having to put a stylus down. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
Personally, I would expect them to borrow a lot from the iphone, especially in terms of one handed use, to help it appeal to a broader market (say, reading your newspaper or blogs in the morning, for presentations or any kind of casual reading). Just a hope, though. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
It's never going to be one handed use in the same sense as the iPhone though. Because of its size you're always going to need one hand to hold it and one hand to use it effectively. While on the iPhone you can reach a large percentage of the screen with a thumb while holding it. That percentage area is significantly reduced on a tablet sized device so you're going to be able to access a less effective area. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
J. Allard is the next Steve Jobs. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
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11/12/09
The way that the capacitive screen works doesn't work like the old screen stylus combination but they did come up with a new way of working with it. I've never used one but they're apparently good enough for apple since they're using them on the new iPod touch POS. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/13/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
Just because Gizmodo tends to post every single patent Apple posts, doesnt mean the other companies dont do it either.
And patents are how you protect the look and abilities of your device and keep it from being ripped off. #appledigitalinkpenpatent
11/12/09
10/25/09
Now I'm realizing we will have one little touchscreen computer that will work as the remote for everything from our car to our office door to our to paying for coffee to brewing coffee at home. #touchscreens
10/25/09
10/02/09
10/02/09
As with every one of these dang Tablet rumors....I'll see it when I believe it.
10/02/09
10/02/09
10/02/09
If I drew them, we'd be saying; "what are those meatballs on sticks typing on that tablet for?"
10/02/09
I mean, before you know it M$ is going to try to start saying that they've been doing "tablet pcs" for years and years, that their old CEO and founder has talked about nothing else for as long as anyone can remember. They'll go so far to say that they even had software called "Windows XP tablet pc edition" or something crazy like that. I mean how desperate can Microsoft get? If something like that existed, then explain why there's an one sitting on my desk right now, that I can physically touch, yeah explain that one you stupid M$ fanbois.... wait, a minute....
08/25/09
Meet hhumbert.
08/25/09
08/25/09
08/25/09
08/25/09
08/25/09
08/25/09
08/25/09
Usually, when i eat a banana split sunday, i eat around the banana. It's just empty vitamins.
08/25/09
08/25/09