You may have noticed that i post regularly on week-end some "tech" articles - and exceptionally too during the week as i did last thursday on the new Apple Ipad. So, i introduce today the "D&M Innoventions" section where you'll learn interesting news about future technologies. Let's say it will be D&M "Tomorrowland" where we will have an insight of the future. All tech articles will be listed on the right column in this section. You love Innoventions at Epcot and Disneyland? I'm sure you'll love too the D&M Innoventions articles!
Here we go for a new one, and don't worry, tomorrow i'll be back with Disney / theme parks articles:
It seems that i was not the only one being disappointed with the new Apple IPad. I don't worry too much for Apple, though, as i'm sure they will sell it anyway. And others - like me - will wait for the next version hoping it will bring "the future in the present" as i explained in my previous article.
Precisely, let's have a quick look at the future and what could be the next Apple IMac. On January 14th a new Apple patent appeared describing pretty clearly what could be a new kind of IMac, a IMac Touch. And days later, chinese-language Commercial Times reported that "Apple will launch a 22-inch IMac touch late 2010. Apple will outsource production of the 22-inch model to Quanta, with Taiwan-based Sintek Photronic supplying the touchscreen panel".
Frankly, i have nothing against the concept of a IMac with a touch screen, but until now i had pain in my shoulder at the simple thought that i'll have to lift my arm all day long in order to touch this godamn' screen... Apart the inevitable fingermarks on the screen, this was for me the main problem. And then came this new Apple patent.
As you can see on the picture above Apple resolved the problem in such a simple way that it's hard to believe nobody thought about doing it before. Basically, you will have a normal IMac which, thanks to a articulated arm, will smoothly change its position and move closer to you.
But the transition will also have an effect on how you will use softwares as an include accelerometer will automatically detect the change of position. At that point the UI will enter in touch screen mode as it is written in the "Transitioning Between Modes Of Input" patent description and described in the picture below:
"Transitioning between a high-resolution input mode, such as a mouse-based interface, and a low-resolution input mode, such as a touch-based interface, is described. A change of orientation of a touch screen between a first orientation and a second orientation is detected. Transitioning between the two input modes and corresponding user interfaces (UIs) is based on the detected change of orientation. A change of orientation can be detected with one or more sensors, such as an accelerometer, position sensors, etc. Transitioning from one mode to another can include modifying an item displayed in the UI of the one mode into a corresponding item displayed in the UI of the other mode. The modifying can include enlarging/reducing, obscuring/unobscuring, moving, etc. For example, an item can be obscured by the visual effect of sliding it off of the screen."
So, will 2010 be the year of the first IMac Touch? May be. But there is another reason why it should happen: i've always thought that the Iphone was Apple's Troy horse to convert PC owners to Apple products. Last week Steve Jobs introduced the new IPad working with the same multi touch OS than the IPhone. What does it mean? It mean that the 30 Million + IPhone owners already know how to use the IPad and all of them are, of course, potential buyers. The next step might be the IMac Touch, using the same multi touch interface than the Iphone or the IPad. You got the idea? The idea is to direct little by little to Apple computers the same people who were at first only interested by a mobile phone! I must admit it's a really smart strategy...
And if i'm right we should have some news of the IMac Touch next September when the new IMacs will be announced.
So, what do you think of this new IMac Touch concept?
Pictures: copyright Disney, Apple Inc
