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Though it’s incredibly awkward and tiring to actively touch a 27-inch screen on a desk, touchscreen tech is still the obvious future for computers. So it’s no surprise that Apple has some patents up its sleeve that’ll make a touchscreen iMac a reality. Here’s the newest.
According to PatentlyApple, the new Apple patent published by the USPTO today shows new GUI elements that could help improve the potentially confusing layout of a hybrid OS X/touchscreen UI. Specifically, Apple is trying to fix knobs with a “new” knob/slider control that’s easier to use and figure out. The effect is more visual and clearer in how the particular knob works (Patently Apple says there is a fill region that indicates the movement of a knob).
All this type of GUI isn’t particularly groundbreaking but to elegantly transfer mouse and click actions to sensible touch and tap motion, well, the devil is in the details. Obviously, this little patent isn’t hard proof that the next generation iMac will have a touchscreen display but it’s clear that Apple sees touchscreen in the iMac (or at the very least, Mac OS X’s) future. Read more about knobs and how they related to touchscreen iMacs at Patently Apple.
What do you guys think? Would you want a touchscreen iMac? [Patently Apple]
I wouldn’t buy one for 2 reasons..
1> I don’t have the space for a desktop (but would love an iMac)
2> Posture, hand/arm positioning and closeness to the screen.. Touchscreen desktops just aren’t practical in the real world. After the initial WOW factor has worn off, you’ll go back to using a mouse/trackpad.
Great for Hollywood – not so great in the real world.
Oh and the fingerprints.
It’s horses for courses I reckon.
I appreciate touchscreens work well on my iPhone and iPad, plus I imagine it’d be occasionally useful on a laptop (when doing ‘iPady’ stuff, yes – new word); I wouldn’t need to use a touchscreen on my main PC, my Music PC or HTPCs.
Work generally requires keyboard and mouse for ‘Officey’ stuff (yes…), Music and HTPC mostly air mouse and occasionally remote keyboard – the screens being set far away from where I sit.
PS I’m assuming I can read ‘computing device’ into your ‘iMac’ question above, Casey.
Great, but one problem, Mr. Cook & co.
If my experiences with recent iMacs are anything to go by, a touchscreen version of it will be covered in greasy fingerprints and smudges that were completely intentional (being a touchscreen). Add the glossy screen and suddenly any light source highlights an incredibly dirty screen. Just great for doing anything.
As Mr. Stonemanty points out, these are completely useless for “work” apps and more of a gimmick for home users.
No need to worry about greasy fingerprints. This computer will come with the amazing and revolutionary iCloth. Woven from the hair of Foxconn factory workers and thus infused with Carbon Tetrachloride for a sparkling clean.
While treading the border of bad taste, is this a part of Apple’s recycling program that has been extended to “retired” workers at Foxconn?
I shall refrain from answering this, due to it’s proximity to the aforementioned border.
Oh, you tease!
Either way, no cloth on Earth will be able to stop the multitude of greasy fingerprints.