Multitouch on stamps

I always thought the idea of multitouch on tiny screens was kind of ridiculous. So I kind of laughed when I heard Apple was going to but multitouch on the iPod nano, because it's really no bigger than a stamp.

But Apple got the last laugh, because they found a really nice use for it. Instead of having an accelerometer guess what orientation you want, you use two fingers to rotate the screen, and you get what you want. Simple to learn. Easy to remember.

I thought the automatic switch would be the best, but I've learned when living with the iPad and iPhone that it often rotates when I don't want it to. Stopping the guesswork and just using two fingers to rotate the screen is a step in the right direction. I think.

Future os Screens - Experience video

Capacitive screens has now become a commodity for touch screen devices. Screen technology is now taking the next leap and the coming years imagination is the only thing stopping us. We will soon have dual screens, malleable screens, screens built into wifi connected mirrors, desks or backside of gadgets clothed with e-ink screens, tactile feedback, color screens with great contrast in sunlight, holographics/stereoscopic screens, color e-ink touch screens, or screens actually knowing where they are in relation to other screens thanks to ultrasonic emitters and microphones.

We want to show some of these things in an "experience video", that shows a normal day in a couple of years when all these technologies are affordable enough to be used everywhere. This video is the result of our experiment with open innovation, read more about our experiment here. Big thanks to all the people from TAT and around the world who helped out and sometimes shared their ideas and sometimes gave us homework on our own ideas.

Ringo by Ivan Tihienko

Holographic Interface - round interface - Ringo from Ivan Tihienko on Vimeo.

Circular user interfaces are very futuristic. I think real interfaces are often square because it's more space efficient than circular shapes, and space is always at a premium. But when you project on the ground, you have lots of space. Pico projectors are just around the corner so it's time to start thinking about what's different about a projected interface.

Exploring Tablet Interfaces

In 2010 and 2011 there will be a device explosion in the Tablet space. We can expect to see a wide variety of new devices ranging from 5 to 12 inches on operative systems such as MeeGo, Android and Windows 7. What kind of user experiences will these devices offer? How do you design astonishing tablet interfaces?

On one hand we have companies that scale phone UIs to tablets. On the other hand we have companies offering the full blown desktop experience scaled down to tablet size. We believe that both of these approaches will result in crippled user experiences. For example, the tablet form factor is perfect for media consumption and this could be manifested in the UI. TAT recognizes tablets as a radically different type of device - personal and mobile yet powerful and creative. We are now on a quest to design fantastic UIs that are optimized for this device space.




Follow the link to check out Velvet - a playful concept UI for MeeGo tablets by TAT and Wind River. With full support for 3D graphics and shaders, TAT Cascades enables astonishing UIs on MeeGo, Android and other tablet OSs.

Microsoft Experimental Adaptive Keyboard

One of the things that you really miss when you design for touch screens is tooltips on mouse-over. Nobody wants to look stupid, and mouse-over can really help users avoid pressing the wrong buttons, by providing more information about what they do.

A physical keyboard with real keys could still have a touch sensitive surface. Then you could have tooltips when you rest your finger on a button. This is not included in the Microsoft Prototype, but I like to dream. It's nice to finally see some serious adaptive keyboard hardware. Although I think I would prefer an e-ink screen instead.

Toshiba Libretto W100 PALW100MNG Dual screen UMPC multi-touch review

There are a number of new challenges for dual screen devices. One is how to solve interaction between the screens, such as moving windows between the screens. Here is one solution. I don't know if it's the most elegant one, but it seems to work.

I like the fact that they placed all the heat generating components behind the top screen, to avoid burning up your lap. With my current Macbook, I usually have to have an extra book in my lap to shield my legs from the heat.

Readius

While new to me, this video is already two years old when I blog it. Things are really happening with the rollable displays for e-readers. The promise of the rollable display is: Pen sized in your pocket - book sized in your hand.

This e-book reader is also a phone. If anyone has a chance of disrupting the mobile phone industry, it's someone coming from a different angle. I think the rollable e-book reader is a dangerous angle.