> ... this separation of our productive workspace into display and input planes has been with us since the dawn of writing, ... and it means that multitouch tab

> ... this separation of our productive workspace into display and input planes has been with us since the dawn of writing, ... and it means that multitouch tablets will continue to be novelty/entertainment items. > So a new tablet will never be exciting the way that a new, luxury gel ink pen will be exciting, or a new leather journal, or ... This seems inconsistent to me. The way I interact with a leather journal, or a sketchbook, or a notepad, or any paper that I write or draw upon, is very much like a tablet: there's only one surface I interact with, not two. The author seems to enjoy this arrangement, as I do. The author did specify multitouch, and I agree that multitouch seems better suited to simpler interactions and media consumption, at least based upon my experience with it so far. Even taking that into account, though, I think his diagnosis of the problem is wrong; for me, the problem is not having one surface instead of two, but the inability to use a precise stylus! An iPad or iPad-like device which could use a stylus with the accuracy of a Wacom tablet in addition to supporting multitouch would be a real game changer for me. Fortunately, I don't expect to wait too long for this; the advantages are too obvious. When such a device is announced, I feel confident it will be more exciting than a new luxury gel ink pen, even for Jon Stokes.