2 ms·

An anecdote: I've been using my iPad everyday since I bought it. Laptops and desktops much less so (though mainly because I don't have a good work set-up atm.)

An anecdote: I've been using my iPad everyday since I bought it. Laptops and desktops much less so (though mainly because I don't have a good work set-up atm.) Recently I was on my Macbook and someone called me on Skype. Incredibly, it took me around four seconds of prodding the "answer call" button on screen with my finger before it struck me that I wasn't working with a touchscreen! Anyway, I'm sure that won't answer all of your objections, and while I agree with you in principle - about screens wobbling for instance - I have to reject your claim that a touchscreen laptop is totally useless. At the very least, with a well-thought out new interface paradigm, you gain small-to-medium boosts in everyday productivity while losing nothing in base functionality. You only add a new interaction option while taking away none of the previous mouse-and-keyboard functionality. That's why nobody is proposing taking away keyboards from touchscreen laptops - because clearly physical keyboards are better than touchscreen keyboards. So your argument about touchscreens being bad for typing are moot, because everybody is going to just use the keyboard in that instance. I do see a lot of use for touchscreens on laptops in the sort of situation I described earlier - pushing large, clear buttons on screen. This is actually a case where current laptops are miserably unfunctional. Even on a plush, responsive trackpad such as a Macbook's, remotely manipulating a small cursor from one arbitrary spot onscreen to another arbitrary spot and clicking is very inefficient. Being able to simply reach out and tap the screen on the exact spot is much better. This use-case for touchscreen laptops could become even more widespread if popular software begins to follow Microsoft's design cues with large, clear buttons.

meaty 14y ago
The problem is that all user interface paradigms that work with touch are fundamentally incompatible with a keyboard and vice versa. Can you operate IOS from a keyboard entirely? No. Can you operate windows from a keyboard entirely? Yes. Can you operate windows 8 from a keyboard entirely? No. The paradigms are so disparate it's unreal and they will never work together without massive compromise. The MacBook touchpad is only so large because its impossible to use the keyboard to drive OSX. Its a crutch. However it easier to position with a pointing device than a finger on its own as you can scale movements. Metro is shit - in typing this on a lumia. Its horrible but my other half is on Facebook on my Lenovo t61 (she uses only the keyboard and clitmouse which is incredibly accurate with some practice). Nokia 6303 is in the post.
- corporalagumbo 14y ago
  Hmm. 1) I'm not sure that I agree with you that touch and keyboard/mouse don't mix. Perhaps nobody's come up with a good mix yet. At the very least, what is to stop us from writing software that recognises when input modes change and shifts to suit the new mode? We can write responsive websites that shift to fit different screen sizes. 2) Maybe you can't operate W8 from a keyboard, but you can operate it a hell of a lot better than iOS. At least Microsoft tried to make something that works with both. In Metro you can select tiles with the keyboard arrow keys, search with the Windows key, go to desktop, switch apps, all with keyboard shortcuts. 3) Perhaps the paradigms seem unreal and disparate at the moment, but is that any reason to give up on a future where interfaces are fluid, responsive and seamless across multiple devices and input modes? 4) I agree with you that it is easier to position a pointing device with a trackpad. But that's the whole point of a touchscreen - you don't need to position a pointing device. Rewrite the apps to make them larger and finger-friendly, and forget pointing devices. If you want total accuracy just plug in a mouse. You can do it with the Surface, so what's the problem? 5) I have a Lumia 800 too, and I quite like it. I don't think it's good enough for Microsoft to become a real competitor to Android and iPhone, but I definitely don't think it's crap. Anyway, it doesn't mix interfaces at all - Metro on Windows Phone is touch only. So, why don't you like it?

meaty 14y ago

The problem is that all user interface paradigms that work with touch are fundamentally incompatible with a keyboard and vice versa. Can you operate IOS from a keyboard entirely? No. Can you operate windows from a keyboard entirely? Yes. Can you operate windows 8 from a keyboard entirely? No. The paradigms are so disparate it's unreal and they will never work together without massive compromise. The MacBook touchpad is only so large because its impossible to use the keyboard to drive OSX. Its a crutch. However it easier to position with a pointing device than a finger on its own as you can scale movements. Metro is shit - in typing this on a lumia. Its horrible but my other half is on Facebook on my Lenovo t61 (she uses only the keyboard and clitmouse which is incredibly accurate with some practice). Nokia 6303 is in the post.

corporalagumbo 14y ago
Hmm. 1) I'm not sure that I agree with you that touch and keyboard/mouse don't mix. Perhaps nobody's come up with a good mix yet. At the very least, what is to stop us from writing software that recognises when input modes change and shifts to suit the new mode? We can write responsive websites that shift to fit different screen sizes. 2) Maybe you can't operate W8 from a keyboard, but you can operate it a hell of a lot better than iOS. At least Microsoft tried to make something that works with both. In Metro you can select tiles with the keyboard arrow keys, search with the Windows key, go to desktop, switch apps, all with keyboard shortcuts. 3) Perhaps the paradigms seem unreal and disparate at the moment, but is that any reason to give up on a future where interfaces are fluid, responsive and seamless across multiple devices and input modes? 4) I agree with you that it is easier to position a pointing device with a trackpad. But that's the whole point of a touchscreen - you don't need to position a pointing device. Rewrite the apps to make them larger and finger-friendly, and forget pointing devices. If you want total accuracy just plug in a mouse. You can do it with the Surface, so what's the problem? 5) I have a Lumia 800 too, and I quite like it. I don't think it's good enough for Microsoft to become a real competitor to Android and iPhone, but I definitely don't think it's crap. Anyway, it doesn't mix interfaces at all - Metro on Windows Phone is touch only. So, why don't you like it?