AppleInsider has posted that a new and ambitious patent filing from Apple that hints that it is working on an advance version of it's multi-touch technology for future notebooks that goes far beyond what any notebook or hand held device, including the new MacBook Air, or iPhone/iPods, are now currently capable of.
According to AppleInsider, what is particularly interesting is that "The panel is split three-ways, offering a distinct set of customizable options for "Standard," "Basic," and "Advanced" multi-touch operations." This will enable Apple's multi-touch technology to do, among other things, things that enable gestures for file operations, editing operations and web browser operations. These "Advanced" operations include gesture sets for operations that neither the iPhone or MBA have current support for, as stated above.
They go on to report that, "..... Apple explains that by using a combination of the thumb and two other fingers, users of the advanced multi-touch trackpad technology would be able to invoke commands for copy, paste, cut, redo, and select all. Similarly, by using the thumb and just one other finger, users would be able to create new files or open, save and close existing ones."
Well, if you thought that Apple was about to rest on it's laurels, think again. No, I think that Apple's multi-touch features, as featured in it's current products, are still yet in it's infancy. Just as the old vinyl records seems so ancient and inefficient when compared to DVD's, and other modern devices, the present multi-touch features will also seem ancient and inefficient when compared to whats coming.
In other words: we haven't seen nothing yet!
As with all technology, the world moves on and what Apple and others are now doing will evolve into newer areas and products that will simply blow our minds. The iPhone's multi-touch features have already changed the landscape in the mobile space, and will no doubt, be also used for other products in other industries that should result in the same - a virtual revolution in how we interact with our devices, be they electronics, including phones, computers, hand helds, etc. But not only that, no, we can expect that multi-touch will also be applied to everything, from the cars we drive, the televisions we watch, the radios that we listen to, to the stoves, fridges, washing machines, and what ever else you can think of!
So, in conclusion, let me state that we can all expect that multi-touch enabled devices are about to have a huge impact on the world around us and for the better. Multi-touch technologies, of which Apple through their acquisition of FingerWorks (one of the original multi-touch companies) is one of the pioneers, and the front runner, and I believe that multi-touch is a very welcome development that will soon be advanced beyond anything that we ever thought possible!
Multi-touch, along with voice recognition, is the future, but will it really make a difference? You can bet your last Tootsie Roll on it! I, for one, can't wait to see what and how multi-touch will transform our lives.
So, bring on the future - bring on multi-touch!
And thats my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, February 19, 2008.
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