BusinessWeek: HP "out-touches" Apple

"The difference is that Apple's staff are patient and careful enough to execute it in exactly the right way, not just the most obvious way."

Well you see is that Apple can do whatever they want because apple make's there own OS with there own Computers, So it's easier for them to make whatever they want. Were as it HP doesn't make the OS so they receive software that doesn't have touch features in it. HP had to go to Israel to get software that aloud them to complete this task. The software they got goes over top of the OS so there any software could be placed under. Instead of windows, you could Linux instead.

By the way this isn't just simply a Laptop with a Touchscreen. This is a Tablet that has a rotatable screen that folds down and it's only 12.1". It's not a generic Home Laptop. This would be used for Business people who need a small portable laptops, Like say a real estate agent.

Well, *I* don't want a multi-touch screen on my laptop. That's just stupid. I'm paranoid enough about the display without adding it being touched to the reasons it might go bad.

`You ever paid to have a laptop display replaced? Can you imagine how much it would be to replace a multitouch laptop screen?

Jeez. If you want a multitouch computer that uses the display as the touch-surface, then get an iPhone. I'll stick with my unibody Macbook, thanks.

The only way I see multi touch being mainstream (i.e. on every MacBook) is if the whole flat surface is multitouch, with a virtual keyboard. I can't see that being massively popular though. I can't really see why you'd want it either...

While I agree that this is a bit of Apple fanboyism, I think that Caolo is on to something. Also, this article is categorized under "Analysis/Opinion", so I think he's allowed to, you know, express his opinion.

I think that current touchscreen computers are interesting, but need to evolve before they become really useful. I don't want to have to keep my arms up for extended periods to interact with my computer desktop. The iPhone works because the touch screen solves a space issue (how to get a big screen on a small device when you typically need room for a keyboard) and a phone is already a handheld device, so the touchscreen can be used in a comfortable position.
The BusinessWeek article makes reference to the computer interfaces of Star Trek (starting with the Next Generation) where users interact with a touch-sensitive surface. I found that interesting because in Star Trek there are touch surfaces that serve as displays, others that are situated like keyboards (or the Microsoft Surface table), and some that have both the display surface and the keyboard-situated surface. There were different configurations for different purposes.
I think that the best implementation for computers we use while sitting down would be to have two touch-displays, one that serves primarily as the monitor (vertically oriented), and another that serves primarily is the keyboard/input (horizontally oriented). If you had something on your monitor that you wanted to interact with using your hands, like an image you wanted to manipulate, you could move it from the monitor to the keyboard area, work on the image comfortably, then return it to the monitor when you're done. For laptops, you'd essentially have touchscreens on both halves of the clamshell. This won't happen until putting two touchscreens in one product won't drive the laptop's price out of the range that consumers are willing to pay, but ultimately touchscreens computers have to become something more than they are now before they become truly useful.

Seriously... dave and tuaw need to listen to these comments. Even though this is a blog dedicated to apple news does not mean that posts like this should ever be written. That kind of bias and fanboyism will ensure that most people don't come back. I like apple as much as much as many who visit this site(I've had 5 ipods and am happy with my switch over from windows a few months ago) but this is just ridiculous.

i mean comon, apple is more innovative because they make the trackpad "smoother and glassier"...glassier? really?

I love Apple products and this blog, but I feel that this entry was a bit off.
First off, have you seen the demo videos floting around the net on the new laptop?
Yes, the screen isn't ment for touching... When it's folded up like a regular laptop! But once you swivel it and fold it down to read some news on the net, an E-Book, toy around in Photoshop or whatever meets your fancy the application of a touchscreen beat the multitouch trackpad anyday which will also be your conclusion once Apple make their first multitouch screen laptop. The feature that the laptop also feature that the laptop encorporates a stylus which deactivates "hand" touch and switch over to stylus mode might (I havent tested it so I can't say for sure) make it applicable as an interactive drawingboard.
This laptop with a beta version of Win 7 will be quite interesting where MS has finally understood the importance of touch. I look forward to next year when Apple without a doubt will announce a multitouch laptop which integrates multitouch screen gestures and such with Snow Leopard.

I got a touchscreen iMac listed on ebay right now. It's not multitouch, but it's a 24" 2.8 with 10000 rpm hard drive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-24-iMac-2-8GHz-4GB-ram-10-000rpm-TOUCHSCREEN_W0QQitemZ130269407388QQcmdZViewItemQQptZApple_Desktops?hash=item130269407388&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1309

I didn't realize the god of computers wrote for TUAW. Thanks for letting us know the right way for next generation computers to interact with humans.

Throughout all of human history it has never really made sense to manipulate something by directly touching it. I bet god (human god this time, not the god of computers again) would have included a trackpad interface for women except there just wasn't an available serial port.

The HP touch screen desktop is very annoying. While it is fun standing in the store using it on a high countertop and standing right in front of it was fun, Sitting a a desk, with my monitor far away, it would be difficult to continually reach out and touch the screen.

On a notebook it might be a bit easier but personally I hate touching my screen as it is, I can't imaging the mess that would ensue if I needed to continually touch my screen to work applications.

David, I have to sincerely disagree with you on several levels with your obvious fanboyism.

Apple have probably the best touch-pad experience on the market BUT, they are definitely missing out on the touch-screen side. I have used the Dell XT tablet extensively and, when in Tablet mode, the multi-touch capabilities of the capacitive screen (as opposed to the overwhelming majority of resistive screens) is a god-send.

As maligned as Vista is with TUAW readers, it's touch-oriented features and it's multi-touch capabilities are a pleasure to work with.

You don't have to type with an on-screen keyboard, you can simply write what you want and Vista converts it to text as needed.

There is definitely a large market with so many multi-media classroom oriented applications that have been introduced over the last couple of years and given the numbers of Macs that are in schools, this IS an area of opportunity that is being missed.

Also an FYI, just because Apple is not currently pursuing or has not released a product in a certain segment does NOT mean that market is irrelevant. HP has done the right thing, as did Dell when they released their XT (used by the president of the United States to deliver the previous Budget, electronically, for the first time).

I love my iPhone, but having touch-capabilities on a notebook wouldn't be bad, but then neither would having working HDCP or a Blu-ray option ;)