HP responds to Jobs about touchscreen PCs

The first day of the New Year 2011 and I have finally found what will be my dream! My perfect computer would stand both vertical and lay horizontally. It would be lightweight and able to be hung as well as bracketed or section cupped down. As an Artist who has desired such ease of physical application (hand touched -meaning multiple fingers moving at the same time, or perhaps a second option of single pointed finger. You see, in 1997 I described such, and well, now my dream can be true! If you are able to create the above mentioned physical attrtributes of a touch screen laptop aka table top, that takes physical touch and turns it into a digital format using Real life speed Of hand motion- I'd be already into my fifth phase of online educational videos (it must be easy touch edited with iFrame technology. Mac and pc interface options??) Come on!! (I write code in PC and edit video in Mac). I am first and foremost and Artist! I'd love to work with a demo!!! Happy New Year!

You can lay a touchscreen flat, sure, but then you're staring down, cranking your neck at a 90 degree angle, which is just as uncomfortable as "gorilla arm." When I watch people at cafés staring at their iPads on the table I have to wonder how much their chiropractic bill must be.

I agree with Jobs more than with Bosley on the ergonomics point, but that's not to say there isn't room for some combination of the two interfaces, or some innovation that's completely different. I think the trackpad for desktops is a brilliant first step, long overdue. I also think the cursor is an ancient gui that must go at some point, but what would replace it? No one's figured that out yet, but whoever does will be very rich.

ABSOLUTELY. Bring it. Only Apple can pull off a multi-touch iMac, and so they shall. They'll make millions off of people who want their computer to be like the one in Minority Report. Including myself. Ridiculous, I know, but I don't care. I WANTS IT.

IF the touchscreen was sensitive and accurate enough, I can see that it might work. I would like to use a pen/stylus with it for more detailed work, just as with Ituos Cintiq. I imagine they have sold a few of those, or they wouldn't still be making them. If it were easy to manipulate from standing to angled/flat, as in Apple patent, I can see this being potentially very effective for image editing, motion graphics, and possibly video editing. I am fairly sure I would want this over the conventional iMac.

No way.

"...essentially turning it into a tablet."

Yes, a large, heavy, unruly tablet. Perfect.

The main problem I see with a pivot-to-flat touchscreen iMac is that its footprint is *huge*. It becomes less useful if you have to move a bunch of stuff on your desk before you can pivot it down to the horizontal position.

I mostly agree with Steve's position regarding touchscreens on a desktop machine. But having had an iPad for 6 months, I've found myself trying to use touch gestures on my desktop monitor a few times. You just get used to having it. So honestly, a desktop touchscreen with that could change positions from vertical to horizontal would be attractive to some of us. As several people here have said, you can use whatever input method you want depending on what you're doing.

I agree with Jobs on this one but also I have a hard enough time dealing with fingerprints on my iPhone & iPad and am constantly cleaning my MBP screen for dust and when some Dbag puts a finger on my screen....In turn I don't really want to be dealing with it on my iMac..yes, it might be convenient for short periods of time, but in the long run, it's a waste of time/tech...my Magic Trackpad does everything I need as far as touch UI goes...for now....

I agree with Steve, I've worked on HP touchscreens and even forgot they are touchscreens because it feels weird to use them.