Touch interface

Microsoft is coming out with an interface device which is signalling the beginning of the end for the mouse. In true Microsoft fashion, it seems to be targeting commercial applications and mass market, “where entertainment is king” as the clip says. Technical applications be damned. This new gizmo, if you haven’t seen or heard about it yet is called the Microsoft Surface.

\nOther companies are missing the boat on so many opportunities. I wish someone had the guts to stand up to Microsoft.\n\nI really hope that Jeff Han is getting some piece of the pie, and the MS didn’t just come up with their own version of his stuff. His name is not mentioned in any of the History on the MS website above. If you haven’t seen Jeff’s stuff, watch the movies at both links. Jeff was demoing some of the picture manipulation applications as well as some more graphical if not highly technical applications. The application for CAD, or anything either geometrical or graphical for this sort of interface is huge. Think of a Sketchup type application on this interface – you wouldn’t reach for a napkin ever again. Think of combining the lava lamp application with Sketchup on this interface for concepting shapes. It’s still just 2D, but getting rid of the mouse and allowing multi-touch will be huge.\n\nRegardless of who is doing it, I’m glad that the mouse’s days are numbered, but it looks like another wasted opportunity to beat Microsoft at their own game.\n\nOf course the next question is if SolidWorks is already working on integration to this interface? They say the Surface technology will be available this winter.  If SW can integrate into this interface, it will be a big improvement.