The following is a guest post by Robert Kegel. In a recent article by Onuora Amobi wrote “Steve Ballmer has an 80 inch Windows 8 Tablet in his office” he quotes Microsoft’s VP Frank Shaw in saying “Every screen should be touch, every screen should be a computer and should be able to see out as well as see in. That is the way the world is heading [and] those screens are going to be big, small, wall-sized and desk-sized,” I don’t agree with this fully. At some point most TV and computer monitor manufacturers will make TV’s with touchscreens, but I don’t think they’ll be used as much as they think (kind of like 3D TV’s now). There may be some circumstances where a big touchscreen may be used, like for a whiteboard/message board. I can picture big touchscreens replacing chalkboards in schools which could help teachers use more multimedia components into their lessons which could make classes more interesting for students. I could see big touchscreens being fun for some gaming or if you’re having a party you can have a live jukebox in which people could pick what songs they want to play. All in all though large TV screens are going to be used as TV’s, with a remote (maybe hand gestures if they are done well). Unless there isn’t much of a price difference between touch and non-touch TV’s, I see most people buying non-touch TV’s. I don’t see touchscreens being used widely as computer monitors either. Maybe desktop publishers, and artistic fields, but overall most people even if they do buy a touchscreen monitor will find it more of a pain than anything to use. Touchscreens monitors on paper seem like they’d be easier, but in reality they’re not. Try this, sit back in your chair like you normally do and touch your screen. Most likely you have to lean forward and extend your arm to do so. Would you want to do this all day long? When working or even just relaxing at home surfing the web people want to be comfortable. Sure you could move your monitor closer to you, but I think that would just hurt most people eyes. People generally put their monitors at a comfortable distance for them to view, also putting the monitor closer will take up desk space. Touchscreens have their place, in your hand or on your lap where they’re easily accessible and you don’t have to use any excess energy to use them. Other than that they’ll be a niche or for people who just want to show off that they have a huge touchscreen in their house. One thing I can agree that every screen should be a computer. Actually most TV’s are computers now, they have processors and run apps, some you can even surf the web on. In new cars there are computers and monitors that not only show multimedia content, but also GPS, and backup cameras and sensors, and other functions. California and other states passes legislature for self driving cars, so computer power in cars will get more powerful. This is only the beginning of technology being a major part of our lives. When our kids are our age who knows what they’ll have and how they’ll look back at what we have now and laugh.]]>
All Comments
nice post and i agree except teachers already use smartboards in classrooms especially in all the schools i have been in so large touch screens are already a large reality.
Well, i don’t expect Touch screen everywhere , unless OEM come with appealing new form factor devices, like truly usable all in one desktop computers with touch screen. The key is to enable a confortable use of those devices for the users and this can only be achieved with horizontal (surface like computers) and device with a tilting screen which can go from an horizontal position to an almost vertical position.
So Microsoft should find a way to produce much cheaper surface like devices.
“Try this, sit back in your chair like you normally do and touch your screen. Most likely you have to lean forward and extend your arm to do so. Would you want to do this all day long?
When working or even just relaxing at home surfing the web people want to be comfortable. Sure you could move your monitor closer to you, but I think that would just hurt most people eyes. People generally put their monitors at a comfortable distance for them to view, also putting the monitor closer will take up desk space.”
I took your challenge, and I sit well within touch range of my screen and it felt nice. I looked at the next 20 people closest to me at work and saw them about the same distance of around 2 feet. Well within easy reach. If your keyboard is at the foot of your screen, no problem. Maybe with CRTs that might hurt your eyes, but not with LCDs.
Do I think everybody should be forced to use them, no. But everyone should have the right to use them. I think all PC screens in the future will likely have them. Obviously 50 inch screens are not meant to sit 2 feet away from. But I think that it is possible that touch may become so prevalent that you use hand signals. Think about it, never having to look for the remote, or having dead batteries again!