digg

This is exactly like when cars were first introduced. First they were called "horseless carriages" because that's what the people knew.. Very good read..

I have seen the future ... and it is a giant screen covered entirely by smudgy fingerprints.
More seriously, I have difficulty accepting this vision of the future. One advantage of the mouse is that it allows much finer resolution than pointing at a touchscreen with your fat stubby fingers: imagine doing design work in Photoshop using a fingertip touchscreen. Then there's the sheer size of the display he predicts: you aren't going to be throwing that under your arm and using it in a cafe or an airplane.
For people who need to work outside their home or office, something very different will be required and I'm guessing that whatever it is, the 'point'n'smear' interface he proposes won't lend itself very well to that application.

Take it one step further to computer with holographic projectors. All you need is a little device that projects a screen directly into the air in front of you. I'm not sure how this would be done, but I believe it's possible. =D

I call bs. This doesn't sound better or more convenient at all.

Have you seen the videos?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKh1Rv0PlOQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zGDNFpOMcA

Ok, I just want to end this speculation here and now. Touch screen computing is a gimmick and will not replace keyboard or mice for general input.
Case in point. Sit in front of your computer and then extend your arms. Leave your arms extended for at least 5 minutes. Now imagine your a web developer, graphics artist, data entry, or software developer, imagine keeping your arms in that position for 8+ hours a day. Now imagine that your screen is 30" and you have to keep it 3 feet away within arms reach. Your really want to sit there fingering and molesting a giant screen right in front of your nose for 8 or more hours, 5 - 7 days a week?
It is the kind of retarded pipedream mentality that seems to grip Apple fanatics that what Apple does will be the future of computing. First of all Apple hasn't even implemented touch screen capabilities except on a mobile device, which makes perfect sense for a small mobile device. I don't think that Apple will even add touchscreen capabilities to any of their Mac products, except if they actually make a Tablet PC killer. Short of that, there is NO reason for touch screen monitors, period, except as some gimmicky trend that will dazzle all the Apple fanboys with several years of overpriced technology while the rest of the industry snickers and laughs at Apple.
Also, FTW, touch screen technology has been around for f*cking ever! Why the heck should it become the input of choice for home computers when it hasn't established itself as the input of choice over the last decade, just because Apple implemented it in an iPod?
Get over it, get over Apple and get over the idea that Steve Job's is a god. He makes good consumer electronics products I will give him that, but Apple hasn't a clue about computers in general and the 5% marketshare they have barely sustained over the last 30 years is a testament more to Apple failings then their successes.

Sitting close enough to a 50 inch screen in order to touch it? I submit this article is a marketing ploy by Lenscrafters.

=(

Mice are actually a better way of using a computer then having to touch everything. Sure the touching looks cool but a mouse is much better and I hope that games will continue to come out for the PC I know I would much prefer a mouse.

but I DONT WANT TOUCH SCREENS

What is the magical fascination with this technology? I dont want a ***** touchscreen, I'm happy with what I got now

I think if they say "looks like" they should include a picture. Still interesting, though.

Too bad we cant see it.

Yeah...sure htey will.

I love how people think that touch screens were invented by Apple.

Two other cool touchscreen applications:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vm_FzLya8y4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

I think the future of PCs will be more like a Nintendo DS.

This is such a load of bologna. Imagine if you had to reach and tap the screen instead of using a mouse. These are the same stupid predictions people made about future products decades ago that all turned out to be *****.

Bollox.

For a start you need to develop a squidgy tactile touch screen capable of feed back...Perhaps slight heat...if it is to replace a keyboard.
There is a reason people don't like typing on laptops or using touch pads...

The iPhone is like the PADD from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Coolness.

3G?

Microsoft Surface: Apparently like the iPhone. Despite coming first.

If i put a touch screen on my dick will it get as much attention?

If this ever happened (touch screens taking over computing), the world will be too ***** up and in shambles by that time for anyone to care.

This article is stupid. Touch-screens (even with haptic feedback) were not designed for keyboard use. It's not effecient or ergonomic. Whilst they might be included in more and more new PCs, I doubt the PC-and-mouse will be replaced by any technology we've seen thus-far, especially for things like gaming (FPS of a touch screen? Dare you imagine?)
It just sounds like this guy's utterly caught up in iHype.

Why must you fanboys drag apple into everything?

Case in point, Microsoft Surface has been "around' longer than the iphone or ipod touch. (yes, it isn't out yet, but my point is that the idea of touchscreen computing wasn't proposed/created by apple, and i will give credit to apple for making the iphone/multitouch touchpad so successful) But lets just ignore all that and give apple credit for inventing the touch screen interface since steve jobs is god.

Digg me down, uisheep.

Can you move your f*cking hand/s away, i can't see anything!
but if i move my hand/s away, nothing will happen...

Yes, you could also be talking to yourself here.

This "future" desktop computer is not going to be a desktop computer anymore. More like a computer that is a desk. Personally, I do not like this so called future of computers, because from the looks of it, its not going to be easy to custom build you own computer.

Nothing more than a novelty. Who's funding this research anyway?

I could see touch screen technology one day supplementing standard mice and keyboards when it becomes possible to embed such hardware in bigger screens without affecting the cost dramatically. However, it will never ultimately replace the mouse and keyboard. Having human input devices at the position of rested (keyword here: rested) hand positions will always be the most viable option.

So the computer of the future will be driven by hype and lack features and cost more than its worth, just like the iPhone. Count me out.
Seriously, txt more than one person at a time was added more than 6 months after release.
No flash support, but it has the "whole Internet"
Developers will be turned away from programming on it in droves

Of course the article is talking about the interface and how you interact with it, which is nice. But the headline made me think that otherwise.

I agree with many of the above posters. I entirely expect that touch-screen integration IS the future, I don't believe that the keyboard or the mouse will be entirely phased out for a good, long time.

While reading through this article, I did get that feeling that the poster was trying to exaggerate on the off chance they'll be right a couple years down the road. The article is just too speculative without any references (besides references to touch-screen ipods/phones/and a few tablet PCs) to actually emerging technology.

With that said... it WILL be exciting to see what the future holds for the PC, MAC, etc. It's not hard to imagine a place with much smaller parts, and more and more stunningly beautiful screens!

Hoorah for the future!

The problem with typing directly on the screen (other than smudges) is the lack of pressure-feedback. When we type now we can basically feel where the keys are and they have some give to them so we know we've pressed the button. Touch screens work fine for small devices, but spending ALL my computing time typing without these cues? I can't see it happening.

I would like to see biometrics improve on computers, as my main concern. No more having to remember multiple password strings, just a retinal scan or fingerprint to verify identity would be great. As well as simpler voice-interaction, which would only respond to specific voices.

woah woah woah, since when did computerworld build a time machine

One thing is sure, the future of computing is not dependent on an Apple logo. What a joke.

Guess what? I disagree. Ultimately if you want to get into an argument about interfaces then you realize that not having to touch a 2d surface to interact for applications that require 3d would be ideal, as in having a 3d space interface of some sort would in fact be ideal if your goal was ultimately to be as maximally productive and efficient as possible.

But why stop there? Everyone knows that every step we take is closer to a direct-head-jack interface ala matrix. Video games and simulations all get better, with the ultimate ability of these to be able to simulate real life. This is why I find everything in-between now and then boring or worrisome.

Touch screen will never ever take over from mouse+keyboard for the simple fact that the majority of people actually cant be arsed to stand up and touch a screen to do everyda simple tasks that are easily done with a mouse+keyboard.. They provide the perfect use, even without infra-red/bluetooth.

How does one lay on one's back on the couch and watch and wack off to porn with such a screen? It would be impossible. I'm just sayin'.

Somebody has obviously never seen a feckin' smartboard.

Enough iphone bull *****, that will never be what the computer of the future is like. Who would ever want to touch a screen to do everything... Forget about ever doing things like CAD or good artwork... Dumb!

OH MAN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND WILL BE CRAZY!

Honestly, we have no idea what computers will become. It was once thought that computers could someday weigh as little as 1 TON. However, back then, basic computers could take up several rooms. I don't really care for when people predict the future of technology--we just embarrass ourselves later on.

OMG you're all so narrow-minded, please save these comments and read them again in fifty years or so, you'll be laughing your ass off. like hearing people, a hundred years ago, say that if you reach a speed above eighty kilometers per hour, your body will explode.

you can simulate this now! here is what you do: get a flat keyboard (they still have little bumps so you'll be able to type, but the feedback won't quite be enough) then move it out of the way to make room... set your mouse to the lowest setting so you have to move about the width of your 20" screen to move the cursor. after you mis-type your password for the 8th time and your arms hurt from clicking links this gets a bit of a differant spin. real users will still use hardware. even the walgreens photo printing stuff gets annoying if you use it more than 8 minutes... how about GESTURES? macbook air already has a good start on that.

a big screen 24" or more. a keyboard, mouse and other preferred input device. lots of USB ports.detects devices and uses them without fuss (like XP or OSX usually do) who care what the box looks like as long as it can run photoshop, 3ds max(insert your favorite application) , and games.

What a load of crap. One thing I do think is going to become more prevalent, are fully 3d haptic mice. I'm thinking of ones like the Novint Falcon or the much better tech that some scientists demoed using magnets. Though perhaps only in certain industries at first(3d sculpting/modeling, animation), and possibly games (such a thing would be perfect for a game like Mount & Blade or Oblivion sword fighting...full 6 DOF).

Can I just have the holographic 3D screen? I'm fine with my mouse and keyboard, I just want holograms!