“A new filing reveals that Apple has researched a method that would allow a touch-sensitive keyboard to generate physical feedback without interfering in gestures,” Aidan Malley reports for AppleInsider.
“Published Thursday but originally applied for in April of last year, the US Patent Office application argues that designers of perfectly flat touch controls are often faced with a difficult choice, particularly if they want to include controls that require swipes or multi-touch gestures,” Malley reports.
One of the methods discussed in the application is the use of “an articulating frame underneath the keyboard that changes the surface depending on the immediate context. When in typing mode, the frame could raise to create edges between virtual keys, provide haptic (vibration) feedback, or create concavities that act like the dips in a traditional keyboard,” Malley reports.
Full article, with Apple’s patent application illustrations, here.
While creating dips like in a traditional keyboard sounds smart, can it do anything with the dipsticks in front of the keyboard?
Whoa. Trippy.
I always wondered if they’d be able to do something like this.
Microsoft is already “appropriating” this technology and saying it’s a vital part of their operating system and can’t be seperated.
Their feedback will come in “brown” however.
Hmm… What ever happened to the “GlowBooks”? You know — plastic changes color on various system and computer happenings.
Doga
Now I can touch naughty pictures instead of just looking!
MS already has the market cornered on dips.
Apple could do even better,it could take advantage of the qwerty keyboard that is the iphone or ipod touch and put all into one screen ipod touch-like of imac-like and then erase the numbers key and make it small because its multi-touch form factor make it ligther,period.
Here is some points to make a multi-touch key:
– keys ipod touch/iphone like;
– numbers ,F keys,controls keys hidden;
– sleeker aluminum design;
– url dial iphone like.
these are my choice´s i would like in the Apple keyboard.
Imagine moving volume sliders in Logic Audio by interacting directly with the screen and actually “feeling” the sliders. The ultimate control surface as it changes with the application.
Awesome…
Sounds like the beginning of a Holodeck.
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Does that mean the touch screen could be ribbed – for her?
I can see it now…. OUCH!!!! My iPhone zapped me for trying to use a non-Apple-purchased ringtone!
Not just the faders and knobs in Logic, ProTools, etc. but all the knobs and buttons on the plug-ins as well.
Virtual patch cables!
Now imagine a touch screen on the floor loaded with all your favorite stomp boxes!
boing!
Now that is WOW.
Hahahaha great comments guys.
All-in-all this would be rather nice for Apple.
@Saturn – hey man, you’re out of this world.
Er, what the heck are you trying to say?
Edina: Patsy, have you seen my bleeper?
Patsy: Your bleeper?
Edina: You know, my bleeper, my vibrating thing?
Patsy: (looking down at her skirt)
Edina: Keep it.
MW:member I’m not making this up!