BlackBerry's "iPad" preview video! -- PlayBook

Thanks to Seth Sandler for the link!

More about this topic later...

Pics and Video Interview: Plastic Nine-Inch Prototype $75.00 One Laptop Per Child Tablet with Dual-mode display by 2012? Via the Nick Barber

Below are pictures of the prototype of the XO-3, the third-generation of the One Laptop Per Child project, via gayakuman, and a video interview of Nicholas Negroponte discussing the third generation prototype of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, OX-3.





Nick Barber, of the IDG News Services, reporting from the MIT MediaLab:


RELATED
One Laptop per Child and Marvell Join Forces to Redefine Tablet Computing for Students Around the World PR Newswire 5/27/10
MOBYLIZE by Marvell - Marvell's Moby Tablet (below)

OLPC's Negroponte says XO-3 prototype tablet coming in 2010
Nick Barber, IDG News Service 5/27/10
OLPC XO-3 Dream Tablet May Come True After All
Brian Barrett, Gizmodo 5/27/10
OLPC Wiki

iPad Alternatives, Anyone?

-Lenovo

Taking a break from report-writing, I had the urge to find out more about iPad alternatives. Many reviewers aren't happy that the iPad has fewer features than expected. So what are the alternatives?

Here is a video about Lenovo's hybrid tablet/laptop. It's a little fancier than the iPad, has more features, and most likely will be more expensive:

IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Notebook


The IdeaPad gives you a tablet and a PC/laptop, it is 3G and Wi-Fi enabled, and is basically two systems in one.  When the tablet is connected to the laptop base, it provides the full power of a PC. The touch screen is resistive touch, not capacitive touch, but apparently it acts as if it is a capacitive touch system, if the reviewers are correct.


The HP SLATE
Brief Intro


Interview


RELATED
Pixel Qi might function like an e-reader, but is rumored to be touch-enabled in future versions.

-Thomas Ricker, Engadget 12/7/09

Pixel Qi:  The LCD Screen That Could Finally Kill Paper for Good
-Lauren Anderson, Popular Science, 1/12/10


How Pixel QI works:

-Popular Science, Graham Murdoch


Previous post:
Mary Lou Jepsen, Inventor of Pixel Qi Technology, Discusses Screen Technologies & Multi-touch Tablets

UPDATED: More News, Videos, and Links about Multi-touch and Screen Technologies

UPDATED
More news about multi-touch and screen technologies!

"Holographic" Multitouch   (Eatang Digital Technology)

Holographic muitltouch from eggwong on Vimeo
Eggwong's company is Eatang Digital Technology.  Although most of the website is in Chinese, it looks like it provides interactive design services as well as software kits.


How to Build a 20" Multiitouch Screen in Three Weeks (Ben Unsworth - Globalcore)

How to Build a 20' Multitouch Screen in 3 Weeks from Ben Unsworth on Vimeo.


Globacore
Globacore used four 72" Blue Ocean Low Gain Screens 16:9 to create their twenty-foot multi-touch wall, which I think was also used for the "holographic" screen in the first video. The tracker and base flash API from the NUI-group were used in this system.
I wasn't sure if I'd heard about Blue Ocean screens.  Much to my surprise, the company behind Blue Ocean is Nippura, located in Japan.  Nippura has another office in Charlotte, N.C.
For years,  Nippura's core business has been focused on creating "the world's largest acrylic panels, tunnels, cylinders and spheres for the professional aquarium industry", but is also focused on screen systems as well.

US Nippura/Blue Ocean Projection Screens
Blue Ocean screens were use in the second videos of this post.  Below is some information the screens from the company's website:
"Blue Ocean® Projection Screens are the first ever to cast the screen into a hi-tolerance viewing plane centered between two ultra-clear panels of cell-cast acrylic, the same type of material used in hi-optic fighter jet canopies and the world’s largest aquariums. Blue Ocean® Projection Screens also offer something never before found in screens: self-rigidity.  The thickness of each screen can be fabricated so that it maintains its form without external frames or tension systems. Frameless high definition projected images without borders amplify the infinite depth viewing experience.  Because of its durability, outdoor applications of entertainment around the garden and pool are also possible. Normal wear and tear scratching has no long-term effect on the screens’ performance, and a ten year old screen, simply re-polished, will literally look and perform exactly as it did the day it left the factory."
Super High Definition Stereo Image using 4K Projection Systems (pdf)
Tetsuro Ogi, Hiroaki Daigo, So Sato, Yoshisuke Tateyama, Yasuaki Nishida, International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence 2008

NUITEQ 
NUITEQ offers single and duo-touch plugins for Snowflake Suite that enables the software to run on NEXIO and NextWindow screens, including NextWindow's screens that are integrated in the HP TouchSmart and Dell Inspiron all-in-one PC's and others.  SnowFlake Suite is also compatable with 3M Touch Systems, N-Trig, and Lumino.  You can view the SnowFlake Suite application in action on NUITEQ's YouTube channel.
"NUITEQ's software product Snowflake Suite, which received a Stevie Awards finalist recognition for Best New Product or Service of the Year 2009 - Media & Entertainment, is available to end clients, software developers, system integrators, VAR's and OEM's. Snowflake operates on a wide variety of hardware technology platforms including rear camera based solutions, IR overlay systems, bending wave, surface acoustic wave (SAW), projected and surface capacitive, resistive and other touch technologies for small hand held mobile devices and larger scale interactive displays."
Recent news: NUITEQ Assists LTU Skelleftea at SACO event with new educational multi-touch desk


FingerTapps
Software platform for multi-touch solutions:
Video:  FingerTapps on the Dell Inspiron 19
Dell Studio One 19:  All-in-One Stunner Takes Japan
FingerTapps collaborated with DigitalDM Digital Publishing to support interactive media panels (IMAS) for use in retail settings, as well as digital print publishing.  


NextWindow and All-In-One PC's:
NextWindow, the company that made the large single-touch display I used for a couple of class projects nearly three years ago, has really grown over the past few years.  NextWindow provides optical touch screens for the HP TouchSmart PC, and also for the Dell Inspiron Studio One All-In-One PC, and the Dell Sx2210T desktop monitor.   The next Dell with a NextWindow touch screen will be the Inspirion One 19, an all-in-one PC.   You can find NextWindow touch screens in the Medion X9613, the NEC ValueStar W, and the Sony L Series.  (NextWindow has Windows 7 certification for touch screens)

STANTUM and GUNZE USA
Stantum has partnered with Gunze USA, a manufacturer of resistive touch-panels, to co-design and deliver multi-touch products.  "Gunze USA will provide these custom multi-touch modules to the North American market for use in industrial, automotive, defense, aerospace, medical, kiosk/point-of-sales, and other professional applications. Unlike capacitive multi-touch, Stantum’s technology is particularly well suited to these professional markets, thanks to its:

• immunity to EMI issues, via easy coexistence with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth antennas around the screen;
• stylus input and high precision, enabling handwriting recognition; and
• ability to work flawlessly with gloves."

According to the press release, Stantum's multi-touch technologies provide advantages such as handling 10 or more touches at a time, finger and stylus input, finger-pressure consumption, and native Windows 7 support, with no need for a driver. Developers can order the "beta" version of the Slate PC, based on the Dell Inspiron Mini netbook platform, from the Stantum website. 


GESTURETEK
The video below is of an interactive 3D application created for the Gondwana Das Praehistorium in Schiffweler, Germany, and provides an simulation of what it might be like to be a flying ancient pterosaur of giant dragonfly.  Two gamers can play at the same time.  If you want to fly, you flap your arms, and navigate by leaning. You crouch to dive, and increase your speed by flapping your arms even faster:
GestureTek's 3D Interactive Flying and Virtual Game Experience for Gonwana Museum

This company always has something going on that looks fun and interactive.  To get an idea this company's interactive work, take a look at the information on the GestureTek website links below. GestureTek has a variety product videos on the website.


GestureTek Health
GestureTek Mobile Gaming
GestureTek mobile gaming videos
GestureTek Product Summary
GestureTek in Science Centers, Aquariums, Zoos, and Visitor Centers


Lm3Labs

Toshiba equip with Ubiq'window and Catchyoo

Lm3Labs' videos on Vimeo 

Lm3Labs' Ubiquwindow TV videos
Lm3labs Blog

View more documents from LM3LABS.

Lm3labs Air Strike Overview (Slideshare)


SNIBBE INTERACTIVE
Snibbe Interactive was founded by Scott Snibbe to develop social immersive media as a communication medium that incorporates the language of cinema and engages participation and interaction with others (and technology) through unencumbered body movements.  



Get in the Action Prototype

Get in the Action Prototype - Snibbe Interactive from Oriol Ferrer Mesià on Vimeo.




Scott Snibbe's Social Immersive Media presentation at Stanford's Seminar on People, Computers and Design, 5/2009

'Scott Snibbe of Sona Research discusses a distinct form of augmented reality focused on social interaction: social immersive media. He discusses design principles and interaction techniques to create strong emotional responses and social engagement through visceral interaction. He also describes approaches to clearly communicate cultural and scientific ideas through the medium, and how to promote specific distinct social behavior in uses." -YouTube description


RELATED
Globacore  "Globacore was founded by Ben Unsworth and Jeff Williams out of a passion for technology, art, and business. Globacore began as a web hosting and development company supporting the the technical needs of sports apparel startup VC Ultimate and it's associated companies."

"Globacore Inc. was officially incorporated in April 2003. In 2007 Ben and Jeff were joined by programmer Kyle Davis and graphic designer (and trail biker) Matt Venhuizen. In 2008, the Flexmaster Lukasz Ruminski joined us and continues to be a huge member of our team.Update: We'd like to welcome our newest team member: Developer Dave Rapin!"

Globacore Interactive Technologies
67 Mowat Ave. Suite 431
Toronto, ON
M6K 3E3
Phone: + 1 (416) 925-2082
Tollfree: + 1 (888) 309-7658
Fax: + 1 (647) 477-3270 
General Email: info@globacore.com


BLUE OCEAN/NIPPURA

Blue Ocean/ Nippura US Website
Blue Ocean Product Information (pdf)
3611 Tryclan Dr.
Charlotte, NC  28217
Phone: 704-561-9191
Web: www.usnippura.com



NEXTWINDOW
NextWindow's Touch Technologies Overview
Optical Touch and All-In-One PC's
News Release:  NextWindow Patents (pdf)

Contact: David Villarina, NextWindow

+1 (925) 272-4530
dvillarina@nextwindow.com

NUITEQ
Natural User Interface Technologies AB(Headquarters)
Laboratorgränd 7
93162 Skellefteå
Sweden

Phone: +46 702865975
Fax: +46 851989240
mail@nuiteq.com

3M Touch Systems US
3M's Touch Topics information site
Multi-touch@mmm.com
 
Natural User Interface Asia Pte Ltd (Asia office)
12 Little Road
#06-01 Lian Cheong Industrial Building
Singapore 536986
Phone: +65 6748 5245
Fax: +65 6748 7961

FINGERTAPPS
Contact: James Bell-Booth
james[at]fingertapps.com
+64 21 226 6399
www.fingertapps.com/


STANTUM
Slate PC Proof of Concept Datasheet (pdf)
Contact: Francois Jeanneau
Sales and Business Development
Director, Stantum North America
Berkeley, CA, USA
Cell: +1 (510) 928 56 17
f.jeanneau@stantum.com

GUNZE USA
Product Overview
Contact:Gunze Electronics USA
2113 Wells Branch Parkway, #5400
Austin, Texas 78728
Tel: 512-990-3400 Fax: 512-252-1181

LM3LABS
Website: http://lm3labs.com/ENG/index_eng.html
info@lm3labs.com
Europe:
Antipolis Innovation Campus
300, route des Cretes
06560 Sophia-Antipolis France
Hong Kong, China
+852-8198.8406
Australia
+61(02)8011.3342
USA: +1(646)461.6146
TGarden Square 409
3-5-26 Funabori
Edogawa-ku
134-0091 Tokyo, Japan
+81(0)3.3877.0779


SNIBBE INTERACTIVE
1073 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
+1 415 822 1442
sales@snibbeinteractive.com
Snibbe Interactive Blog
2010 Interactive Catalog (pdf)
HOLDING TANK
Peau Productions
Diffusers and Projection Screens Comparison Site
(Provides photos and video of various screens and diffusers used for optical-based multi-touch systems.)


NUI-Group
Wiki: Comparison of rear projection films
Forum Thread

Outdoor Media Company (China)
Products
Contact: Kuo Lin  (?)
 
42x46 Multi-touch LCD Display

HIWAD TOUCH - Beijing Yhjn Science and Technology Co. LTD



Interactive Sandbox 

"An interactive sand box or sand table for use in tactical training includes an automated control system and image generator so that infinitely variable visual images may be projected onto the contoured surface of the sand for training and preparation for action in the military field and disaster control, industrial planning, environmental protection, and similar situation."


Interactive Holographic Touch Screen



Beijing Yihejianing Science and Technology Co., Ltd
Address: Room 621, Jinyuan Modern shopping Mall, NO.1 Yuanda Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China
TE:8610-88892897，88892895
FAX:8610-88892867-801
Email: hxrong2001@hotmail.com
http://www.cnhci.cn

More News, Videos, and Links About Multi-touch and Screen Technologies: Eatang's "Holographic" Multitouch, Globacore & Blue Ocean Screens; NextWindow, NUITEQ, FingerTapps, Stantum, GUNZE USA, GestureTek

This post was recently updated and moved. You can find it at by visiting the link below:

UPDATED: More News, Videos, and Links about Multi-touch and Screen Technologies

10/GUI: Another Twist to Multi-touch Interface and Interaction

10/GUI from C. Miller on Vimeo.

I came across a link to this video via Experientia's Putting People First blog post about MG Siegler's TechCrunch post, 10/GUI: One Very Slick Desktop Multi-Touch Concept (Video).  This video was created by R. Clayton Miller, and the video above is a concept video, food for further thought and discussion.

I've written about the need for more appropriate form factors in the past, and the idea that Miller proposes is quite intriguing, since I've toyed with the idea of using something like a flexible mouse pad as an adaptive interface for students who have problems with fine-motor control, limiting their ability to use a mouse, keyboard, or even some of the adaptive switches that are available.

(It is interesting to note that Siegler's blog post was written on 10/13/09, and as I write this post on 10/15/09, it has 92 comments and 460 tweets. My guess this is a hot topic, especially now that HP has released new versions of the all-in-one HP TouchSmart PC).

Siegler discusses Michael Arrington's 10/12/09 post, Why Desktop Touch Screens Don't Really Work Well For Humans. Arrington's post discusses the reasons why he's not happy with the TouchSmart, because the desktop on which most people use it requires them to keep their hands up on the screen, above the heart, which can be fatiguing.

I have an HP TouchSmart, and I switch back and forth, depending on what I'm doing.  I didn't think of this before, but I have a very adjustable chair that I raise up when I use my hands on the touch screen. Without thinking, I've made the appropriate adjustment.  Not everyone has the luxury of a fancy adjustable deskchair!

From what I can tell, Miller is focused on how multi-touch technology can support the work or pleasure of just one person, which is still how many people interact with their computers.  What is needed is more thought about ways this technology could support two or more people working together.  My HP TouchSmart works well with two people, even when when running single-touch programs. But it is better when it runs duo-touch enabled programs!

More Multi-touch and Gesture-based Natural User Interfaces: Bamboo Wacom Tablet; Multi-touch PresTop Kiosk and Snowflake Suite software

Wacom Tablets Get Multi-Touch, Gestures
(Charlie Sorrel, Wired, 9/24/09)
"For the tech-curious, the new tablets have 512 pressure levels in the pen tip and the active area of the tablet is 5.8 x 3.6 inches, and all lose the in-pack mouse (for obvious reasons). The Touch and the Pen models are both $70, and the Pen & Touch is $100. Also, if you were thinking of buying Photoshop Elements 7 for the same price, get a tablet instead — Elements comes in the box."






Official Wacom Video

"Bamboo Touch is new type of computer input device by Wacom that lets you navigate and perform commands like zoom, scroll, rotate and more with a series of simple finger taps and hand gestures. Bamboo Touch brings Multi-Touch capability to your Mac or PC"

Video from a Wacom user:

A nice alternative to a mouse.  I'm going to get one for my laptop!


Multi-touch Kiosks!
Press release:  Dutch touchscreen supplier PresTop partners with Natural User Interface (NUITEQ)
 



RELATED

I couldn't find any video clips of PresTop's multi-touch interaction. From what I can tell, PresTop multi-touch screens will be using SnowFlake Suite from Natural User Interface Technogies AB.

How-to:SnowFlake Suite Flash multi-touch Interactable component (NUIversity)

Without a single line of code, you can do quite a bit with Snowflake Suite

"This video covers how to make a rotatable and scalable image. The beauty about this is, that we have developed a Flash mouse input simulator, so that there is no need for multi-touch hardware in order to develop your applications. Simply simulate multiple mouse inputs for multi-touch.This project is still in alpha phase and a download will become available with the next release of Snowflake Suite 1.7 for the NextWindow platform and camera based multi-touch solutions."


Below is a video of single-touch interaction for PresTop, from Omnivision:


PresTop  PresTop offers interactive hardware and software solutions that can be used indoors as well as in outdoor environments.

More Multi-touch: Dell's Latitude XT tablet now comes with a multi-touch upgrade!

This is exciting news for multi-touch enthusiasts. Dell's Latitude XT tablet now offers a free multi-touch upgrade, according to a recent Engadget post, written by Paul Miller. Here is some information from Dell's website:

Dell Propels Laptop Innovation with First Multi-touch Convertable Tablet, Larger Solid State Drive

A word of caution about the following video demonstrating the mutli-touch capabilities of Dell's Lattitude XT. The guys presenting aren't related to Jeff Hans. You won't see the "Wow" factor that creative multi-touch applications can provide.




Photo from NotebookReview.com:


"The new capabilities include:

Scroll – by placing two fingers on the screen and moving them horizontally or vertically customers can easily navigate in web browsers and productivity applications. Zoom – by touching the screen with two fingers and moving them together customers can zoom various content in and out, such as pictures or Web pages. Programmable double-tap – customers can program a command, such as launching a Web browser or turning the screen off to save power, that will respond to two taps with two fingers." From an earlier post on the Dell website: "The Latitude XT is designed with the future in mind with the capability to support multi-touch. As the technology matures, the system can serve as a premiere development platform for applications that can take advantage of multi-touch." “By integrating our DuoSense technology into the Latitude XT, Dell creates the ultimate machine destined to lead the tablet PC market,” said Amihai Ben-David, CEO of N-trig. “Customers using the new Latitude XT will find that the zero pressure touch combined with the accurate stylus changes the usability of tablet PCs. Once they try it, they won’t want to go back.” The multi-touch gesture upgrade should be available by Tuesday, July 15th, 2008, at http://support.dell.com. No need to wait until Microsoft unleashes Windows 7, right? I think we'll need developers to create cool interactive websites that are fully optimized for multi-touch interaction, don't you? I have a few ideas for online games and more. Multi-touch technology certainly has a place in education. I would love to use this with some of the students with autism that I work with. (A donation towards my multi-touch technology fund would be greatly appreciated.)

V12's Dual-Touch-screen Canova: Multi-touch could support applications for universal design, education, and assistive technology.

V12 Design is a company with offices in Italy and Australia. It is developing the second-generation version of Canova . Since the product will not be on the market for at least 16 months, no pictures of the newest version were available. The first version is depicted in the photos below:

Canova Generation 1#


(Photo via Gizmodo; depicts the first version of the dual LCD laptop.)

According to information from LaptopMag, Conova was..The first-generation model....was envisioned to transform from a sketch pad, to a writing pad with an electronic pen, to a newspaper."



From the Gizmodo AU website:

"An interview with Valerio Cometti, the founder and managing director of V12 Design, confirmed that the upcoming version would support multitouch input and that a microphone would be built into the design for voice commands."

With multi-touch and audio input, this device would be a godsend for young people with learning difficulties and others who require assistive technology. It would also be very useful for people in various fields of work. I assume that the Canova will come with speakers, a DVD player, a video camera, Blue-tooth and Wi-Fi capabilities.

I was excited about the new dual-touch screen laptops in development for the One Laptop Per Child project. I'm even more excited about the Canova. Hopefully, the company is devoting attention to usability studies with a wide range of people, using a variety of interactive demo applications.

I wonder if I can get my hands on a second-generation prototype of Canova to test out my touch-screen application "experiments". I'm bursting with ideas to try out, including gaming applications.

I want one now!

The second version will be developed by a US manufacturer. If anyone knows more about this leave a comment!

Related:
V12 Designs' Dual-Touchscreen Notebook Coming Within Two Years

V12 DEsign Dual-Touchscreen Notebook will make ebook readers drool

V12 Design Delivering Dual Touchscreen Laptop Within Two Years