Since I'm a fairly new owner of an iPad2, my first tablet, I've been having a blast using it with students at work as well as watching my nearly 9 month old grandson play around with it. Although I am happy that I have this "innovative" technology at my fingertips, I know that the concept of tablet computing has been a round for a very long time.
If you are curious to learn more about the history of ideas behind the tablet/iPad/eReader concept, take a look at the video below. It features the work of Roger Fidler and his team at the Information Design Lab, reviewing their work between 1992-94. Also explore the links in the "Related" section - I've included links to articles, a dissertation, and a book that mightof interest to those who are researching this topic. (A must-read is Alan C. Kay's "A Personal Computer for Children of All Ages", written in 1972.)
The Tablet Newspaper: A Vision for the Future Information Design Lab, 1994, Knight-Ridder, Inc.
The Tablet Newspaper: A Vision For the Future Teresa Martin, Knight-Ridder Information Design Lab, CHI '95 Proceedings Abstract: "The Table Newspaper: A Vision for the Future overviews tomorrow's portable information appliances and the ways in which we may interact with information. It explores the role a newspaper may have in the digital era and the form a newspaper may take as an electronic product." The Media Business; Knight-Ridder Shuts Down Research Lab New York Times, 8/3/95 Below is a quote from the NYT article, written in 1995:
"Knight-Ridder Inc. has closed a research lab it established to explore electronic publishing alternatives like the flat-panel newspaper.
The Information Design Laboratory, which opened here three years ago, was developing a notebook-sized computer for receiving and displaying electronic newspapers. The electronic tablet weighed less than two pounds and displayed a screen image that looked like the front page of a newspaper. The lab never designed a product that was marketed by Knight-Ridder.
"I.D.L. made a valuable contribution to the company's long-range vision of electronic publishing and helped to further the flat-panel newspaper concept," P. Anthony Ridder, Knight-Ridder's chairman and chief executive, said Monday. Knight-Ridder plans to concentrate its electronic publishing efforts on existing technologies like the Internet and on-line services, Polk Laffoon, vice president of corporate relations, said."
I've been revisiting the topic of interaction design/usability for "touchable/moveable" multimedia content for the past couple of weeks. I recently got an iPad2, so I'm in the "app" exploration phase - a new world, since I never had an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad "1".
I plan to share experiences, thoughts, opinions, and suggestions related to this topic during the upcoming months. I welcome input from IMT readers!
Getting back to my iPad2....In addition to using the device to run apps, like most people, I also use it to visit websites. Many sites now appear to be optimized for mobile devices, which is great for my Android-based smartphone, but for my iPad, not so much. I thought by now we'd have more touchy-feely content to play with.
I've noticed that basic features that work OK with touch interaction, such as the carousel, seem to miss the target, as discussed in the following article:
Although the above article was written from a "click" rather than "touch" perspective, many of the comments Anthony brings up ring true for websites and apps that are accessed through tablets and other touch enable screens.
I'm disappointed. Here are a few of my grumbles:
Many designers/developers have been slow to look at the increasing number of people who are accessing websites and applications via touch-enabled screens - of any size.
Many designers/developers have been slow to catch on that a website or app might be viewed/used by more than one person at a time. Websites for house-hunting, home furnishings, vacation/travel, and education are a few examples that come to mind.
Too many "multimedia" apps/websites are flat. Many still have a power-pointy feel.
Websites optimized for mobile devices often leave important features out.
Designers/developers sometimes don't seem to think about the various scenarios in which their applications/websites might be used - while balancing a baby on one hip, preparing a meal, working out, walking the dog, trotting around the mall with a friends/kids/spouse, eating, waiting at a stop light, etc.
Too many iPad apps are flat and power-pointy. Too many apps don't take full advantage multi-touch features. Very few apps allow for efficient interaction between two people on the screen.
I'd love to have a GoPro wearable HD camera for creating immersive multimedia content. The only problem is that I'd have to take up extreme sports as a hobby if I wanted to do my own videography.
Take a look at the promo video from the GoPro website - best viewed in full-screen:
I see great possibilities for interactive, "touchable" multimedia content using video captured in this manner!
If you ever wondered what NYC looks like from the POV of a fast and furious skateboard, take a look at this video, "Skate Through NYC With A GoPro":
Thanks to Nat Torkington for sharing the video and link in Google+!
Below is information about NodeBeat 1.5 from the Vimeo website:
"This is a brief video showcasing some of the new features in NodeBeat HD 1.5. The same features will be coming to the iPhone/iPod Touch version of NodeBeat in the coming weeks."
"New Features Include:
- Entirely new user interface design - Drag and drop new nodes - Drum Generator Node - Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, and Square waveform selection - Tempo and BPM controls - Compress recording for faster e-mailing of recordings - Create ringtones from recordings - Sleep Timer. Now you can fall asleep to NodeBeat - Shake to Clear Screen - 5 Finger multitouch reset all" ---------------------------------------------- "NodeBeat is an experimental node-based audio sequencer and generative music application for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad."
