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The Future of Computing — Part 2: TouchSmart PC & Windows 7
In the first part of The Future of Computing I talked about OLEDs, LEPs, and OLEs and their role in the future of personal computing.
In the second edition of The Future of Computing I want to discuss the direction of the personal computer and what that means for you.
I think there is one key word that hardware and software companies are focusing on and that word is: Integration.
The personal computer is slowly infiltrating its way into our televisions, kitchens, living rooms and our entire homes. At least, that’s what many companies are planning on.
The HP TouchSmart PC
Has anyone besides me worked as a waiter or a waitress (obviously I’m a dude so I didn’t work as a waitress) for a restaurant chain? If you have, you may not be all that impressed with the HP TouchSmart PC because you’ve used a touch screen monitor to enter in orders.
The good thing is that the TouchSmart is going to perform quite a bit better than the typical restaurant touch screen with the Squirrel order entry system.
The TouchSmart boasts a 22 inch hi-def widescreen and an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor all in an "integrated design" (there’s that word again). This means that the 22 inch monitor is pretty much all there is to this PC. It has a little stand on the back so you can stand it up on your desk but it can just as easily be used as a Tablet PC.
HP boasts that all you need to do is "plug in the power cord and you’re ready to go". It also comes with a built in webcam, wireless keyboard and mouse, and a remote for all of you TV/Movie watchers.
(Now, before all of you Mac fanboys jump all over me and say, "But Apple has had integrated products with built-in webcams and things like that for years", I just want to let you know that I’m aware of that, and Apple has made some good products over the years.)
How is Microsoft Getting in on This?
Microsoft is always willing to jump into the fray when it comes to technology upgrades. The touch screen PC is a good idea but what’s the difference between moving objects around on the screen with your finger and moving objects around on the screen with a stylus. Not much.
But wouldn’t it be great if you could move multiple objects around the screen at the same time using both hands? Of course that would be nice and Windows Vista actually supports multipoint touch.
OK so maybe Vista is not quite the answer you were looking for but the problem hurdle when it comes to multipoint touch is actually the TouchSmart, which doesn’t support it. Here is just another example of how hardware manufacturers have not updated to accommodate Vista’s technology (I can’t wait to see what everyone has to say about that comment).
There are plans to release touch screen PCs in the future with multipoint capabilities, however.
In the near future Microsoft will release a new operating system, as early as 2009 (by the way, just remember that any release date issued by Microsoft has to be calculated in dog years to get the actual release date), that is simply being referred to as Windows 7.
I’ll talk about Windows 7 in a future article but the one feature I want to focus on right now is the multipoint touch compatibility Windows 7 will continue to offer. Now all you ambidextrous users can change the music that’s playing with your left hand while you scroll down the page on Train Signal Training (shameless plug!) with your right hand.
The reason I mention Windows 7 is because by the time the multipoint technology is becoming a standard feature of touch screen PCs I’m willing to bet that Windows 7 will have replaced Vista. And no, I’m not contradicting any previous statements about Vista, it’s just a fact that many people are not fans of Vista and will except Windows 7 with open arms when it’s available (provided it is a little less robust than Vista).
The Tip of the Iceberg
The HP TouchSmart PC is just the beginning when it comes to "Integration". What HP and other companies are planning on is to make the personal computer more a part of your life than ever before.
What if you had 3 or 4 TouchSmarts at home that were integrated with the various appliances and electronics in the different parts of your house?
Think about it; you’d really like a plate of pizza rolls but it seems like a lot of effort to get up off of the couch and walk all the way over to the oven to preheat it. No problem, just set the preheat temperature from your TouchSmart in your living room.
Maybe you just climbed into bed and you realized you never turned the heat up on a cold winter night. Just roll over and set the thermostat using your TouchSmart. Cycle through recorded TV shows or movies from your TouchSmart and play them on your TV without ever leaving your recliner.
These are just simple examples but this is the future that tech companies are envisioning. Microsoft will even take it several steps farther with their demo of the "Home of the Future", which I will talk about in a future article.
The Present/Near Future
For the near future and really for the present the TouchSmart PC is being marketed to those of you that would like more control over your music, movies, and photos.
It really is a fairly simple way to watch movies on your TV or listen to music through your stereo system. However, why not eliminate the middle man?
For years Sony has been producing PC/TV All-In-One computers. The idea is to be able to use it as a personal computer, a television, a DVR to record TV shows, and a multimedia device to play and record music.
The line between PC and television is rapidly being blurred. PCs are becoming more integrated, more portable, and more a part of our lives. Eventually one day your entire home may be run by computers.
The TouchSmart PC is just one aspect of technology that is the springboard for more integrated technology in the future.
Think about how easy finding information has become thanks to the Internet. Not many average consumers envisioned what the Internet would do to the world.
One thing is for sure, companies are going to continue to innovate and produce more powerful and more convenient technologies. Perhaps the touch screen PC will help spark the revolution of a more technology integrated home; at least HP is hoping so.
Related Posts:
- The Future of Computing – Part 1: OLEDs, LEPs, & OLEs
- Is Windows 2000 History?
- Skipping Windows Vista — What’s the Best Strategy for IT Pros?
- Windows 7 Beta Download Is Which Windows 7 Edition?
- Windows Vista Small Business Assurance
- Windows 7 Migration Strategy and The Death of Windows XP
- Windows Server 2008 IPv6 — The Future of Internet Protocol
6 Responses to “The Future of Computing — Part 2: TouchSmart PC & Windows 7”
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Lynn Marentette Says:
September 8th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I have a new TouchSmart PC, and I spent some time playing with FotoViewr, which responds to the embedded Tablet PC gestures when you move around your pictures in 3D space:
http://www.fotoviewr.com/
Another fun place for touch-screen interaction is the National Gallery of Art’s kids website:
http://www.nga.gov/kids/
drivebyposter Says:
September 9th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I enjoyed reading your commentary, but would like to point out that the Touchsmart 2 DOES support multiple touches, see the videos showing the primary touchsmart ribbon being resized with two fingers. I also know this to be the case because I designed parts of the touchscreen :-)
Zach Says:
September 9th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
That’s good to hear that the TouchSmart 2 has the multiple touches capability. Some of the research for this article was done before the release of the TouchSmart 2, which was about a month ago, so I didn’t have some of the info on the new release. Thanks for your update!
Gary Says:
September 11th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I’m envisioning a desktop sized iphone on steroids here!
Kunal D Mehta Says:
October 30th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Windows 7 as early as 2009 ?
So will it be a Vista Killer ?
So what will people who have just passed 70-620: Configuring Windows Vista Certification exam be worthless ?
Apart from the multipoint touch interface, whats new in Windows 7 which is giving it so much hype and also Microsoft is planning to bury Vista for it ?
And what about the price tag ?
Will it be affordable for people like me ? Poor IT dudes ? ;)
Zach Says:
November 2nd, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I actually just passed the 70-620 and I expect that certification to be viable for quite sometime. Think about it like this: Did Vista bury XP? Did XP bury Windows 2000 or Windows 98?
I think the reason Windows 7 is so “hyped” is because a lot of people refuse to give Vista a chance or don’t like Vista. One of the biggest differences you will see with Windows 7 is that it will be extremely scaled down in comparison to Vista. A real issue with Vista is that hardware developers didn’t keep up with the demands Vista places on your hardware requirements. Windows 7 is going to eliminate this issue. Also, there will be several security refinements that will be a slight upgrade from Vista. You can take a look at other features at this Windows 7 site: http://windows7news.com/