MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Notion Ink releases new renders and a competition for ADAM

Demas · 02-15-2010, 03:51 AM

In this video interview they indicate there are two main reasons: 1. For navigating small links (or character by character text fields); 2. Innovation.

For small links, the precision of capacitive screen input has always had a certain degree of arbitrariness (more on that issue here) which relies on complex algorithms to smooth out- unfortunately many of them are wrapped up in patents squatted on by other corporations and involve costly licenses or wholly original workarounds- and quality touchscreen hardware. If you're lacking both of these, the touch experience will still be good, but perhaps lacking the same level precision one might have come to expect. If your software relies heavily on that precision (like Apple's touch products do, their solution to precision input being gradient zooming- rather than Android's built-in granular zooming) then the experience would be frustrating. So many Android devices include secondary input for precision such as trackballs, optical mouse pads, or- in this case- touch pads. Putting it on the back is both out of necessity and advantage (precludes ocular obstruction by the finger, for pixel-perfect control).

With respect to innovation, this can be taken two ways, the first is simply as a gadget. It's new and novel and gadget lovers like owning the first of anything irrespective of practicality (the very moniker Adam is meant to evoke the fact this device is first in a couple areas). The second is that it potentially opens up new gestures and input methods we've yet to imagine. With a rear trackpad you could fairly reasonably move three or more cursors with INDEPENDENT vectors (of meaningful amplitude, not just twiddling your finger-tips) simultaneously WHILE HOLDING the device! There's crazy potential there for interaction given we're just getting a hold on 1-to-2 vector gestures now.

So it's a small thing, but a reasonable and interesting thing.

02-15-2010, 03:51 AM	#20
Demas Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 90 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Notion Ink Adam	In this video interview they indicate there are two main reasons: 1. For navigating small links (or character by character text fields); 2. Innovation. For small links, the precision of capacitive screen input has always had a certain degree of arbitrariness (more on that issue here) which relies on complex algorithms to smooth out- unfortunately many of them are wrapped up in patents squatted on by other corporations and involve costly licenses or wholly original workarounds- and quality touchscreen hardware. If you're lacking both of these, the touch experience will still be good, but perhaps lacking the same level precision one might have come to expect. If your software relies heavily on that precision (like Apple's touch products do, their solution to precision input being gradient zooming- rather than Android's built-in granular zooming) then the experience would be frustrating. So many Android devices include secondary input for precision such as trackballs, optical mouse pads, or- in this case- touch pads. Putting it on the back is both out of necessity and advantage (precludes ocular obstruction by the finger, for pixel-perfect control). With respect to innovation, this can be taken two ways, the first is simply as a gadget. It's new and novel and gadget lovers like owning the first of anything irrespective of practicality (the very moniker Adam is meant to evoke the fact this device is first in a couple areas). The second is that it potentially opens up new gestures and input methods we've yet to imagine. With a rear trackpad you could fairly reasonably move three or more cursors with INDEPENDENT vectors (of meaningful amplitude, not just twiddling your finger-tips) simultaneously WHILE HOLDING the device! There's crazy potential there for interaction given we're just getting a hold on 1-to-2 vector gestures now. So it's a small thing, but a reasonable and interesting thing.