Hacker News Reader

Comment by knappador | Hacker News Reader

Ah, yeah, true innovation alright; an application specific touch-UI? Dang, tablets will never be able to offer that XD.

In the comments: "Apple has a patent for a similar device. However their touch sensitive keyboard is also an e-ink type display so each software you run can have it's own custom keyboard/input tablet displayed without having to purchase or install anything extra. That will be a game changer and make the MS device look primitive."

Man oh man. There's no point in putting the '$' in M$ anymore. What a great day for the rest of the world.

I'm waiting for the infospasm posts self-assuredly advising start-ups leave room for your product to pivot by not implementing the UI in static hardware and 'How Flaviboard Increased Our Revenue by 30000% by Getting Hardware Out of the Iteration Cycle'

View on HN

Honest question. Not just for knappador, but anyone else who wants to chime in. How do you all feel about a single piece of glass vs. actual buttons?

Personally, I tend to prefer real buttons more often than not. I'm fine with tapping and swiping when I'm just browsing stuff (browser, certain apps, etc) on my phone or tablet.

But I feel like if there's 9 or more buttons grouped closely together (maybe less), an interface where I can feel the boundaries between buttons without activating them and get a physical response when pressing them is just better.

I wonder how many people feel just a touch interface is on par or better. I know I've never really gotten used to typing on my tablet like I do my keyboard. But maybe I just need to spend more time with it.

The problem is, how much better is it really? The flatness of the cover by its very nature implies awful tactile awareness compared to Cherry MX's or any other such device wholly designed to aid tactile awareness. Looking at the images, I'm guessing I'm about as likely to gain a feel for this device as I am to start reading Braille spontaneously. What is there to give tactile feedback on this thing? Paint!?!? XD Subtle dips in an already subtle material?! I'd rather open a school teaching finger-navigation on felt than develop any application dependent on this. Who is this really a wake-up call to? I'd have to have been using an iPad to transcribe on for the last three years to buy an exclamation that relevant change has occurred. Hardly the thing that will stop the slide of MS, and good riddance. One less platform wholly and utterly founded on proprietary software.

Tactile feedback is essential to typing.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com