Touch Is a Natural
SimpleTap application shown on the new X200 tablet
Following up on my last blog about touch, today we introduced unique versions of the ThinkPad X200 tablet and the T400s notebook that include optional multitouch technology. People can now interact with their ThinkPad in a more personal way using this technology. It’s hard to get more personal than touch.
The highly mobile ThinkPad x200 tablet caters to people in sales, health care and education. Already supporting one finger touch, tablet users can now use two finger touch to perform a variety of gestures, inlcuding pinching, zooming, and tapping. You can also flick through documents, photos, and webpages with the touch of a finger. Adding these advanced and intuitive touch features seems so right to me.
SimpleTap in use on a new T400s
The high performance ThinkPad T400s model serves professionals in engineering and design. These demanding users can now manipulate four fingers on the T400s screen not only to replace tradional cursor movements but to change the way they work. Four finger touch can be used to manipulate objects, move images with two hands, and even have another person touch the screen to collaborate simultaneously.
SimpleTap default tiles
Volume tile expaned to show sliding drag control
In order to exploit this new touch capability my team invented a unique application that we think will make your world both simpler and more entertaining. We call the application SimpleTap, I think the name says it all. This unique innovation gives people a quick and easy-to-use touch interface for controlling everyday product functions. Using a simple two finger double tap anywhere on the screen lauches SimpleTap. It appears as a smoky transulcent layer over your currently diplayed environment. Sitting within this new layer is an array of square icons, or tiles as we call them, for controlling things like; mute speakers, adjust volume level, mute microphone, invoke camera privacy, show camera preview, lock my desktop, suspend my system, select wireless radios, adjust brightness, and turn on or off my ThinkLight. Sounds like a lot, but it really quite simple. Tapping a tile either toggles the status directly, as in mute/un-mute, or it transforms into a new control such as a touch enabled slider for volume.
Classic 15 puzzle circa 1880 served as inspiration
One of the sources of inspiration for the SimpleTap interface was the classic fifteen puzzle . Originally introduced in 1880, the fifteen puzzle is often described as the ultimate brain teaser, or the numerical nightmare. Don’t worry, we left out the brain teaser and numerical nightmare parts. What we capitalized on was how the tiles nest in a gridded array and can be positioned or slid with the touch of a finger to your prefered location. It’s kind of like the puzzle without the constraints.
We also wanted people to be able to customize SimpleTap content to more closely suit their individual needs. A handy feature we included allows the user to create custom tiles for launching web pages, or quickly getting to a special file or presentation. The tiles can also be ordered or grouped by dragging them to your desired location. If you’re bored, the tiles can entertainingly be flicked around the screen. Work just became fun.
Once you are finished adjusting your machine settings just tap anywhere on the screen and the SimpleTap layer instantly disappears. This allows the user to get in and get out quickly without having to deal with elaborate menu structures. Using these controls as an alternative to traditional buttons seems like a natural when you are already within a touch application. Why continuously switch back and forth between touch and mechanical buttons?
Video demonstration of SimpleTap application
For me touch is a natural. Children seem to get it, they learn to communicate with gestures before they can even speak. Pointing, and waving are some of the first to be used. I still remember my oldest son intently pointing to the ceiling as he spoke his first real word ” light”. Why not make using a computer this simple or emotionally engaging?
David Hill
September 15th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Nice, but on a laptop, I am rather skeptical about the interest and the usability of such a technology.
Also it is not really ergonomic, pretty slow and not straight for fast, the screen gets dirty,…
But that’s just a personal feeling…
September 15th, 2009 at 7:17 am
It souds reasonable for a tablet but not for an ordinary laptop such as T400s. It is exciting in terms of fun, but let’s face it nobody has zero fat on their fingers, and it is not ergonomic. You can do all those thing with track point much faster and in more energy efficient way.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:58 am
[...] Multitouch LCDs for ThinkPad X200 tablet and T400s and SimpleTap by Lenovo Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.Powered by WP Greet Box You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video via lenovoblogs.com [...]
September 15th, 2009 at 8:42 am
I’m so confused. The T400s doesn’t have a touch screen — heck, I’m typing from it now — so what is going on in the video?
September 15th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Jeff, we just announced a new model with multitouch technology. Very cool.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:24 am
So the T400s will be using a similar touch sensitive screen as a Fully ruggedised Dell E6400 and Panasonic Toughbook, very nice.
September 15th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
[...] “Classic 15″ puzzle game and control various functions; read more about the design on David Hill’s blog. Some tiles trigger the function directly, like turning on the ThinkLight, and change color [...]
September 15th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
To be honest Im not interested in touch technology at notebooks/tablet. I dont need this. Its nice thing on iPhone but for work and others I dont need touch on my tablet.
I hope in the future I will be able to choose between touch and non touch model. I believe non touch model would have a bit better specs. As they do Multitouch vs Superbright on X200T
Its same with keyboard layout. Im very very used to (now) old one as on X61s and X200T. I dont dig big escape and del buttons. Im used to this for years and dont need or want to change again my habits.
I see that some your calculations showed that it might be worth or something but dont change something which is good by using force, forcing users to change, give them option, right ?
Sorry thats my honest opinion.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
On tablet it sounds reasonable, but on the notebook, err… why did I just became so interested in buying T400s?
Gosh, talk about mixed feelings.
It seems pointless.
I badly want that computer.
Why? Using the keyboard and the TrackPoint is probably a lot faster under any circumstances, if you don’t use the touchscreen so that your fingers are already there. But why would you?
I see two applications. First off, Paint. Fun. Good for creating wallpapers, imagine painting directly on the screen what you want it to look like.
Then, games. Card games, Mahjong, puzzles. I can imagine whole new level of Tetris: you would have to catch those blocks!
Actually, just handling the windows would be rather fun with Aero snap and touch. I wonder if I can move two windows simultaneously using multitouch?
But again, why would I when i can use my TrackPoint? Or sometimes even faster, the Win key with the arrow keys?
Well, web browsing comes to my mind as something that would benefit.
And then my mind made the jump from painting to drawing. 3D CAD navigation may benefit drastically. And with the ribbon you may have all your commands available at one or two touches. And I’ve just tried IronCAD, where you could grab your shapes with the mouse to change their size. Some numerical input device on top of that, and goodbye to the mouse, keyboard, TrackPoint, Spacemouse, maybe not. But maybe the mouse and the keyboard, at least.
And then Photoshop, layouting… know what? This is big. Imagine designers using their hands with their full fingertip feel in the digital domain! We are going to see some wondrous looking things in the future…
You were first to do this, but I wish you had maked it different. I only wish, this was instead in a separate monitor. Some workstation power behind this would be great. It would be a perfect fit for the home computer, and not least, for my 88-year-old grandfather. He’s not friendly with his mouse.
Imagine having the monitor instead of the keyboard in your lap when lazy surfing, reading something, painting something. Funny thinking…
This comment was a lot of imagining. Maybe an imaginary comment. But at least not as off-topic as most of my comments. Thankyou, if you read it.
And thankyou David for bringing the multitouch screen to the computers!
September 15th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I tried to check out the computer configurations and found a few interesting things.
First, I didn’t find it on the swedish site. So I tried the US site. And then I went all huh???
I had found a page that showed the technique. And when I clicked “Show the T400s”, I came to page that showed the product. Not even in the next click did I find the usual long list of configurations, instead I came to one of this really useful “Configure and Buy” kind of pages. Excellent, Lenovo! Then why don’t we get this kind of website experience outside of US? I hope time will solve that…
And then a rather off-topic question. It’s good to see some recommendations from the manufacturer, but. How, I mean *how*, can you recommend one of those SSD:s for the drive? I mean, talk about overpriced piece of silicon… they’re not even good! Sometimes a good old HDD can be way faster, than those use-allergic Samsung drives. Only SSD that seems worth buying is still the Intel ones. Why don’t you work with them?
September 15th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
You may block me for spamming now, but this is an on-topic question: I hope the screen is still matte, and what about attracting fingerprints… ?
I did see the resolution was left unchanged. That’s good news.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
So, primarily the question Matt already hates a lot: What about Linux support?
Just replacing the mouse would not make the deal for me, but currently i don’t see an advantage for me. I do some drawing, but like the trackpoint a lot for its precision i can never have with a mouse, touchpad or my fingers…
And i’m fingerprint allergic!
But, anyway: interesting move. Now comes the user-friendly IPS screen and 4:3 displays? S***, i have to cancel my (traditional) T400s order;-)
cheers
Hecke
September 15th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
are the x200 models going to get software updates to allow more than 2 fingers, similarly to how fujitsu said their new tablets will get such a software upgrade?
these new multi-touch tablets WILL also support pen input, right?
September 15th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
The touch screen on the tablet sounds reasonable. Probably, if given the choice, I would not pick a configuration with it. I don’t think I can justify the extra cost and (reportedly) slight image degradation against any benefit I can foresee.
On a laptop like the T400s I am sure I would not want it. I have a Thinkpad Transnote wich has a touch screen. Clearly the Transnote touch system does not even come close to the one we have here, however, it affords me the chance to test out the ergonomic implications of working with touch on a laptop. I use it occasionally to dismiss a dialog box or something like that but anything more will get your arms very tired soon.
No matter what fancy application anyone can produce for touch on a laptop, you cannot escape from the simple fact that the ergonomic factor will get in the way of using it.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Why limit it to ThinkPads? For the consumer-oriented Lenovo C300 this would make an excellent interface, and the price bump would be justified.
I’m trying to visualize my mom using SimpleTap customized for her most-used apps. She taps on the screen to launch Word or PowerPoint, then puts her hand back to the keyboard. Would her arms tire out? No, she spends more time typing than clicking and the screen is close enough for her. So selecting menu or toolbar choices wouldn’t realy be a hassle. What about a browser? She has her choice of click or touch, whichever is more comfortable for her.
I think it will work.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
[...] out this demo video of Lenovo’s new laptops that come with optional multitouch screens. That’s pretty cool. I want this feature. Share this on TechnoratiStumble upon something [...]
September 15th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Hi David, I noticed the hinges of the T400s requires a lot less pressure (than other old series) to move the screen back and forth. I really like the new feel of this kind of features, however I’m wondering how did you solve or work into the notebook design (not being a tablet) the fact that the screen can move involuntarily if you apply too much pressure into the screen.
I guess that capacitive touchscreen and a less soft hinge will do it, but i’m not that good at guessing
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and writing one of my favorites design blogs.
September 16th, 2009 at 5:05 am
david,
maybe you can give us a little hint,
when to expect new models from lenovo?
Right after public release of Win7?
September 16th, 2009 at 8:12 am
martynas, dave is not allowed to answer you on that. But perhaps the following article helps:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/0.....uary-2010/
cheers
Hecke
September 16th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
While I’m not happy by the idea of fingerprints on my screen, is there a chance to get better quality displays (T400s) as a side effect of the touch technology ? Or is it still the shade indicator with funny contrast ratio 120:1 called display by mistake ?
September 16th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Off topic: I noticed your blog hasn’t mentioned anything about the Q1×0 nettops. Is that because you only want to focus on the ThinkPad, or because you don’t think their design is notable?
September 17th, 2009 at 3:18 am
wanted to learn a bit about the specs of the T400s touch model from the german Lenovo site. Impossible. The nice ‘customize and buy’ attempt has vanished, now there is a listing of 6 (six) models of the T series, just one configuration for the T400s, no possibility to get to the other models.
Even if it takes a minute, i will fill out every ‘take a quick survey’ request on the bottom of the page, whenever i visit the site. Hopefully this gets forwarded to the person in charge.
September 18th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
@Hecke:
websales@lenovo.com
That is the only e-mail address I could find, and I found it on the US site. But it said I should send website feedback to it. And so I will do, tomorrow maybe. Do that you too, the more the better.
Remember that the US site has the configure and buy, as well as some general product information. But still, the best information is found on the support site…
Funny thing the Swedish site didn’t have a mention of the web on the contact page. Will you please search the German site for me? I know some German but it’s probably easier for you. I’ll try to search the Danish and Norwegian sites someday, and UK one of course.
September 20th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Well, now that I’ve searched the sites, I’ve found some interesting things. First off, no other interesting e-mail addresses.
Then, the UK site has the nice “Customize and buy” and that slightly better layout. But it does not have the T400s with multitouch yet.
Most interesting is that when I had been to the UK site, I was sort of stuck there until I had wiped out my cookies. Even though I unchecked the “Remember this choice” box. And it had a drop-down list for the country choice instead of a link. Then I tried with the US site and that was what happened when I had that box checked, except when I changed to another country, this time around I wasn’t redirected when I clicked some links. Strange.
All-in-all, I would vote for a complete remake of the websites. And I mean from the ground up, to get rid of the inconsistency and weird faults and broken links and so on…
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Excellent. Now BumpTop will much more relevant even on regular nontablet laptop. They’re making it more finger friendly. Truly a step forward!
September 25th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Very well This Thinkpad!
October 28th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Nice idea for collaboration. A little bit like an flip chart or chalkboard