I was both fascinated that CNN is using cutting-edge interface technology in their election coverage and repulsed that CNN is using cutting-edge interface technology. Their pandering to techies was just inane and a disservice to the technology they use
If you don’t know what I am talking about. Jeff Han’s Multi-Touch Interface has been making rounds for the last few years as an alternative to a hard keyboard and mouse. A few small devices have implemented something similar to this, but I would like to see more large-scale screens for regular computing. My largest influences in rooting for this technology is the command center in Minority Report and the nifty datastreams in Battlestar Galactica.
Here are some cool possible applications of this technology.
- RTS games such as Spring (their mouse-gesture formation widget would pwn with this), Supreme Commander, the Total War series, and Sins of a Solar Empire.
- Computers that a first officer uses on an aircraft or on a nautical bridge
- Presentations would be more interactive and interesting. Presentation displays will be more like dynamic canvasses instead of static slides. The overhead projector style of presentation could make a comeback.
- Even laptop DJ’s would look cooler with a dynamic screen glowing back at them.