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Our wild and completely unconfirmed Apple Tablet prediction: The thing's gonna have "Backtouch"

By Rain Noe - January 18, 2010

in Tech | Object Culture

I've got a prediction for the Apple Tablet's interface that I haven't seen anywhere; it's based on nothing but my own intuition combined with some things I've pieced together, and I'm fully prepared to announce this prediction and wind up on a "Things they got wrong" list in two weeks.

Here's what it is: I think you'll be able to interact with the tablet not only by touching the screen, but by touching the underside. That is to say, for applications where your finger would block the screen, I think sensors on the back of the Apple Tablet will read your finger position and indicate its position via an unobstrusive yet easily-discernible cursor on the screen.

This is based on four things:

1. Apple has a patent for exactly such a technology (which we reported on way back in May of '07).

2. Reports that a "recently departed Apple employee" told The New York Times' Nick Bilton that "You will be very surprised how you interact with the new tablet."

3. The existence of the Magic Mouse. The top of the mouse is not a screen, yet it has sensors that read what your fingers are doing, like swiping. So in addition to the patent mentioned in #1, Apple's already got a product that can read finger gestures on a plastic surface. Grab the Magic Mouse and flip it over.

[image credit: cult of mac and Flickr user kumazo]

4. Goldman Sachs analyst Robert Chen's claim that the 4G iPhone will have a touch-sensitive casing--like the Magic Mouse. I'm guessing we'll see that touch-sensitive casing in the Tablet before it pops up in the iPhone 4G that we're bound to see later this year.

Reasons why I could be wrong:

1. I've got zero track record with this kind of thing.

2. This tech would only make sense if you were holding the device up, as opposed to looking at it flat on a desk; though the latter is not exactly an ergonomic way to use the device, people will probably still do it, which is why I think Apple will enable both touchscreen and "touchback"/"backtouch" or whatever they'll end up calling the new tech.

3. Another ergonomic issue: Depending on how big the tablet is, when held in landscape it might be awkward to reach the center-back of the screen.

Anyways, I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, feel free to pile on to why I might be wrong, or right, in the comments.

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Jamey Stegmaier

14 years ago

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Great prediction--I hope you're right. You address what I consider one of the main issues of the tablet--the fact that you generally want to look at the full area of a screen (like any other computer screen), not have your hands in the way.

Which brings me to my prediction, which doesn't make sense for my mostly non-tech blog, but I think it's worth mentioning here (and has probably been written about on other sites that I don't read): I predict that the tablet will have a built-in projector for two purposes. One, the obvious projection of photos, slides, and movies. Two, to project a keyboard onto a flat surface.

This is the big one. I think the screen will also have a keyboard, but many times you won't want to block half the screen with it. So the projector in the front of the tablet will project a keyboard onto a flat surface, and you'll be able to type on it (presumably via some alien technology).

What do you think?
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Richard

14 years ago

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Maybe that patent is specific to the actual interface? The recently released, synaptics driven "Fuse" mobile concept is basically the same thing as your suggesting without the interface:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wLeC31JG6Q
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Alan

14 years ago

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It would be nice for the device to "know" if it is being held with left, right, both, or no hands. Positioning floating controls, putting tab indexes, etc. could change based on how it is held (or not held). A touch sensitive back could do that.
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Shalin

14 years ago

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What a damn clever idea and a "deep thought" prediction...
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Andrew Liebchen

14 years ago

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I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, I drew it up for iLounge's "Design the Apple Tablet" contest back in November. I didn't win, of course. Not enough eye candy (iCandy?) or not clear enough, I don't know. See my entry here: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/gallery/image_med/17067/ In the end, I hope we're right!
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tyler

14 years ago

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The "touchback" seems like a good solution to having my fat fingers cover the screen. TAT has a similar concept that seems like it would work better on a smaller device since it can be held and operated with one hand.

http://mobileuserinterfaces.blogspot.com/2009/12/beyond-touchscreen-finally-future-is.html
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V

14 years ago

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A close friend of mine did a phone with backtouch as part of his degree work! There were some raised portions on the back that were touch sensitive (or would be if it were real)...I hope you're right about this!

http://www.skrov.com/projects/devices.html
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