Windows 8 tiles.

[4745454b]

So a lot of people have been talking about the tiles and how it will suck on a desktop. Then I got to reading this article on Anand about win8 battery life.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5619/windows-8-consumer-preview-a-quick-look-at-battery-life

And just as an aside, I know that Windows 8 isn’t final by any stretch of the imagination, but while the Metro UI (and UI changes in general) seems like it would work great on a tablet, I’m ready to go on record as saying I think it sucks for traditional desktop and laptop users. Without a touch interface, Metro feels weird at best and downright awful at worst. What’s more, getting a touchscreen for a desktop or laptop isn’t actually something I’m clamoring for. Does using a 24” or 30” touchscreen on my desktop sound enjoyable?

And then everything clicked for me and I think I might know what MS is thinking/doing. (or at least I hope they do...) Anyone remember that Kinect is coming to the PC? Anyone remember that the new kinect is supposed to be so good it can "see" your fingers? Anyone want to bet me that the/a new Kinect for the PC will be able to read your hand/finger motions and perform the actions as if you had touched the screen? If so, I think I might like the idea of tiles now.

 

[ejb222]

Interesting thoughts. I for one don't think the Metro UI is awkward or awful. My one day of playing around and getting things set up has been fun. I find the experience is different, but also rather intuitive once you get into the swing of things. And I'm talking mouse and keyboard, not touch screen.

Curious to see how much more we will be able to manipulate the tiles and personalize the Metro UI. But it's a cool start. The only thing that can be awkward is the transition from Start screen to desktop. I feel like I need to switch back and forth too many times.

As for touch screen, would be horrible if the monitor stays in its possition it is now. But perhaps not bad at all if the monitor is moved to keyboard level for starters.

 

[4745454b]

That could be interesting as well, like a ST:TNG work console? Only issue with that is we'd need desks to hold out screen down there where the keyboard is. And we'd need new touchscreens.

 

[warezme]

That could be interesting as well, like a ST:TNG work console? Only issue with that is we'd need desks to hold out screen down there where the keyboard is. And we'd need new touchscreens.

No I don't think that is what he means. The kinect would just be the interface to swipe between apps back and forth, kind of like minority report but you wouldn't have to touch the screen because kinect would pick up your fingers from a distance. You would still use your keyboard for everything else. I assume you could also type on a virtual keyboard with kinect but that would be slow and awkward most people with real work to do would use a standard keyboard.

 

[4745454b]

The "minority report" thing is what I first thought of, and was my post. It sounded like to me ejb222 was suggesting putting the screen down by the keyboard. In either case you'd still need a new touchscreen, or a $200 PC Kinect. I like my idea, but your arms will get tired over time.

 

[ejb222]

Another possibility is that Microsoft adds in voice feature as well. I know the Kinect has a built in mic too. So the combination voice command and touch screen may be better than touch screen alone.

-Add a program like Siri and whoa!

 

[-Fran-]

The "minority report" thing is what I first thought of, and was my post. It sounded like to me ejb222 was suggesting putting the screen down by the keyboard. In either case you'd still need a new touchscreen, or a $200 PC Kinect. I like my idea, but your arms will get tired over time.

In all fairness, a typical use scenario, within a page for example, you won't need 100% of time the gestures; just for desktop duty: going from one program to the other and interacting with Metro. So, the Minority report approach can be a mixed bag of mouse+keyboard+kinnect most of the time.

If you have good arms though, you could do everything with the gestures, hehe.

I'm putting myself in the developing situation: have to move log windows around (gesture/kinnect), have to program (keyboard), have to scroll (either mouse or kinnect), etc...

It's close to using the Wiimote with a PC, but I'd say way better.

Cheers!

 

[4745454b]

But the idea is feasible? You want a way to sell Kinects and having tiles on the desktop make sense, that's it to me.

 

[-Fran-]

But the idea is feasible? You want a way to sell Kinects and having tiles on the desktop make sense, that's it to me.

Think of it as when Apple and MS introduced the mouse as the big interactive thing of the 80's. Down the road we'll see more things oriented to it. Mostly from MS I'd say.

Once Kinnect get a good rate of adoption, or more competing solutions come around (gesture things), the programs will be designed more and more with "gestures" in mind. It's like Opera and their mouse gestures; using kinnect to browse with it will be a matter of swapping the input device, lol.

I really do see the potential, thanks to you, 47 😛

Cheers!

 

[worldwide]

I am agree with yuka.....

 

[thor220]

The Problem I see with the kinect being used as the interface device is that it is gesture and motion based. Its using a sensor to detect your movement from a distance and has a larger delay and lower accuracy than when using a mouse or keyboard. Although this feature is great for people on the computer doing casual things like shopping or viewing video, professional or power users will find it much more advantageous to still use a mouse and keyboard.

 

[4745454b]

You would use all three thor. Keyboard/mouse and needed, and then using the Kinect to handle the gestures that metro seems to want us to use.

 

[thor220]

Why not create a UI that adapts to the device the user has. ex. Larger icons and buttons with kinect or touch screen and something like what we have now for keyboard/mouse.

 

[-Fran-]

It's actually a good idea! You could scale down/up the desktop and just adapt it "on the fly" to your needs. Like the Win7 slider for the detailed, icons, large icons, list, etc view.

Also, I'm sure a single webcam with a mic in it could suffice as a "kinnect" device. 2 webcams can be calibrated to have the exact same functionality as well. You only need the software to do it, which I'm sure MS (or the company that sold them the idea) has a lot of patents.

Cheers!

 

[thor220]

I like the webcam idea but I don't think Microsoft will support it, seeing how much they like money. If it was not for DirectX being windows only I would have dropped windows a long time ago for a linux distro.

 

[4745454b]

The only problem with just using any webcam is that not all are good enough in quality to "see" a persons fingers. I suppose they could put out a list of supported webcams but its probably easier to just sell people a PC Kinect.

 

[carnage0651]

From what ive seen so far I dont like it. This would be great for tablets and phones but on a PC.... um no. If it aint broke, dont fix it. The Start menu and current destop config is good and works.

 

[4745454b]

I think you missed the point of this thread....

 

[Tamz_msc]

If what you're speculating is indeed the case, then this might help overcome Metro UI's shortcomings, like the difficulty in browsing your music collection, if you have a very large one like mine.

I like the idea though.

 

[-Fran-]

About the webcams resolution, well, it would just reduce the accuracy indeed, but I'd say it is possible if the cameras are the same.

And any camera over 2MP (integrated ones) can deliver 640x480 at 24FPS IIRC. I think kinnect uses around 24FPS, right? We only need the software to play with it, lol.

Cheers!