ON TOUCH-DRIVEN DESKTOP PCs

CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

This concept computer by an Apple Mac enthusiast illustrates the allure many geeks feel towards desktop computers with touch-based user interface systems.

Cool implementation of a wished-for gadget.

Such a product is not a wished-for, conceptual idea on the PC side, with HP's recent TouchSmart desktop PC receiving an Editor's Choice award from PC Mag.  And while I generally agree with a lot of PC Magazine Editor's Choices, this one reads like the reviewer was more enamored that something like this could be constructed at all, with a "kitchen-sink" list of features, than a considered review of how one would use such a thing and get real, daily, incremental value.

The concept already is being taken to it's next logical extension to table-top computers that are touch-based, as envisioned by Microsoft's recent announcements.

While I totally get and buy into the appeal of touch-based computing in hand-held PDAs and phones, I'm still perplexed as to why one would want a touch-based interface for a desktop PC.

It requires one be leaning forward ALL THE TIME to inter-act with the PC, with one if not both arms stretched all the time to do anything useful.

And while this may be a good supplement for one's morning calisthenics, it still doesn't strike me as a great user experience.

Even HP, with it's award-winning TouchSmart PC, falls back on tries and true, time-honored recommendations for using their PC, as a family "connectivity" tool.  No doubt they envision families plunking one of these on the kitchen counter, doodling messages for each other with flour-covered hand, while baking up a storm.

Don't get me wrong, as an unabashed gadget enthusiast, I'm willing to try most "out-of-the-box" technology ideas.

I even went and tried the HP TouchSmart out at the local electronics store.  One problem, selecting an item from a list in Windows Vista is REALLY tough with fat fingers.  They were really designed to be clicked on with a virtual arrow driven by a mouse.  And regular computing on Windows XP and/or Windows Vista isn't really designed for finger-driven computing. 

Overall, this one still strikes me as something that's cool in concept, but trying in daily use.

If anyone has bought one of these touch PCs and found it useful, do share your thoughts.

Comments

[Drew]

While I can understand your comments and concerns about touch on the desktop, consider the following points. HPs TouchSmart is a bad choice for a PC to be put in a home office. You are right, navigating all day with a touch screen is not practical. That said, the TouchSmart is a great idea (bound to get better in time) for a kitchen/living space PC. I talk about this in depth at www.touchsmarter.com, but to summarize, allowing touch input opens computing up to kids and grandparents who otherwise have difficulty with keyboard/mouse. Plus, touch means multiple people can interact with the PC at (nearly) the same time. Looking at pictures is a good example. Any person in a group can touch the screen to enlarge a given picture. It is more natural than taking over the mouse that someone may be using.

Certainly, not everyone wants/needs/can afford the luxery of this kind of tech at this time. But it has to start somewhere, and I think the Touchsmart is a decent start.

Also, note that HP includes a tool that will optimize Vista for touch by increasing the size of many of the buttons/scroll bars. It is not always enabled by default it seems, so perhaps that is what you used in the store. There is lots of room for improvement, sure, but that improvement is coming all the time. There is now a firefox extension that allows much friendlier touch browsing.