A multi-touch computing device for every budget.
Multi-touch devices seem to be popping up everywhere. Don’t be the last kid on your block to get yours. Don’t worry about the price—there’s something for everyone.
The Two Dollar Multi-touch Pad: $2.00 *
Manufacturer: You
Target Market: Subscribers to Make magazine
Pros: Icebreaker with huge nerds
Cons: It’s a Ziplock bag full of water and dye
Yes, for the lowest priced multi-touch device you have to roll up your sleeves. The $2 variant is cheap, but it’s not ready for prime time-nor is that the intention of its (far more clever than myself) creator Erling Ellingsen.
$2 Multi-Touch
* OK, the price is misleading, but even if you add the price of a Mac laptop, it still comes in as the second cheapest solution out there.
iPhone: $399
Manufacturer: Apple
Target Market: Everyone but people who use Microsoft Exchange
Pros: Portability, Price
Cons: Depends on your perspective
Let’s just not describe the iPhone. I’m pretty sure Apple has beat into your head what it is.
To clarify on the cons for Apple’s iPhone: there might be no cons whatsoever (ask anyone who would sit in front of an Apple store overnight to get a $79 OS X upgrade), it might have a few stumbling blocks (these people are referred to as ‘the general public’), or, it flat out sucks (Steve Ballmer).
Surface: $5,000 to $10,000
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Target Market: Consumer and Commercial (Everyone)
Pros: Leverages Microsoft’s developer ecosystem
Cons: It’s a big ass table
The Surface multi-touch computer is the product of years of R&D at Microsoft. Pricing is said to be between $5,000 and $10,000 - which, on the low end, doesn’t price it that much higher than a high-performance PC and monitor combination.
Surface’s form factor returns memories of the original sit-down Pac Man machines which have established beachheads in homes across America. Unfortunately, Microsoft isn’t envisioning Surface in your basement (whether you are or not). Combine the price with Microsoft’s developer community and expect to see Surface pop-up (I couldn’t say ’surface’) in a variety of venues. Hospitality industry first.
If you haven’t seen the Big Ass Table Surface parody, view Microsoft’s videos first and then get a laugh out of it (both are below).
Microsoft Surface: Imagine the Possibilities
Microsoft Surface Parody
Interactive Media Wall: Starting at $100,000
Manufacturer: Perceptive Pixel
Target Market: Affluent people like Steve Jobs (but not Steve Jobs)
Pros: Looks incredibly fluid
Cons: Prices Starting at $100,000
Perceptive Pixel is Jeff Han’s company which launched after the oooohs and aaaahs wound down following his NYU experiments and TED appearances hit the ‘net. The company’s first product, the Interactive Media Wall, is an 8 foot by 3 foot screened computing device. The single-page Perceptive Pixel site is curiously quiet about its first product. It does, however, have a great video showing more recent experimentations.
Definitely cool. Curiously being sold at Neiman Marcus. That’s right, it’s at Neiman’s. Details are less than inspiring. Could we get some indication of what kind of software it comes with? Are companies developing software for it? OS? And, I hate to ask, but can I step back a few paces and just watch a HD movie on it from the couch?
Tags: $2 multi touch, Apple, Erling Ellingsen, Hardware, Industrial Design, Interactive Media Wall, iPhone, Jeff Han, Microsoft, Microsoft Surface, multi touch, Pac Man, Perceptive Pixel, Steve Ballmer, Steve Jobs, User Experience, User InterfaceYou may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
