i-Whiteboard's ... so passe - Welcome Multi-Touch!
Multi-Touch is going mainstream. Not sure how many of you have seen Jeff Han's demo from the TED conference at Monterey in California, but its worth a look to see the technology in use. Apple also demonstrated the technology in a smaller form with what he calls 'the pinch' on the new Apple iPhone at the MacWorld Expo 2007.
Microsoft has impressive new technology called 'Microsoft Surface', and recently announced a multi-touch interface along the lines of the Jeff Han demo; a large screen system for interacting with content. Have a look at these pictures from the PCWorld (US) site for a sneak preview.
If this technology is an indication of the direction of travel of next generation presentation technology, I sense the demise of the interactive whiteboard and projector. Mark Bolger of Microsoft calls the interface a NUI - natural user interface. To date, computers have been lonely devices ... just the user facing the screen. This opens up amazing possibilites for tactile interaction, games and manipulation. It's impressive! ... BETT 2010??? .. maybe?? I hope so!