Tag Archive for 'Mollerade'

Content Navigation

Published
by
christian
on November 11, 2008
in Technology
. 0 Comments

The death of the media center, and the rise of the next generation of operating systems.

Having dabbled with Windows Media Center from Microsoft, FrontRow from Apple and various alternatives, some which do very well in organising music, video and photos, these are just footsteps towards a new graphical user interface that covers all media. I consider the media center concept as a developmental stage of current operating systems towards improved content navigation.

Due to the lack of a concerted effort to vastly improve navigation I write about my hopes and dreams for future operating systems to come. If anyone knows about new content navigation techniques, experimental software, or cutting edge navigation design, please post the URLs and i’ll aim to summarize the work going on at the moment. however my initial searches have yealeded nothing.

Goodbye Desktop Wallpaper, it was fun but your services are no longer required.

So many computers have been sold on their use of desktop wallpaper, with beautiful swooping lines, or green fields and blue skies. The operating system may be a few years old, but if the desktop wallpaper is new then it must be worth upgrading right?

The next generation of operating systems will do away with a desktop wallpaper background, favouring instead screen savers when the computer is not in use which can still display images as slideshows or any other manner of informative information ( think educational based screen savers, quiz questions or national works of art) and applications that maximize the screen space available when in use. The desktop wall paper is a distraction that limits our ability to focus on navigation. The only time I see my wallpaper is when I’m not using my computer otherwise all my windows are maximized. Wallpaper should be relegated to the dustbin once and for all in favour of improved navigation.

Navigation must not be tied to a menu

Why click on a start button/icon etc which launches a list of apps when my starting page could be the full list of apps. Now that we don’t have wallpaper we can use that space for something more productive like a navigation system. I’ll expand on some ideas for new navigation in a moment.

Although Microsoft’s ribbon technology in its office suit looks promising, menus haven’t progressed much from simple lists. We need to see a radical overhaul of the traditional list menu which is inefficient and cumbersome. We need a single space and a new language to navigate our applications and the functionality within them.

The navigation of the future will make use of multiple senses including sight, touch, sound, and temperature, closing the gap that currently existing between how we sort through data in the real world versus in the digital world. We should also provide multiple ways of viewing the same data using a system called Multiview.

Multiview recognises that we don’t all reason the same way. During childhood a person can acquires a unique logic, based on environmental and genetic differences. Multiview addresses these differences by testing new users with a short list of questions that analyse the individual user’s ability and preference for navigating data, and then selects a default navigation view based on the user’s answers.

I’ve created some very rough mockups to give you an idea of new naviagation views;

The mass extinction of Applications goes hand in hand with the rise of the Function Widget.

Media Centres paved the way for this to happen. They created a single application that was able to play music, videos and display photos. How long is it going to take for someone to extend this functionality to encompass all functionality?

By using a single application engine to run all functionality, you would no longer have to close an application as you switch from one function to another.

The menu and the applications engine would probably be open source, developed in conjunction with each application developer. Improvements would be made together, and the costs would be spread out across all the application developers. However, the application would be designed to incorporate Function Widgets. The Function Widget is a way to bolt on additional functionality without developing its engine and menu system further. It is not a complete application in its own right; any basic common functionality is shared with and built into the application engine prior to the function widget being installed.

Function Widgets would be sold and proprietary, providing enhanced functionality to the application engine and menu. No longer will users need bloated software that does everything for everyone. Instead users will pick and choose which parts of the software they need by adding Function Widgets.

The application engine would by default be full screen maximizing the screen space available. If functionality is required side by side, then a single screen can be virtually split or spread across a second physical screen.

MacWorld 2008 - What was in the air ?

Published
by
christian
on January 18, 2008
in Technology
. 2 Comments

macbook airIts been a few days now since Macworld 2008, and it’s time to digest what might be going on with Apple in 2008. Stepping away from the speculation that we’ve all, myself included, induldged in we remind ourselves that Apple Inc. has not perfect employees, they make mistakes, and will continue to do so, just like the rest of us. One hopes that one learns from ones mistakes, and time will tell if Apple keeps this lesson to heart.
Currently led by a man frequently said to be of genius, Jobs is a man with vision, and purpose, but we must not forget that Apple only has a duty to shareholders, not consumers directly. Perhaps it is lucky then that we the consumers have a choice, are free to exersize that choice, a lesson easily forgotten if we get too carried away with our rabid speculation of what we might be getting, rather than what we have. With Apple we see a company that is human, and responsive to our touch. Every public company must weigh shareholders demands, against those of the consumer, with Apple we believe we have found a company that gives the consumer more weight than the shareholder, or so we hope.

Macworld 2008 delivered us the Macbook Air, another luxury product with reduced functionlity that consumers busy starving off a recession are finding increasingly hard to justify. Could we be seeing less of the.. “its soo shiney and its new, and thin and /gurgle/dribble/ and if i’m really good and don’t spend any money on clothes or food for X then i can.. /dribble/”, and a little more of the..“well, i could really do with out a screen, i’ve got that already.. and i could do without a keyboard and mouse, mine aren’t that bad, and i should set my limit at around £500-600max”.

So dude.. i find myself asking, “where is the Apple Mac Mini update?” A product (along with Apple Monitors) that has yet to see any major change to its design since its inception.

The answer.. i’m not waiting for it any more. I’ve just purshased the Mac Mini 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo. If an update does arrive this year, i’m hopeful an update does arrive, but something tells me Apple may have its hands full with other things, and my poor AMD Sempron needs replacing yesterday.

The Next Generation GUI (Part II)

Published
by
christian
on January 9, 2008
in Science and Technology
. 3 Comments

NGGUI MENU

NGGUI Coverflow NGGUI Tree

These are my first efforts at designing the Next Generation of GUI (NGGUI). This GUI is based of the 9 rules from Part I of the NGGUI. The mockups above are structural design guides, and in no way display the final polished look of the GUI, part of the reason is that the GUI is going to have themes, therefore their isn’t much point in spending time making it look pretty at this stage.

Menu

The round circles/icons at the bottom of the screen are 2D in design. When not using them, they turn left or right in unison disapearing. Some of the icons will be mandatory, but others will be optional, allowing you to choose what the icon is used for. TheTool Bar icon is mandatory, requiring all applications to use this area for any functions performed external to the active window.

The Multiview icon allows you to see your data represented in five different ways, 1) Coverflow (seen in the mockup above), 2) Tree (also seen in the mockup above), 3) Tag Cloud (No mockup, but google to get an idea), 4) Date/Calendar ( Similar to Sony Picture Motion Browser), and 5) Database (This pro level view allows you to manipulate the data, and can be thought of as an advanced version of Windows Explorer).

Tabs

Tabs are active for each application, allowing multiple windows. The Tabs convert to Categories when using Multiview.

Navigation

As discussed in a previous post, we are supplying multiple ways of searching and viewing data, which can be tailored to an individual based on their understanding of data relationships. Below is an example Ribbon Navigation, which can be tailored to individuals.
navigation

Three ribbons run across the top of the screen. Ribbon 1 (top) is an infinity Ribbon displaying all your installed applications. Your favourites are displayed first, then alphabetically. Ribbon 2 (middle) is the Category, for example by Genre, playlist, date, type, usage etc. Ribbon 3 (bottom) is the multiview, as dicussed above. All ribbons are theoretically infinite.

Next Generation GUI Universe (PART III)



Imagined Apple Inc 2008 Product Roadmap

Published
by
christian
on January 4, 2008
in Technology
. 3 Comments

The imagined 2008 Product Roadmap covers only the major products in Apple’s arsenal and ignores peripheral devices. A full breakdown of each product specifications is available below.

Mac Portables

Macbook Touch - Large Multitouch screen 20cm X 12cm X 1.5cm, Flash Storage (32GB -128GB), Memory (1-2GB), Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor, MAC OS X v10.5x, USB, Firewire, Bluetooth, Wifi.

Macbook - The technical specifications remain much the same (albeit faster processors), however a new chassis, 4mm thinner than the 2007 model and a Multitouch keyboard radically change the Macbook’s appearance and functionality. The Multitouch keyboard is effectively a flat surface area covering the area previously occupied by the keyboard. The track pad is gone. The area switches between keyboard mode and mouse by pressing a key or using a Multitouch finger gesture. The keys are lit for use in the dark (similar to the Macbook Pro), and printed on the flat surface area, with raised lines on F and J key. No more sticky fingers on the screen!

Macbook Pro - The Macbook Pro also makes use of the Multitouch keyboard, with faster CPU, Memory and a larger HD.

Mac Desktops

Mac TV - The Mac TV is the evolution of the Mac Mini and Apple TV of 2007. In 2008 we see these two devices merge, creating Mac TV. The Mac TV is equally comfortable connected to a computer monitor as it is an LCD TV, but either way its been designed to be conceivably the only household computer you will need.

Roughly twice the size as the Mac Mini, Mac TV incorporates many of the connections found on both the Mini and the Apple TV, with some notable additions and exceptions. Although composite connectors have gone in favour of two HDMI slots and one DV they are available with a DVI to composite at extra cost.

One of the most interesting software additions coming with the Mac TV is an application called MultiSpaces. MultiSpaces is automatically activated when connecting two keyboards and or mice to the Mac TV. This is an extension of Leopards Spaces technology, which allows the users to have multiple desktops. Using MultiSpaces you can split the screen equally in two (or more if your screen is big enough) giving each user has their own desktop to do with as they want. In case you are wondering only one audio channel remains open at any time, on a first come first served basis. Now you can watch TV and surf the web.

Yes, PVR functionality is included.

iMac - iMac gets bigger! The range begins at 22”, with 24” in the middle and a new 32” model arriving in March. The 32” model is the thinnest, and is wall mountable. MultiSpaces is active on all models, but only the 32” model carries PVR functionality.

Mac Pro - The Mac Pro comes in two versions now, Mini Tower and Full Tower. There isn’t much difference between the two other than cost and expandability.

Peripherals

 Multitouch Input (combining keyboard and mouse functionality). Layed in a solid wood or  aluminium. Bluetooth conectivity. (think luxury Wacom tablet).

Mac Mini and Apple TV Combine to become Apple TV +. The Mac Plus debuts.

Published
by
christian
on December 19, 2007
in Technology
. 7 Comments

Apple TV+ I’ve been listening to what a few of you have been saying about the Mini and Apple TV, as i’ve had similar thoughts, seeing little reason why the two devices shouldn’t be combined, after all the Mini does everything the Apple TV can?

In fact there exists only one strong reason not to combine these two products. The cost of the Mini (£399) is two hundred pounds more expensive that the Apple TV in its current form. The question is, is the added functionality a fully fledged computer offers you worth it? In my opinion yes, absolutely.

I’ve been using a PC attached to my 37″ JVC LCD television for over a year now, and i can tell you, i will never go back to having the main TV separated from a computer, i would like all TV’s to have the functionality of a computer, and would be willing to bet that the first manufacturer to integrate computers and televisions on a mass scale at a competitive price will be a monumental success. The TV is generally the technical hub of any house, and a natural place to go for information. Todays LCD Televisions produce great resolutions, so your computer will look great on the TV. Add a wireless keyboard and mouse, and instead of just Movies and TV shows, you can surf the web, chat to your friends via Skype, read your emails and write that essay, all from the comfort of your lounge.

So the idea of the Apple TV or Pinnacle’s Showcenter is a great one, they just didn’t go far enough with the added functionality. Why do i want to spend £200 to stream movings from the computer to my TV, when a 20M VGA cable costs £15 add to that a 20M audio cable (£3.99) and you’ve done the same thing for £181 less.

The Apple TV + could limit functionality, adding only an internet browser, and an email Application. This would keep the costs down, but as a user, it greatly limits what i can do, should i need to quickly edit an email attachment in word, or touch up a photo before printing it, and considering we know the market is heading in the direction of combining the TV and computer, we really only have three options left;

1) Do we build a box to go under your TV
2) Do we combine the TV and computer ourselves (AKA iMac)
3) Do we do both?

I choose No.3.

So we now have two requirements

1) we need a combined Apple TV and Mac Mini product, that we are going to call (for the sake of discussion Apple TV +), and

2) we need to enlarge the screen size of the iMac from its current 24″ limit to beyond 40″ to compete with the TV manufacturers (whilst sliming its profile down).

This leaves us with a gap in our product line where previously the Mac Mini filled. What about a Smaller version of the Mac Pro. Call it the Mac Plus, and make it 2/3 size of the Mac Pro.

So our new Mac line up looks something like this;

1) Apple TV +

2) iMac

3) Mac Plus

4) Mac Pro

And for my next write up we will be investigating the possible specifications of these 4 products. Happy Holidays!

Update - JAN 2008 (POST MACWORLD 2008) -As i previously stated i believe the Mac Mini and Apple TV could be merged sucessfully. However based on Apple’s announcement of the software enhancements to the Apple TV, which allow content to be added directly rather than going through iTunes installed on a seperate computer, i would like to make a change to my original thoughts of the Apple TV+. I would keep the Apple TV, for those only interested in watching Movies and TV, listening to music or viewing their photos on their Television, the Apple TV makes perfect sense, and is priced accordingly. The Apple TV+ would in addition to everything the Apple TV does, be a fully fledged computer, running OSX, and include similar specs to the Mac Mini.