Protos

It looks real fun. Although I am not sure that a lighter is the perfect pointing device ^^

@www.asktog.com/basics/

We find a nice list of interaction points.

e.g.,

Metaphors, Use of

Choose metaphors well, metaphors that will enable users to instantly grasp the finest details of the conceptual model. Good metaphors are stories, creating visible pictures in the mind. Bring metaphors alive by appealing to people’s perceptions–sight, sound, touch, and kinesthesia–as well as triggering their memories. Metaphors usually evoke the familiar, but often add a new twist. For example, Windows 95 has an object called a briefcase. Like a real-world briefcase, its purpose is to help make electronic documents more portable. It does so, however, not by acting as a transport mechanism, but as a synchronizer: Documents in the desktop briefcase and the briefcase held on portable media are updated automatically when the portable media is inserted in the machine.

Ok but how do you do that ^^ – I personally find that the WIMP model it self lacks the possibility to make truly intuitive applications. Sure you can learn what the elements mean “[X]” will close a window etc.

But intuitive will it never be – its just a random icon ascribed a meaning. I struggle almost daily with vendors defining intuitive icons, most icons just aren’t…

I think we are getting sidetracked by Ferdinand de Saussure’s model of language only applied to visual aesthetics.

IMHO there is no reason not to believe that the visual language of today is just the first weak steps. It will probably take hundred of years to refine it to something that is intuitive as spoke language.

Anyway I am babbling – Asktog list is nice.

Very cool! Phillips has a pure design event. Philips’ Simplicity Event

Two Interactive examples from business week slideshows:

Drag & Draw
Here’s one to keep the kids occupied. Drag & Draw turns the entire home into a virtual canvas for children. The digital light painting kit enables the user to paint via laser beams. Simply wave the wand over the laser projection bucket, then use it to draw on any wall or surface. Draw a bus on a road, for instance, and then with another flick of the wand that image is suddenly surrounded by a colorful backdrop.

Look at more advanced stuff like:

uWand
uWand lets consumers read and manage all digital content from music and photos to films and games with a simple wand instead of a remote. Move the wand over the image on your screen and you can scroll, select, play, and move elements. Philips hopes that the uWand will stimulate product designers to rethink user interfaces to make them simpler and more user-centered. Philips is in discussions with the electronics industry to introduce the uWand to the consumer market.

…more cool stuff @ businessweek.com/

via. gizmodo.com

We’ve shown you tiny phones before, but this is getting ridiculous: the Xun Chi 138 is scarcely larger than an AA battery and it weighs just two ounces. Too small to even dial, it requires you to use a stylus on a touchscreen and plug in a headset to talk and listen.

Since it only supports Chinese character recognition, we won’t be seeing it stateside anytime soon, but before it’s shipped here the company might consider learning how to spell the word “megapixels.”

Wonder how to hit those buttons ^^

Sonys new WI-FI device. I wonder how it feels to see this one if you are a telco?

Wikipedia has a nice run down of the history of graphical user interfaces

Lots of sceenshots too:

We owe a lot to Douglas Engelbart – He did not have the imagination to think of mobile devices, but hey we are still not finished building the stuff he was thinking about :-)