Futuristic Mouse and Keyboads Eliminate Iconic ‘Click’ Sounds — Will You Miss It?
- Posted on August 22, 2012 at 7:11am by
Liz Klimas
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A concept as old as personal computers themselves is the mouse. Whether it be a stand-alone device or a more streamline touchpad embedded on a laptop both make an iconic click noise as affirmation confirming you’ve just performed a desired function.
That sounds could someday become obsolete though, only to be maintained for future generations in the Museum of Endangered sounds.
The Gizmodo reports the company Synaptics is developing a “ForcePad”that doesn’t require you to lift a finger for so much as a gentle tap. The force-detection technology simply senses how much pressure you apply as you navigate around the screen.
(Image: Vimeo screenshot)
Gizmodo reports that the technology is able to sense pressure from all five fingers on the pad at once and therefore allows for more gesture commands:
Instead of constantly swiping and scrolling, you can just push down at the end of a gesture to make the action continue. One example Synaptics gave me was for movie playback. Say you wanted to fast-forward. Instead of clicking 3-5 times to get to 8x or 32x playback, you could just tap the fast-forward button and hold it down. The harder you press down, the faster it skips forward. When you let go, it plays back at normal speed. Or imagine rocking your fingers left and right to move through the Windows 8 home screen. Subtle, but an awesome idea nonetheless.
Gesture commands (Image via Gizmodo)
Why does Gizmodo think this technology will replace the mouse? It’s thinner, has no moving parts (less chance for breakage) and it will incorporate touch sensing for an accurate, consistent feel for the user, no matter the device it is being used on.
Check out this Synaptics video about ForcePad:
Gizmodo goes on to note that Synaptics is looking to use a similar concept for keyboard redesign as well. ThinTouch would be even skinnier than traditional keys at 2.5 millimeters and outfitted with touch sensors. This would give laptops the opportunity to become thinner, have increased accuracy and even incorporate gesture commands via the keyboard as well:
But just because there‘s less downward motion doesn’t necessarily mean the keys will be mushy. Synaptics designed the ThinTouch keys to have a slight sideways motion to them, which apparently makes the keyboard feedback feel deeper than it actually is. Synaptics conducted blind testing of the product against other popular laptop keyboards and claim that subjects found the feedback of the ThinTouch to be as satisfying, if not more satisfying than Apple’s keyboard in many cases.
Watch Synaptic’s animation about ThinTouch:
Gizmodo points out there seems to be a good chance that technology in the works by Synaptics could make it to a computer near you someday as the company already has a strong hold with the market for laptop trackpads.
Related:
- ‘Tablet Touches You Back’: Improved Touchscreen Texture With Electrostatic Technology
- Could Your Hand Become a Touchscreen? New Technology Makes It Happen
(H/T: Huffington Post)
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fancynancy
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 5:58pmThere’s a museum for endangered sounds? Gee I hope I’m not paying for that.
Report Post »Mr Sanders
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:09amI can go either way on clicking.
Pressing into reactive gel pad is an interesting concept. I wonder how accurate it would be when using a CAD station?
A “true” ergonomic mouse to defeat CTS and place the hand/arm in the correct orientation – that‘s what’s needed. The one I found is $390.00. If you sit at a workstation for a living, my advice, get the best chair and the best, most comfortable input devices money can buy…. because you don’t want to mess with advanced CTS or a bad back/asleep legs.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:08amNo thanks
Report Post »1956
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:35amI’m old school here. Learned to type on an old manual typewriter. Love the new keyboards (much easier to type on and increases my speed) but I would definitely miss the sound. They should build into the machines the ability to have sound when the keyboard is touched… and besides, some things just can’t be done as easily on a keyboard touchpad as they can be done with a mouse. Photo and video editing, just to name two I work with. Tried touchpad editing and it SUCKS! And don’t get me started with carpal tunnel syndrome – will happen with a touchpad faster than a mouse… hands are held at the wrong angle.
Report Post »Hezqiyahu
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 2:55amI use a 1985 IBM Model M and it’s about as loud a keyboard you will ever find. With this thing, you know that you have hit a key. It’s great for touch typists. If you have never used one, you don’t know what you are missing.
As an added bonus, you can use it as a weapon when you run out of bullets. It must weigh about 5 pounds.
Report Post »DirtMonkey
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:17amI use an old IBM model M keyboard as well. Mine is dated 1993 and I love the clicky sound it makes when I type. That clicky sound really helps when typing essays, reports, and research papers. I find I can type faster and with fewer mistakes with a clicky keyboard like that.
Report Post »If you think the Model M with its buckling springs is a great keyboard, you should check out a northgate omnikey evolution keyboard with its ALPS switches. Man, talk about clicky and noisy, lol. Both these keyboards are heavy and built to last. If a switch ever goes out, it’s easy enough to fix or replace the individual switch. That’s not possible with the “quiet” rubber dome keyboards that are so prominent these days.
Hezqiyahu
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 12:23pmI would love a Northgate, but they are too expensive on eBay. I would love a keyboard with the Control key in the correct spot. (I do have an IBM Model F, but it’s too springy and some of the keys are shaped and/or placed strangly).
Report Post »Omnius
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 1:00pmI used to use one of those and used several keyboards since then (including the Northgate and the Omnikey, which were the same manufacturer). I’m currently using a dasKeyboard which has the quality tactile feedback without the extreme noise of the IBM. Not cheap, but worth it.
Report Post »Kupo
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:48pmThat pad will never replace the mouse, at least not completely, as it would be impossible to play video games using that kind of a system.
Report Post »RavenGlenn
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:38pmKeyboards and Mice that don’t have an audible sound have been in existence for a loooooong time.
But, to answer the question that was posed: Yes. I would miss the clicks. I need them to fulfill my OCD issues. I specifically go out of my way to get more ‘clicky’ input devices.
Report Post »DirtMonkey
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:21amI would really miss the clicks too. I got out of my way to find old keyboards with the clicks and tactile feedback. Since I switched to mechanical keyswitch keyboards, my typing has improved and I type faster and with fewer mistakes. But I guess it’s to each his own. I prefer my noisy keyboards and mouse over a rubber dome keyboard and touch pad any day.
Report Post »Bikkiboo
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 8:46pmI hope they make it so you can switch the sound on or off. That would meet everyone’s needs. Didn’t Apple consider the sound question when they designed some keyboards? I think they found that most people like feeling the depression and hearing the sound. That’s what worries me about the holographic keyboard the iPhone 5 is rumored to have. I need to have sensory input to stay on the home row of keys. I was trained to NOT look at the keys as I type, so no sensory input would be awful.
Report Post »freelancer91
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:35pmPeople who don’t understand haptic feedback should not be allowed to make input devices of any kind. Clicks are very important because you need some way of knowing when the computer has registered a click. Ever tried playing a video game with a touch pad? Unless it is a casual game, you would have a very difficult time.
I have a problem with things like the Kinect and the Wiimote because they lack any feed back. Until they figure out how to get the controller to push back against the users movements, it will be useless…
Report Post »DeathTongue
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 9:11pmyassah, gib me mo o dem keyboads…
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 8:44pmIt will not replace the mouse because track pad work over time is more tiring to your hand and can exacerbate arthritic pain or even cause it.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 7:30pmThey‘re going to have a lot of fun with Apple’s legal department in the not too distant future.
Report Post »Omnius
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 6:24pmWow, it‘s 2012 and they’ve almost caught up to where FingerWorks was with the iGesture pads back in 2000 (almost, but not quite). Too bad Apple bought FingerWorks and killed their fabulous product (apparently to get their patents). Fortunately my iGesture pad (which I’ve used daily for more than 10 years) still works great.
Report Post »Perspective
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 4:52pmIt’s not the click I would miss but the type of input devices, I use a laptop in my work and hate the touch pad.Bought a cheap USB mouse and use that instead.
Report Post »shogun459
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:49amI WANT a mouse and keyboard, I WANT to hear them click, I NEED the feedback of the device I use and I DON’T want to learn COMPUTER SIGN LANGUAGE when a keyboard would work just fine.
Got any Kind of memory lapse and forget looking to the keyboard for clue you need to know comp/sign. “BU**SH** and **** the ********* that thougt this one up.
Report Post »Melika
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:31amI think the click in the keyboard isn’t the old type you may be thinking. All my keyboards still have a slight sound to them, but maybe I have crappy keyboards.
Report Post »This sounds like a nightmare to me. The last thing I want is nothing but a stupid touch pad I don’t care what kind of tricks it does. They are a pain in the rear, they quickly lose what little sensitivity they have, and when slapped on a laptop, they regularly screw up my typing and surfing with random activations. I tried a mouse that was click-less and it was horrible. Most people need both the tactile and audio feedback.
The keyboard sounds OK if the design can truly mimic the feel of a traditional keyboard, but I’ll believe that hype when I try it.
DimmuBorgir
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 1:15pmNot to mention if your fingers happen to be a little wet. I can‘t even change the music on my smart phone if i’m doing the dishes without having to completely dry my hands off first.
Report Post »Tirabi
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:05amI haven’t had a keyboard that “clicked” in over 10 years. Which century are you living in?
Now as far as tactile feedback, a touch screen keyboard will never replace a normal keyboard. Your fingers and brain need the feedback or your typing speed will drop drastically. The only people that would work for are people who look at their fingers as they type.
Report Post »DimmuBorgir
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:40amTIRABI,
I was going to say the same thing. I’ve had a quiet key keyboard for awhile. I also agree with your point about the feel of the keys slowing down typing speeds. I don’t doubt my typing skills, but I don’t need to look at the screen or keyboard to know if I accidently fat fingered a key. With a completely flat keyboard it won’t be as obvious if you miss a key.
Report Post »