
HP's Sprout uses a smart mat instead of keyboard and mouse - porker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31435752
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imglorp
There's sure to be some creative applications for alternative input methods
like these, such as Minority Report gestures for data sorting, where they will
have some advantages. Some users, like children, will benefit also.

Here's the curmudgeon part: when it comes down to actually outputting
something substantial, nothing is going to beat touch typing for a while.
Voice is decent for prose, but frustrating for code. Touch/gestures are okay
for spreadsheet, but then you get gorilla arms. Plus there's still a cognitive
load necessary: instead of remembering a few hundred commands or keystrokes,
you'll be remembering a few hundred gestures.

The mat might find some uses but it won't replace most.

~~~
benologist
Nothing is going to beat touch typing until a generation grows up with
something else - kids today are using tablets and phones for years before
they're able to get any value from computers.

~~~
mstechfreak2
I agree. The best we can do is to control that they are doing it right, for
example, the typing technics are correct. That you can learn, for example,
from [http://www.typingstudy.com](http://www.typingstudy.com)

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copsarebastards
One minor criticism: is there a reason that the scanning capability is so
tightly integrated with the controlling capability? Specifically, since it
seems like the input is done through the plate at the bottom, I don't see a
reason to have the input device projected: this means that the user can't see
the input device when it's shadowed by their hands. I'd rather see a
touchscreen there. It might make sense, though, if gestures are intended to
occur in the air above the plate rather than by touching it.

On the other hand, the 3d scanning capability, and having it in the same
workspace as your input devices, looks really awesome.

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freehunter
HP is actually doing some interesting things these days, without a whole lot
of fanfare. Sprout is one such thing. Their Stream line of PCs are small,
colorful, and apparently pretty decent for the price.

And if they ever get memristors and The Machine released, we could be looking
at a pretty fundamental shift in how PCs operate. The question is, will it
ever be released, and how much will HP screw it up (remember WebOS?)

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lsaferite
I would think the 3D scanning would get a boost from wide separation cameras
instead of the single point camera in the middle. You can see the problem when
they look at the 3D scan and how the bottom of the masks is missing some data
where the camera couldn't see.

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dghf
"The device, which will sell for $1,900 in the US and £1,900 in the UK ..."

So, over 50% more expensive in the UK.

Why is this? Is the cost of doing business in the UK so much higher? Is the US
price before tax, and the UK price inclusive of VAT?

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wmeredith
I really hope this idea catches on. Removing the hard physical limitations of
the keyboard/mouse in favor of something more dynamic has some incredible
possibilities.

