What Kind of PCs?

[jackdelamare]

When Windows 7 is released, what kind of computers do you think will be available? I mean, touch is a huge part of it, so there would be little point in having 7 on a PC with no touch capabilities. I'm thinking that most PCs will be like the current HP touchsmart, everything built in, but do you think there would be normal tower PCs, and have stand-a-lone monitors, with a touch screen (how would it connect? A normal screen connection + USB? Or maybe by then HDMI>DVI).

I'm just curious as to what we'll be buying with 7 pre-installed or ready.

 

[johngalt]

absolutely - touch is a new technology that not a lot of folks are going to make a lot of use of - however, big bulky boxes like the one I am currently on (and the one I am currently planning to upgrade in about 6 months - yes, already!) will still be around.

Not everyone is going to like touch, and I don't foresee it becoming a *major* player in the PC market until you get a hybrid of touch *and* voice controlled - then you'll really have a spiffy PC.

Of course, by then, we'll also be able to control them directly by neural caps monitoring out brainwaves too

 

[jackdelamare]

absolutely - touch is a new technology that not a lot of folks are going to make a lot of use of - however, big bulky boxes like the one I am currently on (and the one I am currently planning to upgrade in about 6 months - yes, already!) will still be around.

Not everyone is going to like touch, and I don't foresee it becoming a *major* player in the PC market until you get a hybrid of touch *and* voice controlled - then you'll really have a spiffy PC.

Of course, by then, we'll also be able to control them directly by neural caps monitoring out brainwaves too

LOL! True, however I'm going to go for a touch PC. I want to be able to use 7 to it's extent, and also be ahead incase some new touch application comes out.

Just a shot in the dark here, but does anybody know estimates of prices for such machines?

 

[skunksmash]

LOL! True, however I'm going to go for a touch PC. I want to be able to use 7 to it's extent, and also be ahead incase some new touch application comes out.

Just a shot in the dark here, but does anybody know estimates of prices for such machines?

''Touch technology'' is only gonna benefit laptops as far as i can see, im not about to stretch across my desk to touch the screen every 2 mins, or have a bulky piece of touch capable apparatus where my keyboard should be.. :sarc:

better voice recognition would be a more practical endeavor, being able to speak to the machine & not have to shout or properly sound your words would be immense, i know vista has this but its functions are still pretty limited...

SK

 

[smarteyeball]

better voice recognition would be a more practical endeavor, being able to speak to the machine & not have to shout or properly sound your words would be immense, i know vista has this but its functions are still pretty limited...

SK

Lol, yeah. I tried that feature for a couple of weeks and by the end of it's 'learning' it had all but stopped responding to voice commands, but responded to breathing, burps and farts

 

[Barman58]

Lol, yeah. I tried that feature for a couple of weeks and by the end of it's 'learning' it had all but stopped responding to voice commands, but responded to breathing, burps and farts

Hey smarty - perhaps you're sitting too close to the microphone

 

[smarteyeball]

lol, I thought it was uncomfortable... :shock:

 

[garysgold]

Would be nice if it could be placed where needed like I can do with my Wacom tablet.

Gary

 

[johngalt]

To get an idea on price: HP® Official Store — Buy HP All-in-One PCs Desktop & All-in-One PCs from HP

 

[jackdelamare]

Speech recognition in Vista is great, but I don't find myself using it often.

To get an idea on price: HP® Official Store — Buy HP All-in-One PCs Desktop & All-in-One PCs from HP

Wow... that's quite a lot. Nice size screens though.

 

[johngalt]

I saw one, a 500 series, and even those are rather large.

 

[Barman58]

Hi jack,

I did post this a bit back in hardware ...

http://www.sevenforums.com/news/634-new-hardware-designed-windows-7-a.html

May be of interest

 

[baarod]

I see a loy of things influencing the form factor of the Windows 7 PC (and beyond) other than touch and voice. As we move away from keyboard and mouse we also move away from the traditional "desk" constraint. Microsoft's eHome initiative is there to catch integrated with its tablet and sideshow stuff. Imagine a wireless tablet form factor but smaller as it only contains touchscreen, notebook-style keyboard and maybe a trackpad for legacy use and the wireless bits needed for connection to the hide-away CPU. The tablet gets smaller and lighter with better battery life but keeps the swivel screen keyboard hidden away most of the time. The CPU box takes on more of a home server role now with other HID devices (Human Interface Devices) scattered througout the home like media center extenders, PDA and music player docks and completely new devices such as kitchen TV screens that double as videophones and show sideshow-type status updates right on the touch screen.

 

[eggyuk]

Right now I'm not at all interested in touch capabilities. I dont know what it is but it just doesnt appeal to me right now. The only "touch" pcs appearing now are all in ones or laptops and for me they've not got the performance I want. The idea of touch screen monitors would be better because then you can have what ever machine you want and still utilise the touch capabilities. Windows 7 is not that far off and if these types of monitors are to be available for the launch we would be hearing rumours of them by now. I haven't heard anything but I don't know if anyone else has?

One thing is for sure though, I won't be throwing out my keyboard and mouse just yet.

 

[Barman58]

Hi All,

As a side note, Touch screens are not a new thing, I was working with them in the mid 1980's, for use in food processing plants and the like.

They were invariably a large CRT monitor with an integrated IR grid with third party software converting touch into mouse & keyboard input.

What is new is the native support for touch provided by Windows 7 which as a major OS will drive the implementation of touch by the hardware manufacturers.

The obvious use would be for Tablet type laptop's but as things develop I'm certain that it will spread into other areas,

I can see things like a media centre pc operating a large flat panel touch enabled TV which would allow control without any other input devices

Games will I think be written eventually to use the technology, but not until the wide adoption of touch, as a standard.

The mouse and keyboard still has a long time to go before it is replaced, although I doubt it will ever be totally replaced. I use a laptop with a built in touchpad, but I use it when I can with a mouse

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello all.

I can tell you now; this would be a real pain; as you would have to go to the TV/monitor to 'touch' it. My main monitor/TV is over four feet (almost two meters) away, on a wall; and I sit at least two feet away from the secondary monitor. Be careful what you wish for....

No offense meant Nigel.

I can see things like a media centre pc operating a large flat panel touch enabled TV which would allow control without any other input devices.

Later :shock: Ted

 

[Barman58]

Hi Ted

No offense meant Nigel.

None taken ...

... and I'd probably use the remote for the TV too - can't be doing too much walking at my age

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Howdy!

I use it for a monitor, mostly. Hence the problem....:huh:















Later Ted

 

[jackdelamare]

Would there be stand-a-lone monitors that are touch that could connect to a tower PC?

 

[baarod]

Would there be stand-a-lone monitors that are touch that could connect to a tower PC?

I'm sure there would be and I'm sure they'd be wireless as well. The real advantage would be in a tablet form factor where the "monitor" would be wireless, touchscreen AND portable (battery powered). It would also have a fold away keyboard and trackpad for conventional usage. This "terminal" device would have only a rudimentary CPU and RAM, no storage and serve only as a glorified touchscreen remote.