A New Paradigm For Web Browsing

dsaci points out a New York Times article about how surfing the web may change to a more graphics-based endeavor. With the advent of devices like the Wii and the iPhone, the capability to directly control objects on a screen is becoming a popular and affordable technology. That, combined with immersive interfaces such as Piclens, could be the future of web browsing. Quoting: "'I've wondered for a long time why the computer interface hasn't changed from 20 years ago,' said Austin Shoemaker, a former Apple Computer software engineer and now chief technology officer of Cooliris. 'People should think of a computer interface less as a tool and more as a extension of themselves or as extension of their mind.' Voice, too, is finally beginning to play a significant role as an interface tool in a new generation of consumer-oriented wireless handsets. Many technologists now believe that hunting and pecking on the tiny keyboards of cellphones and P.D.A.'s will quickly give way to voice commands that will return map, text and other data displayed visually on small screens."

Comments

Yeah good luck with that

[Gothmolly]

Dragon on a reasonably powerful PC might work, but until you can nail 110% correct recognition, in a crowded area, in a shitty little mic on a 400 MHz ARM processor, don't bother. You don't want to start arguing with your PocketPC about traffic and directions: No, I said Springfield, not Slingblade! *crash*

The keyboard works, 100% of the time. Its easily understood. Its robust. It fails gracefully - you immediately see if you've made a mistake before submitting a command.

Re:Yeah good luck with that

[calebt3]

Giving the computer bad instructions != the computer misunderstanding those instrutions.

Re:Yeah good luck with that

[ShieldW0lf]

Aside from that, for someone who is competent it's faster to type than it is to speak, and it's much faster to twitch your hand half an inch than it is to wave it around touching the screen.

Everything outlined in the article is leading away from integrating technology into your core capacities. It's about taking a tool and turning into a third party agent that you need to interact with as though it were some sort of person.

Making a more efficient computer interface means making the muscle movements involved more subtle, not replacing what efficiencies we have with new paradigms that require gross muscle movements and voice strain.

Integrating mouse gestures into the operating system and and moving to one-handed chording keyboards as a standard would be the right direction.

If the brainless masses want Fisher-Price toys, fine. But lets not pretend that Fisher-Price make better tools.

Re:Yeah good luck with that

[Fred_A]

"Thanks, you've illustrated my point perfectly."

Glad to be of service, but I'd rather use simple voice commands to control a portable device. My cellphone has the ability to dial by voice, recognizing both names and numbers. It's not perfect, but it is usually faster than typing or searching for contacts.

Voice control and other methods are only infants compared to keyboards, but just like the keyboard improved from a mechanical device on a typewriter into a simple multi-function electronic device, other input technologies will improve.

I'm just looking forward to the day when the computer interfaces with my brain and provides all inputs so that I can just lie in some tube and experience the reality that the computer determines is best for me.

Where did I read
"Text-based interfaces have proven that most users can't read.
Graphic interfaces have proven that most users can't understand abstractions.
Mind reading interfaces will prove that most users can't think."

I have little doubt that it will happen that way.

Not only that

[dreamchaser]

I certainly don't want to be on a bus or plane with dozens of people all yakking commands to their devices, nor do I necessarily want to display to the world what commands I am giving to my device. Voice control is nice in certain circumstances, but until they give me a direct neural interface I want keys and/or stylus and/or cursor control and input options.

voice control

[theheadlessrabbit]

voice recognition as it is today is painful.

"Computer, start, programs, Mozilla, fire fox , double you, double you, double you, dot, google, dot, com, search field, violent, asian, porn. I'm feeling lucky. click"

its a slow, painful, annoying as hell process that brings you back to the keyboard and mouse once the novelty has worn off, and only leaves the user feeling ripped off for wasting so much money on a fancy new inferior interface.

voice recognition won't be useful until it is intelligent. I should only have to say "Computer, google porn" and get my results. I shouldn't have to explain to my computer step by step how to open a freaken browser.

Here's an exercise

[Anonymous Coward]

Here's an exercise for those who believe voice commands are the way to go for small electronics. Every time you use your cell phone, iPod, PDA or GPS, say each command out loud before entering it. See if you can keep this up for a full day.