Nokia planning touch-less, gesture-controlled devices?

Usually when we're talking about Nokia and patents, a mention of Qualcomm can't be far behind. This time however, we're looking at something entirely less boring, fascinating even: ultra-sound sensors that detect hand gestures in the air in front of the device. Now the stretch. Nokia's chief designer, Alastair Curtis, was asked at a recent cocktail party why Nokia's N-series of multimedia devices have yet to see a multi-touch interface, Curtis replied, "We've not launched what we think is right for N-series in a touch product. You'll see in the coming months, years... what we feel is right." Curtis then elaborated, "Much as I'm talking to you now with gestures." Hmm. Ok Alastair, if such devices are in the chute, as long as they don't resemble the Palm V-series... we're cool.

[Thanks, Pdexter]

Read -- Patent application
Read -- Curtis quotes

[Yoshi @ Nov 21st 2008 8:15AM]

What's the gesture for "Do what I frakken say or I'm going to pick you up and toss you against that block wall"?

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:53AM]

Middle finger

[trainwrecka @ Nov 21st 2008 11:23AM]

If Blackberry fanboys hate the iPhone's touch keyboard, I wonder what they'll think of an "air" keyboard?

[Cybergypsy @ Nov 21st 2008 11:43AM]

Like you do with your wife?

[dervheid @ Nov 21st 2008 8:16AM]

Wonder how it'll cope with the universal hand gesture for 'wanker'?

[Lloytron @ Nov 21st 2008 8:45AM]

It would probably make my phone ring :D

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:59AM]

It will connect to internet and show pr0n

[Ahmed Alzayani @ Nov 21st 2008 8:17AM]

Is it me or this nokia device look like a palm?!

[Rob @ Nov 21st 2008 10:14AM]

Yes it does... Which is why is mentions Palm in the actual post.

Looksy how much:
http://www.bcarter.com/images/tip090/3COM_Palm_V_in_cradle.gif

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Nov 21st 2008 2:00PM]

Hah, yeah, I came here to say it's a Palm V but I see you guys beat me to it.

[Fara @ Nov 21st 2008 8:18AM]

That is not the Palm III series... It's a Palm V/Vx

[Mongoos150 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:19AM]

I instantly thought of my old Vx from 99. Good times :)

[Maestro @ Nov 21st 2008 8:19AM]

So that's where my old Palm Vx ended up!

[Maestro @ Nov 21st 2008 8:19AM]

LOL...3 Palm posts within 1 minute

[Freakin Ijit @ Nov 21st 2008 8:44AM]

> ...3 Palm posts within 1 minute

Those laid-off-yesterday Palm employees have lots of free time now.

[Mikko @ Nov 21st 2008 8:21AM]

Fourth picture on bottom right looks like Syler on Heroes is making a move :)

[SQLGuru @ Nov 21st 2008 3:58PM]

No, it was the Borg. They are announcing that Capacitive Resistance is Futile.....

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 8:21AM]

Running out of ideas are we Nokia?

Ahh, well we have to make a patent, lets see if we can slip one past the judge... a little palm here a little HP iPaq there... add in a touch of iBrick and voila! the new Nokia nookie!

[Skop @ Nov 21st 2008 8:31AM]

That patent is 2 years old from Nokia.Tthis news just means that they have been working with it since.
Put this to one of those N series TS flagships next year and i'm sold.... or even better make it E series device (metal and superb build quality).

[metalgeartim @ Nov 21st 2008 10:18AM]

Because no company is allowed to take existing ideas and put their own twist on them.........coughapplecough

[SewerShark @ Nov 21st 2008 10:50AM]

The patent is related to the tecnology, not on the design. Juts cause it looks like a Palm does not mean that the product WILL look like a palm.

[216 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:26AM]

ha call it the "psyPhone"

[daddycool @ Nov 21st 2008 8:28AM]

Palm V is a CLASSIC! It might be dated nowadays but back in 98 it was like the "we are living the future".

[KIFF @ Nov 21st 2008 8:30AM]

I would love a phone that has a similar design to the Palm V. Sexy.

[stagueve @ Nov 21st 2008 8:31AM]

Haven't you talked about that before?! Thats so old... (http://www.nowhereelse.fr/nokia-travail-sur-le-multi-touch-sans-touch-brevet-3712/)

[Valicore @ Nov 21st 2008 11:18AM]

Bien fait, this was posted on that site in january, good call.

[Rok.S @ Nov 21st 2008 8:33AM]

Not sure where this Palm thing came out :D it's just Nokias patent picture from 2006/2007 and nothing to do with the coming device(s).

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:54AM]

Hey Nokia, why not do a mind-controlled one? That would be truly innovative and does not make the user look like a weirdo in public. (I'm kinda serious.)

[y3k.nik @ Nov 21st 2008 8:57AM]

Am I the only one seeing the fat fingers?

Looks like the chubby finger man cant use a touch screen anyways, hence the gestures... The third one is just unnaturally fat looking!

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:01AM]

The last pic: "If you laugh at me for being fat one more time, I'm going to throw you out of the damn window!"

[Phrank @ Nov 23rd 2008 8:59PM]

dude...your avatar is Mario.

[kal326 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:35AM]

Huh yesterday it was putting your finger in a little box to intentionally poke something, today its something that lets you not touch the box at all. Personally I think I'll stick with a keyboard.

[Rich @ Nov 21st 2008 9:35AM]

Isn't this the same as Microsoft Sidesight?

[go seki @ Nov 21st 2008 9:59AM]

Handwave for s60 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu5Guu875tw

[Rainier @ Nov 21st 2008 10:53AM]

Rochambeau

[DirtyVegas @ Nov 21st 2008 1:32PM]

Why can't you say Rock-paper-scissors like everyone else?

[DssTrainer @ Nov 21st 2008 11:24AM]

Italian people are going to have a hard time talking on the phone when they keep waving their hands around

[Unique Gift Ideas @ Nov 21st 2008 11:40AM]

I'm interested in seeing what will come of this, but frankly, I'm still holding out (and my breath) for Nokia's mighty morphing nano super-cellphone.

[tofupunk @ Nov 21st 2008 12:39PM]

Looks like a bad comic strip.

[Diego @ Nov 21st 2008 1:47PM]

Fig1 : "Just zip it!' (in sassy Perez Hilton kinda voice)
Fig2: "Talk to the hand"
Fig3: "Oh no you di in't!" (Head bobbing not pictured)
Fig4: "You don't know who you messin' with!"

[Xenoterranos @ Nov 21st 2008 2:56PM]

More like:
"Want a treat little phone?"
"Ok, lie down"
"Ok, fetch the ball"
"Bad phone!"

[yrag @ Nov 21st 2008 4:32PM]

@ Rok.S & SewerShark

"Not sure where this Palm thing came out :D it's just Nokias patent picture from 2006/2007 and nothing to do with the coming device(s)."

Guys, everybody in this blog knows any upcoming Nokia device isn't going to look like a Palm V. The question is, why would Nokia want to tout their 'breakthrough technology' with an exact illustration of a long discontinued device made by a competitor? Kinda slack isn't it?