Video: Sexy Eee PC Touch UI demonstrated
By Thomas Ricker 
posted January 20th 2009 5:19AM
posted January 20th 2009 5:19AM
Having trouble figuring out how a touchscreen Eee PC could fit into your life? No worries, ASUS just did all the heavy synaptic lifting for you with the release of a near 6-minute video showing its new Eee PC Touch UI. A UI teased at CES and built specifically for ASUS' new touchcreen Eees. All in all it makes a pretty case for why you should pick up a new Eee PC T91 or T101H convertible tablet later this year. Let's just hope the processor can cope.
Now if it only had a matte screen...
This looks pretty good. Hopefully it comes with a 6 cell battery but it's not looking like it. Also hopefully the built in tv tuner will work with the new digital standard here in the U.S.
Can't someone invent some kind of plastic that can change between matte and glossy based on applying a current or something so we can stop having this argument about glossy vs. matte on Engadget.
@Seneca
The argument will always exist because there are people who prefer matter screens over glossy ones, and vice-versa.
The solution is actually much simpler: computer manufacturers should offer the customer the option to choose one or another.
Every resistive touchscreen I've seen has been matte to one degree or another, it has to do with the matrix of thin wires they embed in the screen. I haven't seen it indicated anywhere that this screen will be capacitive (it would also make it hugely expensive), so this will display will almost certainly be matte finish. Just my .02
@Ben
I would hope so, but the reflections in the video (which admittedly seem artificial) and in the gallery (http://www.engadget.com/photos/asus-eee-pc-t91-and-t101h-touchscreen-tablet-hands-on/) would seem to indicate otherwise
mmhm, that's an admirable mix between osx, compiz and windows seven. I'd like to finally see some Dos-looking stuff. That was an amazing UI!! cd..
c:\
it will cost 1500+$ :(
list price on t91 being 499. That's tempting.
Wait, no eee bashing? Is this engadget?
There's no bashing because it looks so much like a Macbook
I KNEW someone would say it was copying Apple. Never fails.
I wasn't saying it was copying Apple
if you really knew it, you would have inb4 apple
oh well... ill take my bets, inb4 windows 7
oh shit, just did a control f. NVM
Asus, I am interested in the HARWARE, not some soccer-mom software!
Oh, and for anyone who thinks that touchscreen=smudges: that problem has been solved, at least on the latest hp touchsmart that I tried out; even after I gave that screen a good poking it didn't show up any smudges. We can at least hope that Asus uses that anti-smudge layer on there upcoming tablets.
Harware?
The Ripple effect from the Widget/Gadget mode is totally copied from mac os x!
In any case: Me want one!
Widgets and Gadgets have been around MUCH longer than OSx- Good God get over yourself.
Not to mention the ripple effect has been around since water was invented.
ilh - Apple didn't invent water, but brought it to the masses with the eleganct Aqua interface.
I think some of those visual effects would get irritating quite quickly.
Credit where its due, they make it look very, very slick. It's easy to see why they could suck in an average consumer type if it actually works that way once it gets released.
It'll still suffer from fingerprints though. Those are one of the most annoying things about tablet finger touch. :-\
(What's the bet they release Official ScrEEEnwipes?)
+10 for SrEEEnwipes!
I'm not too worried about smudges. I would be using this to read on the bus to work (books and comics) I'm just glad somebody is officially releasing a convertible netbook to the North American market.
Sexy?
yes, sexy
Nope SEeexy ;)
Sexeee?
Sexy Hot and single.
"Invite Jane and Henry to join the class."
No I will not, they got kicked out a few days ago - take the hint.
Some of the effects might be over the top, some stuff may have been "stolen" from OSX or some version of Windows, but... damn, you gotta applaud ASUS for at least trying to come up with a workable alternative to slapping XP on it. Just as long as you can dial down or disable all the wobbly stuff.
Most of the stuff might even work without having a keyboard attached at all, which makes me wonder if they're gonna make a tablet-only version of this baby as well.
Touch UI sits on top of the underlying Windows XP, I wouldn't call that an alternative to XP.
Oh, it's XP? I was assuming that it was running some version of Linux. My bad... Unless, of course, it really *is* Linux, I mean, getting all that composited stuff to run on XP might be tricky.
Personally, it looks like a modified compiz to me, but it could be XP for all we know.
from previous examples, yeah it is just a shell for XP, but hey you can slap Linux on it too.
Holy crap, is that how you're supposed to pronounce Asus? I've been doing it wrong this whole time...
I still pronounce it "Ace us" instead of "Ah soos" :-D
Tempted to slap a touch screen on my 1000H >.<
Tim.
a shoes.
I've always known how to pronounce it but I always pronounce it the other way.
the interface reminds me of apple's wheelbook =)
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=49799253
Sigh. Copycat. just copy from Mac OS. see the iCal icon =.= exactly the same.
Which Apple tablet is it copying again? Hunh? Can't hear you. Speak up. O, that's right they still don't make one. Shaddup!
stupid. I was talking about the icon. stupid asshole
I like it, its kind of a copy of Mac OS X but i like it. The extra features are pretty cool but I just like to stick with the basics of Mac and Windows and let that Eee software fade in. I would like Windows 7 on a touch screen computer like that.
Yep, it looks pretty. But let's face the truth.
It's WHOLE BUNCH of apps using composite effect and I doubt if asus could ever have so much energy on apps developing. If they're capable of doing this, there is no need to stuff poor system like windows into their machine for such a long period.
And it requires a better graphical chip and demands more power consumption as well. It just cut down the original working hours on battery. NICE.
Yeah, there is some screenshot looks like windows xp inside. Before asus implements a WHOLE BUNCH of apps, how could you expect them to develop a full set of composite API for windows xp? So it still much more likely to run Linux, or specifically with compiz, if it ever be implemented.
And if this ever came to market, I bet there will be millions of customers not awaring that it doesn't run windows buying it, moaning for microsxxt office or their games not running, and returning it in just a few days. (sigh)
What's wrong with it copying a bit of OSX? Isn't imitation the greatest form of flattery?
I am curious if the TouchUI is going to hang around after the launch of the portable Windows 7 comes out. Maybe? Maybe not?
This is pretty clear, though, that ASUS is still pushing the boundaries of the netbook market with these machines. I think this will be just another feather in ASUS's already nicely decorated victory cap.
Copying Apple?
Let's see...
Calculator? Windows and Apple have one- guess that's copying
Mail? ahh.. nope.. that's a copy from them too
Notepad? copy
Browser? .. copy also
POWER BUTTON.. copy
SCREEN... copy
hard drive.. copy
I'm hoping you see how STUPID you come across when you say it's an APPLE copy.
I was referring to the reference a few people made of ASUS copying Apple's icon for iCal and some of the effects and GUI. Personally, I don't care as I said in my post, which for whatever reason you felt you had to bash. You need to work on reading things properly before being so rude.
I'm wondering if these applications (e.g.: calendar) are ad-hoc application or just interfaces with some common/known applications. Is important to know that, especially if I want to keep in sync my appointments with a smartphone, for instance.
Off-topic: why my enter and space keys doesn't works when I write comments here??? I should use notepad first, then copy and past...
I was wondering the same thing. I use Exchange so if things like that calendar app don't interface with outlook, it does me no good.
... "paste", sorry