We've been hearing
for months now that both
Android and the
T-Mobile G1 hardware have some magical, top secret low-level support for multi-touch, but unless we can... you know,
do something with it, it really isn't doing anyone any favors. That's where the lovely people in the ever-industrious dev community come into play, throwing together demos on their way to a full release that you -- yes, you -- can finally install on a G1 of your very own. It's still in the proof-of-concept phase, but the load does include a multi-touch version of Android's excellent browser, probably the single app that could use two fingertips more than any other. Needless to say, you should be installing this jazz at your own risk -- but considering the number of hoops you need to jump through to get it up and running (hint: you need to start by gaining root access), the whole process should be enough of a deterrent for the casual types who can't take a hiccup here and there. Video of the included multi-touch map browser app (among others) in action after the break.
[Thanks, Ryan G.]
posted Jan 25th 2009 2:12AM
Thought the G1 didn't have a multi-touch screen? Or are all capacitive screens essentially multi-touch?
Essentially yes.
All capacative screens are CAPABLE of multi-touch, but ony if the software allows. Take the BB Storm; the Copy/Paste implementation is technially multi-touch (you put one finger down and drag the other to highlight text). The problem is, Apple's definition of multi-touch has been accepted as the ONLY definition of multi-touch. So unless you've got pinch to zoom, swipe to go forwards/backwards, and twist to do something-or-other, it's not multi-touch.
And just to make my post completely redundant: Multi-Touch.
yeah, CJ is correct every capacitive touch screen is capable of it. But most companies avoid it to avoid treading on the toes of Apples lawyers - as shown by the recent Palm vs. Apple 'who can release the best press statement to kick up a fuss' debacle. As Palm has obviously stepped on some toes by even mentioning Multi-Touch when I doubt any of the Apple higher ups have even held the device.
Please take these thieves to court as soon as possible for breaching Apple's IP. There must be only one Multi-Touch. If somebody other than Apple wants to pinch, then let them pinch THIS..... Ouch!
Considering multi-touch was developed by Bell Labs and brought to market by Jazzmutant in their Lemur Input Device, Apple have no right to be complaining about others using it.
They're just being bitches, as per.
@Gnormie and CJ
assuming you guys are right that all capacitive touch screens are capable of it but don't because of Apple's copyright, that's just sad. once again, Apple's stifling competition and discouraging the advancement of the technology. ::sigh:: :(
Well, just as coke had to keep their name from becoming "common use" therefore no longer valid for copyright, Apple should soon have no right to the term "multi-touch". Besides its too descriptive anyway, a thorn in any copyright's side. Take the brand "lektronics" as an example, a company who could never get a valid US copyright.
Holy crap... talk about complete misunderstandings of IP by ham sandwich and credo. This is not a copyright issue. Unless the software in question is a direct copy, or a slightly hacked version of Apple's mobile OS, there is almost certainly not a copyright violation. Since any multi-touch capability in Android was probably independently developed, copyright is off the table. Any infringement would be patent infringement, and I agree with Phoenix, Apple's multi-touch patent position is probably very weak at best. Credo adds to the ignorance by talking about what is clearly a trademark issue (discussing Coke's defense against genericide of its marks). To my knowledge, Apple has not claimed trademark rights in "Multi-touch" (I could be wrong). If it did, it would have an even weaker basis than it does for its patents, since the term is clearly descriptive and not generally associated only with Apple.
...It's still buggy and unresponsive. This is obvious from the above video.
I'm still not convinced this is true multi-touch. Even the explanation of that first demo with the app that drew red dots hinted at the fact that the multitouch on the G1 is more of a hack than true hardware support. In which case, this isn't all that impressive.
doesn't look all that buggy to me. for a PoC released by a third-party I think it looks pretty good.
Arguing over what "true multitouch" consists of is rather foolish - when all that really matters is what you can do. In this case - can you use two fingers to dynamically zoom a web page? Yep.
I've actually used this on me phone for a little while now - and it's much better than the magnifying glass buttons. It does have some minor glitches, but the fact remains - I don't really care what's under the hood as long as it does what I want.
tell me how this doesn't impress you? getting a software/hardware to perform a task that was suppose to be impossible seems pretty impressive to me. and just because it isn't "true" multitouch, the guy is using two inputs (multi) with his fingers (touch), that sounds like multitouch to me.
just like your gf, just because she says she can only handle one finger input, i bet theres a way to push for two
I'm using it right now to write this message and can tell you it feels perfectly responsive and fluid. *High five to all developers who worked on this*
Well it's not Pre smooth, but then again the Pre has a mammoth of a processor running it. And it's not iPhone smooth, but then again the iPhone's multitouch wasn't done in a hacker's basement for free.
All in all, super amazing. But with the underwhelming G2 coming, I guess I'll wait for decent hardware.
HTC indicated on their Twitter page and elsewhere that the G1 has hardware support for multitouch. It is just a matter of licensing more than anything else. And, seeing as Palm is jacking this (much like they did for Graffiti back in the day and got another lawsuit) for their new phone, this could help out HTC. If Palm doesn't have to license for anything, then HTC might go the same route; otherwise, I see it just being unofficial for the time being.
I'm sure Apple's patents only cover specific gestures - things like the pinch.
Hence it would be possible for HTC to enable multi-finger tracking and let Google come up with some gestures that are both intuitive and don't violate Apple's patents.
We could be in for an interesting ride if that happens, as giving 3rd party developers access to a touch framework for Android would probably result in most of Apple's patents being violated (The iPhone does gestures really well. It'll be hard to come up with something just as intuitive yet decidedly different). Apple would complain to Google about policing the Android Market, and Google probably won't do anything - it's not like Apple's going to sue Google. It's going to be a battle between two of the biggest egos in the tech industry, except that Apple need Google a whole lot more than Google need Apple.
Some guy named Jeff Han demonstrated multi-touch pinch zooming back in 2005. You can find the video on youtube.
http://www.cs.nyu.edu/~jhan/
Also, the concept of a Zoomable UI have been around since at least the 90's (I don't feel like checking wikipedia to give exact dates).
I don't see what Apple could have patented other than something highly specific.
I agree with JS. I just don't see what Apple could actually patent in multitouch that isn't either (1) invalid as obvious based on Bell Labs prior work in multi-touch and common sense; or (2) so specific that it would ridonkulously easy to design around (and that is if they ever get any issued patents on this at all). I'm sure that Apple is making waves over nothing.
Multi-touch technology dates back to 1982, when Nimish Mehta at the University of Toronto developed the first finger pressure multi-touch display. and In 1983, Bell Labs at Murray Hill published a comprehensive discussion of touch-screen based interfaces. [3]
In 1984 Bell Labs engineered a touch screen that could change images with more than one hand. The group at the University of Toronto stopped working on hardware and moved on to software and interfaces, expecting that they would have access to the Bell Labs work.[2]
A breakthrough occurred in 1991, when Pierre Wellner published a paper on his multi-touch “Digital Desk”, which supported multi-finger and pinching motions.
tech has been around apple just tryed to claim they made it
just installed it... tested the demos out. pretty damn sweet!!!
Oh sure, it's multitouch, it's just laggy and unresponsive, which ruins one of the most important parts of multitouch - the feeling that you're interacting with a physical object on the screen.
I have this on my G1, it is not laggy and unresponsive. And to whoever said this isn't true multitouch, are you saying one of his fingers are fake? and its really pseudo-multitouch that really is single touch? maybe some harry potter magic? lol.
The G1 has a 2 + 1D screen
The iPhone has a 2D screen
Regardless, the youtube video shows him using two fingers a the same time. That's multitouch to me.
I'm using two fingers to zoom in and out of the browser on my G1, I'd call that multitouch.
Using only fingers to make objects enlarge and reduce in size? Clearly you ARE a witch.
@Ryebrye
My g/f makes things enlarge and reduce with her fingers... does that mean she's a witch too?
Just want to also say that I would not jailbreak my G1 and void warranty just to have multi touch ....yet looks good ....kudos to developers ....ill give a try on my emulator first!
You realise that Android is open-source, right? Accessing the root is dangerous, yes, hard, definitely (for those without prior knowledge, that is), but if it voids your warranty, then Google and HTC seriously need to re-think the whole 'open-source' thing
I don't really get how Jailbreaking your phone can possibly void the warranty (only in Apple's eyes - and T-mobile / HTC is not Apple ) - especially since all you need to do is reflash the phone with rc29 and then let the OTA update bring it up to the latest revision and there would be absolutely no way for them to know you had ever "jailbroken" your phone in the first place.
anyone know what app he was using for the notification bar "app shortcut"?
its an app called "Launchpad" find it in the market =D
Launchpad, it's in the Market.
In the in instructions for getting root access it says to type enter twice type telnetd then press enter this doesn't work for me and i'm on RC29. Anyone know why nothings happening?
Zoom zoom zoom
oh sweetness come my way. Can't wait until it is finalized. The picture resize demo was very nice...almost like Microsoft surface.
Why did they have to use this song?! All it does is remind me of those horrible mazda commercial - they are so freaking annoying!
I hear it was a toss up between this song, "Rump shaker", and some rap song called "zoom zoom". believe me, this was the best option.
If you want Multitouch read here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=475381
What companies don't understand is that these devs that make apps and hacks for their product is a major selling point whether they want to admit it or not. It is very fun to watch the PSP community especially with their breaking of Sony's system. They have more or less opened a can of worms with that and I am sure that they have sold more PSPs because of the jailbreaks...
typing this from my HTC Touch Diamond here...
I hope guys at XDA make a stable Android port for CDMA Diamond, so I can join in on all this fun!
Well, you won't be joining in on this fun, the HTC Touch Diamond has a resistive touch screen.
That said, I installed the latest custom image from XDA Developers. The multitouch zooming isn't as smooth as the iPhone's, but it's definitely very usable.