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Will the mouse leave the house?

Al Gibes
June 3, 2008 - 1:15 pm
 

There's been a discussion involving the future of the mouse and keyboard  in the online futurist world lately. The reason some think the mouse will be a museum piece in the not-too-distant future, and the keyboard not far behind, is the touch-screen computer. You may already own one, as I'm talking about the technology used on the Apple iPhone. It's also in use on some Microsoft machines, as people now have the ability to manipulate what they see on the screen using only their fingers.

The multi-touch technology debate has some speculating the mouse will meet its demise. Will people be interacting with machines in drastically different ways than they do today? You can read more about  the "Dead Mouse" debate on a recent post to the Notes from the Digital Frontier blog. I'm not so sure, as history has proven that change doesn't happen quickly. People replace their home computers about every three to five years. The large version of the touch screens will carry a hefty price tag initially, and as one respondent to the Digital Frontier blog put it:

"A lot of us have bought into the usability of a pinch-screen for our leisure or even mobile business time, but think about the functionality in a 9-to-5 workplace. Most people sit down to do their work, arms bent at the elbows and typing just as I’m doing now. Sure, the keyboard and mouse can become more streamlined, but I’m sure that we will not entirely overcome the need for something we’ve been using since before PCs. We might’ve seen the typewriter die, but the advent of computers didn’t negate our need for keyboards and sit-at-your-desk-and-work functionality. Call me old school, but the keyboard and mouse will remain essential peripherals because they fit with what we do for the majority of our weekdays: work."

Learn more about the amazing multi-touch screen technology in this video featuring its creator, Jeff Han:

Provided by TED.

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