Touch screen input and the Apple tablet

For years now, it seems, Apple fan-people have been lusting after technologies that the Windows/Microsoft world have had for a while. The twist is, they want it done right, which means by Apple. Now, being a former Apple elitist, I’m just as zealous about having the perfect Apple home theater PC, set top box, PDA, cell phone, and yes, tablet personal computer.

Now this post isn’t about the likelihood of any of those technologies. It’s mostly a look into something very cool that I caught on Wired’s Cult of Mac. Thursday, the popular Mac-centric blog talked about the ever-rumored Apple TabletPC. The twist is, the blog suggests using a technology like that demonstrated in the Multi-Touch Interaction research at NYU (video at YouTube).

Hot. Very.

But, that looks mysteriously familiar. How about that Applied Minds TouchTable? Funded in part by Northrop Grumman, and done with Danny Hillis with a little help from Bran Ferren’s crew, this looks just as cool. Sure the tech is a little older than the NYU stuff, but it is still hot. Check out the videos on those sites.

Oh, you want even spicier? Check out the Northrop Grumman Terrain Table (PDF). Silicone skin with vertical pins all lit under a projected image (similar to the TouchTable) gets you real, physical, topographical relief up to six inches.

Tell me StarCraft doesn’t need this display? My mind boggles. Slashdot likes it, so should you.