Categories
-Updates 1.3 Computers Today: A Brief Taxonomy 3.1 Input: From Person to Processor 4.4 The User Interface: The Human-Machine Connection

The Changing World of Windows

Microsoft will soon offer two new versions of its ubiquitous Windows operating system. Windows 8 is designed to replace Windows 7 as the flagship PC OS. Windows RT will run mostly on Microsoft’s new Surface and other tablet devices. This CNET article gives an overview of the two OSs and how they fit into a world where the line between tablets and laptops is blurred by all kinds of hybrid devices.
reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57536310-292/windows-8-buying-guide/

Categories
-Context 11.4 Education in the Information Age 3.1 Input: From Person to Processor 4.4 The User Interface: The Human-Machine Connection 5.8 Inventing the Future: Multisensory Interfaces

Touching the Future

NPR.org/2011/12/26/144146395/the-touchy-feely-future-of-technology
A few years ago touch-screen devices were novelties; today they’re everywhere. Hundreds of millions of smart phones and tablets are profoundly changing the ways people interact with tools, the Internet, and each other. This excellent NPR report covers the evolution of touch technology. Segments examine unusual uses, social implications, and future applications of this rapidly-changing technology. The site includes both text and audio versions of the story.