Software to turn iPhones, Pres into virtual pens grabs award

Graffitti / Newton

So, Apple gave handwriting recognition their best shot with the Newton, Palm have given up on Graffitti at long last, MS have never come up with anything useable, despite repeated attempts, but these jokers think they have it cracked at last, and can do it without the benefit of any feedback? I doubt it somehow.

Wait, what?

Wasn't this done ages ago? Also, aren't accellerometer pens crap? They were last time I tried them, though that was with a Wiimote and a whole load of vector resolution maths so the lag probably made it seem worse than it was.

Furthermore, taking a photo and drawing notes on it is exactly what I do already with my HTC Kaiser in meetings or when looking at pieces of kit in the lab. Or does the iPhone lack the ability to edit images (even to the level of Paint) after they're taken as well as all its' other shortcomings?

Retarded

Stupidest goddamn thing i've heard of all week.

Yeah, cos waving around like an idiot for 10 minutes to write an email is really much more convienient than the iphones touch keyboard or regular T9.

Moronic.

Another idea

Has anybody developed an app yet where you can 'strobe' messages in the air, much like those novelty clocks you can buy with the swinging arm and LEDs? You know, the one where the thing sits there whirring like a dervish and posing a hazard to pets and small children, while the time/date automagically 'hangs' in mid-air?

If somebody developed an app where you wave your arm (holding the phone tight of course), the accelerometer works out relative velocity and the screen 'strobes' your message, I'd buy it and I guess it'd be relatively simple to develop (IANAD)

PS if it doesn't already exist and you're going to make your fortune with it, please at least make a version for the Nokia N95 8GB - cuz I'z got one of thoz (Lolcats FTW)

Write on! Thinking about it...

...if he could apply this tech to a small (finger) ring, and use Bluetooth to transmit to a nearby storage device, phone etc, then one would not need to wave ones gadget around in the air like Magnus Puke after a double espresso and Red Bull. You could in fact probably wiggle your hand around in your oversized pocket taking notes almost in secret...

"Is that your index finger in your pocket or are you just happy to see me in a wibbly wobbly sort of way?"

Paris, because she likes gadget lads with large flexible objects in their pockets.

New iPhone App for Accelerometer Use

Here we go - documented in El Reg in case some one tries to underswipe the patent, eh? :) This would allow any (!) phone to use an arbitrary sized desktop in any location.

Bluetooth laser projector onto a surface (wall, screen, back of a coworker, etc) gives a wireframe desktop. Phone is used in combination with Accelerometer and Camera to record/track movements against the projected desktop, allowing the user to use the phone as a stylus. Tapping or double-tapping the screen of the phone in your hand with your finger equates to similar actions with a mouse, holding allows drag-and-drop operations, interaction with icons in the wireframe desktop perform application specific tasks.

First iteration would be monochrome LED (like the laser keyboards), and later generations can be color as projection tech gets cheaper/smaller. Forseeable problems include calibration when first setup/used due to differing distance to surface between setups, drifting causing the phone to lose its place due to low res accelerometers, etc. But I think this would be useful and a possible precursor to my favorite Minority Report style interface.

Video

Where's the damn video of wildly gesticulating demo units?