interface

Traktor Kontrol X1 hands-on, fists pumped

The Traktor Kontrol X1 is a $229 DJ package that bundles Native Instruments' Traktor LE DJ software with high quality, USB-powered controller hardware.

Compared with similarly priced DJ bundles, such as M-Audio's Torq Mixlab, Torq Conectiv, or Vestax Spin, the Kontrol X1 doesn't pitch itself as an all-in-one DJ solution. For example, crossfader and volume-mixing controls are noticeably absent from the system, as is any kind of integrated audio card.

In spite of these shortcomings, the Traktor Kontrol X1 is one of our favorite entry-level digital DJ bundles. Unlike the aforementioned competitors, nothing about the Kontrol X1 will become obsolete should you ever want to make a go at DJing professionally.

All of the buttons and dials on the controller correspond precisely with software actions you'll want handy, whether you're a newbie or a true DJ hero. And because the hardware is customized by the company behind the software, no other piece of hardware on the market dovetails better with Traktor DJ software, regardless of what price range you're looking at.

It's fair to complain about the lack of mixer and soundcard features on the X1, but on the other hand, it's precisely these types of features that build in obsolescence on similar devices. Audio mixers and sound cards are constantly evolving, and the features you'll want from them will change as your skills evolve.… Read more

What to expect from open-source Symbian (Q&A)

On Thursday, the Symbian Foundation announced that it had completed the open-sourcing of its mobile operating system--the largest such migration in software history.

ZDNet UK spoke to Lee Williams, chief executive of the Symbian Foundation, to learn more about the implications of the open-sourcing process for the venerable OS and find out what people can expect from upcoming versions--and when they might expect to see a Symbian-based tablet or Netbook.

There was a lot of third-party code in Symbian -- how much of that had to be stripped from the OS, and how much did the third parties agree to … Read more

Light Touch interactive projector brings 'Minority Report' user interface to life

Las Vegas--If you've ever watched the motion user interface scene from "Minority Report" and thought to yourself, "I WANT THAT," then check out Light Touch from Light Blue Optics, an interactive projector with a surprisingly accurate touch response.

At its core, the Light Touch is a simple handheld computer running Windows CE, but it uses holographic laser tracking to project a 10.1-inch virtual touch screen onto any flat surface. From there, you can control everything from scrolling through photos to selecting MP3s and dragging folders around the desktop. The laser also does double-duty by ensuring that the image stays in constant focus even across long distances.

We demoed the unit at the Light Blue Optics booth at CES 2010, and came away surprised at the accuracy of the laser. The projection only lights up to 15 lumens, which seemed dim compared to normal fluorescent viewing, and we're skeptical about its outdoor performance; however, we left with a skip in our step knowing that "Minority Report" might become a reality sooner than later.

Want your own demo? Check out the Light Blue Optics Web site for a video of the Light Touch in action.

More photos after the jump.… Read more

Dial a phone number using in-air gestures

Gesture-recognition interfaces for cell phones are closer to reality with technology from the University of Tokyo that lets you operate your phone or mobile device without laying a finger on it.

Researchers at the Ishikawa Komuro Laboratory have created a "vision-based input interface for mobile devices" through which users can type words by pointing in the air. There's no dialing demo in the video below, though that would presumably be just as simple.

Unlike gestural interfaces such as MIT's SixthSense, the system does not require special colored finger markings to track gestures.

A single high-speed camera … Read more

Time to update the software user's bill of rights

We don't really buy software, we rent it. And like lessees, we don't call all the shots when it comes to how--and how long--we use the programs we "buy."

Exhibit A: Microsoft cut off free support for Windows XP and Office 2003 last April. I don't recall the programs coming with expiration dates.

We don't even control when Windows and some of our applications update. More than a decade ago, IBM researcher Clare-Marie Karat published a Computer User's Bill of Rights. (Read more about it in a 1998 BusinessWeek article and on researcher … Read more

Going human with Shy-Tech

I attended the Trendforum in Munich last week, a two-day conference that gathered European innovation, marketing, and R&D executives to explore emerging technologies, social trends, and innovative business models. The program was eclectic and the content mostly of high quality. I was particularly intrigued by the opening session that intersected macro-economic forecasting with geeky trend evangelism as well as a humanistic pledge for meaning-driven business (in fact, the other sessions didn’t even come close, including special guest Ray Kurzweil, whose remote keynote, given by way of 3D-holographic projection, remained utterly flat).

As the first speaker, Markku Wilenius, … Read more

The best of Windows 7's new interface features

Do you need Windows 7? If you're happy with your current PC—whether it runs Vista, XP, or some other operating system—probably not. But if you're in the market for a new system, there's a lot to like about Windows 7, particularly in the look-and-feel department.

You can read all about Win7's new features on Microsoft's official Windows 7 site. But some of my favorites are the subtle interface tweaks that can be easy to miss.

Starting with the basics I like to keep the Windows desktop free of icons, so the first change … Read more

2011 Audi A8 gets handwriting recognition

Audi's flagship A8 luxury sedan is the company's technological tour de force, and the company says its 2011 iteration will sport handwriting recognition among its many features.

The feature will be supported in the vehicle's Multi Media Interface, or MMI--effectively the navigation/media unit in the car's console. It allows the user to write the destination in freehand and then use the touch screen to manipulate the directions as necessary.

Read more of "2011 Audi A8 adds handwriting recognition to in-car UI" at ZDNet's The ToyBox.

Twitter needs a pretty face to beat Facebook

Twitter and Facebook are duking it out to own the future of the social Web, though users won't have noticed. Indeed, for those who use both, this may come as a surprise, since the two, while both social media platforms, seem to serve very different purposes.

Tell that to Twitter and Facebook, which increasingly have painted big bull's-eyes on each other.

They probably should spend more time painting their home pages. While the two Silicon Valley companies have opted to skirmish in the hinterlands of APIs and data feeds, the war will almost certainly be won somewhere else: … Read more