Directly Drag & Drop to Different Devices

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3774747.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3774747.stm</a><br /><br /></div>The BBC reports that Sony's Computer Science Laboratories in Tokyo has come up with a way of easily transferring information between devices such as laptops, mobile phones and PDAs:<br /><br /><i>"Dr Rekimoto's lab has extended the drag and drop technique used in most PC software to create a 'pick and drop' technique. So the owner of a handheld computer can pick up a file from their device, using a special pen, and drop it onto the screen of another computer, by placing the pen on its screen."</i><br /><br /><i>"Another technique that the labs has developed is referred to as 'pick and beam'. This uses displays projected onto tables and walls, using data projectors, that act as extended working spaces. Documents can be dragged using a special pen from a computer desktop into these spaces. There they can be spread out or exchanged, allowing people to work with them almost as if they were paper documents."</i><br /><br />Interesting concept, though I wonder how useful this will really turn out to be. Describing this work being as important as the development of the mouse seems a little far fetched to me. Still, it's good to see that the boys in white lab coats are hard at work making the world a better place. Or at least makin sure that it contains more technologically advanced toys. :wink:

[ctmagnus]

I heard about this or something similar several years ago.

"Dr Rekimoto's lab has extended the drag and drop technique used in most PC software to create a 'pick and drop' technique. So the owner of a handheld computer can pick up a file from their device, using a special pen, and drop it onto the screen of another computer, by placing the pen on its screen."

As long as the file size isn't too big, I assume. That would be one way to curb fileswapping. ;)

Still, it's good to see that the boys in white lab coats are hard at work making the world a better place.

But it would be so much more fun if it was the boys in the typical white coats* doing so. ;)

*straight jackets

[Mazian]

this story reminds me of one I read a little while back (at the Technology Resource News site) on expanding handheld desktop space.
http://trnmag.com/Stories/2003/022603/Handhelds_gain_space_022603.html
Unfortunately their prototype was a Palm.
In any event, the coupling of these two methods could easily be as important a development as the mouse, at least within the realm of pocket computing.

[Kacey Green]

This would be cool if it transfered metadata, like the clipbord, does MS's networkable clipboard do this?

[Dennis]

Describing this work being as important as the development of the mouse seems a little far fetched to me.

I do believe this is a revolution!
Imagine: no more cables running from one device to another, no more complicated (and not always succesful) IR or even Bluetooth connection between devices, etc.
This will change completly the way our devices will communicate. And therefore the way we are dealing with them!
I can't wait to have one!!

[Pony99CA]

Describing this work being as important as the development of the mouse seems a little far fetched to me.
I do believe this is a revolution!
Imagine: no more cables running from one device to another, no more complicated (and not always succesful) IR or even Bluetooth connection between devices, etc.
Right, so instead of two Bluetooth-enabled devices, I'll have two Bluetooth-enabled devices (we'll still need Bluetooth -- or its successor -- for continuous communications) and a special pen. :roll:

If Bluetooth were extended to support a "clipboard profile", we could copy and paste between devices (I'm referring to data fragments; Bluetooth already allows file transfer). Hmmm, should I check the patent office? :-D

Steve

[surur]

The pen is an entirely passive device, like the pens on wacom tablets or tablet pc's. The file transfer takes place over a shared network. This means devices will need to be constantly networked, either by wire, wifi or bluetooth. All the pen does is carry a unique identifier.

In theory the same could be achieved by typing in a unique user name and password combo on both devices, the pen is just a neat GUI metaphor (they could have used tweezers :) )

I wonder if this could be implemented on existing tablets pc's just using special software and a different pen. The pens can already transmit clicks and pressure, so it should be able to transfer a unique identifier also...

Surur

[Jonathon Watkins]

If Bluetooth were extended to support a "clipboard profile", we could copy and paste between devices (I'm referring to data fragments; Bluetooth already allows file transfer). Hmmm, should I check the patent office? :-D

You'll probably find that MS beat you to it (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16512)! :wink:

I agree with you that this would need special hardware AND a special pen. Still not convinced.....