This technology is still a novelty item or a "toy" that people will get bored with quickly, and if implemented now will cause more annoyance than anything else. Customers who buy XLobby don't want gimicks, and already get "frustrated" or "annoyed" when the screen doesn't respond "immediately" to a button press. Imagine those same customers' reactions to having to wave their hand around and then "select" from a popup menu to get the volume control, and then having to perform a few more gestures just to get the mute function to work - not good. However, for a child it may be fun to play with for 10 minutes.
While there are currently too many steps involved to accomplish simple tasks like volume adjustment or power toggle - i suspect that this is mostly because the technology is not mature yet. While most most digital home entertainment choices are relatively physically "passive" activities, I predict this technology will (and is already begining to) find its way into applications that require more physical interaction like gaming. And where visual and other data need "manual" sorting and selection, just like the examples in the 2002 movie: "Minority Report" (Wow, has it been 7 years already?!?)
, and also for 3D modeling and analysis in the design and medical applications, I think this "free-air" gesture interface may find a home.
Maybe in another 7 years "free-air" gesture technology will be everywhere, but we'll just have to wait to find-out.
As for touch-screen based gestures, yes, yes, yes, I agree with Jay, that this would be very cool.
The ability to "slide" an overlay or screen "off" the page and bring in the next one or navigate a category with just a gesture like apple does with ipone and ipod touch (I'm thinking of Andy's "iphone touchscreen" skin
http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=6841) would allow skinners to take the XLobby interface to a whole new level of "polish".
Especially with the new "slide-in/out" features Wes posted in news.
http://xlobby.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/panel-slides.jpgWes, you and Steven continue to impress with all the new additions and bug-fixes, you always seem to be "pushing the envelope" of what's possible, and just when we think you've reached some "limit" you smash it and come up with something even better.
Keep up the good work. - We all appreciate it.
Just my $.02.
by wesblack on Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:28 pm 
