Something new I'd like to try, and I'm going to try and not come across as some know-it-all d-bag. But it seems that I just came across 2 similar applications at roughly the same time. Now, I do not know how to DJ, I have a friend that does (new needs to hop back into the social networking world). And I have Not seen either of these first hand, I've only analyzed the accompanying videos.
Keeping an eye on Engadget a couple days ago (Ok, I didn't see it first, co-workers pointed out the links to me), I first saw Token.
Töken [or is it Emulator]
"emulator" on töken concept from yöyen munchausen on Vimeo.
The interface is beautiful to me. It is colorful and vibrant. Since the screen is viewable on both sides, the audience really gets their own glimps of what is going on. I could see a DJ being in some type of elavated spot so everyone can enjoy the look of the entire interface.
The layout looks like it was well mapped out and covered everything the DJ would need in a 1:1 recreation of a DJ's real world interface. The multitouch aspect of it was seen, I noticed him be able to do multiple tasks at the same time. And the first time I watch this video I immediately sent this to my DJ friend (who also came across it and was about to send it to me first).
Then today, IM pops up. Checked out the link.
Multi Touch Light Table: GERGWERK
Graphic User Interface for Mobile DJs
Multi Touch Light Table: GERGWERK from GERG WERK on Vimeo.
I like the idea of going to digital DJing to help with mobility, but not wanting to lose abilities. I hope your watching the video, listen for this line.
"if there's no knobs or buttons pertruding from the surface, the DJ'll need to look down the entire time."
I had never even thought of that. Just keep watching. When the first screen shot is show, I was thinking where is everything? Mixer, dials, knobs, be it digital, the only things I even recognized from a real world DJ setup was the crossfader and 2 blobs spinning around that I guess would be the turntables.
...and then the description of how the interface works started. The bulk of it, gestures. Gestures! An even deeper use of multitouch technology. Eliminating more space taking up widgets and changing it to multiple finger touches and types of swipes to effect the application at it is running. Changing the speed of the track by physically tapping the screen. Pinching to capture loops. The entire use of gestures is well thought out and explained, and once you learn it, it looks like something that can become second nature.
Break it down
Being lucky enough to see both these applications cross my path at relatively the same time is amazing. It makes me realize that I still have much to learn about multitouch, like many others thinking of how to build proper multitouch interfaces. Straight representation of a real world devise is fantastic, don't get me wrong. It takes a lot of skill, patients, knowledge. But there always seems to be that next step further someone will take that will make anyone and everyone astonished.
Seeing an app like GERGWERK, even in just a demo video reminds me that I always need to take a step back and ask myself, am I really thinking through the full potential of using a multitouch device? Are there innovations I'm not thinking of? Will a multitouch interface device really add value with what it is I'm trying to do? And how do I pull that off?
I would love to see either of these applications running first hand, and it makes me want to learn how to DJ. But hey, one thing at a time.
(^_^)//
Tags: application review, DJing, DJs, humbled, interface design, multitouch
