For a long time, people have been saying that the iPhone is really just a really small computer with a cellular calling feature. Can't say that assessment is wrong. And it leads to interesting experiments like the one below.
With a 24" multi touch monitor and Mac Pro, the user in this video seemingly runs the iPhone OS off his desktop hardware. The simulated touchscreen ?phone? looks like it's made for a giant, and seemingly boasts all the familiar features regular iPhone users know and love, including the tapping, typing, and pinching inputs.
Theoretically, this implementation should be possible, no? So then why is most of the industry calling this a fake? Well, that's what happens when a visual effects house tries to innovate. The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) thinks that what's going on here is an iPhone video playing on the monitor while the ?user? pretends to interact with the OS and apps.
TUAW further validates its judgment by pointing viewers to a specific snippet that shows some lag. (?'the picture flipping at about :56 is a little bit off.?)
Well, points for coolness, if not authenticity. When the user pinches and rotates with two hands, it kind of reminds me of the Minority Reportish (or more Star Trek?like) functionality that hardcore geeks have been wanting for years. Even if it's a phony demo, I hope it offers some good inspiration to the computer industry.
Check out the vid for yourself here, and weigh in: Do you think it's a fake?
