Say Goodbye To The Computer Mouse?

[OldeWolf]

It's nearly 40 years old but one leading research company says the days of the computer mouse are numbered.

A Gartner analyst predicts the demise of the computer mouse in the next three to five years.

Taking over will be so called gestural computer mechanisms like touch screens and facial recognition devices.

"The mouse works fine in the desktop environment but for home entertainment or working on a notebook it's over," declared analyst Steve Prentice.

Read the rest of them here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7508842.stm).

If the predictions comes true, I wonder how much different PC gaming will be with a non-mouse computer setup. But then again, someone did convert a WiiFit to walk around on World of Warcraft (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucEV7N0N9Pw)

[Dr.Finger]

Yeah, it's not going to happen. It's way, way too ingrained in the culture right now. There may be a more efficient method, but it won't take over for a whole generation at least.

[Dr.Finger]

And Oldewolf, I removed the image because it really doesn't pertain to the story at all.

[Devilturnip]

Sounds like a pack of lies to me.

[MelbaToast]

Yeah the Dvorak keyboard really took off too.

[biosc1]

The mouse is still necessary. There are far too many legacy programs still being used to be phased out completely in 3 to 5 years.

[Grey]

Yeah, it's not going to happen. It's way, way too ingrained in the culture right now. There may be a more efficient method, but it won't take over for a whole generation at least.

Absolutly right, this ain't going to happen within "3-5 years" (what did that guy smoke? I want that too...) if ever in the near future.

[RudyPoo]

Good luck prying my mouse from my cold dead fingers.

[TheKeck]

I also call bull sh...enanigons.

[OldeWolf]

And Oldewolf, I removed the image because it really doesn't pertain to the story at all.

You might think so, but the news link disagrees. ;)

And I am aware that the mouse wont be completely phased out for at least 10 years, but it does depend on how creative technology becomes in the years to come, mainly for gaming and computer interactions as well as the price for those. And who knows, the mouse might evolve into something never thought of before.

I wouldn't mind a "Minority Report" type computer.

[Telefrog]

Absolutly right, this ain't going to happen within "3-5 years" (what did that guy smoke? I want that too...) if ever in the near future.

Yeah, another idiot analyst with a bug up his ass. There is no way in Hell the computer mouse stops getting used in 3-5 years. This guy is a tool.

[MosBen]

3-5 years is ridiculous, but it will happen. I actually ran across a lawyer not too long ago that still refuses to use a computer to type up documents. He's an old timer, and he's rare, but there will always be people who fight change. There will also always be a certain amount of people who adopt a new tech early. The bottom line is that if it works better than what we've got and it's affordable then it will take over.

[Hellbug]

QWERTY says hi.

[Venkman]

I will jump on it as soon as possible. I'm already using a tablet.

The mouse is an antiquated input device prone to causing repetitive stress injury. Ugh.

[MosBen]

I guess I should say, "3-5 years is ridiculous, but it will happen *eventually*". The three things which must happen for this tech to replace mice: 1) It needs to be cheap. 2) It must have native Windows support. 3) It must be included with the computer when people buy it at the store.

If these things happen then people will learn to use it, made even easier by the fact that these should be more intuitive technologies than using a mouse.

[LongStepMantis]

10 years, probably more likely.

3 years? Nope. I don't see the mom n pop computer users buying touch screens anytime soon.

[Wraith]

Y'know, it doesn't seem so far fetched that we don't need the mouse itself. Just think about a multi-touch notebook touchpad, blown up to the size of a mousepad. Sure there are some advancements that it'd need to fully replace the desktop mouse, but it's reasonably close.

I doubt eye- or brain-controlled user input will replace mouse functionality anytime soon.

[Wraith]

Also, it'd be interesting to see a workable stationary mouse, where you simply angle it instead of moving the mouse. Using accelerometers like a gyration mouse or Wii remote, but controlling the cursor more like an analog stick/joystick.

[zrikz]

until they make something work flawlessly with FPS games ill never switch! =/ I do like the wii mote but meh i like the mouse still... ill give it a look in 10 years unless something amazing comes out.

[XxSATANxX]

As part of my job I make stuff for Gamers,toys and guffy stuff no one needs but is just fun.

I have done a bunch of R&D on input devices for Gamers. I always try for simple and low cost fun products. Everglide yup that was one of mine, BoomChair, games, collectibles, Lava Lites Wisecrack phone and many others.

Why oh why is it some kind of mantra that a REAL KEYBOARD and MOUSE can't be produced for consoles? I think MANY Gamers perfer this interface and would jump on well thought out platform that lets game boxrs function as PC's do.

Talk about stuck in a paradigm. IS this so hard?

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/38/2652/640/GamerGear3.jpg

[Ancalagon]

QWERTY says hi.

Ha ha!

Anyone who thinks the mouse will be phased out needs to look at their keyboard.

We use the QWERTY layout because, when typewriters were invented, they were prone to jamming. Hence the QWERTY layout was invented, purposefully designed to slow down typing and thus prevent key jams.

That was how many decades ago?

I dont see a replacement for a mouse, but definitely strong competition in the form of neural interfaces, gesture recognition and other interface mechanisms.

3-5 years is a joke pulled to grab attention.

[Bahamut]

As part of my job I make stuff for Gamers,toys and guffy stuff no one needs but is just fun.

I have done a bunch of R&D on input devices for Gamers. I always try for simple and low cost fun products. Everglide yup that was one of mine, BoomChair, games, collectibles, Lava Lites Wisecrack phone and many others.

Why oh why is it some kind of mantra that a REAL KEYBOARD and MOUSE can't be produced for consoles? I think MANY Gamers perfer this interface and would jump on well thought out platform that lets game boxrs function as PC's do.

Talk about stuck in a paradigm. IS this so hard?

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/38/2652/640/GamerGear3.jpg

Because a lot of us rather not have to put something on our lap and play like that.

[jeffbax]

Anyone making a prediction that its going to just "happen in 10 years" or fully replace the mouse as we know it overnight is just totally off.

For one, gestured computing is already here. Its shipping with every iPhone, MacBook and MacBook Pro.

And guess what, it lives alongside the old mouse. Its not "all or nothing" like you all are attempting to conceive. Our generation is learning to use it, now.

Certain things will put this to use, while others will stick with what works. Using gestures throughout the OS is certainly something thats hard to go without now, but its not like they or a touch interface are going to replace the mouse for HL2 anytime soon.

[Goronmon]

Before the mouse gets replaced, UI design will have to shift entirely away from 2D windowed displays. I can't imagine any combination of gestures/touchscreen/etc that is faster and more precise than navigating say a browser page with a mouse.

[NationalKato]

The porn industry will adopt this, certainly. Touch screen for...um, touching. And facial...well, you get the idea.

[Disgustipated]

These guys are off their rockers. It will be DECADES before the mouse is replaced.

[Roc Ingersol]

"The mouse works fine in the desktop environment but for home entertainment or working on a notebook it's over," declared analyst Steve Prentice.What a weak prediction that is. Mice never really had a place in home entertainment and notebooks only get by without mice by including mouse-surrogates that no-one actually prefers.

Maybe when someone releases a notebook or tablet with an OS, UI and Apps designed for touch, you can talk about mice being irrelevant to mobile computing. Until then, the mouse is just fine.

[SynapseLapse]

QWERTY says hi.

My Dvorak keyboard and Wacom tablet say "What's up?" :D

[Isamura]

This guy obviously sucks at FPS and RTS games, or perhaps has never even played them.

This is even more absurd than that analyst who predicted the PS3 would quadrouple the Xbox in total sales in a couple years.

[Citizen Philip]

The new device to replace the mouse will be the monkies. The monkies that fly out of butts.

[XxSATANxX]

Because a lot of us rather not have to put something on our lap and play like that.


a lot of us play FPS and would like the same control a PC has. It's not for everything just an option for games that require Mouse and keyboard.

On your lap? I would'nt set it up like that. I'd like to set it up the same way as a PC, maybe next to my PC using the same keyboard and mouse?

[jeffbax]

Before the mouse gets replaced, UI design will have to shift entirely away from 2D windowed displays. I can't imagine any combination of gestures/touchscreen/etc that is faster and more precise than navigating say a browser page with a mouse.

Umm...

Gestures + Mouse > Mouse alone. Like I said, computers and devices are shipping today that use these new things. They are a supplement, not an all out replacement at this point.

Whenever I use a computer without gesture ability built into the trackpad now I feel like something is missing.

[jeffbax]

Maybe when someone releases a notebook or tablet with an OS, UI and Apps designed for touch, you can talk about mice being irrelevant to mobile computing. Until then, the mouse is just fine.

OS X say says hello...

[Goronmon]

Gestures + Mouse > Mouse alone.Hence the use of the term "replace" and not "use in addition to". :p

[Emabulator]

I'm still waiting for the world to end from the Y2K bug. :P

[Windsong]

This guy is so full of FAIL. The mouse is superior to any other gimmick out there, Wii toy devices included. 10 years from now most will have forgotten about the Wii but people will still use mice to play FPS games.

[drakkarim]

3 to 5 years???

my ass.

[zipR]

If that's what he wants then fine. I don't care.

If mouses are outlawed then only outlaws will have mouses.

You can diss me, but don't diss my input device!

What is the topic?

[teksama]

Fucking assholes like this are the goddamn problem with a lot of shit. The mouse gone in 3-5 years is like saying gasoline will be gone in 3-5 years.

What is going to replace it? Of course this tard doesn't know. Motion control is a joke right now. (I am looking at you too wii.) Facial detection systems and touch screens are crap. Nothing she mentioned works with the effectiveness of a mouse so why would any enterprise systems switch. Roll outs like that take forever to happen as well. I hate tech journalists, they have no background in the field and just say shit to sell papers/ad space or whatever. God forbid they pass on reliable information like a journalist is suppose to do. And Gartner can go fuck themselves, does anyone have a success ratio of their predictions. Probably not because it will be embarrassing.

We all need to start making predictions as well, most of them will be as good a guess as what these analysts rejects come up with.

[cp#]

Get this shit off the front page

[Vandabo]

When something becomes more accurate, more intuitive and cheaper than a mouse, perhaps. I don't see anything more accurate except for perhaps tablet type touchpads, which are also quite intuitive but not as cheap or convenient. Gesture controls are cool, but does anyone really want to flail around like in Minority Report to get something done? The Wii remote is probably the closest thing around right now to replacing the current status quo, but it isn't accurate or convenient enough to use for all your computing yet.

[A Lusty Alien]

Let's see, the Trackball (invented in 1952) is the predecessor to the computer mouse (invented in 1970), but didn't get mass marketed until 1981.

The Qwerty keyboard was invented in 1867, and is still in use today as the MOST reliable means of creating text input. (Voice recognition is not reliable/affordable enough for the average user.)

I would say we have many many years of the mouse being one of the tools of choice so long as we're still using the current generation of operating system. Touch screens are "fun" but I don't think people are going enjoy seeing all those fingerprints and smudges on their big fancy high resolution computer screens.

[Schnoogs]

This is probably the same asshat who said the PS3 would sell 120 million by 2010

[51|RandoM]

Title is misleading. He talks about he mouse disappearing on notebooks and for home entertainment(think living room convergence).

...two places the mouse never dominated anyways.

As far as the desktop goes, I expect the mouse to be around longer than I myself will be.

[LongStepMantis]

This is probably the same asshat who said the PS3 would sell 120 million by 2010

Or the same level of geniuses who promised us flying cars by 2000 back in 1990. :p

[vherub]

damn, the author is right! I just bought a mouse and it isn't compatible with my wii. Maybe if there was a scsi add-on for the system.

[Flatpicker]

When the standard laptop is a 17inch screen with touch keyboard and weighs 3lbs, I'll agree. Till then. No.

[OldeWolf]

I'm not too interested in touch screen. Mainly because our hands gets so dirty and greasy that we will end up cleaning the screen too many times. Not to mention, if touch screen becomes a common norm of computer interactions, how durable will the screen be before it breaks. How will gaming even work on touch screen? Bleh, no touch screens for me.

[trip1eX]

Title is misleading. He talks about he mouse disappearing on notebooks and for home entertainment(think living room convergence).

...two places the mouse never dominated anyways.

As far as the desktop goes, I expect the mouse to be around longer than I myself will be.

Yeah much to do about nothing.

[Heretic Machine]

Somebody owns stock in a company producing touch screens :rolleyes:

[TheKeck]

Yeah, if touch screens are what he's thinking as a replacement, no freaking thank you.

[Bahamut]

a lot of us play FPS and would like the same control a PC has. It's not for everything just an option for games that require Mouse and keyboard.

On your lap? I would'nt set it up like that. I'd like to set it up the same way as a PC, maybe next to my PC using the same keyboard and mouse?

Well, I like to play console games relaxed on a couch, so no setup would really work personally. I don't mind a 360 controller for FPSs either, so it doesn't bother me terribly much.

[vivafletcher]

When I use my laptop I plug in the mouse to go with it when possible. I don't like the touch pad at all. I've tried to use it and tried to like it. It's just too imprecise for me.

[Wackman3000]

I will jump on it as soon as possible. I'm already using a tablet.

The mouse is an antiquated input device prone to causing repetitive stress injury. Ugh.

And a keyboard isnt? :confused:

[Chimp]

This is the standard Gartner MO. They make these awful, utterly rubbish "predictions" pulled straight out of their asses in order to get column inches. They are a joke as far as analysts go.

[Crono]

Someone is trying to get their name out... I won't be giving my mouse up!