We’ve all controlled a phone with buttons. We’ve all controlled phones with touch. But have you ever controlled your phone by flexing the phone itself? Probably not…but Nokia thinks that in the future, you may want to.
That’s why on display in the Nokia Future Lounge was the Nokia Kinetic Device, a prototype gadget that lets you browse, scroll, select and zoom by literally bending the device itself. Bend the device outward like you’re opening a book and zoom in, bend it like closing a book and zoom out. Twist the corners to scroll and move around. You’ll see what I mean in the video:
When I first saw the Nokia Kinetic Device I thought “Why would I want this tech?” But after using it, it made sense; imagine standing on the train, holding your phone in one hand and not having to awkwardly move your thumb to scroll through your contact list. Instead, you could just gently flex the phone chassis with your thumb and accomplish the same thing. It would be simple, natural and ergonomic. Nokia didn’t tell me when – or if – this tech will actually make it into a product, but I’m hopeful that it does.
This is my last post from Nokia World 2011. Thanks for joining me on the journey…I’ll see you all back in Redmond!
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