Multi-touch

One of the most interesting traits of the upcoming Apple phone is its multi-touch user interface. I'd never heard of multi-touch until about a year ago, when Jeff Han's NYU website made the blog rounds.

This evening I finally tripped across the first public demonstration of NYU's multi-touch interface, from last February's TED conference. It's a fascinating presentation, especially when Mr. Han begins musing on data visualization applications. (And it's pretty cool when the audience "gets" it.) He makes it easy to imagine new ways of interacting with molecular depictions and n-space grid projections.

The NYU website carries a new teaser:

Yes, we saw the keynote too! We have some very, very exciting updates coming soon- stay tuned!

Fun times.

27B Stroke 6

27B Stroke 6:

"When President Bush signed a long overdue postal reform bill on December 20, 2006, he added a few footnotes, including one that exempted the government from needing to get a court order to open mail when there was a 'need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances, such as to protect human life and safety against hazardous materials, and the need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection.'

That led to this AP story, which said that the move 'might have opened the way for the government to open mail without a warrant.' I think clearer language would be that the move clarifies that the government believes it can open mail without a warrant.

These buggers are nibbling away at our freedoms. I wonder if mine will be the generation which finally lets them have it all.

Trivial, but related: Bobi, Aigerim and I tried to visit our parents during the holidays. We made it to Denver. Our luggage got all the way to Lincoln. When it returned, the gift wrap on the presents in my checked bags was torn. Re-wrapping the gifts to send by mail, I found they'd been opened and re-sealed with cheerful "TSA" tape.

All for our safety and security.