Microsoft Surface Pro Release Date Brought Forward

[pparks1]

My kids have had no problems at all with a mouse, a trackball, a trackpad, even the rubber eraser pointer on my keyboard. They simply see what to do and are just fine with whatever you put in front of them. They seem to have 0 issues going from phones and tablets (with touch interfaces) to my computers (which don't have touch at all).

My son has learned to spell from searching in YouTube and Google. This is becoming more and more common.

 

[Coke Robot]

For a two year, a mouse is a rodent. Also, when your hand is smaller than an adult palm, touch MIGHT BE a little easier to use than a mouse that's big are your forearm.

Also, I don't think my niece has every used a mouse, I think they have the tablet mostly for couch internet browser and some games. But my niece likes to use it to poke around with it, I was surprised at how she can actually use the UI. I was also surprised how she was able to figure out how to open the Reading with Elmo app on my Windows Phone, when I NEVER showed her! That's some intuitive UI design when a TWO YEAR OLD knows how to work it! It wasn't pinned to my Start Screen but in All Apps list. That, as well as she likes looking at my Windows Phone's live tiles, especially the Photos app.

And yes, wow, kids these days know how to use technology like it's learning how to speak legibly or an innate ability, probably because using something like touch IS an innate ability, but nonetheless. I have to wonder though, she may never actually use a mouse with a computer in her life. The daycare she goes to is pretty legit and makes ME jealous, I wonder if they will buy some cost effective Windows 8 touch PCs of some kind and teach them computers with Windows 8. Shoot, I learned how to use Windows with 95. Talk about a generational shift of technology.

I'm also trying to teach her that the Start Screen is Windows 8. I was sitting with her at my PC, hit the :winkey: key and asked, "Sophie, what's that?" And so far, she generally points out a picture of her from the Photos app, or a picture of a silly vacuum cat on my Start Screen and either try to say her name (she apparently says something like sleepy for Sophie ) or say cat. It's Windows 8. You see bits of everything with the Start Screen.

But I think it takes more mental computing to use a mouse UI, as you have to look away from moving a physical object and trying to point and aim for something. I sometimes wonder if that's why elderly people have issues sometimes with computers, it's not a natural method of interaction. Touch is though. Look at something, touch it. Do it all the time. I don't write with a mouse.

 

[jimbo45]

....................................

My son has learned to spell from searching in YouTube and Google. This is becoming more and more common.

Hi there
He's not the only one who uses Google to check spelling -- !!! I use it quite often -- Was a HOPELESS English speller in my long ago youth -- and having a mix of kids at school who spoke various dialects of English (US, AUS, UK, some from Europe) - I got even more confused.

Nothing wrong in using Google for that purpose --and if it gets people away from writing horrible "Text-Ese" well so much the better.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[robinb9]

I was at my daughter's home and my 2 yr old grandson was playing angry birds on my daughter's iPhone and worse he actually knew how to play it. 2 yrs old!!!!!!! My kids when they were 2 played with crayons and coloring books. Totally amazing. Now he is 3 1/2 and for the holidays he got a iPod. His 2 sisters have one. One is 9 the other 5 ,and he keeps crying that they do not let him play with theirs. I asked my daughter , don't you think he is a bit young for an iPod and she told me he loves the video games especially the ones geared toward his age. Go back a generation, Sesame Street on DVD was my kids gift for the holidays, the worls is sure changing

 

[robinb9]

World, even