People who feel the urge to throw their computers around might appreciate a
new hand-held computer from Compaq. The firm has turned screen navigation on its
head with a pocket computer that scrolls by tilting the screen instead of using
a mouse. The prototype, known as “Itsy”, uses a technique called “Rock `n’
Scroll” that uses accelerometers to determine the cursor’s desired screen
position. The tilt direction sets the scroll direction, while the magnitude of
the tilt sets the scroll speed. Flipping and spinning the screen could also be
given specific functions, says the firm, making games more fun. More at
www.research.digital.com/wrl/itsy/.
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