[NTLK] Siri and handwritten input

[Nic Malone]

Hi Jim

In response to your question:

>  I wonder, if I wrote something that would hack the Inkwell framework into iPad and made an interface to it, assuming the framework is already there or could be dynamically recompiled for ARM by reading the Mac framework code..  in a jailbroken app of course - what would Apple do?

I think Apple would either:
A. Send some goons around with the police
B. Give you a job

Sadly, I don't think a Newton-style Assistant would work on the iPad's capacitive touch screen, a screen that gets triggered by the heel of a hand as easily as it does with a fingertip or iPad stylus. Writing on it is a hand-cramping experience, having to suspend your hand over the glass to avoid unintended input. Otherwise, it would be the perfect note-taker. The Newt's 'out-dated' resistive touchscreen, on the other hand, could ignore the slight, diffuse pressure of a hand whilst writing. 

It would be good to even have the option though, just for quick scribbles like "meet Joe for lunch on Tuesday". I can't be speaking things like this in my busy open-plan office. Then again, we all though hands-free calling whilst out in public would never catch on!

Cheers
Nic