DailyTech - Google Nabs 3D, Multi-touch OS Skin Maker BumpTop

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Gadgets Google Nabs 3D, Multi-touch OS Skin Maker BumpTop
Jason Mick (Blog) - May 3, 2010 9:35 AM

11 comment(s) - last by Sazabi19.. on May 3 at 2:56 PM

BumpTop, a multi-touch OS skin maker acquired by Google, offers users a unique touch-driven operating system experience. Its rumored that the skin will play a critical role in the upcoming Chrome OS from Google. (Source: BumpTop via YouTube)

BumpTop offers touch cropping; handy for both vacation photos -- and photos with your ex in them. (Source: BumpTop via YouTube)

Acquisition could make for exciting advances in the tablet/netbook realm

In a surprising move, it is being reported that Google has scooped up hot multi-touch operating system skin maker BumpTop less than a month after BumpTop's first product made its commercial debut.

One disappointment of late is that there have been a relative lack of truly revolutionary operating system ideas. That's where BumpTop, a Canadian startup comes in. BumpTop has unveiled a vision of the future in which the user interacts with a 3D desktop via a set of intuitive gestures.

The project is not a full operating system itself, but rather a user interface skin that can go over an existing operating system. It was created as the Master's Thesis of Anand Agarawala, a student at The University of Toronto. The first versions work with Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OS X.

The operating system features a variety of icon rearranging gestures, touch cropping, one touch transfers to USB and Facebook, and more. Agarawala's video explanation, found here, does the system far better justice, though, than a few brief words.

In its finished form, the interface bears a passing resemblance to the Microsoft Surface concept, though it features far more touch-driven fun.

And now to the juicy part. Last week rumors began to swirl that Google was about to acquire BumpTop. CEO Anand Argawala commented Friday, "Not that I know of."

But on May 2, both Google and BumpTop confirmed the acquisition. BumpTop posted disappointing news to Windows and Mac users:

Today, we have a big announcement to make: we’re going to be taking BumpTop in an exciting new direction, which means that BumpTop (for both Windows and Mac) will no longer be available for sale. Additionally, no updates to the products are planned.

That announcement makes it seem like a virtual certainty that Google is plotting to deploy BumpTop as an exclusive skin for its upcoming Chrome operating system.

In the end, BumpTop was the kind of innovative firm that doesn't last long in the wild before being snagged by a lucrative acquisition offer. Its addition could truly be the crown jewel of Chrome OS and is just one more reason to keep a close eye on the upcoming tablet/netbook OS.

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Sweet purchse!

By Richlet on 5/3/2010 10:18:10 AM , Rating: 2

Have to say, after watching the video demo, it's a killer app, Google was smart to snatch it up. The vid itself is hilarious because apple fans came out of the woodwork screaming patent infringement in the comments section. Get a life boys, seriously.

RE: Sweet purchse!

By SunAngel on 5/3/10, Rating: -1

RE: Sweet purchse!

By Superfoot09 on 5/3/2010 10:57:17 AM , Rating: 2

"Does this mean you intend to become an enabler and support Google infringement on Apple's captive touch patent? I'm just asking."

"Captive touch"? Did they patent that too? I guess capacitive wasn't enough. Lol. Aple boyz lrn to speel.

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RE: Sweet purchse!

By FlyBri on 5/3/2010 11:59:24 AM , Rating: 4

SunAngel, you have a lot to learn about patents. Just because something is patented does not mean that the patent is rightfully held. The US Patent & Trademark Office is understaffed and does not have the expertise to accurately determine every patent application that comes in.

I'm not going to get into all the details, (you can read about them for yourself) but there are certain criteria that have to be met for something to be considered patentable. Sometimes, these criteria aren't really met, and patents are given out anyway, due to the lack of expertise in the Patent Office. Much of the patent infringement lawsuit Apple is bringing on HTC has no actual merit, as many of the patents listed in the lawsuit that Apple holds won't hold up in court. Why? Because they have already been done before Apple applied them to its own products. Also just tacking on "on a mobile device" to an invention (like Apple has done to many patents in this case) also does not really warrant a separate patent -- but things like this do get through.

Just because an entity holds a patent does not automatically make that patent valid (for the reason described earlier). As such, a patent's true validity is often proven in court. I am confident HTC will not be found guilty of patent infringement on most (if not all) the patents in question. I believe Apple knows this, and is only bringing about the lawsuit as a strategic move to slow down Google's rapidly increasing market share in the smartphone market.

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RE: Sweet purchse!

By gralex on 5/3/2010 10:27:38 AM , Rating: 2

Spot on.
(Video is definately worth watching)

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RE: Sweet purchse!

By StevoLincolnite on 5/3/2010 11:19:36 AM , Rating: 3

The Program is available on PC, it's been out for some time in-fact. (Over a year or two?) - It has been bundled with HIS Radeon cards for some time now, I got a copy of it with a Radeon 4650 that I bought last year.

Try it out, it's rather awesome, it's free and available for a little while yet, so grab it while you can.

http://bumptop.com/download.php

However now that Google have bought up the company... I wonder how this will affect HIS? Considering that they won't be offering it for PC or Mac soon.

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RE: Sweet purchse!

By Anoxanmore on 5/3/2010 10:46:33 AM , Rating: 2

I want my holodeck NAOW!

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RE: Sweet purchse!

By theapparition on 5/3/2010 1:50:53 PM , Rating: 2

I'll settle for the myriad of xtube videos under your name. :)

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RE: Sweet purchse!

By geddarkstorm on 5/3/2010 2:49:40 PM , Rating: 2

With easily broken safety protocols for extra fun! Especially when the mother-in-law visits.

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Underwhelmed

By troysavary on 5/3/2010 12:31:18 PM , Rating: 2

Watched the video and didn't see the big deal. So they projected the desktop into a cube. Wow. Other than that, what does it do that other multi-touch interfaces do not? "You can click on the pile and it expands to show what is in it". You mean, just like a folder in Windows?

Once you get past the "Gee-whiz, 3d!", does it actually increase productivity?

Using It

By Sazabi19 on 5/3/2010 2:56:33 PM , Rating: 2

I'm using it right now on my work computer (I'm a tech, i can say im trying it out :P)and its actually pretty fun. I like how u can hide icons and stuff on your "desktop" on the back wall or 1 of the other sides where the desktop doesnt natively show. Throwing the icons is cool as well and sticking them anywhere you want. If you wanted to try it you have to get it before May 7th when they stop letting anyone download it (Win XP, Vista, 7, and Mac OS X). It's worth a try, i'm having fun with it right now. Takes literally about 3 mins for it to load, also doesnt seem to like ctrl+alt+del on windows machines.

"If you look at the last five years, if you look at what major innovations have occurred in computing technology, every single one of them came from AMD. Not a single innovation came from Intel." -- AMD CEO Hector Ruiz in 2007