inverse interface

apple does it again - after using a multi-touch interface for the new iphone, they had to figure a new way to improve the UI...

as BoyGenius says in the scoop on this not ready for market device:

"In a patent filed by Apple right before January's MacWorld where they announced the iPhone, shows a smaller double-sided device. It has phone functions, but one side is touch screen, while the other side is the display. The patent describes this as a way to keep smudges off the display while using multi-touch instead of a stylus on the back. This reminds us a little of the Samsung UpStage phone with dual sides and a touch interface on the back. Will it be easy to control the iPod though, while reaching around back? The device looks much smaller then the iPhone, and could be plans for a 2nd generation iPhone, or even an iPhone nano. This patent seemingly will impact not only future iPhones, but iPods as well. Who wouldn't love to see a dual-sided multi-touch iPod?"

Multi-touch taken to the next level, solving the "fat finger blocking the thing you are trying to click" problem...

I can see this sort of interface as bizzare to use the first few times, and ubiquitous in 10 years.