Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display goes touchscreen courtesy of Troll Touch

Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display knows that it's hard to lay off on the touching. No one knows that better than Troll Touch, who has just announced a touch panel integration kit for Apple's freshest LCD. The touchscreen gets powered internally via USB, and the custom touchscreen overlay design doesn't alter the panel's form factor in any way. Those looking to dive in from scratch can order a touch-enabled version now for $2,299, but those looking to simply upgrade their own can ship it to Valencia, California along with $1,399 marked for integration. Talk about a steep price to pay for permission to touch.

[Rick Astley @ Jan 13th 2009 12:59AM]

Very costly...

[ImaYam @ Jan 13th 2009 2:28AM]

..and how unexpected!

[loocas @ Jan 13th 2009 5:34AM]

I bet iEye just came...

[ChocoPanda @ Jan 13th 2009 1:01AM]

that's gonna be a bitch to use with all the smudges

everything is going glossy apparently

[Daniel @ Jan 13th 2009 1:04AM]

I don't know why people want touch screen in their operating systems. The only thing I've seen it done really well on is the iPhone! And even that you have to clean due to the smudges!

[Greg Mcp @ Jan 13th 2009 1:10AM]

What's with the smudge obsession with you people?
Are you all becoming your mothers?
It's becoming just a little OCD.

[SamusQTurdburglar @ Jan 13th 2009 1:12AM]

@Daniel: i have no interest in any type of touchscreen anything. In fact, I just bought a Shadow because I so desperately don't want touch screen. The iPhone and G1 are both very nice, however I have trouble seeing the screens through the prints.

[Kenjis9965 @ Jan 13th 2009 1:38AM]

I have a screen protector on my iphone that makes it matte

Its keeps all the smudges off AND functions as an antiglare :D

They could do something similar for these id think :/

[Ayman @ Jan 13th 2009 1:53AM]

Hint: go clean your hands, then touch the screen :P.... problem solved

better yet get a touch screen pen or stylus,

honestly you guys whine over the lamest things.....

and I would like to add if they made it flat (on the table) it would compete with MS Surface and easier to use...

[Lamp @ Jan 13th 2009 2:18AM]

@Ayman
no matter how long you wash your hands, you will have oil on them.

[ryan @ Jan 13th 2009 1:09AM]

I gotta admit, thats really cool. But I would never buy it or use it, unless it was on display. Using a mouse is much faster :)

[YOYO @ Jan 13th 2009 4:33AM]

@Ayman

i dont under stand how this would compete with ms surface
as the only thing they got in common is touchscreen
so unless it got a camera under it this doesn't have the same capabilities as the surface
meaning it doesn't no the different between object in cant be programed to interact differently with them

so there not really even in the same ball park

although it would be cool to hang the wall and make in to a large jukebox display using like a mac mini

basically a really big ipod hanging on your wall

[Cory @ Jan 13th 2009 1:24AM]

is it multi-touch?!? can you three-finger swipe? you should be able to. that'd be awesome. now if only they could put that functionality in the MBP.....

[Patriks7 @ Jan 13th 2009 4:38AM]

And make you pay a kidney and hand for it as well instead of just the leg you currently pay?

[Jeffrey @ Jan 13th 2009 1:14AM]

Well, obviously this is not for the general public. It could be a good option for graphic professionals though.

[Bakari @ Jan 13th 2009 1:51AM]

I am a graphic designer and I can tell you that a touchscreen is absolutely USELESS to my profession. There is NOTHING on the market more precise and efficient than a mouse and plenty of keyboard shortcuts. I don't think anyone who has to align any-and-everything down to the pixel, point, or pica, or fraction of an inch would appreciate a touchscreen for anything other than window management.

Come to think of it, you don't even need a touchscreen for that, Alt/Ctrl+Tab works just fine, and won't gunk up the screen - which needs to be clean for color accuracy. The only touch-ish device I would possibly use is a tablet and that's way more precise and versatile than any gimmicky touchscreen.

In conclusion, keep them on the cellphone, and keep them the fuck away from my desktop.

[ZeRo @ Jan 13th 2009 3:34AM]

Bakari
All that to just say that you as a designer don't need it. Seems like a waste.

[Arkenklo @ Jan 13th 2009 7:19AM]

ZeRo
You are a waste.

[lens42 @ Jan 13th 2009 1:15AM]

I wonder if the surface is glossy or matte. It'll be interesting to see if their market research jives with Apple.

[ctralka828 @ Jan 13th 2009 1:18AM]

I remember when a 24-inch flat panel cost $2,400 without touch integration. It was only about 5 years ago, seems like forever in the technology world though.

[Arkenklo @ Jan 13th 2009 7:20AM]

5 years equals two generations.

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 13th 2009 1:19AM]

Wish future nano tech can pronounce smudges dead.
I don't know but I have a strong feeling that smudge-proof coatings will give you a very funny sensation when touched with your fingers.

[bjay @ Jan 13th 2009 2:11AM]

What is it with touchscreen obsession nowadays? Touching your way thru today's operating systems won't get you more productive than a mouse and a keyboard

[drewdoog @ Jan 13th 2009 2:22AM]

Amen! I find touchscreens completely worthless.. and it doesnt matter what its on.. phones, computers, monitors... its all crap

[drewdoog @ Jan 13th 2009 2:24AM]

So youre saying that people have to sit at arms distance on a 24" monitor to use it?

[xSushi @ Jan 13th 2009 2:51AM]

Wow, it's gone Touch screen before it's gone compatible with even it's own laptops and computers
(outside the newest laptops of course).
/golfclap

[GreezyG @ Jan 13th 2009 3:09AM]

Now show me on the dollie where he touched you.

[toxicpiano @ Jan 13th 2009 5:36AM]

Would someone please explain to the ignorant (me) how they made it into a touch screen? Did they overlay something over the original screen?

[krs360 @ Jan 13th 2009 9:11AM]

@toxicpiano - Yes, you can tell by the words "the custom touchscreen overlay" in the article!

[Brian! @ Jan 13th 2009 10:25AM]

I think it is funny they are using Apple monitors. It isn't like Apple makes the LCD - just the fancy housing. You can get that same glass elsewhere for way cheaper and make your own pretty bezel. How much of a price premium do they think people really want to pay? Comparing the same sized HP touch thing which also comes with a mediocre computer (laptop quality really) built in with a blu-ray drive for under $1,800 makes this screen even more pointless.

[DoctorWho @ Jan 13th 2009 10:42AM]

You gotta pay the troll toll...

Why is that the first thing I saw when I read this post? Man, I need to stop watching so much TV.

[sjdurfey @ Jan 13th 2009 4:13PM]

perhaps, but never stop watching Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. it would just be wrong to stop. thankfully FX just signed the gang up for 4 more seasons! hoorah!

[Sad Rabid @ Jan 14th 2009 9:06AM]

Oh no it's an Apple and it's not made by Microsoft. Shame!

[Erik van Erne, Milieunet Foundation @ Jan 18th 2009 9:12AM]

Well that's a very nive dispaly but i found out that power consumption is not what you should expect from Apple. 212 W (Apple LED Cinema Display including charging MacBook Pro).

http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=5645

They are going for the 10 in the Guide to Greener Electronics.
http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=3066

So far they scored a 4.3, lots of work to do.

[hilary @ Feb 9th 2009 12:25AM]

My local coffee store uses three of these for ordering / processing - I asked the guy behind the counter what his experience was and he seemed to think they worked well. Given that this is a food environment, with constant touching, it seems like a pretty good stress test.