HTC Tattoo has resistive touchscreen, a few regrets
By Paul Miller 
posted September 8th 2009 10:04AM
posted September 8th 2009 10:04AM
[Thanks Pilou; via MobileTechWorld]
posted September 8th 2009 10:04AM
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*facepalm*
here we go again, engadget
They do it for the clicks. It works.
i use to hate resistive touch screens but after playing with the touch pro 2 i realize that if the software is written properly you can't tell the difference between the two. htc did a wonderful job with the resistive touch screen and will do the same if not better for android since the os is made to be used with fingers.
In today's edition of Engadget show: We have the fight b/w Resistive Touch Screen and Capacitive touch screen...
No diff found.
Show over.
Engadget GET OVER IT!
From the sorting hat:
There are four kinds of editors/readers on Engadget:
1. Those who acknowledge both resistive and capacitive touchscreens for their pros and cons and depending upon their needs pick either of the two (we would put these in the Gryffindor house)
2. Those who are biased at capacitive touchscreens being better than resistive touchscreens in any kind of situation but DO NOT KNOW the difference between both (we would put these in the Slytherin house)
3. Those who are biased at resistive being better than capacitive screens in any king of situation and they KNOW the difference both (we would put these in the Ravenclaw house)
4. Those who are neutral towards both capacitive and resistive touchscreens because they DO NOT KNOW the difference between them (we would put these in the Hufflepuff house)
With that, let the game of Quidditch begin between Gryffindor and Slytherin with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws watching.
Little info for you capacitive lovers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchscreen#Comparison_of_touchscreen_technologies
--
Ashvala
A Neutral in the war of Resistive vs Capacitive
Engadget used to be a respected tech. blog before they evolved into a gossip website. Anything for the banner ads and flame war revenue eh, guys?
Who said evolution is good all the time?
I guess I am in Hufflepuff then, because I really don't see the big pro of one over the other.
wow.. so much for constructive feedback from the members.
To have your own opinion and take one side, is OK, but disrespecting your readers is not, all i ask you Engadget is to respect your readers.
Joshua Topolsky, i am waiting for you reaction and apology .
Oh and i am in the "resistive" camp.
I can hear Josh crying somewhere....somewhere out there....
beneath the pale moonlight
Are you sure that it's not Peter Rojas you're hearing crying. The website he started (and sold) reputation is being pissed away while Josh stares at the ceiling.
Honestly Josh I'm getting sick of this nonsense. Am I going to stop coming here? No, but my visits are less frequent and I no longer recommend this site to people. There been a marked decline while you've been at the helm and it needs to stop.
I might stop coming here. I haven't been to Gizmodo in months because of how far downhill they've fallen. Engadget isn't far behind.
"As we're sure you'll all agree."
It's like you guys only write these articles to generate controversy in the comments section. Definitely *facepalm*
Completely agree!
So here comes some contraversy engadget, I have absolutely no issue with resistive technology! Anyone who's used the Gravity app on the N97 will tell you with no doubt that when a good resistive is used with excellently written software, it's as good as a capacitive screen, yet is cheaper and works with gloves!
On second reading I get the feeling he's being sarcastic.
The moment I say the resolution of the screen, and the fact that it had to be cheap, I knew it was going to be resistive. Looks like I will stick with my 2g iphone for a little while longer, then!
This argument again? ***shakes Head****
It would be interesting to see these Engadget guys own a Cell phone Manufacturing Company, then see how you put all these idiocy into the equation and squeeze profit out of it. Certain Markets love the RESISTIVE Screen, and believe me, I don't think they are even targeting the US Market with this phone. Maybe Asia and Europe ( as Always) , so CHILL with the Resistive/Capacitive Talk Already. We get it ENGADGET LOVE THEM SOME CAPACITIVE SCREEN.....there
Not quite. It's more like, they love anything Apple, and since Apple is using capacitive touch screens for the iPhone and iPod Touch, it absolutely has to be superior whatsoever, period, la la la I can't hear you la la la.
It boils down to a simple tautology:
If Apple is using the technology -> good
and
If Apple is not using the technology -> bad
Don't believe me? See the headline for the Sansa Clip+:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/31/sandisk-makes-room-for-unwanted-slotmusic-cards-in-new-sansa-cli/
Note "unwanted" and "slotmusic" and other negative connotations in the headline, when Sandisk added general microSDHC support. If it had been the iPhone, Engadget would've written something like, "Apple adds microSDHC support to iPhone! App lovers rejoice!" Or something like that.
Yeah, this blog definitely nosedived with popularity. I used to read Gizmodo, then jumped to Engadget when Eng. used to be better, now I'm definitely looking to the next thing. Sad really, they had a good run for a while there.
If the editors are happy with click rates over quality, power too them, but I for one am looking for quality, unbiased information sources.
Yeah it sux. I saw a report that Capacitive screens are half the price they were a year ago, so this resistive screen must be super cheap
*whips out coffee, kicks back*
ah, editor flamewars... does the heart good
What is it with you guys and resistive touchscreens? I've used a few poor ones on cheap/old devices but recent experience with the Xperia X1 (correctly calibrated) has been no problem at all. I think I even prefer it to the capacitive screen on my Samsung YP-P3 - because I can use a fingernail to minimise unsightly fingerprints and avoid obscuring large chunks of the screen with my fat fingers.
I don't see a stylus- what's the point of a resistive touchscreen if you don't include a stylus?
*facepalm*
Agree - facepalm.
I barely use a stylus anymore on my WinMo Phone (old ATT Tilt). It's resistive touchscreen and interface can handle finger quite well (even with gloves).
Hahaha. My coworker HAD a tilt and still complains about the resistive screen!
I guess we could all use this, right?
Don't you just hate when it posts on the wrong story...
Gotta agree with the *facepalm* stuff, and double down with a *broken record*. :)
I've run the Hero Android ROM on my HTC Vogue for a while now (you know - the engadget double whammy of 'crappy' resistive screens AND 'crappy' Windows Mobile - with the latest TouchFLO). The ONLY drawback is the 400MHz processor and the abysmal battery life of Android in general (which isn't limited to a hacked device, as every experience I've had with the G1 and the Magic show that it's probably the most poorly optimized mobile OS out there).
Sure, capacitive would be NICE, but it's not the deal breaker you guys keep painting it as. Personally, I like double tapping to zoom in on a location (or circling it with one finger), as opposed to having to use a second hand for everyday navigation.
I
The G1 with Android 1.0 had some serious issues with the battery life, but after the 1.5 update it's been doing better. Combine that with the larger battery included in the Magic and battery life is totally fine, at least on par with the industry average for smartphones.
I run a Magic with a stock battery and after a regular day's use I've usually got about a 20-40% charge remaining, and it certainly doesn't sit in my pocket all day. That said, I make almost zero voice calls so I can't really vouch for how well the battery holds up during a call. Just using it for data connection and apps, though, the battery life is great.
I'm not a resistive screen apologist, but seeing as this will be introduced heavily into the Asian market, A resistive screen is a must for stylus/handwriting recognition. Writing with a character based language would likely suck on a capacitive screen.
Engadget writers obsessing about Capacitive again. *sigh*. Idiots.
I could have used an resistive screen on my HTC Hero the other day when I tried to book tickets to a local cinema which has a flash-based booking system where you can point at the seats you want. It was freakin' impossible to hit the correct spot with the capacitive screen. Had it been resistive, I could have pressed precisely with the edge of my fingernail.
I think the times you will encounter where resistive would be PREFERRED are far out weighed by the times when capactive does a better job, especially on modern OS's like Android.
Sorry but my resistive HTC Touch Diamond's screen works great.
Yeah, the screen on my Vogue is just fine, and works great with Android. Well, it would work great if it wasn't so limited in processor speed and memory.
Good resistive touch screens do a great job with gestures. HTC has been using gestures based commands in their TouchFlo interface and resistive screens for a while.
I agree. While I prefer a capacitive screen now because they're generally a lot more scratch resistant, complaining about gestures doesn't make any sense. Gestures are interpreted by software, the only thing the screen's hardware does is report back touch points which resistive screens can do just fine.
YES! I agree.
My HTC Touch Cruise was an absolute pain to use. Touch a button..it didnt register...touch again...hit the wrong thing...finally a third go would get it.
Typing on my iPhone is an abolsute joy. I can fly around the keyboard and make almost zero mistakes. Typing on the Cruise, even with HTC's keyboard overlay was painful.
With resistive a stylus is almost nessesary. Thats fine...but most people dont want to have to use a stylus when they have fingers. Its easier and more natural.
I'm going to go out there and admit that I prefer using a stylus to fingers... Sorry. :(
Its preference i guess.
I hated having to get out my stylus. Especially when i just wanted to do something quickly with one hand. Try holding your device and using the stylus with one hand :-)
It's certainly open to interpretation. When I first got my G1 I hated the capacitive screen because it wouldn't work with my fingernail. I eventually got used to wiping smudges off the screen a hundred times throughout the day, but I can definitely see the advantage to wanting to use a stylus instead.
Really?
My old-school Palm LifeDrive with a _very_ crappy old resistive touchscreen.
I never use the stylus with it. You can use resistive touchscreens with fingers just fine. If you're getting lots of errors, try recalibrating it with more precision, and also try alternative software keyboards, which I'm sure there are (if not, well, another reason WinMo blows)
Most people who will buy this phone will not even now the difference let alone care.
I dont think resistive touch screen is a deal breaker. Samsung start with resistive touch screen has sold more than 5 million units. and this phone is certainly more capable than samsung star, it has 3G, GPS, compass etc .. and on the top of that it has sense UI whch is so beautiful. This phone can sell like hot cake in asian countries.
One word. Girls! My better half loves the Ted Baker Needle I got her last year which obviously uses a resistive touch screen. When I got my Hero & invited her to check out its awesomeness she was stuck as her nails couldn't navigate the screen.
That is a very nice looking phone.
Are people really so myopic and/or cack handed that a decent resistive screen over good software is such a huge barrier? It might not be the absolute ideal, but HTC have already shown it can work (Touch Pro2 and Diamond2 anyone?). I can't believe anyone would sacrifice 3G or multitasking to avoid a resistive screen. Mental.
resistive and capacitive. what's the difference? price. that's it. look at the n900 with resistive, you would swear it was capacitive, and people who complained about the n97, it now has kinetic scrolling so it performs very well now.
it was a smart move on htc's part to make it more affordable and reach markets unreachable with expensive devices. and i am sure the user won't be able to tell or feel the difference. he/she will just be very happy.
i personally want it.