Ask Engadget: Best multitouch monitor?
By Darren Murph 
posted Nov 12th 2009 11:06PM
posted Nov 12th 2009 11:06PM
We know this sector is still in the early stages, but we're guessing there are a few options out there and on the horizon for those looking to take advantage of one of Win7's most enticing features. Any tips here, wise ones?"With all the new multitouch capable monitors coming out, which one is the best? With the release of Windows 7 I really want a touchscreen monitor for my desktop. I'm looking to get a Full HD monitor that supports multitouch and can still look great during gaming and movies. Which one has the best specs for the price?"
I really doubt anyone has bought one. I could imagine using it for 10 minutes until my arm is dead tired...
Whats the other arm doing?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchscreen#Gorilla_Arm
Oh you thought I was talking about touching the screen...how novel
Indeed. Outside of select situations like a POS system or those listening stations at places like Best Buy or Barnes and Noble, there's really no practical use for a touch screen display. It's not ergonomically sound.
now some competition for things like the Cintiq I can handle. especially with built in drivers so you don't have to deal with installing software and it will work in a variety of programs. while bringing down the price. that I can totally handle
@Charli
How feeble minded are you to assume there are not more than 2 practical uses for a touch screen?
I bought one. I got the HP L2105. I have it set up on an arm mount that can swivel in any direction and tilt anyway I like it. I find when I am web browsing I like to bring it in close and use touch, it isn't arm tiring with the mount because I can rest my elbow on my chair. The flick and drag that you get on phones is such a natural way of browsing, and there is a firefox plugin that makes this possible with the monitor. Pinch to zoom works in everything, even in games where I was sure it wouldn't have. That is actually very well done, I was impressed.
I will admit it is a novelty more than a productivity tool for me, however it is a very fun novelty. I do not regret the purchase at all.
I would also like to know....but I plan on waiting a few months for some longterm reviews and let prices drop....
You'd be surprised. My laptop (HP Touchsmart tx2z) has a multitouch monitor that I find surprisingly useful, even when not in tablet mode. After using one for awhile, you see that it is incredibly intuitive to just press the area on the screen you want to click, and it happens, especially with the new layout of Win7. Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend a desktop monitor yet, as they are just too expensive, unless you were going to upgrade anyway.
I'm pretty sure your arms would get really tired of touching for EVERY LITTLE GESTURE.
because we all know that moving a mouse requires no effort from your arms, hands or fingers... what are these people thinking? we are supposed to going for technology that makes us lazier and fatter, not something that requires us to actually do something.
I agree with Mannyftw....
Noswal @ Nov 12th 2009 11:48PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchscreen#Gorilla_Arm
how bout the one being used by the japs in that one vid where they didnt turn on Windows 7 multitouch?
wow.. i feel like a real noob....double post= fail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jap
Srg, not sure what era you are from but "Japs" doesn't really fly anymore...
Come one people.....
Seriously man, abbreviations are not cool
diesel, is it just me or did that wikipedia article (+1 for ultra-reliable source, btw) say that japanese-americans are oversensitive, compared to the rest of the world?
yeah, those nips really need chill out...
jk
Ha ha ha! You guys are cracking me up. I dunno what people from other parts of the country/world call them, but in Western Massachusetts 50ml bottles of alcohol are called "nips". I guess in the American Southwest they're called "minis", and I've heard them called "redtops", apparently from some episode of "Intervention". I had a friend who was working in MA but who had come from Colorado, and she couldn't understand how come I was being racist about little bottles of alcohol. It had never even occurred to me to make a connection, since "nip" in that context just means "a little bit" of something... "a nip of brandy" made literal in a 50ml bottle.
Ironically we worked at a place with a lot of Japanese people... had to be careful where and when we used this otherwise perfectly normal word.
@ streetfights
wow I didn't know that placing "j/k" after a racist slur made it alright.
thanks for the information.
I really don't like all of this "politically correct" stuff, when did people become so sensitive that an abbreviation becomes offensive?
Also (because I don't honestly know), are other abbreviations offensive? Like "brits" for british people? If so, when did that happen? And if not, why is "japs" any different?
I'm from Northern Ireland, but don't get offended being called a 'brit', 'paddy', or whatever... is it actual Japanese people voting this guys comment down?
Why should we have to worry about being politically correct if we're not politicians?
I thought the comment in question was a reference to particularly sensitive body areas, ones which sometimes poke out when cold or over-stimulated.
I guess I'm just not up on the racial slurs.
wow i wasn't even being racist, just abbreviating a name. But guess the world is to sensitive to abbreviations nowadays........
how bout the one being used by the japs in that one vido where they didnt turn on Windows 7 multitouch?
My hand has been resting on my mouse the entire time I was reading this page.
I couldn't imagine going back and forth between a touchscreen and... where do you put your hand?
Well, depends on where your screen is. At a desk, sure, the screen is far away and uncomfortable to reach, but in maybe a living room when all you want to do is change music at a party, tapping a touch screen beats leaning down to use a keyboard.
I know its not for all the time, but no one said you can't have a touch screen AND a keyboard.
-taylor
I would just go with an all in one.
I think I have to limit my touchscreen experiences to smaller portable devices I can quickly wipe on my pants legs to clean or maybe large cool displays like Microsoft Surface for the fun of it.
Otherwise, it is touch - clean - touch - clean - touch - clean... ugh. Might as well ask what the best monitor cleaner is to get greasy fingerprints off your multitouch monitor.
My thoughts exactly. Which monitor can still look great for gaming and movies AND be multitouch? Trick question: none unless you keep a bottle of windex handy at all times.
The apple tablet of course! I've only heard good things! Not one single person has complained about theirs yet!
I dunno, mine is getting on my nerves.
I don't know about the tablet.... my Apple tablet's battery blew up and my fingers burned.... lol
They all use similar technology, so I would go with the HP L2105tm purely based on price and the slimist/most minimalistic styling.
i personally don't really care for/ see the use for a multi touch monitor because i would end up buying a keyboard and a mouse because i my arms were tired and i was just plain annoyed. unless some really good touch game came out or something remotely useful
I guess we can all agree:
The best monitor has some sort of harness to hold your hand.
Honestly, I just want one so I can play Osu! and DJ Max Technika (if I ever find a hdd rip).
With that in mind, I'm looking at the HP Compaq L2105tm, mostly because it supports a stylus... and it's pretty damn affordable compared to the other ones available.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/21/hp-unleashes-compaq-l2105tm-touchscreen-multitouch-monitor/
multi touch seems kinda pointless at the moment. more of a gimmick than something useful.
If you're looking for an all-in-one solution, the new Sony VPCL11S1E/S is a drop-dead gorgeous machine with a superb screen. I needed to upgrade a four year old desktop with something, and deliberately held on until this machine was released. Multi-touch screen, fast processor and plenty of memory and disc space too. Much recommended (p.s. I don't work for, or have any connection with Sony beyond being a satisfied customer)
Howabout something that is small/portable, but used as a peripheral. Like a tablet for graphic design that can also be used to manipulate UI via multitouch....
Touchscreens are fantastic on laptops. You don't have to break out a mouse every time you want to sit down for a few minutes, and it's great for art (if you have a stylus). I'm happily doing my math homework on an hp touchsmart tx2. Color quality and viewing angles are sub par, because of the thick, scratch-resistant display, but that excepted, it's a fabulous piece of equipment. I can't say it would work as well on a desktop computer, where a mouse is always handy.
Gaming with a touchscreen? Difficult.
Sniping is fun though :)
My suggestion would be the Acer T230H BMIDH model. I've got one on display at work and it looks really nice so long as you don't mind the glossy finish. Keep in mind, however, that touchscreen monitors attract fingerprints like no other, and you're going to have to fight to keep it clean ;-)
I would personally hold out for a 25 inch or higher. Capacitive multitouch is not a feature that you want to be spatially limited by, and it would be best in my opinion to seek something 1920x1080 or greater (I personally use a Samsung 23" 2048x1152, looking to upgrade to a larger multitouch display).
That would be if any of the monitors were capacative. FYI, they all use Infrared Matrix. See here
http://www.lumio.com/lumio.php?cid=2&id=2
Which means they use triangulation and registering more then 2 touchpoints becomes problematic.
I have not yet seen a capacitive standalone display and my guess it that it would be expensive.
Hey, Engadget idea: Compile the best of the ask Engadget answers and post that too. With you guys posting this, it is as if you are trying to make an Engadget forum, but the comment system is not the best for this.
Totally agreed.
Anything but a Sony...
have a look here > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbJGzyYV_X8
I pity the fella demo'ing the Window 7 multi-touch capa on that lousy piece of HW.
the only thing i can see myself using a multitouch moniter for is bump top, and they are sooooo expensive, so i think that a trackpad is good enough for me. Although, if you moved the monter really close to you, you could touch it with relative ease.
Hi there!
Windows 7 and Full HD and TRUE (!!) Multitouch and on a 47inch LCD and *rataplan* AVAILABLE :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VELPBbYN3hI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F2pEVIXMts