Cypress demos 14-inch TrueTouch capacitive multitouch screen
By Donald Melanson 
posted January 28th 2010 12:46PM
posted January 28th 2010 12:46PM
How big can tablets get? Pretty big, according to the folks at Cypress Semiconductor, who say their new new TrueTouch technology can be applied to capacitive screens ranging from seven to seventeen inches, all of which will have full multitouch support. To drive that point home, the company has now shown off a 14-inch "tablet-sized" prototype screen, which is able to recognize unlimited finger touches, and could potentially also find its way into laptops or convertible tablets (it's already Windows 7 certified). Of course, there's no word on any actual products using the screens just yet, but you can get an idea of what might be in store by checking out the video after the break.
Throw your hands on the screen Cypress Hill's back.
My laptop can recognize unlimited finger touches too, just not all at once.
@jol
Is it just me, or is his demo of the new chip not an apples to apples comparison to the tablet? The tablet was able to do 3 fingers when 2 were started at the same time which he showed on the new IC, but didn't show that he can add all 3 individually which the tablet was unable to support. Also, he didn't show if the tablet could do 6 if started at the same time. Can the new IC do 10 (as he quotes) when added individually?
@SmittyMcSmith Hi Smitty...I'm the guy in the video. The order of putting the fingers down does not matter at all. You can put them down one at a time, two at a time, or six or ten at a time...it makes no difference to the TrueTouch controller. Each finger is tracked completely independently.
This is what KILLS me about the iPad.
Apple designed a new OS for their computers. A new OS for their phone.
If they take their tablet seriously, and consider it a new device, why not TREAT it like a real device and design a NEW OS for the device? One that employs technology similar to what is described above? Something that could "wow" us, that could actually have been innovative and engaging.
Instead, they decided to put their phone OS that was designed 6 years ago onto their tablet "computer"...
@Cwill127
no multitasking
no flash
no handwriting recognition
no gsm calls
no sms
its neither a phone nor a computer
So true, I'd rather have a (fast) W7 tablet or that concept. Does the W7 keyboard have multi-touch?
With the concept I meant that thing that Gizmodo was showing, but only if it was more capable.
@Acey It's a puter(my fault iPuter)
@reader1
No...it won't. Not having Flash will not help sell any portable device. Stop posting
@Cwill127
WTF does this have to do with the ipad? There are people beggin engadget to stop posting about it, yet you bring up these oversaturated arguments in an unrelated post? dude.
@reader1 An iPad is not an iPhone but more of an big iPod touch. As you told us, iPods are 8% down.
iPhones without the flash is great and makes impressive profit. Why? ... Because it is a very good PHONE - and not meant to give this "best browsing experience". This is the reason why people let the "iPhone without flash" slip because it was never designed to be a power browser.
On the other hand, Steve jobs said that the iPad will give the "best browsing experience" which will never happen because it doesn't have flash. What is the use of an iPad if you can't go to certain website that are flash dependent? Where is the best browsing experience there? Why don't you just accept that fact? Why do you keep insisting that it is OK if flash is not supported. IT IS NOT OK!
BTW, I have an iPhone which I really like. I love it because of the apps but not for mainly for browsing. That is why I bought a PC/netbook for.
Again, 8% down on iPods (not iPhone) - doesn't look like profit to me.
@keplenk 8% down in units, not in profits/sales, which INCREASED. Nice try, though.
@Cats I FAIL. I should have read the whole thing. Anyway, I still hope that Adobe Flash will happen in the iPad to get this great browsing experience. I've been using the iPhone for a long time and I know how it feels like NOT to have flash when browsing. It is NOT ok and will never be OK unless flash shows up.
BTW, I know that Flash is crap but it is way better than having none.
@Acey
truetouch and microsoft surface
already years ago, but does anybody care?
it shouldnt be hard to make it a 10inch screen.
instead they do this, i guess apple wanted to proove that they can sell any type of trash. and i bet they will...
@Acey
"no multitasking
no flash
no handwriting recognition
no gsm calls
no sms
its neither a phone nor a computer"
They gotta have 'new features' to sell you on the 2nd and 3rd releases.
Apple patents in the air tonight
I hope that all this "Multi Touch" and "Capacitive" craze doesn't kill my dreams of having a Good Wacom enabled tablet.
@Eternity Many Win7 tablets will continue to use Wacom digitizers in combination with Capacitive or resistive screens. A big part of the Microsoft tablet spec is in regards to handwriting and note taking. I don't see them abandoning it any time soon.
@Eternity +1
Multitouch is great but for all the focus it get's I've never seen an implementation that isn't truly innovative or providing a service that didn't exist long before.
Case in point: Whenever you see somebody demoing a new multitouch system what are they doing? Moving moving pictures around on a screen and resizing them.
Does anybody really spend so much time doing this that we need to make it a key feature? I never spent time rearranging pictures on my desktop then resizing them before, and even with a multitouch device I never do it. I do like pinch to zoom sometimes when I don't have a mouse (scroll wheel is just as easy); same with two finger scroll up and down a page, but other than that multitouch is serves no purpose.
I think a good OS design can make use of it but currently nothing does. Apple just revealed with the iPad they won't, and third party systems like 10Gui make it too complex to be intuitive.
What is intuitive is scribbling on a pad with a pen; we've all done that since before we could speak. So why do tech blogs always feel the need to bad mouth it and gawk at somebody re-arranging and resizing images?
@Kerensky97
Because in the future humans don't draw, they finger paint and they don't write, they type with their thumbs. Handwriting is outlawed as a pagan practice created by primitive cavemen.
Hi @Kerensky97...I'm the guy in the video. You bring up a very good point. This is also something that I'm passionate about. The UI problem is technically not Cypress's to solve - but our customers that will use this capability in new an interesting ways.
I would like to say though that the ability to track unlimited "fingers" can be expanded to say unlimited "objects". Think about what may come in contact with a large screen like that while you're using it. It's not just fingers. How about your palm? The screen needs to be able to detect the palm and "reject" it. So this unlimited tracking capability is not just about fingers.
Now THAT will make a real tablet computer, not an iToy. Make me a 14 inch Windows 7 Tablet with that screen and I will sell my house to buy one ;-) One Note and a nice painting program and I will be in heaven.
Why if you have more then 10 fingers? This is discrimination I tell you!!!
in what situations would i need multi touch more than two fingers. isn't this getting a bit ridiculous.
for one thing, apple can't make a tablet for sh*t, and the other thing, when i do like the MSI tablet and the HP tablet, i just don't see how you're going to solve the typing problem.
Why do i need to touch? I think that the easiest way would be mind control interface. Just think that right now u could free ur hands and move the cursor without touching anything. That is the best way to do it.You could eat at the same time when u are browsing internet.
@IHATEngadget
Same Reason why I doint date. Touching is overrated. Imagination in my mind does the same and easier. And got better Graphics too.
Nice, but how long does the battery last?
the device he is using at the first is a hp tx2. I am owning one and yes it supports more than two fingers. You only have to activate it.
Nice job!
Too late. Ipad is out. N it will be highestselling tablet of all times. Sorry next. Apple brand has highest global desirability rate. Go to apple.com you'll Learn all about it. Only $499, get yourself one.
This is the iPad killer. I can feel it.
Oh wow, that's great! Hey, I heard a rumor that the iPad will get this technology in 2011. I think that's important enough for you guys to write an article about it.
14 is bigger than iPad's 9.7.... that can't be right... iPad.
iPad
iPad
Why everybody is so skeptical about iPad, its extremely responsive and works without any lag, apps reliant by developers, iPad has the main thing - amazing screen, any other firms have that speed. Maybe this cypress screen is abble to 10 fingers multitouch, but is it so quick? is it thin?
I haven't seen any similar, so responsive and intuitive.. And I don;t understand whats wrong that its similar to iphone? This proposition is just crummy. Why should apple create new UI? It's fully fitted to touch, and its just line in the top and line in the bottom, everything else is reliant by developers.. all these and similar propositions is just stupid.. There is lacks, but Ipad it is revolutionally, wait and u will see.Sorry for my english.
Yes! now i can play guitar hero on a touch screen computer perfectly