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N-Trig teaches DuoSense to write on Android screens, tablet to come in the first half of 2011

Joanna Stern
Updated ·4 min read

This one isn't much of a surprise -- considering N-Trig told us just a few months ago that "the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled" and that it was working on Android support -- but today the Israel-based company has officially announced support for Google's mobile operating system. What does that mean? On a technical level, it means that N-Trig's DuoSense pen and capacitive multitouch solution, which is currently on tablets like the HP Slate and Dell Latitude XT, will work on top of Android slates. On a product end, it means that we're going to start seeing an Android slate or two that takes advantage of pen in 2011. According to N-Trig's VP of Marketing Gary Baum, one company is far along in developing an Android slate based on DuoSense and there are "several others that are coming along." Baum wouldn't give us any specifics on those companies, though he did tell us that we should see one product in the first half of the year, while the majority will be waiting for Honeycomb. We're still crossing our fingers for Honeycomb in the first part of 2011, so we don't want to read into that too much, but he also stressed that third-party software developers are working on applications that take advantage of pen and that some of them may be previewed at CES. We'll be digging as much as we can into what company's pairing pen with Android, but until then, we leave you with the full press release after the break.

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N-TRIG PEN AND MULTI-TOUCH TECHNOLOGY NOW OPERATING WITH ANDROID
DuoSense® Technology Expands Developer Creativity & Consumer Connection on Slates

Kfar Saba, Israel and Austin, Texas - N-trig, providers of DuoSense® a pen and projected capacitive multi-touch solution enabled over a single digitizer, today announced that it is now compatible with the Android operating system.

Android is increasingly becoming the operating system of choice for the fast expanding slate and mobile PC segment. The DuoSense solution offers the Android community a comprehensive package for both pen and multi-touch development. Utilizing N-trig hardware, devices running over Android can expand conventional slate functionality by using both the DuoSense pen and multi-touch capabilities. The combination of DuoSense and Android opens up new windows of opportunity for the Android pen community to utilize the N-trig Digital PencilTM to expand functionality from traditional media consumption and create pen-enabled applications for more precise and creative on-screen user interaction.

"With the addition of Android, we are able to address the different requirements of a rapidly growing market that is looking to expand its media consumption and creative capabilities for pen and multi-touch functionality," says Amichai Ben David, CEO of N-trig. "Together with the Android developer community, we will be able to enable greater precision, productivity and accuracy with new pen-enabled applications that will enhance the way users connect with their computers".

N-trig's DuoSense solution will be integrated in a number of Android slates due to be launched in 2011.

About N-trig
N-trig DuoSense®, a dual-mode interface, powered by a single digitizer, uses pen and projected capacitive multi-touch to create onscreen digital input, for a true Hands-on computing® experience for mobile computers and other digital products. Offering a complete and highly usable solution to the ever-increasing demand for productivity on the move, the DuoSense Digital PencilTM utilizes inherent pen capabilities to enable greater levels of interactive creativity, and the N-actTM gesture vocabulary comprises a library of gestures for performing actions and tasks directly on the screen. Together these capabilities advance the combined pen and touch experience from basic touch consumption to a much greater potential for simultaneous input. DuoSense supports multiple operating systems, including various distributions of Windows, Linux and Android, and, with a screen size range of 7"-17", can be implemented across a wide variety of form factors, including slates, netbooks, tablets and desktop replacements. N-trig maintains a diverse, reliable and extensive supply chain, and is well-versed in international business opportunities with key manufacturers in the Pacific Rim, the United States and Europe. N-trig digitizers are provided as a complete subsystem, comprising hardware, drivers and software, and are easily integrated into existing platforms, supporting any type of LCD and a wide variety of industrial design options for mobile products, while keeping devices slim and light. With an extensive patent portfolio, N-trig also supports a variety of applications for different market segments including education, healthcare, graphic and industrial design, entertainment and multimedia. Founded in 1999, N-trig is a global operation, maintaining its R&D facility, corporate headquarters and management in Kfar Saba, Israel, sales, OEM and ISV support in Austin, Texas and San Jose, California, and ODM, operations and supply chain support in Taipei, Taiwan and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit www.n-trig.com.