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Synaptics Fuse concept handset puts a new squeeze on touchphone interaction
In case you weren't aware, Synaptics dabbled in the touchscreen handset game way back in 2006 with the Onyx concept, before phones like the LG Prada and Apple's iPhone came along and proved the idea so convincingly. However, Synaptics thinks innovation has stagnated since, and has girded itself once again to attempt another trend-setting concept. This one's a bit more wild: the "Fuse" involves contributions from Alloy, TAT, Immersion and Texas Instruments, and includes squeeze, tilt and haptic interaction. The big idea is to approach single-handed and no-look operation on a touchscreen handset, no small feat to be sure. The result is a pure kitchen sink of sensors, including a touchpad on the back of the phone, touch and pressure sensitive strips along both sides of the phones, dual haptic feedback motors, a 3-axis accelerometer and of course a new-generation Synaptics touchscreen in front. The TI OMAP 3630 processor powers the TAT Cascades 3D UI Engine which attempts to contextualize UI interaction with perspective tilts and fancy motion, and the haptics feeds back to let you know where your finger is on the screen -- an attempt to emulate feeling out the correct nub for keypad orientation on a button phone. We'll have to play with it to find out if Synaptics is really on to something, but even if the Fuse isn't the next best thing, we could certainly see somebody using some of these sensors to improve existing handset interaction. Check out a quick video after the break.
Lenovo IdeaPad shown to possess Pineview CPU by FCC photo shoot
Remember that Pine Trail fast-tracking we were talking about? Yeah, it's for real. Intel's latest submission to the FCC reveals details of a new member of Lenovo's IdeaPad netbook range, and is the first confirmed sighting of the Pineview processor every netbook diehard has been waiting for. The documentation suggests an S10-3 moniker for the new 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 machine, which is likely to pair up that Atom N450 with 2GB of RAM and 250GB of storage. Click past the break to see the sticker with all the specs on it, and do make your voices heard in the comments below regarding that buttonless touchpad -- a Synaptics ClickPad, perchance?
Synaptics' ClearPad 3000 touchscreen does 10-finger capacitive multitouch, other forms of dark magics
After doing a considerable amount of business with its ClearPad 2000 Series capacitive touchscreens, Synaptics is taking on multitouch in a very serious way with its new ClearPad 3000 Series screens. Synaptics' existing screens can be found on the G1 and other modern smartphones, but while they offer a small amount of multitouch, they can become easily confused by anything beyond a simple pinch or swipe gesture -- and are downright dangerous for typing, thanks to a proclivity to average between two simultaneously touched points. The new ClearPad 3000 screens fight that off with new advances in capacitive technology and a new processor which can handle up to 10 simultaneous finger presses -- including some info on the shape and size of each touching finger. The entire screen can actually be tracked pixel-by-pixel, and the new technology allows for up to 8-inch screens without completely destroying battery life. Naturally, these screens will only be as good as the software that uses them (and we still haven't seen anything to top Stantum's resistive touchscreen tech), but Synaptics is doing the best it can to work with phone manufacturers (and others) who are designing interfaces for these screens, to make sure they can use the tech right. The first devices using ClearPad 3000 should hit this fall, so we suppose we'll find out soon enough if it pays off in device usability. There's a video demonstration of the tech after the break.
Synaptics shows off new MacBook-style "ClickPad" multitouch trackpads for netbooks
Synaptics has always been quick to pick up the latest innovation in the multitouch space -- whether its own functionality, or something Apple's brewed up. This latest innovation is squarely in the latter category, with new ClickPad trackpads offering that love-it-or-hate-it buttonless design of the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros (pictured). Synaptics is targeting the new pads at netbooks, which many manufacturers have had trouble fitting regular clickers onto. ClickPads work with Synaptic's latest Gesture Suite 9.1, which includes all the regulars, along with three-finger flick and three-finger press, which lets you start up your computer along with up to six predetermined startup apps. SGS 9.1 is also officially Windows 7 ready, and will be available in OEM systems out of the gate.
Nokia launching 'high-end handset' with capacitive touchscreen in Q3?
DigiTimes has a couple of back-to-back rumors from its industry sources that could be of interest to Nokia fans. Yesterday, the Taiwanese rumor rag said that Nokia will adopt a Synaptics touchscreen integrated circuit (which may or may not support multi-touch) solution for an upcoming "high-end handset" due for launch in the 3rd quarter of 2009. To be clear, this is not the N97 which is expected to go on sale in June. Now DigiTimes adds that capacitive touch panel orders from Nokia have been received from Wintek, the same supplier fitting Nokia's 5800 with resistive touchscreens. We're big fans of silky smooth, capacitive glass panels on finger-friendly touchscreen phones so we'll be stoked if these rumors prove true.Read -- Nokia adopts Synaptics touchscreen ICRead -- Wintek lands orders from Nokia
Elan turns the tables on Apple, sues for multitouch patent infringement
Remember all the fun everyone had watching Palm and Apple's legal wordplay regarding multitouch patents? If you missed it, Apple delivered a very thinly veiled threat to Palm, flouting how it had touch-sensitive intellectual rights up the wazoo to protect itself from the competition. Apple, though, may be due for a heaping helping of humble pie, as it's now on the receiving end of a lawsuit from Elan Microelectronics claiming infringement on two patents -- both involving multitouch. Elan, best known for its keypads found in Eee PCs everywhere (along with some other diversions), won a court injunction against Synaptics for infringement on one of those patents, and seems like it may actually have a shot of shaking down the house of Jobs. It's also seeking an injunction against Apple to prevent it from selling the MacBook, iPhone, and iPod Touch until everything gets legally sorted. That seems like a long-shot, but anything could happen. Oh, and Palm corporate officers, try not to look too giddy today, yeah? Read -- Apple sued over touch-screen rightsRead -- Injunction quote [Warning: requires subscription]
Nokia ramping orders in preparation for "several" multi-touch phones?
While DigiTimes tends to nail rumors focused on Taiwanese companies like Acer and ASUS, its component supplying sources can be hit or miss across other geographies. So take it with the usual lump of NaCl when talkative sources say that Nokia is increasing orders in March as it prepares to "launch several 3G and 3.5G products with multi-touch and multimedia functions in 2009" -- Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and Synaptics being the chief beneficiaries. Of course, Nokia has been perfectly clear that its 5800 was the just the initial salvo in an onslaught of touchscreen devices to come and led by its flagship N97. Nevertheless, with profits down and the economy mired in the suck, it's nice to have confirmation (as tenuous as it is) that things are on track in Espoo.
The Onyx - Synaptics' ClearPad concept phone
This is totally on the concept design tip and so won't ever actually be produced, but check out the Onyx, a prototype handset that Synaptics and Pilotfish put together that uses Synaptics' new ClearPad touch screen. We're still not totally sold on button-less phones -- we crave the tactility -- but the Onyx lets you do stuff like close an app by drawing an "X" over it with your finger, send messages by swiping them off the screen, and answer a call simply by placing the phone against your cheek. Don't expect to ever actually get your hands on the Onyx, but Synaptics is planning to make ClearPad available to manufacturers around the end of the year, so there's a decent chance that phones like it could start showing up within a couple of years.[Via Core77]
