Touchscreens
Latest
Toddlers who use touchscreens sleep less, study says
Toddlers really need their sleep. It's crucial when our brains are first developing, so early problems can ripple across your lifetime. That makes a report by Birbeck University of London researchers somewhat disturbing -- they found that toddlers between six and 11 months who play with smartphones or tablets get slightly less sleep than those who don't. According to the study of 715 parents, every hour of touchscreen use results in 15.6 minutes less sleep, or 26.4 minutes less total per night and 10.8 minutes more during the day, on average.
Audi's 605HP Prologue concept car has touchscreens everywhere
Audi's always been more forward-thinking with in-car tech than most automakers, but it's about to take it to a new level(s), judging by its latest concept car. Our colleagues at Autoblog just took at look at the Prologue, and what it's lacking in green tech, it more than makes up with slick technology on the inside. To start with, the driver gets a "three-level" simulated 3D cockpit, with one showing crucial driving information and two simulating visual depth. Audi says that makes the mass of driving, vehicle, navigation and entertainment information "better organized and easier for the driver to comprehend."
Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook gets updated with Ivy Bridge (updated)
File this under things we could've sworn happened already: Dell is updating its nine-month-old XPS 13 Ultrabook with third-generation Core (read: Ivy Bridge) processors. While the rest of the company's Win 8 lineup isn't shipping until October 26th now, the refreshed XPS 13 should already be live on Dell's site, with the same starting price of $1,000. Update: A previous version of this article reported that the XPS 13 would be available with a touchscreen. In fact, it will still be offered with non-touch-enabled panels only.
LG Display starts volume production of in-cell touch screens, we have a hunch as to who wants them
Looks like we'll be finding in-cell touch displays in our devices sooner rather than later: LG Display has confirmed that it's been mass-producing the thinner LCDs since earlier in August. CEO Han Sang-beom also notes that manufacturing has been going as smooth as, well, glass. Despite the complexity of building touch input directly into a display, the company expects to keep the supply going "without any fail," according to the executive. As to who's making the orders? LG Display isn't naming its customers on the record, and production could be as much for its sister company's phones and tablets as anyone else's. It's hard not to pinpoint Apple as the 800-pound gorilla in the room, however. Apart from Apple representing one of LG Display's biggest existing customers, multiple rumors and component leaks point to an iPhone with an in-cell display being in the works. The timing raises a distinct possibility that we'll know more about the screen manufacturer's clients in less than a month.
Apple gets patent for in-cell touch display with impeccable timing
So Apple could be working on an iPhone with a thinner display, you say. Look what we have here, possibly in the nick of time: it's a newly granted Apple patent for a screen with in-cell touch, where the LCD and touch recognition are integrated into one panel instead of stacking up in separate layers. Apple's implementation would slim things down by either having electrodes share duties, both driving the display and taking finger input, or stuffing two electrodes into each pixel to accomplish the same goal. The net effect isn't just one of squeezing a device into a thinner chassis; the company also envisions costs coming down by reducing the number of parts and streamlining the manufacturing process. As envisioned, the screen looks like an ideal fit for a significant revamp of Apple's mobile display technology, although we'd be careful about assuming that this or any in-cell touch implementation is a lock for potentially imminent iOS hardware. Apple first filed the patent in early June 2007, before the original iPhone had even marched into a retailer -- display technology has come a long way since then.
Intel invests in display manufacturers, predicts 'majority' of Ultrabooks will have touch in 2013 (update)
Intel is presenting at the e21 Forum at Computex in Taipei, and SVP Tom Kilroy just announced that the company is planning to focus on touch-enabled Ultrabooks, investing in factories that produce panels that are 13 inches and larger. Some of the partners listed included TPK, Wintek, HannsTouch and Cando, several of which are based here in Taiwan. This of course marks a departure from last year's models, many of which featured 11-inch displays, and didn't include touch functionality. Kilroy made a point of emphasizing that Intel won't be stopping at 13 inches either, opting to produce larger-screened Ultrabooks as well -- which seems to be in line with what we heard back at CES. Either way, touch is here to stay. Update: We caught up with Tom Kilroy following the keynote, and he further explained the investment, suggesting that it's an "insurance policy" to motivate display manufacturers to increase large-panel production, even though there may not yet be demand. He also predicted that the "majority" of Ultrabooks shipping in 2013 will include touch panels, though he also said that there will continue to be a market for non-touch devices for some time to come. Check the press release below for more info. Show full PR text Intel, Industry Shaping Future Of Computing Experiences On Intel® Architecture Intel Corporation Senior Vice President Tom Kilroy officially introduced the next wave of Ultrabook™ systems during a keynote address at Computex Taipei 2012. Making a bold statement around the importance of touch technology, Kilroy also announced that Intel has signed agreements with several leading touch panel manufacturers to ensure adequate capacity to meet the expected demand for touch-enabled Ultrabook experiences over the next several years. He also highlighted the company's efforts to deliver user-centric experiences across a range of mobile devices from the Ultrabook to smartphones and tablets, pointing to momentum across all three. More than 35 new ultra-sleek, ultra-responsive Ultrabook systems are available now or will be for purchase within 30 days, with more than 110 designs expected in the next year. Powered by 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors and made with the world's most advanced 22nm 3-D tri-gate transistors, these new Ultrabook devices are more responsive and offer enhanced security in a selection of stylish designs for consumers and business users. "Our life experiences are defined by our senses -- by what we see, hear and touch," said Kilroy. "These human senses are also at the foundation of Intel's vision for the Ultrabook to deliver a no-compromise, must-have computing experience. "Today, thanks to the work of the industry at-large, we are one step closer to meeting that vision with the arrival of the next wave of 3rd generation Intel Core processor-powered devices. The innovation must continue as we move to touch-based Ultrabook convertible designs, and in the future aim to give them and other devices senses, making our interaction with them natural and intuitive." Next Wave of Ultrabook Devices Bring More Responsiveness, Enhanced Security In addition to increased responsiveness and enhanced security features, Ultrabook devices powered by the new 3rd generation Intel Core processors deliver up to two times the media and graphics performance compared to the previous generation, long battery life and offer more choice of stylish, thin designs.
New shear touch technology lets you skip a double-tap, push your device around (video)
Most every touchscreen in the market today can only register your finger input as coordinates; that's fine for most uses, but it leads to a lot of double-taps and occasionally convoluted gestures. A pair of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Chris Harrison and Scott Hudson, have suggested that shear touch might be a smarter solution. Instead of gliding over fixed glass, your finger could handle secondary tasks by pushing in a specific direction, or simply pushing harder, on a sliding display. Among the many examples of what shear touch could do, the research duo has raised the possibility of skipping through music by pushing left and right, or scrolling more slowly through your favorite website with a forceful dragging motion. The academic paper is still far away from producing a shipping device, although a Microsoft doctoral fellowship's partial contribution to funding the study indicates one direction the technology might go. You can take a peek at the future in a video after the jump -- just don't expect a tablet-based Van Gogh this soon. [Thanks, Chris]
Insert Coin: HAND Stylus for touch devices
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Inventive scribbler Steve King -- no, not that one -- is working his fingers raw trying to raise $25,000 on Kickstarter. His project, the colorfully-named HAND Stylus, works with all your capacitive touchscreens, sports a retractable nib that rotates to avoid uneven wear, and even sticks to the magnet on an iPad. While it can't replace the need for natural digits, it could potentially come in handy while taking notes, sketching, cooking, or experiencing frostbite. Skip down below the break for a video if you need more convincing, or you already lost the one that came with your Galaxy Note.
RED 9-inch touchscreen, OLED EVF and Meizler Module eyes-on (video)
Deep-pocketed RED owners take heed. The company just demoed some pretty nifty module updates, including an OLED EVF, a new 9-inch touchscreen and the crown jewel Meizler Module, which brings to the table such features as wireless 1080p transmission, a wireless timecode transceiver and full wireless lens control -- we're particularly taken with that last feature, which effectively enables remote-controlled follow focus, aperture and zoom control. The new 9-inch will also come in handy with wireless control, making it easier to verify sharpness and exposure. It features the same touch functionality of its smaller sibling, giving you full control of the camera. The display will likely draw some attention when mounted on an EPIC, which is noticeably smaller than the LCD itself, but once you toss on a lens and power pack, the rig looks slightly better proportioned. That's the good news. The bad news is the price -- you're looking at a cool $13,000 for that wireless module, which is named after its designer, assistant camera Steven Meizler, while the Bomb OLED EVF can be had as an upgrade for $1,200 (if you're willing to trade in your LCD version), or $3,900 if you plan to buy it outright. You can head over to the Red Store to pick that device up today, though you'll need to hang tight for the Meizler and 9-inch LCD, both of which are expected to launch later this year. You'll get an up-close look at all the new gear in the gallery below, and you'll also find a video overview with RED's Ted Schilowitz when you venture past the break.
Atmel's XSense promises curvy touchscreens that'll ruin your shirt line (video)
Touchscreen gurus Atmel may not be the most famous name around, but you'll find its gear inside devices like the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Tab. Now it has pulled the dust-sheets from the latest innovation to emerge from its Californian headquarters: XSense. It's a flexible, super-thin, film-based touch sensor that can be curved and contorted any which way you choose while retaining accuracy. It'll also enable smartphone makers to create "edgeless" touchscreens without bezels, or have them cascade around the sides of the device. Now all we have to do is wonder if we really want a notably concave phone jabbing into our thighs, which you can ponder while you watch the concept video we've got for you after the break.
Neonode zForce uses infrared LEDs to measure pressure, replace capacitive touch (hands-on)
Smartphone fanatics may recall the Neonode N2 -- a rather unique recall-plagued feature phone that ultimately resulted in the demise of the company's handset arm. Neonode is still a major player in the portable device market, but may be more familiar to OEMs that employ its infrared LED-based touch technology, rather than consumers that utilize it in e-readers, with tablets soon joining the mix. zForce offers several advantages over its capacitive-based counterparts -- it's incredibly responsive and accurate, and can now measure the intensity (or pressure) of your touch, and not just position. There's also a built-in proximity sensor that can be added to any device for a few pennies, which is considerably less than traditional offerings. However, because Neonode uses an array of infrared LEDs and photodiodes, a raised bezel is required to accommodate the additional hardware, making it impossible to integrate a flush display.We went hands-on with an updated smartphone-sized embed of the company's zForce technology that not only works with any object, such as a finger, pen or a paint brush, but also recognizes both the pressure of your implement and also its size, so a larger paint brush has broader strokes than a smaller one, for example. Because the device can operate at 500Hz all the way up to 1,000Hz (refreshing 1,000 times per second), it appears to be incredibly responsive, with an almost unnoticeable delay between the time you touch the pad and when your input is displayed on the screen. A second demo unit, called Stargate, offers dual-layer touch with support for 3D control -- you can literally reach inside the unit to manipulate an object. There's no word on when this latest tech will make its way into devices, or how exactly we'll see it used, but you really need to see it in action to get a feel for how it works -- jump past the break for our video hands-on.%Gallery-149305%
Synaptics announces ClearPad 2200 touchscreen controller for smartphones
That's smartphones, guys. Not superphones, and certainly not phablets (sorry, we hate that word too). After showing off its slate-friendly ClearPad 7300 multitouch display at CES, Synaptics is back with a smaller 2200 series controller designed for phones. Specifically, modest little handsets with screens measuring four inches or less. And, it'll be among the company's first capacitive panels to make use of the outfit's SignalClarity technology, which promises to boost the signal-to-noise ratio for improved accuracy and finger separation. No word on which manufacturers will be taking a chance on the new tech -- not that we expect to see that spec emblazoned across their marketing materials anyway. Still, perhaps Synaptics will be so kind as to let us test that precision claim when we swing by Barcelona next week.
NVIDIA announces DirectTouch technology for Tegra 3 tablets, promises a smoother touch experience
You'd think that with Tegra 3 shipping in the Transformer Prime and all, we'd know everything there is to know about the new SoC. Apparently not. NVIDIA just announced DirectTouch, a technology exclusive to its Tegra 3 platform that uses that bonus fifth core for to improve touch detection. So what does a low-power core have to do with the touch experience, you say? Essentially, what's going on is NVIDIA's PRISM Display technology separates color and backlight intensity to save battery life while preserving fidelity. In a demo, the technology looked mighty smooth, though we'll need to get hands-on ourselves and see the technology in action for more than five seconds before we can weigh in on its utility. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Synaptics promises better touchscreens with SignalClarity and Design Studio 4
Look, we recognize that touchscreens have come a long way in the last few years, but there's always room for improvement. Thankfully, Synaptics agrees and is rolling out an update to its ClearPad capacitive panels. At the heart of the improved system is a technology called SignalClarity, which boosts signal-to-noise ratio for better accuracy and finger separation. The new tech will not only lead to a better touchscreen experience, but it could also help drive down costs since manufacturers would be free to use lower cost components that might normally interfere with a capacitive panel. It'll be a little bit before the next-gen ClearPad makes is debut in a consumer product and chances are you won't see Synaptic brand emblazoned across the packaging of your next smartphone. That's ok though, we know it's in there working hard to keep our fingers happy. Check out the PR after the break for more details.
SMK's touchscreen registers your gloved swipes, won't acknowledge the bad touch
Somewhere in an underground ice lair, Jack Frost's prepping to nip at noses and keep covered hands from touch devices. But SMK Corp's got a capacitive solution set to thwart old man winter's digitus interruptus. On display at this year's FPD International in Japan, the company's touchscreen innovation incorporates a specialized chip capable of highly-sensitive pressure detection that works in conjunction with a noise-filtering sensor to make your gloved gestures readable. It's good news for those of us subject to occasional bouts of frostbitten weather, but don't clap just yet -- these panels will initially be headed to in-car navigation systems. Still, with the displays workable on screens up to 8-inches in size, it's possible we could be seeing this tech extend to smartphones in the near future. So, there's a remedy out there folks, but while you wait for it, it's best to keep those glittens close at hand.
Dell announces Inspiron One 2320 touchscreen all-in-one
Over the past few weeks, we've seen HP and Toshiba freshen up their all-in-ones, while Samsung made a belated jump into the market just last week. Today, it's Dell's turn -- the company just announced an addition to its all-in-one lineup, the 23-inch Inspiron One 2320. Funnily enough, the new design reminds us somewhat of the PCs HP trotted out last month in that it has an easel-like display with enough space underneath to stow the keyboard, although this one doesn't have a tilting screen. Spec-wise, it's well-matched against the competition, with a 1080p touchscreen, Intel Wireless Display capability, optional NVIDIA GeForce GT525M graphics, six USB 2.0 ports, HDMI-in, a Blu-ray option and up to 2TB in storage. (For whatever reason, USB 3.0 didn't make the cut.) That starting price of $950 will get you a Core i5-2400S CPU and 6GB of RAM, but if you have an extra $450 lying around you can step up to a Core i7-2600S processor with 8GB of memory. Wrapping it all up, the 2320 runs Dell's touch-friendly Stage UI, the latest version of which lets you sync photos and other media across different devices. We've rounded up a few glossy press shots below, but hit the source link if you're curious enough for the full spill. %Gallery-135808%
Tiny infrared LEDs could find a home in ultra-thin multitouch screens
A company called Osram Opto Semiconductors has created a new infrared LED that can be used in conjunction with detectors to create ultra-thin touchscreens. We've seen infrared used in touchscreens before, most notably in Microsoft's Surface and recent e-readers from Barnes & Noble and Kobo. But, Osram's solution is complex enough to work in a multitouch tablet, while being as space-saving zForce. At only 0.45mm tall the diodes and sensors can easily be crammed into a bezel around a screen and sip just 35mW during regular use. Now the company just has to convince someone to put the tiny IREDs in their products.
Boeing hitches Android to its 787 Dreamliner ride, powers in-flight options with Google juice
Looks like Boeing's decided to get in bed with Android a mile-high in the sky. The aerospace company has exclusively selected Google's mobile OS as the might behind its new class of 787 Dreamliners' in-flight entertainment. Currently in production jets, of which there are over 800 plus orders, will get outfitted with either a Panasonic or Thales model of the 7- to 17-inch screens. And in a strange twist of luxury privileges, first and business class passengers won't get to enjoy the touchscreen tech, as their monitors will be too large and too far out of reach. Instead, an alternate gesture-based control method is being explored by the company for elite travelers, although nothing's been solidified. Don't expect the planes to launch with the typical Android market experience, either -- apparently, "airline-specific apps" are on the way for the nascent fleets' launch. Now, if only they could replace those flight attendants with little green robots.
HP TouchSmart 610 review
Is it just us or do all-in-ones seem to be having a moment? Over the past two months, we've seen Toshiba make a belated jump into the market, while Lenovo went and added one to its family of Think-branded laptops and desktops. And that's not even counting models by old-timers like Apple, Dell, and MSI. And then there's HP, which has been making touchscreen all-in-ones for three years -- long before they were a thing. The company's had plenty of time to fine-tune its finger-friendly TouchSmart software, and now, its newest model, the TouchSmart 610 ($899 and up), ushers in a fresh design, highlighted by a hinge that allows the display to slide down and lie nearly flat. Although it's been shipping since this spring, it's only been available with Sandy Bridge for about a month now. We took one of these tricked-out beasts into our living room and got reacquainted with the comforts of not-so-mobile computing. At the risk of spoiling everything, we think this should be on your shortlist if you're considering an all-in-one, especially one with a big 'ol touchscreen. Read on to find out why. %Gallery-127193%
KDDI haptic smartphone prototype promises up to seven layers of touch, only shows off two
Ah, another possibly vaporous, yet intriguing addition to a long line of haptic patents and prototypes. Today's offering: a KDDI smartphone mockup (utilizing Kyocera display technology) promising to render sensation through multiple layers of applied touchscreen pressure. Imagine depressing a camera shutter on a touchscreen, and you've got the idea. KDDI only had a screen sporting two haptic layers on hand when they demoed the prototype at Wireless Japan this week, but Kyocera reportedly told Akihabara News that the technology is capable of up to seven layers of tantalizing touch. Neat. Maybe we'll get a few authentic haptic touchscreens on the market and do away with all the vibrational fakery we've been seeing.
