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Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

by Richard Lai posted Nov 4th 2009 at 11:25AM

What we have here today isn't just another pair of ordinary headphones: Sony Ericsson's MH907s are button-free, minimalistic headphones that activate upon the magical touch of your skin. Well, your ears to be precise. You must bear in mind that the MH907s are exclusive to Fast port-equipped Sony Ericsson phones thus excluding the forthcoming XPERIA X10 -- so chances are you're already not interested. That said, we shall see if Sony Ericsson is really going to change things forever with these gleaming buds featuring SE's SensMe Control technology, or by just stopping everyone from using their 3.5mm headphone jacks. Read on to find out how these €39 ($57) headphones fared.

Gallery: Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

Continue reading Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

10/GUI interface looks to redefine the touch-enabled desktop

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 15th 2009 at 2:58PM

Redefining the way we interact with computers is a pretty ambitious task as far as things go, but that's just what R. Clayton Miller is looking to do with his so-called 10/GUI project, and he may just be onto something. Miller begins with the notion that the traditional mouse-based interface lacks the "interaction bandwidth" afforded by multitouch interfaces, and that touch-enabled desktops (or laptops) are inherently problematic since they can't be used for prolonged periods of time -- even a flat surface will do a number on your neck if you use it all day. To solve that problem, Miller proposes separating the touch surface from the display and placing it below the keyboard in the form of a large, hybrid capacative / resistive touch panel. That's just the beginning, however, and Miller has also devised a whole new interface that makes use of all your fingers, and a new linear means of displaying windows that strikes a balance ease of use and the ability to manage numerous applications. Of course, there are some drawbacks -- you'd still likely pull out a mouse for Photoshop or a marathon Left 4 Dead session -- but we'd certainly be curious to see how this would play out in practice. Head on past the break for a full video overview.

[Via Slashdot]

Continue reading 10/GUI interface looks to redefine the touch-enabled desktop

Switched On: Microsoft's touchy subjects

by Ross Rubin posted Oct 14th 2009 at 5:00PM

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

As CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates would often talk about his dream of "information at your fingertips." The company he co-founded, though, is now taking literal steps toward that goal. By the end of the month, Microsoft will have released three new devices or platforms that embrace or extend touchscreen support -- but the impact touch will have on each varies significantly by their legacy, usage, and manufacturers.

Windows has long had touchscreen support. Such support, in fact, was the basis of the Tablet Edition of Windows XP, and Tablet PCs were proclaimed to be the future of notebooks. Early iterations were larger and thicker keyboard-lacking slates much like the new Archos 9pctablet. But this was before rampant Web browsing, streaming video, casual games and electronic books -- all of which now provide relevance for a new generation of touchscreen PCs as content-consumption devices.

Continue reading Switched On: Microsoft's touchy subjects

iPhone and iPod touch radio app with iTunes store integration on the horizon?

by Ross Miller posted Oct 13th 2009 at 8:54PM

We know what you're thinking, how dare that new iPod nano have features your premium iPhone and iPod touch handhelds don't? Well, if this 9 to 5 Mac rumor has any merit, Apple is right there with you and has a solution in the works. According to said whispers, a Radio app is in the works to capitalize on the recent models' latent FM tuner. It'll either be standalone or integrated into the iPod app, and either way it'll be able to work in the background while you browse other, not so fortunate apps. The apparent cause for delay is work on a feature that'll identify the songs and link you to the appropriate iTunes page for purchase. As always, this is just a rumor, so do yourself a favor and try not to dwell on it too much, k?

David Hockney paints with his iPhone, results not typical

by Laura June posted Oct 11th 2009 at 9:36AM

Artist David Hockney isn't afraid of picking up new media -- over the years, he's used Polaroids, photocollages, and even fax machines to create his art -- in addition to regular, old-fashioned painting. Now, he's taken to using his iPhone to create new works of art. The resultant "paintings" have been exhibited at the Tate Gallery and Royal Academy in London, as well as galleries in Los Angeles and Germany. Like artist Jorge Colombo (whose iPhone fingerpainting was featured on the cover of The New Yorker), Hockney uses the iPhone app Brushes to create his works. In an interview with the New York Review of Books, Hockney notes that he prefers and still uses the original version of the app, not the more recent updates. Hmm... maybe the reason our own Brushes paintings stink is because we're using the update!

[Via All Things D]

Elecom's USB numeric touch keypad does touch gestures on the side

by Darren Murph posted Oct 10th 2009 at 6:04AM

Elecom's USB-powered numeric touch keypad is pretty simple. You plug it into your machine, tap your digits on the board and watch the numbers appear in your calculator app. Once that gets boring, you can also use this as a secondary trackpad. And given that it supports a variety of multi gesture functions (zoom in / out, shift up / down, etc.), we'd say the secondary features here may just be more enticing than the primary. Suddenly overcome with a feeling of want? Get yours later this month for ¥6,500 ($72).

[Via Akihabara News]

TomTom iPhone Car Kit returns to UK Apple Store, awaits drama

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 9th 2009 at 5:40AM

It's back. After making a horrendous false start with the early promise of iPod touch support and the inclusion of the iPhone App in its £100 price tag, the TomTom Car Kit has returned to the Apple Store. In a big fat disclaimer, TomTom writes:

The TomTom app for iPhone is not included with this TomTom Car Kit. The Car Kit dock is compatible with all iPhone models, but the TomTom app only works with iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G.

We only see it in the UK store at the moment but it's likely to pop on your local store anytime now. Ships in 1-2 weeks.

[Thanks, Joe W.]

Virtual Autopsy Table brings multitouch to the morgue

by Laura June posted Oct 7th 2009 at 9:27AM

Ever wonder what the insides of a human being really look like but lacked the grit or credentials to watch an autopsy in the flesh? Well, whatever the reasons, we can all probably agree this is one of the best uses for a multitouch table surface ever. The Virtual Autopsy Table (developed by Norrköping Visualization Centre and the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization in Sweden) makes use of high resolution MRIs, rendered and processed into 3D images which are then accessible in the table itself. The results are super impressive and educational -- not to mention the fact that there's no actual cutting involved! The autopsy table was obviously developed with educational purposes in mind, and we wouldn't be surprised to see these cropping up in museums all over the globe any day now. Check out the truly riveting video after the break.

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Video: Intel's four-screen laptop prototype hands-on

by Nilay Patel posted Sep 22nd 2009 at 8:06PM

Well, here's something you don't see every day: Intel's got a concept laptop here at IDF that features three OLED touchscreens below the 15-inch screen. In keeping with the hype of the moment, the primary idea is to run widgets and other passive apps on the little screens, but they're actually integrated with the main screen, so you can flick content up to view it full-size, and even use the mouse to interact with the widgets instead of your fingers. It's definitely cool, but it's also definitely a little odd in practice -- although Intel says they're talking to OEMs, things will have to be significantly refined before this can hit production. More pics in the gallery, video after the break.

Gallery: Intel three-screen laptop prototype

Continue reading Video: Intel's four-screen laptop prototype hands-on

New iPod touch gets a speed test, zips right on by

by Laura June posted Sep 16th 2009 at 11:06AM

The new generation of the iPod touch, we've been told, is roughly 50 percent faster than the previous iteration. Well, the fine folks over at the iPhone Blog have done a bit of information collecting on just that topic -- to see if Apple's latest is actually that much faster. Macworld did testing which showed a reduction in boot times from 31 to 19 seconds, web page loading (using the New York Times) went from 34 to 15 seconds, while app launching saw time reductions across the board. So -- in essence -- yes, the newest iPod touch is about 50 percent faster than the previous model in terms of performance. Hit the read link to hear even more tantalizing details.

Fujitsu gifts LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet with multitouch LCD

by Darren Murph posted Sep 16th 2009 at 10:21AM

It's definitely not the first LifeBook to boast a multitouch panel, but given just how popular the original T5010 proved to be, we're pleasantly pleased to see the outfit bless that very convertible tablet with a touchscreen. The new dual digitizer option gives the 13.3-inch machine a whole new purpose in life, as it now supports two-finger touch (for rotating, pinching, zooming, groping, etc.) within Windows 7. Oddly enough, Fujitsu's choosing to ship this with Vista until October 22nd rolls around, so we'd advise you to hold tight for another month and change if at all possible. Everything else about the rig remains mostly the same, though the $1,759 (active digitizer) / $1,859 (dual digitizer) starting tags are actually lower than the MSRP given to the first T5010 in early 2008.

Gallery: Fujitsu gifts LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet with multitouch LCD

Earlier iPod touch with camera leak vindicated in light of 3rd gen teardown

by Ross Miller posted Sep 13th 2009 at 7:18PM

That mysterious 6- x 6- x 3-millimeter slot found within the most recent iPod touch teardown? We were pretty sure it was the eventual resting place for a camera sensor, but now we've got mounting evidence with the discovery of a missing link. If you recall, there was an August-borne leak of an iPod touch with camera that showed said slot filled with a chip that, in hindsight, looks to match up well with the video camera sensor in the 5G iPod nano (check out step 17). This revelation doesn't get us any closer to snapping videos with the touchscreen PMP, but we do have a few more questions for Steve to dodge.

3rd gen iPod touch gets torn down, 802.11n and possible camera slot found

by Darren Murph posted Sep 11th 2009 at 5:49PM

There's no denying that Apple let the entire world (yes, even the native Easter Islanders) down by not shoving a camera of some sort into its iPod touch, but if a delicate teardown completed by the screwdriver-wielding fiends over at iFixit is any indication, a seasoned modder could certainly add one. A 6- x 6- x 3-millimeter space was spotted between a Broadcom chip and the wireless antenna, which is reportedly not enough room for an iPhone-esque sensor, but just enough space for the video camera module found in the 5G iPod nano. In potentially more interesting news, the aforesaid Broadcom BCM4329 chip actually supports 802.11n. For the nerds in attendance, you'll recognize that even the iPhone 3GS can't handle those high-speed airwaves. Furthermore, the chip supports FM transmission, so at least theoretically, the device could stream tunes to your old school stereo through an open FM station. Eager for more? Tap that read link, buster.

Atmel maXTouch technology promises bigger, better capacitive touchscreens

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 11th 2009 at 2:39PM

Atmel may still be hedging its bets by offering some resistive touchscreen devices of its own, but it looks like it isn't making any secrets about its belief that capacitive touch is where the real action is, as fully evidenced by the firm's wonderfully dramatic video announcing its new maXTouch technology. In addition to kick-starting "a whole new era" (period), the new platform promises to support the development of capacitive touchscreens larger 10 inches, complete with full support for zooming, rotating, handwriting, shape recognition and other advanced functionality. What's more, the first device in the line (the mXT224) promises to blow a few minds by supporting not just finger touch, but input from a stylus, fingernails, or even gloves. The entire line of devices also fully support unlimited, simultaneous touches, and supposedly boast a refresh rate and signal-to-noise ratio that's 66% better than its nearest competitor. Of course, there's no indication as to when we can expect to see the first products using the new touchscreens just yet, but the mXT224 model is available right now for any companies interested, and Atmel says additional models will be rolling out in the fourth quarter of this year and throughout 2010.

Read - Atmel maXTouch press release
Read- maXTouch video and product site

Switched On: The iPod touch and the big picture

by Ross Rubin posted Sep 11th 2009 at 11:30AM

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

In a New York Times interview of Steve Jobs conducted by Engadget columnist aspirant David Pogue, Apple's CEO suggested that the company did not include a camera on the iPod touch because the company was now marketing the iPod touch as a game machine and that a camera was not germane to such a device. "We don't need to add new stuff," said Jobs.

But why is adding a digital camera any less germane to the portable game device of the iPod touch than it is to adding it to the media player of the iPod nano? Or, if price is an issue, why not exclude it only on the entry-level model? The iPod touch market will soon be large enough to support such diversity. And if the iPod touch is indeed being marketed as a gaming console and a low-cost point of entry to the app store, excluding a camera disrupts the continuity of the touch/iPhone platform, while the iPod imaging message is now more muddled: If you're buying the iPhone 3G, you can capture stills but not video, while the "lower-end" iPod nano offers video capture but not stills, the iPod touch offers neither, and only the iPhone 3GS offers both.

Continue reading Switched On: The iPod touch and the big picture