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Daily iPad App: Bam Fu is frenzied fun for multiple players on one device
A while ago, I wrote about an ingenious little app named Bloop, which was a multiplayer game for one iPad, where up to four different players had to tap on little colored squares on the screen to see who could clear them off fastest. The creator of that app, Rusty Moyher, was later approached by another team of developers named Game Oven, who were then working on this app, called Bam Fu. Bam Fu is similar to Bloop, in that it too is a multiplayer game for one iOS device, and you need to hit certain colored shapes on the screen. But Bam Fu's one big innovation is that it adds a little more complexity to the game. Instead of just clearing your own color from the board, the various "stones" on the iPad's screen instead switch to the next color in the sequence when you touch them. So you might flip them one way, your opponent may flip them back, and then so on. Or you might play a little mind game, and try flipping them to your opponent's color, so that one false hit could send them back to yours. The addition of that extra mechanic makes things even more chaotic, as you have to not only hit your own color, but try to send other colors back to yours. Of course, the one drawback here is that Bam Fu isn't really a solo game -- it's meant to be played with others. But if you have some willing participants (in your family or at your next party), it's a great time, available right now for just 99 cents. Moyher originally put together Bloop as a little experiment on iOS, but the creators of Bam Fu have taken his idea and run right ahead with it.
Fujitsu touch interface detects fingers on real objects, adds digital details to print
Bringing touch interfaces to real-world objects often involves putting hardware either inside the item or in front of it, neither of which is especially natural. Fujitsu has developed a control system that could eliminate those obstructions and bring digital interaction to many surfaces, even to old-fashioned paper. Its multi-camera approach can distinguish between objects on a table and the exact positions of a user's fingers, right down to fingertip outlines; it's accurate enough to scan text from a book as you drag your finger along the page. The system really comes alive, however, when its projector is involved. Besides providing visual feedback, the image overlay allows for both control of purely digital objects and interfaces tailored to real-world items. The company imagines brochures or maps that pop up extra details, among numerous other examples. While we wonder how long the technology will remain useful when there's an ongoing push to go paperless, Fujitsu sees enough practicality that it's anticipating a product in its fiscal 2014. That doesn't leave long until we can get a very literal hands-on.
Early apps for touch-based Ubuntu reveal a mostly clean aesthetic
The clatter of ergonomic keyboards is already bearing fruit, just two months after the Ubuntu developer community was let loose on the SDK for the newly touch-enabled OS. Canonical's Michael Hall has posted an update on his personal blog detailing progress with some core apps, such as Calendar and Weather, as as well the broader effort to give mobile Ubuntu a sense of personality. The source link shows off some nice-looking puzzle games, news readers and even an app built around the disembodied head of a strapping lad called Jono, who in many ways symbolizes the minimal-but-cheerful look of the emerging ecosystem. A bit of debugging here, a swoosh of the razor there, and it could be perfect.
Apple patent would have devices sense a squeeze through metal
Apple likes to build devices using metal. Unfortunately, the material isn't usually conducive to touch, in the literal sense of the word -- capacitive touch doesn't always register on a metal gadget, and you can often forget about a response to pressure. A newly published patent from the company could at last get these unfeeling devices to acknowledge our grip without putting sensors above the surface. Apple's method would detect the changes in capacitance between hidden nodes when a device's shell is put under strain, and trigger a hardware or software reaction when there's a strong-enough squeeze. The concept is simple enough. Just what Apple would like to do with the patent, if anything, is the real riddle. The patent was originally filed in 2009, and covers just about everything computer- or mobile-based that Apple could produce; any burning desire to use the technique would likely have been satisfied by now. If our future iPhones or Macs ever answer a hug with more than just cold indifference, though, we'll know why.
Canonical posting daily builds for plenty more Ubuntu Touch devices
After letting us lay our hands on Ubuntu Touch for the Nexus 10, Canonical is now providing daily builds for its mobile OS on a variety of flagship devices. At this point in its gestation, the software is strictly developer-only, but people are beavering away on getting it running on smartphones like the Galaxy S III, One X and Galaxy Nexus, as well as tablets like the Transformer Pad Infinity, Galaxy Tab 2 and Kindle Fire HD. If that doesn't make you wish that you'd paid more attention to that early programming class, then perhaps you haven't seen this clip from Bill'n'Mark.
Linpus Gesture2Launch brings neat, customizable touch control to Windows 8 (hands-on)
You might remember Linpus from its various Linux projects, but these days the outfit is getting into apps in a big way. We've just been hands-on with its latest offering, Gesture2Launch, a straightforward concept that could prove seriously useful to those with Windows 8 touch-enabled devices. The current app has default gestures that can be assigned to an array of functions -- both to launch applications and to trigger system actions. Most of the gestures are based on letters, so to launch the calculator you'd just bring up the charms bar (which primes the system for your input) and then draw the letter 'C'. An upside-down 'U' would bring up the lock screen. The version we played with, however, takes things a step further. It lets you create your own gestures, which ought to make them a tad easier to remember. This feature should be added soon, but for now you can see how we fared with the app in the video after the break (demoed on a rather nice Acer Aspire S7) and then it try out free-of-charge via the link below. It leaves us wondering why Microsoft didn't implement something like this out of the box.
WSJ: Google to sell touchscreen Chromebooks later this year
Citing sources "familiar with the matter," the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google has developed the first Chromebooks with touchscreens. A firm launch date for the laptops is MIA, but the WSJ claims that they'll hit shelves later this year. If the notebooks do indeed pan out, Chromebook fans will finally get in on the touch-enabled action that Windows 8 hardware has been enjoying since last year.
Developer preview of touch-based Ubuntu is called that for a reason (hands-on video)
Ubuntu's Touch Developer Preview was originally put forward as something for "enthusiasts" as well as developers. Well, having been hands-on with the code that will be made public tomorrow, we'd say it requires enthusiasm a-plenty -- perhaps even amateur coder quantities of the stuff. That's because a lot of core functionality is still missing from the OS, such as the ability to play music files or import real-life contacts, and there's a long way to go if it's to be signed off as "code complete" in October. On the other hand, this is really just a statement of the obvious. Canonical has been pretty clear that the main purpose of this early release is to lure in developers and get them to contribute to the fundamental stages of the project. Furthermore, the video after the break shows that there are many aspects of the OS which work fine -- such as the gallery and video apps, the "side stage" and HUD features, and also general performance on the Nexus 10's hardware. The UI merges some Kindle- and Windows 8-esque features with things that are totally original -- like responsive design which allows the exact same OS and apps to run on a phone, tablet, TV or desktop. We certainly hope it generates interest -- not only among developers but also among device manufacturers who want to do more than just talk about differentiation.
ViewSonic outs three Windows 8-certified touchscreen displays
ViewSonic's just revealed a trio of 10-point touch displays with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios, and they're Windows 8-certified, to boot. As for connectivity, each monitor comes loaded with DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA and USB compatibility. The 23-inch TD2340 features a dual hinge stand that can be adjusted four ways, which allows the monitor to pivot or lay flat. It will be available this month for $599. The 27-inch model, the TD2740, brings a picture frame stand which allows it to lay flat, and arrives in February for $799. If you're feeling particularly generous with your cash, the business-minded $2,499 TD3240 sports a 32-inch screen alongside a stand for kiosk usage and will be up for grabs this April. Hit the jump for a mix of hands-on and glamour shots. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Intel makes Touch, Wireless Display mandatory components for Haswell Ultrabooks
We're here live at Intel's CES press conference, where Kirk Skaugen has announced that companies who want to use the Ultrabook name and Haswell internals, it'll have to include touch as standard. The other new condition that Santa Clara is imposing is that the device must carry Wireless Display as standard. On the upside, at least you'll be able to see the images on your TV when your Ultrabook screen gets too greasy from your fingers. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
TMU's virtual body simulates most senses from the comfort of your seat (video)
A lot of virtual reality, quite simply, isn't. It replicates the visuals and sounds, but not much else. Tokyo Metropolitan University's Ikei Laboratory is taking a shot at filling in more of the experience with a new exhibition. Its virtual body seat goes beyond a 3D screen and headphones to include vibrating foot pedals, for recreating the ground, as well as a fan that both produces wind and wafts scents. The demonstrator is currently being used to impress guests with the scents of a Milanese market or the rush of an Usain Bolt sprint, but it could eventually serve a practical purpose for some of the population: TMU sees its chair replacing an environment for those who can't be there in person. About all that's missing is taste, although we don't really need to lick our virtual worlds. Yet.
iFixit tears into the new iPod touch, bemoans lack of repairability
The folks over at iFixit have gotten their tool-sporting hands all over the new iPod touch, giving Apple's latest music player the customary detailed teardown. The alien autopsy-esque dissection reveals the device's A5 processor, flash memory from Toshiba and a lot of parts secured firmly in place. The latter, naturally, has led to a pretty dismal repairability score for the touchscreen player -- a three out of 10 -- nothing new, really, for Cupertino products, though the company seemed to be moving in the other direction with the new iPhone. Check the source link below for all the gory details -- and yes, iFixit even goes so far as calling the device's home button "weak." Oh snap, guys.
Sony unveils touch-enabled Vaio T13 Ultrabook running Windows 8, we go hands-on (video)
Here's the thing with Windows 8: staring at those live tiles feels kinda weird if you can't reach out and touch them. That's why Sony has upgraded its Vaio T13 Ultrabook with a touch panel (making it technically the T13-2), allowing you to reach out across the keyboard and swipe away to your heart's content. We've just left some fingerprints on a high-spec model with a Core i7 processor, 1366 x 768 resolution, 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM, which will sell in the UK from October 26th priced somewhere north of £1,000 (or $1,600, though Sony doesn't set exact prices). A more modestly equipped i7, with 4GB and a 500GB hybrid drive should be somewhere around £900 ($1,400), while an entry-level i3 will start at £700 ($1,100), give or take. Bear mind that the dollar prices will be much lower than these currency conversions suggest -- for reference, the original T13 starts at just $770. Our first impression was that enabling touch on this traditional form factor was slightly awkward, especially if the purpose of touching the screen was to achieve something that would have been more readily accomplished with a tap on the keyboard -- such as adjusting brightness, scrolling or returning to the home screen. On the other hand, the UI was incredibly responsive on the Core i7 processor and over time the touchscreen may well come to feel more natural than the touchpad within Microsoft's new OS. Just bear in mind that enabling touch comes with a couple of sacrifices, aside from any price premium: it adds 100 grams and 1mm in thickness to an Ultrabook that was already on the chunky side, due to the addition of tougher hinges as well as the extra layer in the display. Check out our hands-on video after the break and make up your own mind.
Disney's REVEL could turn the whole world into a tactile touchscreen (video)
Disney Research think it can go one better on Tactile and Haptic touch displays by using electrical fields to add sensation to nearly anything you can touch. Using Reverse Electrovibration, REVEL works by strapping an electrostatic signal generator to your body, so when you come into contact with an object on the same electrical plane, that low-level field can be altered to create friction. It's hoped that the technology could revolutionize touchscreens, add a whole new level of feeling to augmented reality and help blind people feel their way around. There's a video after the break, but be warned, it's light on the sort of cartoony hijinks you'd normally expect from the House of Mouse.
Disney Research's Botanicus Interacticus adds capacitive touch to ordinary plants, we go hands-on
Sure, you spend plenty of time talking to your plants, but have you ever made them sing? In partnership with Berlin-based Studio NAND, Walt Disney's experience development arm, coined Disney Research, has found a way to take human-plant interaction to an almost freakish level. The project's called Botanicus Interacticus, and centers around a custom-built capacitive sensor module, which pipes a very low current through an otherwise ordinary plant, then senses when and where you touch. Assuming your body is grounded, the device uses more than 200 frequencies to determine exactly where you've grabbed hold of a stem. Then, depending on how it may be programed, the sensor can trigger any combination of feedback, ranging from a notification that your child is attempting to climb that massive oak in the yard again, to an interactive melody that varies based on where your hand falls along the plant. Because this is Disney Research, the company would most likely use the new tech in an interactive theme park attraction, though there's currently no plan to do much more than demo Botanicus Interacticus for SIGGRAPH attendees. This week's demonstration is giving the creators an opportunity to gather feedback as they try out their project on the general public. There's four different stations on hand, ranging from a stick of bamboo that offers the full gamut of sensitivity, including the exact location of touch, to an orchid that can sense an electric field disruption even as you approach for contact. While interactive plants may not have a role in everyday life, Botanicus Interacticus is certainly a clever implementation of capacitive touch. You can see it action just past the break.%Gallery-162014%
OLPC XO Touch 1.75 to use Neonode tech, take multi-touch on world tour
The One Laptop Per Child's project just got one step closer to updating its venerable XO portable through a newly-struck licensing deal with Neonode. The XO Touch 1.75, a slight rebranding of the as yet unreleased XO 1.75 we saw last year, will use Neonode's MultiSensing to give the laptop a multi-touch screen that's both very responsive and eco-friendly in the same breath. Even as it samples finger input at up to 1GHz, the new OLPC system's 300 DPI display will still use under 2W of power and remain viewable in bright sunlight -- students can even wake up the new model with a gesture instead of using anything so crude as a power button. As important as these advances are to bringing touch to remote schools, we still have some questions about the release schedule and the cost. The XO 1.75 was originally due this year, but we don't know if the Neonode pact will alter the timetable or hike the target price. We've reached out to the OLPC team for comment and will update if there's new details.
Apple secures multitouch-related patent dating back to 1995 from inventor
Apple has come into possession of a number of patents owned by Canadian inventor Timothy R. Pryor in recent years (see the More Coverage link below for a few examples), and it's just today been granted another that's particularly interesting. Described rather broadly as a "method for providing human input to a computer," the patent (filed in July of 2009) is a continuation of one dating all the way back to 1995, and appears to cover some fairly basic multitouch-related functions. As detailed in the patent's claims, that includes controlling a virtual object on a screen with two simultaneous touch inputs, as well as virtual controllers displayed on the screen that can also respond to touch input. The patent also describes responses to touch input, including both visual and force feedback cues, and it offers a whole range of possible applications beyond the independent claims, including an aircraft cockpit or vehicle display. Those independent claims are clearly focused on general computer interfaces, though, not specific implementations. Naturally, all of this has simply been revealed by the USPTO -- we wouldn't expect to hear anything from Apple or Mr. Pryor on the terms of the deal.
Microsoft delves into Windows 8 touchscreen keyboard design, wants us to be extra-comfy
Microsoft has lately become big on touchscreens -- sometimes, really big -- which makes it only natural that the company would want to explore Windows 8's on-screen keyboard in detail. As User Experience team member Kit Knox explains, the company has made an about-face from the days of unceremoniously foisting touch on a desktop OS. Windows 8's keyboard is not only optimized for fingers, but accommodates the little subtleties that others might miss, like the typical postures for tablet use and our tendencies to frequently hit certain wrong keys. The crew at Redmond ultimately hopes to bring out all the advantages of touchscreen keyboards while reminding us of some creature comforts from old-fashioned physical buttons. The surest way to understand Microsoft's keyboard research will likely be to pick up a Surface tablet this fall, but those of us who can't wait to put fingers on real glass can hop over to Knox's all-encompassing overview at the source link.
Kobo updates Touch eReader software and Desktop app, heads to Italy this fall
Kobo's clearly been focused on important stuff like being bought by Rakuten and launching in Japan as of late, but the e-reader manufacturer's got a few bits to announce this week. At the top of the list is a software upgrade for its neglected Touch eReader, which brings a new wish list feature, so you can set aside titles for future purchase. A newly redesigned home screen promises to streamline things a bit and the Bookshelf feature has gotten a bit more customizable, letting you organize selections by genre, author and interest. The Kobo Desktop app, meanwhile, has gotten some tweaks to its profile quiz, to better help the company recommend books to suit your taste. The company also announced that it'll be bringing the Touch eReader to Italy, courtesy of the Mondadori Group. At launch, 30,000 titles will be available in Italian. Italian e-reading enthusiasts will be able to snap up the Nook / Kindle competitor for €99 in the fall.
Wacom outs the Cintiq 24HD touch, adds multi-touch controls and more to its largest pen display
Hot off the heels of the more modest Wacom Cintiq 22HD's introduction, the outfit has announced a new version of its 24HD pen display as well. Labeled the 24HD touch, the upcoming offering adds multi-touch functionality to the company's 24-inch input device -- just as the name would suggest. The added features don't stop there. A touch-enabled 24HD also touts an improved display that shows 1.07 billion colors while covering 97% of Adobe's RGB gamut and implementing RGB backlighting that improves on-screen color rendition. Similar to the sans-touch offering, you can expect to utilize Express Keys and Touch Rings to customize your workflow for maximum efficiency in addition to the touchscreen. When the 24HD touch hits shelves, it'll play nice with upcoming Windows 8 operating system. In order to customize those pricey multi-touch commands, though, you'll need the requisite software. If you splurged for the regular ol' 24HD, we can understand your frustration. However, Wacom says that it intended for the touch model to be released at the same time as the pen-only version, but the development took a bit longer than anticipated. Part of the reason for the delay was the extra time needed to perfect features like palm rejection in the kit's software. The peripheral company also hopes that software developers will take the gesture tech and create features that will showcase its full range of potential -- your move, Adobe. Itchin' to snag one already? Well, you'll have to wait until sometime in August to get your hands on this model and be prepared to shell out $3699 for the pen display ($1100 more than the previous release). Need a bit more info before emptying your savings account? Hit the PR button for all the particulars or take closer look in the gallery below. %Gallery-159996%
