vibetonz
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Trio of 'thin touchscreen phones' inbound for Nokia later this year?
One look at the N97 will tell you that Nokia intends to take this whole touch thing pretty seriously, and considering that we're talking about the largest handset maker in the world here, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that they've got new touch models in the pipe; the volume and style of those new models, though, might be a little shocking. TheStreet.com is reporting "people familiar with the plan" as saying that Espoo will launch up to three different thin touch-enabled models by this fall using the VibeTonz tech it licensed from Immersion back in the day, suggesting that the company's more traditional non-touch S60 devices might have to start to share the spotlight equally with touchier brethren. VibeTonz should give Nokia plenty of options for tailoring haptic feedback based on user interaction, but here's our question: what the hell ever happened to Haptikos? [Via Unwired View]
Immersion ready to get haptic technology into Android phones
Immersion's no stranger to bringing haptic feedback to cellphones, and if it has its way, it'll be on an Android-powered cellie in the very near future. The developer and licensor of touch feedback technology has proudly (very proudly, in fact) announced that its touch tech is now available for implementation in Android phones. Few details are spilled to the general populace, but we are informed that makers of Android handsets can "now easily add haptics to dramatically improve the mobile user experience." Of course, the back end of that statement is totally subjective, but don't blame these guys if your next Android phone doesn't buzz with each button press.
Nokia licenses Immersion's VibeTonz haptic goodness
Immersion hopes we're creatures of mobile haptics, as the company has licensed its VibeTonz whole-mobile haptic engagement software platform to Nokia. VibeTonz, already licensed to Samsung and included in the SCH-W559 from Verizon Wireless (and many more Samsung handsets), slaps multi-stage vibrating haptics into mobile games, ringtones, menu systems and more. Immersion calls it a "multisensory experience," which we find to be an accurate description. With Nokia onboard, we would not be surprised to see the cellphone sales leader start touting VibeTonz as a "must have" feature in its newer handset models. After all, no retrofit is needed -- VibeTonz is basically software control over vibrating motors only (no extra hardware required).[via MobileTechNews]
F-Origin's HaptiTouch 2.0: MyOrigo returns!
Step asside Immersion, you're not the only ones offering haptic technology for mobile devices. From the ashes of MyOrigo's assets comes F-Origin's HaptiTouch 2.0 force-sensing technology. Pressure sensors measure your push on the screen to cause a "pinpointed vibration" directly below your finger. In contrast, Immersion uses resistive technology which measures the changes in electrical current as your grubby finger smudges across the display. See, as good as they look, the problem with the latest round of button-less, touchscreen handsets is the lack of that good ol' fashioned haptic feedback. Something you'll surely miss while tapping away on a zero-feedback, touchscreen keyboard. Immersion's VibeTonz tech can already be found in Samsung's SCH-W559 phone loosed in China. With any luck, F-origin will be licensing their newly acquired technology to manufacturers such as Siemens who will "likely" be first to market with product before the year is up. Check the 2003 MyOrigo Mydevice with 2007 F-Origin corporate voice over (and complimentary audio cheese) after the break. [Via Wired Gadget Lab]
Samsung SCH-W559 touts vibrating VibeTonz touchscreen
Although Immersion's VibeTonz technology has been integrated into various Samsung handsets in the past, the shakin' technology was previously limited to ring tone and gaming enhancements. Today, however, Samsung is launching the keypad-less SCH-W559, which is the self-proclaimed "world's first" handset to utilize the VibeTonz system as a means of tactile feedback. The unit's QVGA touchscreen is meant to be a hands-on experience, and whether you use a stylus or the tips of your finger, the phone will provide a vibrating cue, which can be adjusted and customized within the phone's software, whenever you touch a virtual button. Immersion claims that its technology allows the on-screen buttons to feel more like "mechanical keys" rather than just a sheet of plastic. The device will be launching solely on China Unicom initially, will support both CDMA / GSM networks, and will feature a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, handwriting recognition capability, and audio / video playback functions to boot. Of course, users will be able to pimp out their ringtones with integrated buzzing, and while we're not sure how much Samsung plans on charging for the rumbler, we can't wait for it to start shaking things up here on American soil.[Thanks, Peter S.]
