capacitive
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DIY touchscreen gloves are as simple as a few stitches
Sure you could buy any number of capacitive touchscreen-friendly gloves available these days (like the Dots iPhone gloves we tried on last winter) -- but what if you're looking for something a little warmer or more stylish? Then you might want consider a DIY pair, which turn out to be far easier to make then you might think. As Instructables member Grathio has helpfully laid out, all you need is the pair of gloves of your choice, a needle, and a magical material known as conductive thread (used in all sorts of wearable electronics), which you simply sew into as many fingertips as you like. Ready to get started? All the details you need are at the link below.
Nokia offers sneak peek at improved 2010 Symbian user interface
You know that new Symbian user experience promised by Nokia for next year? Want a sneak peak? Although Nokia's downloadable slide-deck from its Capital Market Day event leaves out all the new UI visuals, fortunately the webcast has 'em all. And if we're not mistaken then that's a wall-to-wall capacitive multitouch slate up there from Nokia's conceptual studios. As Nokia tells it, the Symbian OS is not the problem, the UI is -- and we agree. In 2010 new hardware and tweaked software will reduce Symbian's clutter, add multitouch input on "large capacitive displays," minimize steps to request functions (2-taps to get to favorite music or video instead of 8, create an email account in 2 steps, not 4), significantly improve the browser experience, and make the entire UI 3 times faster than current high-end Symbian products while taking scrolling to 60fps (up from 15fps used today). Notably, Nokia will remove more than 350 user prompts that make using Symbian so frustrating today. The user experience promises to be so good that Nokia CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, calls it "magical." Us? Sweet, but it's only slideware for now. Watch the rousing video after the break. Update: We added a link to the 51MB PDF containing all the presentations. Bonus points for spotting our quote about the N900. [Thanks, Pasi] %Gallery-79463%
Nokia asks own blog readers what their favorite part of the X6 is, gets funny answer
It's odd, because we were under the impression that Nokia was doing just fine shunning capacitive touch all these years, but apparently one in three readers of Nokia Conversations find the capacitive touchscreen to be the number one feature of the new X6 handset. Sure, Nokia uses some of the greatest resistive screens in the business, but we've always maintained that capacitive is simply the best when it comes to a finger-based touchscreen interface, and hopefully the Nokia X6 can usher in a new era of peace, understanding and higher-than-average WPM scores for all mankind. Oh, and perhaps some proper it's / its differentiation.
HTC HD2 capacitive stylus just around the bend?
Ah, ha! Remember that curious patent application that popped up from HTC back in mid-August? You know, the one dealing specifically with a "capacitive stylus?" If UK e-tailer Clove is to be believed, one of those very devices will soon be shipping for the wide-faced HD2, though little else about the product is known. In fact, we're told that "price, specification and availability" are still being confirmed, although a preliminary asking price of £15 ($25) is posted. So, anyone already getting hot and bothered just waiting for this, or what?
Nokia X6 Comes with Music and capacitive touchscreen: shipping now
What are you thankful for today? If you live in Finland or the UK and pre-ordered a X6 then you might be obliged to Nokia for having just set your new handset free. That's right pilgrims, Nokia's new flagship Comes with Music handset is now shipping. The X6 you'll recall, introduces S60 5th to a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen riding 32GB of storage, a 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, TV-out, and tweaked homescreen with a media/social-centric layout. The X6 lists for €450 (pre-tax and pre-carrier subsidies) -- a price that ultimately includes the cost of Nokia's struggling "all-you-can-eat" music service. Perhaps this is the device that finally gives the service legs? Maybe, but we'd start by following through on plans to strip the DRM.
Dell Mini 3i unboxed in China, capacitive stylus included
One lucky Chinese blogger was kind enough to share his Dell Mini 3i unboxing experience beyond the Great Firewall, just a tad before Dell officially announced their first-ever smartphone. What's interesting is that the China Mobile version comes with a special stylus for the capacitive touchscreen -- a very handy tool for writing Chinese -- but there's been no mention of this accessory for the Brazilian 3iX. Dell's also bundled a 3.5mm adapter for the mini-USB port in case their handsfree isn't good enough for your audiophilic ears. Yeah, too bad about the missing headphone jack, but don't let this deter you from checking out the Mini 3i's full glory after the break.
Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones
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-75958%
ASUS retools Eee Keyboard, swaps in capacitive touchscreen
At this point, we're beginning to wonder if we'll ever see ASUS' Eee Keyboard on store shelves. Heck, we've even see it drop by the all-knowing FCC, yet the company has apparently delayed the official debut once more. The kids over at Register Hardware were able to sit down with a tweaked version of the device, which is now slated to ship in early 2010. What's different? ASUS threw out the old resistive touchscreen that we'd played with before and swapped in a capacitive panel like the one in SE's XPERIA X10, Apple's iPhone and Nokia's X6. Engineers assert that touch response was far better with capacitive, and at least in this application, it simply made more sense. We're also given a good look at the external WiFi / UWB antenna that we spotted in the aforesaid FCC filing, which is being used over a sleek internal option due to possible interference from the metallic enclosure. Other than that, most everything else has remained the same, though we are told that a non-metallic iteration is in the works for those who hate awesome things.
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announced, we go hands-on
The first Android device from Sony Ericsson may have undergone an upgrade in the naming department, jumping from X3 all the way to XPERIA X10 (probably to avoid confusion with Nokia's X3 handset), but what lies under the hood is reassuringly in line with what we've been hearing. That is to say, a 1GHz Snapdragon chip from Qualcomm, wide 4-inch capacitive touch display, 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash, and a thoroughly tricked out Android skin named Rachael. Sony Ericsson stressed to us the symbiotic importance of both the new flagship device and "open OS" UI -- the X10 was presented as the patriarch of a whole new family of handsets, which we can expect to see in the first half of 2010, all sporting the beauty of Rachael and perhaps helping to bridge the gap between featurephones and, well, more advanced featurephones. So don't be shy, come along past the break to see our uncensored first impressions of both, along with hands-on video and pictures. %Gallery-77045%
Nokia patent app reveals dreams of pressure-sensitive multitouch interface
Nokia's no stranger to the patent application process here in the United States, and while we've certainly seen some strange ones emanating from its R&D labs, this one looks like something that should be implemented on the double. Explained as a "user interface for controlling an electronic device," the multitouch solution would essentially allow you to pinch, zoom and rotate objects as usual, but it would also employ an array of pressure sensors in order to give your motions a sense of severity. If executed properly, one could theoretically envision the use of a strong push to simulate a double tap (for example), or as a means to activate a secondary function that generally requires another button press or the use of a 'Function' key. Hit the read link for all the mumbo jumbo, but be sure to keep your expectations within check. Or not. [Via UnwiredView]
Dell Streak is a 5-inch Android 2.0 MID, packs 3G and WiFi (video)
Well, hello there! Those Dell MID rumors we've been hearing have finally received vindication in the form of a nice, picture-heavy leak courtesy of some industrious folks in Vietnam. What we know as of now is that there's an 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen display (with multitouch zooming), WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G WWAN connectivity, all riding atop an Android 2.0 (aka, Donut Eclair) install. A dual-LED flash 5 megapixel camera adorns the back, and there's a 1,300mAh battery to power all that goodness. See pics below and a video awaits after the break, where an old friend of ours plays with the jumbo smartphone. [Via SlashGear; Thanks, Nicky N.] %Gallery-76104%
LG BL40 review
You know the deal by now: we grab a slab of fresh new hardware, fiddle, play, and tinker with it until exhaustion or boredom is reached, then wax poetic about the whole experience, with a side serving of pictures and videos thrown in. Today's candidate for a grilling is LG's BL40, which is now available in Europe. You'll be familiar with it already from our hands-on look last month, but do join us past the break where we explore what's under the glossy hood in more detail, and give you a definitive answer on just how useful that elongated screen really is. %Gallery-75858%
Acer Liquid mixes Snapdragon and Android 1.6 'donut' for a movable feast
Hey, what do you know, Acer just kicked out its first Android handset into the mystical kingdom of donuts and Snapdragons. Liquid, a rebranded (and slightly restyled) A1, brings a 800 x 480 WVGA capacitive touchscreen upon which you'll watch Android 1.6 ride that peppy Snapdragon processor. It's presumably tuned to 1GHz (or higher) and not 768MHz as listed on the eXpansys Germany spec-sheet -- a trick that'll make this the fastest Android handset on the planet. Of course, what would Android be without some tweaking? Acer promises a bevy of unique features such as improved power management, a new UI with tight entertainment and web integration, geo-tagging, a "Spinlets" application for access to streaming video and music, and full address book integration with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and other social media houses. Unfortunately, that's all the detail that Acer's willing to spill at the moment; dates, real specs, and prices when we get 'em. [Via ElectricPig and SlashGear]
FLO TV Personal Television gets official: $250 plus a monthly fee you'll never pay
You know, considering just how unappreciated FLO TV's mobile television services are here in the US of A, you'd think the company would do its best to keep the losses at bay. For whatever reason, suits at the outfit have it in mind that the answer to their woes isn't to throw in mobile TV gratis and find revenue streams from other sources, but to produce a dedicated TV that will only appeal to those looking to actually carry more portable devices with them. Brilliant, no? The oft-rumored FLO TV Personal Television finally got official tonight, with an aim to bring live and time-shifted content directly to the 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen for up to five straight hours on a single charge. To its credit, it weighs just 5 ounces and features an integrated kickstand and stereo speakers, but with a $249.99 price tag and a required $8.99 monthly plan (or more, if you're not a fan of locking yourself into an absurd 3-year contract), we can't exactly see this thing selling well. Or at all, really.%Gallery-74877%
Nokia X6 gets set up for FCC testing, torn down for kicks
You've seen what the Nokia X6 looks like in glamorous press shots and some impromptu hands-on snaps to boot. Now it's time for the FCC to have its way with the thing, bringing its special flavor of "celebrity caught at 7:00am without her makeup on" style of photography. The 32GB smartphone sports a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen and is slated to ship sometime before the end of the year for 459 Euros ($650). With FCC certification out of the way, Nokia should have no problem getting this into American pockets before we run out of months.
Video: Hanvon / Hanwang's aluminum-clad tablet does Windows 7 multitouch
You know that tablet we keep waiting for? Well, here's something that looks very much like it, but for the Windows 7 operating system and purported Atom processor inside. This 8.9-inch, two USB port-sporting device can pull off multi-touch pinching and zooming -- albeit with a lag akin to wading through water -- and is outfitted in a rather becoming all-aluminum case. It could make for a pretty desirable movie-playing machine on the go, provided it has the battery prowess for such tasks. Chinese folks will know for sure pretty soon, with the release coming before year's end -- presumably just as soon as the company figures out which westernized version of its name to use. Check out the video after the break.
HTC Leo Windows Mobile 6.5 slate is capacitive? (update: video!)
The Leo is fast becoming HTC's latest worst kept secret. Pics and video are popping up everywhere with the latest set giving a full visual walkthrough of what appears to be TouchFlo 3D 2.6 riding Windows 6.5. Even better, ai.rs blog claims that Leo is indeed capacitive -- something strongly suggested by the multi-touch video leaked a few days ago -- and not some fancy resistive touchscreen tech. We've got backside action now too, sporting a big "HTCPRO.Three" stamp we presume heralds Pro3 branding whenever this 1GHz Snapdragon handset launches. But man, that 4.3-inch, 800x480 display's looking positively massive next to the 3.2-inch version found on the Touch Diamond2. Check the back after the break.Update: Video showing Leo's very snappy, finger-centric UI added after the break.
Fujitsu gifts LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet with multitouch LCD
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-73133%
iTwinge: the perfectly named iPhone keyboard
Um, where to begin? How about a definition: twinge n. A brief experience of emotion, typically an unpleasant one. Funny, that's the reaction we had when first laying eyes on Mobile Mechatronics' iTwinge iPhone keyboard. At the moment, we're unclear if the iTwinge electronically docks to the base of the iPhone or if it's just a $30 (plus shipping) sleeve with Pogo-like coating for capacitive touchscreens. According to the FAQ, the ultra-low power iTwinge "uses the phones power" but doesn't require any software to work with Apple's iPhone 3G or 3GS handsets. Regardless, after 4 hours of usage an "average user" will increase typing speed by 30% to 40% with 70% to 80% fewer typing errors. Golly! If you pre-order now you can expect shipment in November. So go ahead, we dare ya. Another pic after the break. [Via ChipChick]
Atmel maXTouch technology promises bigger, better capacitive touchscreens
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 releaseRead- maXTouch video and product site
