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Fingers-on with Synaptics' ThinTouch keyboard for Ultrabooks (video)
If you recall, Synaptics is looking to branch out from touchscreens and touchpads and break into a another kind of navigation device: keyboards. The company announced several months ago that it was working on the so-called ThinTouch keyboard, whose slim profile might make it an ideal fit for Ultrabooks and other lightweight laptops. Back when it was first announced, we got to play with small wooden tiles, each of which had a single key affixed to it. More than anything, the idea was to demonstrate the unique key design, in which the buttons move diagonally, as opposed to up and down. That was an interesting exercise, but it obviously wasn't the same as typing away on a full QWERTY layout. Here at CES, though, we finally got our chance to do just that: the company is demoing a full-sized keyboard, which has been retrofitted into an older Lenovo laptop. Follow past the break for some impressions, a demo video and a quick recap of the various features it'll have once it's actually ready for prime time. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Nokia Lumia screens tout Synaptics tech for gloves-on use, 920 adds outdoor-friendly brightness
Everyone who regularly deals with cold winters knows the pain of using a smartphone in January -- you're usually forced to take your gloves off and risk frostbite if that call just can't wait. Nokia's new Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 phones bring in a Synaptics ClearPad Series 3 sensor whose responsiveness will keep those hands toasty. Super Sensitive Touch, as Nokia calls it, lets the capacitive surface react to more than just direct skin contact: it can recognize input through gloves, as well as from those with long fingernails. You'll want to spring for the Lumia 920 if you envision updating Twitter during a sunny skiing trip, however. On top of that extra-large 1,280 x 768 resolution, the 920's PureMotion HD+ display is reportedly about 25 percent brighter than its next-best rival. We're looking forward to a real field test -- not to mention preserving all the feeling in our fingers.
Synaptics spills more details on ForcePad, a pressure-sensitive trackpad coming to laptops in 2013
We spend an awful lot of time in laptop reviews railing against modern trackpads -- you know, the ones that mistake left clicks for right ones, or have a really stiff button mechanism. Well, it looks like relief might be on the way. Synaptics (easily the largest touchpad maker of 'em all) just spilled more details on ForcePad, a pressure-sensitive pad that responds differently depending on how much you bear down with your fingers. Before we get into possible use cases, though, it's important to clarify this: there is no mechanical touch button, meaning those stiff hinges we've been complaining about should be moot. Rather, if you want to "left click" or "right click" you'll need to push against the pad with your finger. When you do this, you'll get the littlest bit of tactile feedback, along with a sound effect. (You can turn those off.) All told, the pad responds to up to 1,000 grams of pressure, and recognizes 64 different levels of sensitivity. As you can imagine, this feature is likely to come in handy with drawing apps, but Synaptics also imagines it being used in gaming. With scrolling, too, you can page through documents quickly or slowly, depending on how hard you press the trackpad. Additionally, the pad recognizes up to five fingers at once, and can tell when you're applying more pressure with one finger than another. For now, Synaptics won't name any future products that will use this technology, so don't put any stock in that Lenovo machine used in the first demo video below -- it's just a U300s retrofitted with a ForcePad. But, a company rep did say we'd start seeing ForcePad-enabled laptops at CES in January, so expect lots of notebook news then.%Gallery-162613%
Synaptics enters the keyboard market, announces the ThinTouch keyboard aimed at Ultrabooks
More likely than not, when you think of Synaptics you think of its touchpads. Or maybe, if you're a mobile aficionado, you know it for its touchscreens, used in phones like the HTC One X and Sony Xperia P. Now, though, the company is about to start making another kind of tactile product: keyboards. That thing you see up there is ThinTouch, a keyboard Synaptics will supply to PC makers looking for ways to make their Ultrabooks even thinner. Indeed, the keyboard is said to be up to 50 percent thinner than its competitors, and Synaptics' big pitch to OEMs is that a thinner keyboard allows for slimmer PCs, with room for larger batteries (now that we need). The company is also promising stronger backlighting, since the keys sit close to the substrate and there aren't rubber domes blocking the light source. Lastly, there's a capacitive sensor underneath the keyboard, allowing the laptop's touchpad to be disabled automatically while you're typing. (Naturally, this works best if the trackpad is also made by Synaptics.) The company is also developing a feature in which the space bar could be a touch sensor in and of itself, with support for functions like autocomplete. Perhaps our biggest question is how much travel these keys will have -- after all, the last thing anyone needs is another shallow Ultrabook keyboard. Synaptics reps told us the company isn't yet ready to share such technical details, though we did get to compare Synaptics' keys with its competitors (see the image after the break). At first blush, it seemed just as flat, but not flatter, but we'll reserve full judgement until we can use the keyboard for an extended period of time. Also no word on which PC makers will take a chance on the ThinTouch, but Synaptics says the keyboard will start shipping sometime in 2013.%Gallery-162624%
Synaptics Clearpad 7300 multitouch display hands-on (Video)
Synaptics is a touchscreen-interface company that has around 30 customers, but since that list includes the top 15 smartphone makers and the top 15 tablet manufacturers, it does okay for itself. The company rented a quiet booth at the back of CES to show off its impressive new ten-finger touchscreen tech. The Clearpad 7300 is a significantly smaller unit: to demonstrate the company pulled apart a HP touchpad and swapped out the 15-chip daughter board with a single chip -- still recognizing ten inputs at a refresh rate of 100Hz. The company also had a Windows 8 demo unit (it's partnered with Redmond) that allows five-finger touch. It'll allow you to depress a software shift key without toggling and play piano with five fingers at once. We also saw a calibration unit just acting on a piece of glass (held mid-air) that could still register ten interactions. The technology will be arriving towards the end of the year and will be an integral part of all the Windows 8 tablet launch. Head on past the break to see us take the unit for a ride. Sean Buckley 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.
Synaptics shows conceptual trackpad interface with Windows 8, better make it a reality (video)
It's pretty obvious from Microsoft's outing of Windows 8 that touch is going to be a real focal point, but on machines that lack a touchscreen, it'll be the trackpad pulling weight. Synaptics, a famed touchpad maker, has just outed a new concept video demonstrating how its products will eventually -- in theory, anyway -- interact with Microsoft's forthcoming desktop OS. We've made no bones about the fact that most Windows-based laptops could use a serious lesson in trackpad awesomeness, and while there's no way to know for sure that the latest Series 7 ClearPad and ClickPad solutions will feel like they need to, the video hosted up after the break sure gives us reason to be optimistic.
Details of Samsung's 'Alex' Chrome OS netbook leaked, Atom N550 in tow
As we approach the expected mid-2011 launch for a few Chrome OS devices, it seems inevitable that some details are bound to slip out ahead of time -- here's looking at you, Acer ZGB and Seaboard. The latest victim outed by a Chromium bug report is the Samsung "Alex," which sports a 1280 x 800 display (probably at 10 inches as previously rumored; like the mockup above), 1.5GHz dual-core Atom N550, SanDisk SSD P4 of unknown capacity, and 2GB RAM. Also listed are a Qualcomm Gobi 2000 3G card, Bluetooth, WiFi, webcam, and a Synaptics touchpad. Well, not long to go now -- perhaps the Alex might even make a cheeky appearance at Google I/O in two weeks' time? Screenshot of the bug report after the break. [Thanks, Marco]
New Chrome OS update finally fixes the Cr-48's touchpad issues
Google's Chrome OS, and thus the Cr-48, has seen a lot of updates and big fixes since we took a hard look at it back in December, but the wonky touchpad, which we seriously struggled with, hasn't exactly seen much love. That is, until today. The most recent Chrome OS update, which now brings it to version 0.10.156.46, includes new "trackpad and sensitivity settings," and it definitely makes a world of difference. We updated ours just a couple of moments ago and lots of the issues -- namely the jumpy cursor and the flaky scrolling -- have been mended. Thanks to the fresh software, we had a much easier time highlighting text and scrolling down the length of this very website. That said, the touchpad still isn't as responsive as what you get with Apple's MacBooks or Synaptics ClickPad Series 3, and that's because the physical hardware is based on Synaptics' older generation profile sensing technology rather than its newer image sensing panel. Either way, the new software update makes the Cr-48 a lot less frustrating to navigate. Google's also rolled in some new power optimizations, screen indicators, and GChat improvements -- go on and try it out for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments.
Synaptics ClearPad 3250 capacitive touchscreen hands-on (video)
In the grand scheme of things, one millimeter may not seem like a lot, but in the smartphone arms race toward ever-slimmer devices, measurements like that matter. Synaptics, best known for building laptop touchpads, has ventured into the capacitive touchscreen realm with a new panel that promises to save exactly that much space: 1mm. But that's only the start. You see, the thinner display profile is the result of Synaptics melding the touch-sensing layer and the display into one, using what it calls in-cell technology, with the result being something roughly comparable to Samsung's Super AMOLED implementation. The benefit of going with Synaptics, however, is that the company's tech is compatible with all display types, meaning that everything from garden variety LCDs to high-density IPS panels can be infused with a bit of touch sensitivity. Additional benefits include extra brightness, as there is one fewer layer for light to get through, and significantly higher sensitivity than on most current generation touch panels. You can see a pretty compelling demo of that on video just past the break. The ClearPad 3250 should find its way to shipping devices over the next nine months, with its current iteration capable of being fitted to screens up to five inches in size and a subsequent model scaling all the way out to eight inches. %Gallery-116638%
The Windows PC ClickPad finally improved? Synaptics ClickPad IS Series 3 preview
You'll find a common complaint throughout most of our Windows laptop / netbook reviews. Nope, it doesn't have to do with CPU performance, boot times, or graphics prowess; it revolves around touchpads, and notably those that have integrated buttons within the pad itself – what have come to be known as ClickPads. While we usually point fingers (oh yes, pun intended!) at the laptop manufacturers responsible for choosing the wonky pads (eh hem, HP and Dell), Synaptics – the maker of those ClickPads – is the one behind the technology. Aware of the finicky multitouch gestures and jumping cursors, Synaptics has been hard at work on its next generation ClickPad IS Series 3, which will be hitting laptops sometime early next year. So, will the new image sensing and ClickEQ technology that's been baked into the new pads finally solve all our complaints and let us put away the laptop mice? Hit the break to find out. %Gallery-107778%
Synaptics shows off multitouch screens for multitouch tablets up to 10.1-inches
If there's one thing the world needs it's a few more tablets, tablets with fancy multitouch screens, and that's exactly what Synaptics is helping to spread. The company has announced a suite of touchscreens called the ClearPad 7200 series in sizes up to 10.1-inches, each offering the 10-point multitouch capacitive juju we've come to expect from the company. All support Windows 7 as well as Android and other Linux-based OSes, meaning they could start showing up all over the place. Speaking of, the screens appear to be available to OEMs nowish ahead of products using them coming to retail by the end of the year. No word on cost, but if you were looking to buy a couple-hundred thousand of them Synaptics would surely be happy to make you a deal.
Synaptics intros ClickEQ, multi-finger TouchPad-IS trackpad solutions
Synaptics has been a serious roll of late, first introducing those luscious multitouch gestures to older trackpads, and last month extending its Gesture Suite to Linux and Chrome OS. Here at Computex, the company is expanding its TouchPad family of solutions, with the multi-finger PC TouchPad-IS range seeing the first update. Aside from being able to recognize four-finger gestures, the new platform prevents accidental activation of the cursor when a user's palm unintentionally contacts the TouchPad, and it also brings the aforementioned multi-finger capabilities of a touchscreen right onto a PC's trackpad. Next up is the new ClickEQ, which is hailed as the "industry's first hinge-less uniform force, uniform click depth ClickPad mechanical design." As you'd expect, this feels an awful lot like the glass trackpad that Apple's freshest MacBooks have, but you won't find us kvetching about getting a similar technology onto run-of-the-mill laptops and netbooks. Moving on, the company is also introducing new OEM customization capabilities for Synaptics gesture workflow technology, Scrybe, which will allow users to store specific trackpad settings and references so the whole family can control the laptop their own way. Sadly, there's no published ship date for any of these whiz-bang contraptions, but we're cautiously hoping to see it implemented in at least prototype form as we scour the show floor.
Synaptics extends multitouch Gesture Suite to Linux, Chrome OS included
Well, it had to happen at some point. After eons of watching Mac OS and Windows users swiping away nonchalantly on their touchpads, Linux laptop buyers can now also join the multitouch fray. Synaptics has announced official Gesture Suite support for a wide range of Linux-based OS flavors -- Fedora, Ubuntu, RedFlag, SuSE, and Xandros get name-dropped, while future support for Chrome OS is promised -- which will all benefit from its set of multi-fingered touch and swipe responses. The infamous pinch-to-zoom is quite naturally included in the Suite, which will come bundled with new installations of those operating systems. We're not seeing any mention of a downloadable update as yet, but we imagine that'll be corrected in due course, whether by the company itself or the resourceful Linux community. Full PR after the break.
Synaptics driver enables multitouch gestures on older trackpads
Haven't updated your laptop's trackpad driver lately? Then you may well want to consider doing so, at least if your laptop is equipped with a Synaptics trackpad. As a user on the Hardware Zone forums discovered, the latest Synaptics driver seems to enable multitouch gestures on older laptops that didn't previously support them, including two-finger scrolling, and three-finger click. What's more, while the drivers themselves come from HP, they should work just fine on other laptops with a Synaptics trackpad. Hit up the link below to try it out for yourself.
Synaptics Fuse concept hands-on
Good news and bad news: the good news is that we got to look at Synaptics' Fuse concept phone, which pairs capacitive touch overload with tilt sensing, squeeze sensing and a fair bit of haptics. The bad news is that Synaptics is holding off on showing the actual UI until MWC in February. So for now we've got a working prototype that demonstrates that the sensors really do work. It's an abstract affair, involving the formation of little 3D spheres that roll around on the screen and can be tweaked, pushed and generally confused by the various input methods. Everything works great, with wonderful touch sensitivity on the back of the "phone" being one of our favorite elements we'd like to see in more devices. One thing that became clear while playing with the phone is that while it's targeted at improving one-handed operation, it's actually impossible to actuate all the various sensors simultaneously with one hand, which we suppose Synaptics should see as a mark of distinction. Check out a couple videos of the demo in action after the break. %Gallery-82499%
Nexus One teardown reveals 802.11n WiFi and FM transmitter
We've already told you everything you need to know about the Nexus One. Still, you might be curious to see Google's self-proclaimed "superphone" splayed wide to reveal a Samsung-branded OLED display, Qualcomm QSD8250 "Snapdragon" 1 GHz ARM processor, and Synaptics touchscreen controller. Of interest is a Broadcom chip labeled Broadcom BCM4329EKUBG. Why? Well, the BCM4329 (albeit, without the "EKUBG" qualifier) is capable of 802.11n (HTC only lists 802.11b/g) WiFi in addition to FM transmitter and receiver. Bet you didn't know that? Picture of the Broadcom chip after the break. Update: Just noticed that Google does list 802.11n on the specs page although HTC does not.
Scrybe from Synaptics brings new life to your tired touchpad
Did your laptop maker not see fit to include any jazzy gesture support into your touchpad? Did you buy early and miss out on the multitouch revolution? Synaptics wants to fill the gap for those portables (and suitably-equipped desktops) with its Scrybe software. It augments Windows' existing touch functionality to add context-specific gestures and motions, and while jog-dial control for media has us most excited, you'll also be able to edit photos, look up word definitions, and plenty more -- even if you don't have a 10-finger capable device. The plan is for the company to make partnerships with various manufacturers so that this software becomes standard issue stuff, but you can get a taste of it today thanks to a roughly 10MB beta preview downloadable now at the read link. Do let us know what you think.
Second Fuse UI video shows wild, dynamically lit 3D interface
We only got the briefest of glimpses at the new UI approach in Synaptics' collaborative Fuse concept handset, and now TAT (The Astonishing Tribe, the folks behind the original Android UI), has posted a brief clip that gives a better idea of the full UI. It's pretty wild, with some sort of rendering engine that really emphasizes depth, lighting and motion. We're not sure it's the most usable UI on the planet, but it's certainly one of the oddest we've witnessed. Check it out in motion after the break.
Synaptics Fuse concept handset puts a new squeeze on touchphone interaction
In case you weren't aware, Synaptics dabbled in the touchscreen handset game way back in 2006 with the Onyx concept, before phones like the LG Prada and Apple's iPhone came along and proved the idea so convincingly. However, Synaptics thinks innovation has stagnated since, and has girded itself once again to attempt another trend-setting concept. This one's a bit more wild: the "Fuse" involves contributions from Alloy, TAT, Immersion and Texas Instruments, and includes squeeze, tilt and haptic interaction. The big idea is to approach single-handed and no-look operation on a touchscreen handset, no small feat to be sure. The result is a pure kitchen sink of sensors, including a touchpad on the back of the phone, touch and pressure sensitive strips along both sides of the phones, dual haptic feedback motors, a 3-axis accelerometer and of course a new-generation Synaptics touchscreen in front. The TI OMAP 3630 processor powers the TAT Cascades 3D UI Engine which attempts to contextualize UI interaction with perspective tilts and fancy motion, and the haptics feeds back to let you know where your finger is on the screen -- an attempt to emulate feeling out the correct nub for keypad orientation on a button phone. We'll have to play with it to find out if Synaptics is really on to something, but even if the Fuse isn't the next best thing, we could certainly see somebody using some of these sensors to improve existing handset interaction. Check out a quick video after the break.