touchpad
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GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand
Otherwise content users of Boxee or Hulu on the big screen in the living room, the tyranny of the keyboard and mouse may finally be over! GlideTV Navigator is a palm-sized remote control that features a trackpad and backlit AV buttons, just the thing to further enable your YouTube addiction beyond the confines of your computer nook. Works with Windows XP or Vista (we're assuming there's a Windows 7 version on tap as well), Mac OS X, and the Sony PS3, and the package includes a charging cradle and USB receiver. Sadly, the on-screen keyboard and integrated search apps are Windows only for the time being. Look to spend about $149 -- but not before peeping the gallery below.%Gallery-75429%
Elecom's USB numeric touch keypad does touch gestures on the side
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]
Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet found at Best Buy, unboxed on video
Need even more proof the Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet is real? Apparently cued by one of our posts (or so he says), "weaksaucetwelve" ran out to his local Best Buy and picked up the device for the previously-heard price of $69 plus tax, and then proceeded to take it home and unbox it on camera. From his experience so far, it only seems to support up to two fingers at a time with OS X Leopard, but otherwise it works great. Video after the break.
TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably
It may not seem like much from this video, but Malmö University graduate student Rob Nero has assembled himself a surface-based touchpad using all Arduino products and "simple Algebra." Dubbed TRKBRD, the device uses hyper-fast flashing LEDs and IR sensors to calculate the XY coordinates of the shadow, and subsequently the finger itself. We haven't seen it hooked up to a computer just yet, but we hope there's more to come. Videos of the successful trial run and some preliminary testing and wiring after the break. [Via Make: Online]
Video: Arduino-powered touchpad mimics iPod volume control
We've seen every manner of touchpad -- multitouch, gesture recognition, no touch, LCD trackpads -- if you can think of it, somebody has probably done a version of it. Take this particular one for example, which just might rank below even the touchscreen GBA in terms of practical usefulness -- though, it's not as if utility is a prerequisite of joviality, right? If you've been neglecting that DIY muscle of late, you owe it to yourself to check out the video beyond the break, which shows that a humble touchpad can learn new tricks. Oh, and if you feel extra inspired, the read link contains another video plus the necessary code for making the light show happen. Don't say we never gave you anything. [Via Hack A Day]
Tsera thinks it owns the touchpad, sues pretty much everyone to prove it
Do you have any idea where you head when you'd like to sue everyone on the face of the planet, make yourself look like a Class-A fool and get a mention right here? The Eastern District of Texas (Tyler) District court, that's where. The freshest meshuggeneh to head on down there and start trouble is Tsera, who's claiming that Apple, Microsoft, LG, Philips, Bang & Olufsen, iriver, Coby, Cowon and even Meizu are violating a patent that it owns. Said patent is titled "Methods and apparatus for controlling a portable electronic device using a touchpad," and evidently each of the aforesaid outfits have failed to pay Tsera for using its technology. Before you get all bent out of shape, you should realize that this case -- in all likelihood -- will simply be tossed out or settled away from the courtroom, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Tsera's never gonna be satisfied. Or taken seriously.[Via The Register]
Econo-Keys EK-76-TP portable keyboard packs a touchpad on the flipside
It's not all that easy to make a keyboard that stands out these days, but the folks at Econo-Keys have managed to do just that with their new EK-76-TP model, even if they may not have gotten the whole "usefulness" thing down pat. As you can see above, this one's claim to fame is a trackpad on the underside of the keyboard, which the company says can be "conveniently" used if you flip over the keyboard, or "used from underneath while typing." The keyboard also looks like it'll hold up well to life on the road, with it conforming to IP67 standards for dirt, dust and water resistance, and able to hold up to hospital-grade cleaning agents. Just don't expect it to come cheap, as Econo-Keys is asking $146 for this little wonder.[Via OhGizmo!]
Synaptics shows off new MacBook-style "ClickPad" multitouch trackpads for netbooks
Synaptics has always been quick to pick up the latest innovation in the multitouch space -- whether its own functionality, or something Apple's brewed up. This latest innovation is squarely in the latter category, with new ClickPad trackpads offering that love-it-or-hate-it buttonless design of the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros (pictured). Synaptics is targeting the new pads at netbooks, which many manufacturers have had trouble fitting regular clickers onto. ClickPads work with Synaptic's latest Gesture Suite 9.1, which includes all the regulars, along with three-finger flick and three-finger press, which lets you start up your computer along with up to six predetermined startup apps. SGS 9.1 is also officially Windows 7 ready, and will be available in OEM systems out of the gate.
Artificial Muscle makes touchy devices burlier
In the future we envision artificial muscle driving our cybernetic soldiers and helping to repair our fleshier ones. In the present, though, it seems the tech is starting a little smaller, at least it is in the case of Artificial Muscle (the company), which has developed tech enabling a silicon film to expand or contract when a voltage is applied to it. It's currently being used to create small pumps and linear actuators and the like, and is now is being pitched as a solution for feedback in touch-sensitive devices. The silicon film is thin enough to be inserted beneath a touchpad or touchscreen, moving the surface appropriately depending on what you're stroking on-screen as shown in a video demonstration below. Impressively this tech will only cost "a couple dollars" to add to any given device, meaning even cheap netbooks could start coming with fidgity touchpads soon. Now that is progress.
Filco's SmartTrack Neo multi-touch trackpad gives PCs the 2-fingered salute
It sure took awhile but you're looking at one of, if not the first external USB trackpads with multi-touch gesture support. The $50 (¥4,980) SmartTrack Neo model FTP500UB rocks USB 1.1 and XP / Vista drivers to bring your legacy laptop up to fighting specs with fancy modern rigs. A two-handed mouse the size of a brick -- really, how can you resist?[Via Akihabara News]
Elan demonstrates Smart Remote Controller, the touchpad pair desperately seeking a home
If you have an Eee PC you're probably familiar with the name Elantech and how making multi-touch gestures on the company's tiny touchpads is easier said than done. Looking for a little more room to be creative, Elan has created a prototype it calls the Smart Remote Controller. It's basically two touchpads on a wireless device with a pair of buttons in the middle, able to act as a gamepad, mouse replacement, virtual keyboard, and even a remote control that looks even less intuitive than Logitech's 1100. No word on when or if this will ever see the light of day at retail, but after watching the video below you may or may not be too heartbroken if it never does.
Echostar's new DVR UI kills the number pad, long live the touch pad
At the Echostar press event today the new 922 UI and remote was unveiled and what do you know the number pad was replaced with a touch pad. So now instead of direct dialing a number you select the numbers on the screen (pictured after the jump) with a touch pad which is similar to a touch pad on most laptops. We're not sure how we feel about this, it has promise, but we admit it'll be hard to give up the numbers.
RemoteDroid app turns your G1 into a wireless keyboard and mouse
It's already been done on the iPhone, and it looks like G1 users can now use their handset of choice to control their computer as well. Given the G1's preponderance of input options, this new so-called RemoteDroid app is also quite a bit more capable, with it letting you take advantage of the G1's keypad, and use either the trackball or the touchscreen as a mouse (with a pair of onscreen mouse buttons provided for good measure). Head on past the break for a demo video, and hit up the link below to grab the app for yourself.
Pogo Sketch stylus turns your touchpad into a tablet
We never really knew anyone intrigued by Pogo's iPhone stylus, but the company's newest writin' stick puts that capacitive touch-compatible tech to a way more interesting use -- turning touchpads into large digitizer tablets. That'd be particularly useful for new MacBook owners who're rocking those gigantor buttonless trackpads, but we'll have to see this $15 accessory in action before we say Wacom's got anything to worry about.
Wall-mounted touchpad light switch ends accidental in-home raves
Flipping on a light switch usually doesn't require much in the way of cranial fortitude, but mount three or four of the things in a row and it's Concentration time whenever you try to flick the right one. Japanese graphic designer Mac Funamizu feels your shame, imagining a conceptual wall-mounted touchpad to end the confusion and inadvertent light shows. With his invention you'd simply drag your finger toward the light you want to turn on, do it again to turn it off, or make a circular sweep to illuminate the whole room. It certainly seems a bit more useful than other switches we've covered in the past, but until we see a version that will register our gestures from the couch we'll stick with our Clappers, thank you very much. Update: Taku commented to point out a strangely similar though seemingly completely unrelated prototype from London-based designer Edward Horsford. It offers the same functionality plus adds ridges.[Via Engadget German]
Alps Electric's "non-contact touchpad" needs no touch
When looking to dazzle your friends with humorous examples of oxymorons, make sure you insert Alps Electric's new "Non-Contact Touchpad" right after "military intelligence" and before "jumbo shrimp" (that last one always gets 'em laughing). Alps' prototype (shown without the hand model after the break) breaks linguistic and laptop convention by letting you control your machine with fingers waving about an inch above it. Right now it seems to have limited precision, with one sensor on either side of a rather more traditional pad picking up digits as they move from left to right or in a circle. So, touch-free retouching of images in Photoshop isn't quite possible yet, but with a few years of refinements anything is possible.
Dell replacing XPS touchpad with touchscreen... or someone, somewhere owns Photoshop
There are two kinds of Dell rumors: sure things, and ones that aren't sure things. This one falls in the latter camp, so proceed with caution. We've got a tipster who says a friend of his from Dell handed him this shot of what is purportedly a new XPS M1330 / M1530 design. As you can see, pretty much the same old fare... but what's this? A large glossy touchpad? Here's our hunch: Dell is tired of drawing inspiration from Apple after the fact, and decided to turn the tables by capitalizing on one of the most persistent (and outlandish) Apple rumors in existence. A good capacitive touchscreen for the trackpad on a laptop would undoubtedly be a blast if it was done right, with the right software support, and at least seems like a good gimmick. Or maybe it'd just be lame. We won't go further than that, this could just as easily be a Photoshop, but we will be keeping an eye out.Update: False alarm, turns out this is just a still from an NVIDIA Tegra demo on YouTube. Thanks, shiv, for pointing this out in comments. Boo, tipster, boo.
MSI Winds said to be shipping without Synaptic touchpads
If the increasing number of posts on the MSIWind.net forums are any indication, it looks like at least some MSI Winds are now shipping out with Sentilic touchpads in place of the more-functional Synaptic ones that have been standard issue until now. Among other things, the Sentilic touchpads don't allow for horizontal and vertical side scrolling (instead offering just corner clicking), and they apparently don't let you turn off the tap-to-click feature, which seems to have caused plenty of frustration among those that have received a Wind from this latest batch. For its part, MSI only seems to be offering an updated driver to anyone that contacts them complaining of problems which, not surprisingly, apparently doesn't do much to improve things.[Thanks, Stephen P]
iPhone as a touchpad
I love this. Reader Jahanzeb sent us a little mini-app he cooked up out of vnsea that turns your Installer.app-enabled iPhone into a touchpad for your PC (and Mac, I assume, though the video above shows Windows). Once you've got the two talking to each other, you can click, double-click, and even drag windows around. Jahanzeb says scrolling is possible, "although it's a little rusty."Telekinesis is still awesome, but this app basically turns your iPhone into a remote for your whole computer. Anything you can do by moving and clicking a mouse around, you can do with this. Very neat. It is too bad that it requires Installer.app, and that it has to be done unofficially, but the official SDK is still (hopefully) just around the corner. I remain amazed at how much programmers like Jahanzeb and the vnsea guys (and anyone else working on the iPhone) are able to do unofficially.
Touchpad turns your iPhone into a remote trackpad
Just when you think you've seen the iPhone perform its last magic trick (making you eggs benedict, solving the inverse Galois problem, a brief appearance on Dancing With the Stars) something like this comes along to make your jaw drop just a little bit more. Touchpad for the iPhone is built on top of VNsea, but instead of allowing you to navigate your desktop on the device, it becomes what is essentially a wireless, remote trackpad, which gives you direct access to your system as if you were using a mouse or touch device for input. It sounds interesting in description, but looks amazing in execution -- check the video after the break to see what it does, then go get the app loaded up and try it yourself.
