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Amped Wireless gets into the touchscreen wireless hardware game
Amped Wireless, as you know, is the plucky outfit that builds WiFi routers designed to cover huge spaces with internet. This time out, however, the company has decided to develop a range extender that, like a few others in its class, comes with a 3.5-inch touchscreen for easy setup. According to Amped, the biggest reason that WiFi gear gets returned is a lack of "user friendliness," because lots of people aren't comfortable plugging in an Ethernet cable and heading over to 192.168.1.1. This way, all a person has to do is follow along with the on-screen instructions and boom, their home network is set up within a matter of minutes. Once you're done, the screen will even display a clock, so at least you'll nave a reason not to cram it into a cupboard.
Microsoft wants its smartphone screens to touch you back
While your fingers are in firmly in control of hand-held devices, they're guided strictly by your eyes -- and Microsoft thinks that's a waste of your sense of touch. Researcher Hong Tan found that using so-called haptics to add tactile sensations to screens can have some concrete benefits. For instance, by adding a keyboard-like "click" feeling to a Surface keyboard cover, one study showed that subjects could type faster and more accurately on it. Other potential uses include enhanced interfaces that let you feel resistance when you move a folder on the screen, or the ability to feel "textures" like rough cloth on a screen.
Modbook will let you convert your Retina MacBook Pro to a tablet for $1,999
Modbook, the company behind those aftermarket Apple tablets, just launched a Kickstarter campaign for its latest product, the Modbook Pro X. After paying a pre-order price of $1,999 today, backers will be able to convert their own Retina MacBook Pros into a tablet beginning early next year. The conversion incorporates the laptop's original hardware, with components shifted from the lower half of the computer to just behind the 15.4-inch 2,880 x 1,800-pixel LCD.
Chrome OS adds pinch-to-zoom for regular users, Pixel owners rejoice
When Google launched the Chromebook Pixel, we weren't really sure what to make of the premium device's touchscreen. Sure, finger-friendly displays were trendy, but Chrome OS just wasn't asking for the technologies: it didn't feature many touch apps, the laptop didn't launch with a gesture update and user's couldn't even pinch-zoom web pages. Now, that's changing -- to go along with more touch-enabled Chromebooks now on sale, the latest update to Chrome OS' stable channel adds a touch-enabled window manager and pinch/zoom webpage scaling. [Image credit: François Beaufort]
New film makes shatterproof phone screens a practical possibility
Sure, the screen on your smartphone is likely scratch-resistant, but it still won't survive a drop to the sidewalk. However, that could all change if University of Akron scientists get their shatterproof touchscreen film into shipping hardware. They've developed transparent electrodes that, when layered on polymer surfaces, are just as transparent as current technology (indium tin oxide) but much more durable. You can bend them over 1,000 times without breaking, and they also hold up against peeling.
Rufus Cuff wants to dominate the wearable market and your forearm
We told you to put on your disappointment pants for the Galaxy Gear 2, but for the Rufus Cuff we suggest rolling up your absurdity sleeves. Seriously, given its three-inch screen you might just have to. This wearable boasts a built-in mic, a camera, a speaker, web browser, voice control, GPS and full access to the Google Play store -- if the Cuff sounds like a smartphone that straps to your wrist, well, that's basically what it is. It connects to your Android or iPhone via Bluetooth for mobile data, making calls and sending texts, but it's running a full version of Google's mobile OS and can hook on to WiFi if you're in a cellular dead-zone or if your phone's battery runs out. While the gizmo doesn't exactly look practical (we're pretty sure that it won't play nice with the cuffs of a slim-cut oxford), as of this writing it's has raised over $150,000 of its $200,000 IndieGoGo goal, with a handful of days to go. If you dig the idea of strapping one of these monstrosities on your wrist, all it takes is a $249 pledge.
Before the iPhone was announced, Android didn't support touchscreen input
Ahead of Apple revealing its first smartphone, Google's plans for Android back in 2006 involved physical keys for control and no touchscreen input support. Revealed in court documents from the ensuing Apple-Samsung legal fray, the early specification says that "the product [Android] was designed with the presence of discrete physical buttons as an assumption. However, there is nothing fundamental in the product's architecture that prevents the support of touchscreen in the future." (The above render is from Google's initial SDK, but by then, touchscreen integration was now part of the official spec.) In this 2006 documentation, many of the Android staples (both in software and hardware) get a mention, including removable storage, third-party application support, widgets, notifications and all those Google services. Between the announcement of the iPhone and finalizing Android's software requirements, touchscreen input was not only supported -- multi-input touch was required, and our phones were never the same again.
Apple engineer explains where the iPhone came from
Offering a rare interview in the run-up to another legal fray between Samsung and Apple, the senior engineer behind the iPhone has explained where it all started, part of Apple's plan to communicate how groundbreaking the original iPhone was. Talking to the WSJ, Greg Christie explained how the secret project, Purple, brought the iPhone to life. At some point, the former Apple boss told him straight: the team had two weeks, or he would assign the project elsewhere. "Steve had pretty much had it... He wanted bigger ideas and bigger concepts." In the end, the "shockingly small" team had outlined a touchscreen phone with swipe-to-unlock, no physical keyboard and all the music-playing features of the company's iPod series. They ran early software tests on a plastic touchscreen, hooked up to a dated desktop Mac [seen above] -- an effort to emulate a low-powered mobile processor.
Toshiba details 4K laptop arriving before summer
Toshiba has just dished most of the important details about its intriguing 4K Satellite P50t that we saw at CES 2014, along with some other new models. Unfortunately, it's left some info hanging -- namely the all-important prices. For the most part, the Satellite 50t model sounds pretty fine, considering the sleek 2.2kg (4.8 pound) weight. There's that exotic 282 pixel per inch 3,840 x 2,160, 15.6-inch touchscreen, driven by 2GB AMD Radeon R9 M265 graphics, for starters (1080p is optional). It's also packing an Intel Core-i7 CPU, 16GB DDR3L RAM, 4 USB 3.0 ports, an SD/SDHC slot, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11ac WiFi and Windows 8.1. Oddly, the otherwise well-spec'd device only features a 1TB mechanical disk option, when it's clearly screaming for SSD speed -- hopefully Toshiba will rectify that prior to release. Availability is listed as sometime in Q2, but again, there's no clue about pricing. Meanwhile, Toshiba's also detailed a few other models after the break.
Pizza Hut's concept touch table lets you swipe your way to a perfect pie (video)
With hundreds of mom and pop shops in the New York area, it's been upwards of a decade since I've stepped foot in a Pizza Hut. But the fast food giant's latest dining concept may just have me reconsidering that self-imposed chain pizzeria embargo. The interactive table, created in partnership with Chaotic Moon Studios, lets you visualize your order as you construct it. Pick your crust, select your sauce and cheese (half or whole), then add toppings like chicken, mushrooms and peppers to your liking. You can even double down on calories by rounding out your meal with a serving of cheese sticks, Spicy Asian wings or Hershey's Chocolate Dunkers. Just keep in mind that after all that touching, your fingers will be coated in varying levels of greasy stranger danger -- be sure to wash your hands before your pie arrives!
Volvo announces new 'human machine interface' and it looks a lot like a tablet (video)
Tesla isn't the only automaker with a tablet-like center console. Volvo's latest "human machine interface" will debut at next week's Geneva Motor Show -- however, it could be a bit simpler than what we've seen from the competition. The screen is divided into tiles, with navigation, media and vehicle info up top and secondary features including phone and climate controls further down. As Volvo tells it, this reduces visual noise, keeps typical controls where you would expect them to be and makes using them while driving safer as a result. Climate control remains the default screen but should you select another function, you'll still have access to it onscreen. In fact this goes for all functions: when another tile is selected, it expands to cover a bigger area, but other controls remain accessible on a smaller scale. The outfit says the tech will arrive in its XC90 crossover SUV this fall.
This liquid can make any glove touchscreen-friendly
It hasn't been all that easy to make your own touchscreen-friendly gloves short of grabbing a needle and some conductive thread. With Tony Yu's upcoming Nanotips, however, it could be as simple as applying touch-up paint. The conductive liquid gives any pair of gloves (and many other surfaces) the same capacitive effect as your own fingers, letting you use your phone no matter what style of handwear you prefer -- you can check email while you're still dressed for a motorcycle ride. If you're intrigued by the idea, you can pledge $22 Canadian ($20 US) to get a bottle of Nanotips Black, which is intended for rubber and other thicker materials. Outside of early bird specials, it costs $30 CAD ($27 US) to get the fabric-oriented Nanotips Blue. Both formulas should reach backers between February and March.
Sharp's latest high-res Windows tablet is an Ultrabook minus the keyboard
Let's see: sporty Intel Core i5 processor and Windows 8.1? Check. Retina-esque 3,200 x 1,800 15.6-inch display? Check. Plus 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD? Of course. If Sharp's RW-16G sounds like the laptop of your dreams, sorry, but it's actually a tablet in the mold of Panasonic's 20-inch, 4K Toughpad or Samsung's new Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. Sharp is keying in on business users for the new slate with a bundled stylus for graphics pros, along with screen sharing to assist during presentations. With the Japanese company's own IGZO screen tech, it'll also outlast everyone's bladders with nine hours of battery life. There's no pricing or availability yet, but so far, it looks destined for the Japanese market only -- if you're stateside, Samsung's aforementioned model or a Surface Pro 2 might have to do.
Adafruit shows how to make your own touchscreen camera using Raspberry Pi (video)
Do you like the idea of building your own digital camera, but want something a little more sophisticated than Ikea's cardboard cam? Adafruit will be happy to help you out. It has posted instructions for making a point-and-shoot using little more than a Raspberry Pi, its matching camera module and Adafruit's PiTFT touchscreen. The resulting device won't rival any modern point-and-shoot for quality, but it's truly usable -- you can even slap on a WiFi adapter to upload shots to Dropbox. Whatever your experience with DIY photography, you'll find everything you need to know at the source link.
Acer's first touchscreen Chromebook arrives next month for $299
If you'd rather get hands-on with your Chromebook work sessions, Acer is looking to lend a hand. The company has outed the C720P: its first touchscreen Chromebook, and the first we've seen outside of Google's own Chromebook Pixel -- something that we've been expecting ever since more touch-enabled features showed up in stable Chrome OS builds. The Google-fied laptop sports an 11.6-inch HD LED display with 1,366 x 768 resolution alongside an Intel Celeron 2955U processor, 32GB SSD and 2GB DDR3 RAM. Weighing in at only 2.98 pounds and measuring 0.78 inch thick, the C720P claims up to 7.5 hours of battery life -- an hour less than its Haswell-powered sibling, the C720. There's both USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, an HDMI jack, SD card slot and two years worth of 100GB Google Drive space for extra storage. Sound too good to pass up? Well, you'll be able to snag one in early December for $299 -- far less than the $1,299 Pixel -- from Amazon, Best Buy and the Acer store.
Chrome OS beta adds touchscreen support for selections, drag and drop (video)
We don't know when Google plans to release another device like its Chromebook Pixel, but Chrome OS support for touchscreens is continuing to improve. A new update in the beta channel brings support for both touch enabled text selection and touch enabled drag and drop on touch based devices. Right now the Pixel is the only Chrome OS laptop that supports it, but who knows what could be around the corner. Google "Happiness Evangelist" François Beaufort noted the new feature in Chrome OS' dev channel a couple of weeks ago and recorded a demonstration video, which you can check out after the break. Otherwise, Chrome OS users living on the not-quite-bleeding-edge can also expect tweaks like an audio source selector in the tray menu, ability to share folders and files from the Files app and an improved UI for the release channel switcher.
Volvo reveals the Concept Coupe, a two-seater 400HP plug-in hybrid
It seems as if all of Volvo's recent efforts have been leading up to the unveiling of the Concept Coupe. The svelte two-seater is a plug-in hybrid, has a touchscreen-based center console and was built on the company's Scalable Product Architecture, which at some point will allow for autonomous driving. According to Volvo, the gas-and-electric engine achieves "around" 400 horsepower out of a 2-liter motor thanks, in part, to the supercharger and turbo mated to it. The prototype two-door also features a touch-display console that's tied into the car's adaptive digital display as well as a heads-up display. The Swedish automaker tells us this new touchscreen is an evolution of what was seen in the Concept You, which only had five physical buttons in the entire cockpit.Volvo attributes the triumphs of the Concept Coupe and its related tech to the efforts of new Senior Vice President of Design Thomas Ingenlath. Not a bad showing for his first year on the job, is it?
Ubi software turns projections into touchscreens with Kinect for Windows
Ubi Interactive, not to be confused with gaming publisher and developer Ubisoft, has released software called Ubi that's capable of turning any projected surface into a touchscreen with help from Microsoft's Kinect for Windows, CNET reported last week. Ubi works with the Windows 8 operating system to evolve projected displays into interactive touchscreens by incorporating Kinect for Windows. Walls, desks, tables -- any portion of a room can be translated into an Angry Birds battlefield so long as it's "visible to the depth sensor camera in the Kinect," Ubi's FAQ states. The basic, single-touch compatible Ubi software for a 45" display costs $150. Those gunning for a 100" display can pay $380 for a single-touch compatible professional license, while a business license supports two touch-point displays for $800. If you're not fooling around, the enterprise license supports a 100" display and 20 touch points for $1500. Every version of Ubi includes a year of free updates. Ubi only supports the Windows 8 operating system and is currently not compatible with Kinect for Xbox. Still, we can't help but daydream about incorporating Ubi into Microsoft's IllumiRoom technology so we can attach a more literal meaning to the phrase "game room." If your interest is sparked by the possibilities, you can order Ubi here.
Kinect app that turns any surface into a touchscreen now available, starts at $149
With several companies developing technologies that can turn any surface into a touchscreen, it should be widely available soon. Those who want to try it out before it's cool, however, should look towards Ubi Interactive's software that combines the talents of Microsoft's Kinect for Windows sensor and a projector. So long as the software's installed on a Windows 8 computer, the sensor tracks and detects movements users make on the projected image. Interactions are the same as any tablet or smartphone, including launching icons by tapping on them and expanding areas with pinch-to-zoom. Merely a concept in 2012, the software is now available on Ubi's website with prices ranging from $149 to $1,499, depending on the display size and the type of customer support. Sounds like even an Average Joe can nab one, assuming they already have a projector and one of Microsoft's $250 motion / voice detectors.
Some 2013 Nexus 7 users report buggy multitouch, Google is investigating
A muddled sense of direction isn't the only problem affecting the new generation of Nexus 7 slates, it seems, as some users are also reporting issues with multitouch on the 1,920 x 1,200 display. The clip below the fold demonstrates the bug, and shows the touchscreen registering phantom inputs before freaking out for a couple of seconds. Over the past few weeks, chatter on the XDA Developers and Google Product forums suggests it's fairly common, with a response from Google on the latter stating: "The Android team is aware of this issue and investigating." We haven't had the same troubles with a 2013 Nexus 7 in our possession (running Android 4.3 build JSS15J, FYI), and while the root of the problem is still up for discussion, let's hope funky software is to blame -- no one wants the hassle of replacing faulty hardware, especially Google, when an OTA fix will do.
