touchscreen

Microsoft's next-generation monitor .. the touch screen sphere

Microsoft Subnet — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:39:44 -0400

Blogger Todd Bishop has got a great story on a Microsoft Research project for creating sphere-shaped touch screens. He writes:

"After months of rumors, Microsoft researchers are taking the wraps off a prototype that uses an internal projection and vision system to bring a spherical computer display to life. People can touch the surface with multiple fingers and hands to manipulate photos, play games, spin a virtual globe, or watch 360-degree videos."

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Windows 7 video shows off multi-touch interface

Microsoft Subnet — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:07:30 -0400

As expected Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates demonstrated Windows 7 Tuesday night at the annual D Conference hosted by the Wall Street Journal. The highlight of the demo was no doubt the multi-touch screen technology, yet that was but one among many features Microsoft revealed during the first official demo of the software. Windows 7 is expected to ship in late 2009.

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Video: Bill Gates shows off TouchWall, giant interactive whiteboard

Microsoft Subnet — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:23:06 -0400

The Surface table wasn't big enough. Microsoft envisions your walls as computers. Actually Bill Gates said at the CEO Summit in Redmond today that he thinks all flat surfaces "will eventually have an inexpensive screen display capability and software that sees what you are doing there."

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Surface arises at AT&T stores

videonet — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:36:15 -0400

AT&T will be the first company to use the touch-enabled tabletop Surface computers as customer service kiosks in stores.

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Pandigital launches touch-screen photo frames

Keith Shaw — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:44:48 -0400

It's not just cell phones that are falling under the "touchscreen mania" brought about by the Apple iPhone. Now digital photo frames are getting into the touch-screen game. Pandigital today launched its PanTouch line of frames, which include a touch-operation interface that lets users access digital images, video clips and MP3 music by using their fingers instead of a remote control (the company includes one in case you don't want to use your fingers, or to control the frame from a distance). In case you're worried about fingerprints all over that nice frame, don't fret – the touch operation is on the matting area of the frame, which "resists fingerprints in the viewable area, so the frame always looks great," Pandigital says. The new line of frames include support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, although this involves inserting a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth USB dongle into the frame and then transferring images this way. The frames support Google's Picasa Web Albums site, allowing them to synchronize online photos with the frame (again, through the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth dongle). The new models include a 7-inch model (128MB of internal memory, $119.99), an 8-inch version (512MB of internal memory, $169.99) and a 10.4-inch model (512MB of internal memory, $249.99). Each of the new models include a 6-in-1 memory card reader, and have standard and mini-USB 2.0 ports for direct connection to a PC or digital camera. The company says the PanTouch line of frames will be available next month at U.S. retailers.

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LucidTouch screen, very touchy feely

Microsoft Subnet — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:46:36 -0400

The Microsoft and Mitsubishi research departments are creating a way cool double-sided touch screen, according to Microsoft researcher, Patrickbaudisch’s blog.

Touch seems like a nature way to interact with devices, but is technologically problematic because a user’s fingers block you from seeing the graphical element you want to interact with. Enter “psueudo-transparency.” The blog says:

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The new "surface" computer ... cool but impractical

Microsoft Subnet — Wed, 30 May 2007 12:00:18 -0400

Microsoft has invented the "interactive coffee table" -- a touchscreen computer it calls Surface. You can see a demonstration of it via this video Surface is essentially a Windows Vista PC that is encased by a black table and topped with a touchscreen. It has gadgets galore -- five cameras that can sense nearby objects are mounted beneath the screen.

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