Feature Story

Touch Screen Took a New Turn

It's fitting that within the last two weeks two major software companies have announced their new touch screen tablet computers to the market, namely Microsoft and Google.

Microsoft announced their 'Microsoft Surface' devices which look like nice devices from the demonstrations they made if you ignore the small incident which occurred at the launch event. (One of the presenters had to swap their Microsoft Surface device for another on stage because the one he was demonstrating seemed to glitch - this happens about 14 mins into the video).

Aside from the glitch, the Microsoft Surface computers are a step forward for Microsoft because the hardware is made by Microsoft and not by their usual hardware partners. Microsoft Surface machines have some great features such as the integral and detachable keyboard which looks great. And, the in-built stand so you can prop it up when typing up a document.

However, even with all this new technology from one of the world's largest technology company's, Microsoft Surface does not really stretch the technology of 'touch screen' devices beyond what we have come to expect from what many people have with their Apple iPads or iPod Touch devices.

One other major new touch screen technology launched recently which is likely to shake up the market for touch screen devices is the recently announced Google Nexus 7 tablet. It's going to make waves in the market not because it runs the Android OS (operating system), nor because it is a neat looking 7 inch touch screen tablet, but because it's priced so aggressively to attract a large number of customers in the market. The Google Nexus 7 tablet starts at £159 for the 8GB version.

Fine Touch Z

Something which has arrived on the touch screen market is a new invention from Stantum and the Nissha Printing Company, namely the 'Fine Touch Z'. I blogged about this some months ago when I interviewed Guillaume Largiller, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of Stantum. What he hinted at then has now arrived.

To quote the Stantum website the Fine Touch Z "is the only solution in the marketplace today that unifies the intuitiveness of multi-touch with the spontaneity of stylus input". In other words, the Fine Touch Z is a touch screen which you will be able to use with your fingers and a stylus on its surface at the same time. That's a major step forward if you think about how you use other touch screens now.

The Stantum touch screen is set to make some big changes in the type of tablet computers people use in the market, particularly in the education sector.

Touch screen really has taken a new turn with Stantum's Fine Touch Z. Keep an eye out for these new devices as manufacturers build them into their tablet computers.

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