… to allow your fingers' positions to be captured. NextWindow is the company behind the technology used in HP and Dell all-in-ones.
Israel's N-Trig uses capacitive resistance, the technology used on Apple's iPhone to read finger input. It combines this with a second technology to also allow input from a stylus. The technology is also used in HP and Dell laptops, while N-Trig has received funding from Microsoft.
N-trig's dual-mode digitiser allows for both pen and touch input, and is used in HP and Dell laptops.
NextWindow's technology does not require a special coating or film on the glass, so its screens can look as bright as non-touch displays. However, because it adds a certain depth to the screen, it is not suited for today's notebook market.
Getting into touch
Touch is not a new notion for Windows, although Windows 7 is the first to support using two fingers at the same time. In the early days of Vista's development, when it was codenamed Longhorn, Microsoft envisioned the tablet PC market expanding to include touch-enabled devices.
"I'm not sure that it ever delivered on that promise," said NextWindow chief executive Al Monro. "There really weren't any of the [software makers] that got behind it."
Although this continues to be a challenge, Monro said the market has changed considerably — most notably with the introduction of the iPhone.
"That really brought touch into the mainstream," Monro said.
It also broke down a psychological barrier — the notion that computer screens were something to avoid getting one's fingers on. NextWindow has its origins making large touchscreen displays for things like retail kiosks. Not too long ago, Monro said, the company had to put signs near its installations announcing: "I'm a touch screen. Touch me."
"You had to really scream it out," he said. "Now people just expect it."
The question now is whether PC software makers will embrace touch interfaces in the way those who design iPhone software have done. Monro acknowledges that as is often the case with new technology, it's sort of a chicken-and-egg problem; software makers do not take the time to adopt touch interfaces because not enough touchscreen PCs are sold, while PCs are a tough sell because there is not enough software.
Monro said: "People aren't going to buy touchscreen PCs unless there are a range of things [they can do]."
On the Surface
For its part, Microsoft has done a couple things. By supporting touch at the operating system level, most applications should allow touch control of at least basic functions, such as resizing windows, scrolling and moving the cursor.
The company has also created a "touch pack", which PC manufacturers can include on their systems. The software collection contains some casual games, as well as applications that have proved popular with Microsoft's other multitouch computer — its tabletop Surface machine for restaurants, hotels and attractions.
However, Monro disputes the idea that there needs to be one killer application. He added that what the industry needs is a variety of software makers to take the plunge. Mapping, painting and even social networking can all be better, he said.
"There are going to be a variety of things that are easier to do with touch," he said.
