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Hewlett-Packard (HP), aiming to boost its personal computer sales against arch rival Dell (and Lenovo and Apple, too), is increasingly turning to touch-screen technology.

HP is now developing a consumer notebook with a touch screen that will debut before year end. It will include special software that supports the touch screen, but other details, such as pricing, remains unclear.

The new laptop is the latest in a series of touch-oriented devices, including an upcoming line of cellphones, that will become a priority of HP.

HP began promoting touch screens last year with a big-screen desktop computer called the TouchSmart (see photo above). A revamped TouchSmart debuted this year, with new software and a new external design. The touch-sensitive screen allow PC users to move items around, surf the Web or open files with their fingertips, replacing functions normally performed by a mouse and keyboard.

But tablet PCs, or touch-screen laptops, haven’t done that well in the past. Will the future be any different?

More at the Wall Street Journal.

Tags: Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, tablet pc, touchscreen, TouchSmart

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Original post by nafiz

Filed under: Laptops

If the X200t is just too convertible-y for you, and the standard X200 just doesn′t last long enough for your 18-hour plane rides, the 𕢈s won’t do you any good either. If you only need 10-hours of juice, however, this unit is just about perfect. The ultraportable does give up some raw horsepower in order to deliver such stunning life, but true road warriors will certainly make the sacrifice. Critics over at Laptop Mag were duly impressed with just about everything the pricey X200s was packing, noting that the keyboard was “excellent,” the design was sturdy and the screen was clean and crisp. Additionally, they found that the power decrease wasn’t too noticeable in real-world use, though they did lament the omission of a WWAN module (agreed!) and webcam. Bottom line? These folks found it well “worth the splurge,” though we’d recommend giving the full spill a read if you’re seriously on the fence.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops

As you very well know, Lenovo’s entirely more associated with rock solid laptops than desktops of any stature, but that’s not stopping the outfit from dishing out a new tower today for under four bills. The H210 sports a glossy black finish, Lenovo’s VeriFace facial recognition technology (which bites, by the way) and a feature dubbed File Management to “save critical data on a special system partition in the event of system failure.” As for specs, you’ll find your choice of Intel’s dual-core 򨿨 or the Core 2 Duo 򪍰, between 2GB and 4GB of RAM, 500GB / 640GB hard drive, a dual-layer DVD writer, Intel’s GMA3100 graphics set and a bunch of software you’ll probably find more annoying than useful. It’s available now for those somehow enthused starting at $399.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

It’s a big day in Baltimore with the proper launch of Sprint’s XOHM WiMAX network, and Lenovo’s making sure it snags a bit of that limelight to announce this. Starting today, prospective customers can snatch up a ThinkPad SL300, SL500, 𕣭 and T400 with integrated WiMAX capability, meaning that you can hop on the ultra-fast mobile internet highway in Baltimore and elsewhere if you′re really lucky. Later this year, the laptop maker will be adding the option on its business-focused ThinkPad W500, W700, S𒩰 and X200 models as well as the consumer-minded IdeaPad 𕶺. There’s no word on how much this capability adds to the cost of a machine, but WiMAX-enabled lappies can be had starting at $720 right now.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones

Just when we were finished telling you that the BlackBerry Thunder’s haptic touch screen keyboard was the greatest thing evar, it turns out that things may be a bit of a mess over in RIM development land. According to one of Boy Genius’ sources, the BlackBerry Thunder is lagging far behind on development time and is “in no way shape of form market-ready.” And that awesome keyboard? Not so awesome. Reports are that it’s annoying to type on and the screen ripples when the touchscreen is pressed. Meanwhile, UI response times are pretty bad, buttons don’t click right, and RIM’s new touch-and-drag method of selecting items isn’t up to snuff. In short, says BGR’s source, “Most of the people who have handled it thinks it’s a joke.” We haven’t seen the thing ourselves lately, but if this report is true, it looks like you′ll be waiting a while before you get your hands on a Thunder.

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Original post by Joshua Fruhlinger

Filed under: Cellphones

According to the folks over at CrackBerry (who, let’s be honest, might be a little biased when it comes to a certain brand of cellphone), Research In Motion’s upcoming touchscreen phone — the infamous Thunder — will feature a virtual keyboard so realistic you’ll swear you’re sitting in front of 1986 IBM Model M. CrackBerry says “reliable sources” have told them that the device’s screen will utilize a number of advanced technologies to create such an effect, including localized haptic feedback, which allows the screen to be literally pushed in while rewarding you with a vibration and click sound, and the option of a full QWERTY or SureType layout (depending on the phone’s orientation). We can’t speculate too much until we handle the device ourselves, but we’re expecting this thing to blow our minds out through the front of our heads. That’s not asking too much, is it RIM?

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about Nokia’s Haptikos tactile touch screen technology, but with the unearthing of some juicy patent details, we finally know what’s going on here. Basically, the tech uses layers under the touchscreen to allow control of surface roughness and friction. The patent describes a “plurality of closely space voltage controllable protruberances” that can raise or lower based on where the user is touching the screen, resulting in what feels like resistance and tactile feedback. Filled with fluid, the protruberances increase fiction and help users feel like they’re actually touching something rather than poking at a plane of glass. No word on any devices with the new haptic tech, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see this show up in some of their new touchy-feely handsets in the near future.

[Via Unwired View]

Read - Patent Application (warning: PDF)

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Original post by Joshua Fruhlinger

Filed under: Displays, Gaming

It’s never clear how a company plans on implementing a given patent, but Sony’s patent application for a haptic touchscreen composed of “tactile pixels” lists former Sony Computer Entertainment chief Phil Harrison as the inventor and makes several references to potential use in “a game device” and to “game events,” so it’s a safe bet that it was at least developed with the PSP in mind. The patent app describes a sophisticated haptic feedback system that goes well beyond the basic rumble of today’s device — the pixels themselves are able to move up and down between two positions, providing direct feedback to user actions. That’s certainly an interesting idea, but like all patent news, we’re not going to hold out hope for it to surface in a consumer device anytime soon — but we’re willing to be surprised, you know?

[Via PSP Fanboy]

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

PixelQi, an OLPC project spin-off headed by Mary Lou Jepsen, certainly has its work cut out for it with the OLPC XO-2, due in 2010. Not only is the laptop supposed to support dual touchscreens and consume a mere 1 watt of power, but Mary Lou is also promising better readability, multitouch, and potentially even pen usage and haptic feedback. Interestingly, the projected price for the laptop is $75, which is exactly the pricepoint PixelQi claimed to be working on when it split from the foundation. She remains coy on which OS the new laptop will favor, merely stating: “The display can use whatever software OLPC chooses.” As for partners outside of OLPC, Mary Lou won’t name names, but she says PixelQi is “working with large, tier-one laptop, cell phones, and e-book makers.” Forget 2010, give us a full color e-book tablet by the end of the year and we’ll forget all this XO nonsense entirely.

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Robots

There’s certainly no shortage of efforts out there aimed at improving our interaction with robots, but this latest project from the University of British Columbia is a bit different than most, with it focusing exclusively on haptics as a means of making our relationships with robots more “emotionally rewarding.” To that end, UBC’s Steve Yohanan created what he calls a “Haptic Creature,” a robot rabbit that is designed to mimic the interactions a person has with their pet — namely, by responding when it’s touched or stroked by making breathing movements, inaudible purring vibrations, or by moving its ears. That apparently has already proven to be quite successful in preliminary tests, with those simple responses able to “elicit a range of emotions in humans.”

[Via Futurismic]

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Laptops

You knew this day would come: Intel positioned Atom perfectly to compete with VIA’s low-power offerings, and VIA is trying to stay one step ahead in the low power game with its Isaiah processor. Who will be the winner? Well, we’d say it’s still a little early to call it, but German site Eee PC News did some quick and dirty benchmarks that show Isaiah on top by a decent margin. At this point the numbers are just in “ALU” and “FPU,” but hopefully some real world benchmarks from some retail products can clear this up before long.

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Following up yesterday’s trash talk with a little action, NVIDIA has disclosed plans to create a sub-$45 processing platform which the GPU-maker is calling, “The World’s Most Affordable Vista Premium PC.” The architecture will combine VIA’s Isaiah processor with an integrated NVIDIA graphics chipset, which the company claims outperforms Intel’s Celeron-based, 945 IGP/ICH4 setup handily. Apparently, the combo is capable of 36 GFLOPS versus Intel’s 6.4GFLOPS — which we shouldn’t have to tell you is a ton of GFLOPS. We’re excited about the prospect of better performance in an integrated chipset (we’ve all suffered at the hands of the GM𐆞), but we don’t want to see this end in a back-alley knife fight. Keep your cool, guys.

 

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Video sharing site starts to serve up high res content.

Original post by Mike Slocombe

Apple, a company not known for liking discounts to their products, will find that their new uber-slim baby, the MacBook Air is to be offered at a £250 discount in a deal at the UK PC World shortly.
Extending their ‘get a laptop for free when you sign up for 3 mobile broadband‘ deal, PC World […]

Original post by Simon Perry

Filed under: Desktops, Features

Although it was (and still is, really) astoundingly easy to simply point the finger and laugh at Everex′s completely unsightly, totally underwhelming TC2502 gPC just months ago, it appears that this thing may actually have a chance at gaining a wee (keyword: wee) amount of steam in the desktop market. Shortly after finding its way to Wal-Mart shelves, the box sold out — a feat few surmised would actually take place. Furthermore, it seems to have sparked, or at least been the poster child of, a quiet revolution of ultra-cheap, open source-based machines, tagging along with the likes of Asus’ Eee PC, Shuttle’s KPC and the recently announced Linux PC from Mirus Innovations.

On the real, the rig was absolutely lambasted in a PC Mag review, but truthfully, we aren’t exactly shocked given the hardware selection and (relatively) unfamiliar operating system. Then again, we’ve a sneaking suspicion the reviewers in this scenario weren’t the target individuals Everex (and Wally World, to be frank) was gunning for. Stepping back, it’s hard to miss the recent infatuation by the general public with machines touting rock bottom price tags and nary a hint of the world’s most widely used OS, so in a sense, these guys and gals must be doing something right, be it marketing or otherwise. Still, we figure we’ll need more than an abacus to count up just how many tweaks our dear readers would make to the gPC if given the chance — maybe starting with the atrocious chassis and the dearth of wireless connectivity options — so don’t let us down, alright?

 

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Original post by Darren Murph