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Synaptics Working On Advanced Touchscreen For Phones
angry tapir writes "Touch specialist Synaptics is working on technologies that will allow touchscreens to mimic the feel of a physical keypad, in order to make smartphones easier to use, according to company technology strategist Andrew Hsu. The goal is to build a touchscreen with the tactile feedback of a keypad. Users should be able run their fingers over virtual keys and get the same sensation as a mechanical keypad gives, allowing them to feel where the buttons are, and then activate them by pushing down a little bit harder, according to Hsu."
They are better than the clit-mouse that is the usual alternative on laptops.
Their "Mac-ish" trackpads are really horrible. They sort of look like those on Apple laptops, but do not work even half as good. One big problem is that the mouse pointer will move unevenly if you have two fingers on it (if you prefer to click with your thumb for instance). Try having your index finger and your thumb on it, and then move the thumb, and you will see the pointer moving. Later drivers have made the issue less bad, but the pointer will still hove horizontally. Try that with a Mac pad and the pointer will keep still if you move the thumb, which is how it should be to avoid uneven movement.
And also, why the hell do they still insist on having left and right button on the left and right side of the trackpad? It is horrible and erases the border between the two, unless the laptop manufacturer has made a dent in the surface or something. I must say I prefer the Apple solution to this - clicking with two fingers equals right click.
HP was one of those who were early adopters of these trackpads, which ended up with Gizmodo giving them the nickname "HP FrustraPad".
Dvorak on Doomtech
... years ago with the Blackberry Storm, and yet the vast majority of us are still using flat, unfeeling touchscreens and Research In Motion is struggling to stay relevant in the mobile device business.
I'm not sure consumers really care about how the screen feels, and they may even be distracted by such a change.
Agreed. I use a MBP now, but my Thinkpad before it had a clit mouse and it was AWESOME. People don't like them because they have a steep learning curve.
They are also more limited as far as gestures go, but for scrolling and basic stuff its sufficient. Not having to move your palms when switching from typing to mouse is just EPIC WIN.
Most folks don't realize thats a big deal because they haven't thoroughly tried both versions. I have, and I can assure you I really miss it. Better ergonomics FTW.
The problem with Swype and man other touch screen input methods is that you have to look at the phone.
In fact, there are input methods that are efficient and don't require looking at the phone, like Graffiti. Unfortunately, there are no good implementations for modern phones, and it works better with a pen.
... Slider phones! ZOMG, a hardware keyboard on a PHONE?!
I kind of wonder how it'll work when you rotate the phone, or is it going to have keyboards in 3 places on the phone?
I think that would actually make the problem worse.
Article says something about some type of actuator, which probably could solve this problem, but how much thickness is this going to add to the screen? Touch screens aren't real physical keyboards, and never will be. If anything this tech that they're researching could cause more problems than it solves.
Personally, for me, having the phone vibrate when you press a key is enough. At least you know when you've pressed it. One of the things I hated about my old iPhone was its lack of feedback.
Graffiti may have allowed you to not look at a phone, but it was hardly efficient- you'd be hard pressed to get 10 wpm on it. You can get 50 on something like Swype. It also tired your hands out as fast as pen and paper did. I'd use a 9 pad keyboard before handwriting recognition.
I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
IBM (now Lenovo) has the right pointer-stick mechanism, but the wrong location. The stick SHOULD go directly below the spacebar, aligned by a line perpendicular to the spacebar that would run through the center of the "B" key. Fujitsu got the right location, but patented a crap pointer-stick mechanism. Unfortunately, Fujitsu patented the stick's LOCATION too, so nobody besides Sony (with a sufficiently-large patent portfolio to bully Fujitsu into submission) has ever dared to put the stick there.
Don't believe me that it's the ideal location? Try this experiment: hold your hands so the thumb is over the Trackpoint the same way it would be if it were centered below the spacebar and try moving it. Ahhhh. Much nicer, isn't it? Your thumb is a lot stronger, so you can give the stick a good hard shove to hurl the pointer to the other side of the screen quickly instead of exerting your index finger in a hyperextended position.
Personally, I think keyboards should have TWO Trackpoint-style pointer sticks: one in the "GHB" triangle, and one centered below the spacebar, with 4 buttons flanking the lower stick (2 per side, placed so whichever thumb ISN'T on the stick can easily press one or the other, keeping in mind the ~45-degree axis of comfortable motion for the thumb. Then, make them all software-configurable, so you can assign the 4 buttons to be "left", "right", and/or some other function as you desire, and either use both pointer sticks as mice, or reassign one to be for scrolling/panning. I'd personally use the "GHB" one as a faux scrollwheel ;-)
Ferrofluid touch interface
Touch interface that uses Ferrofluids to provides tactile feedback
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Ferrofluid_20touch_20interface
Air-Driven Touch Interface
Using a mesh of air valves to provide a tactile interface
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Air-Driven_20Touch_20Interface
Liquid Interfaces - A Malleable, Transient, Direct-Touch Interface
http://www.mendeley.com/research/liquid-interfaces-malleable-transient-directtouch-interface-2/#page-1
The problem with the clit mouse is that I can never find it :(