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touch screen posts

Apple files patent for gesture-based text editing

by Joshua Topolsky posted Dec 26th 2008 @ 10:58AM

An Apple patent unearthed by Mac Rumors named Swipe Gestures for Touch Screen Keyboards suggests a future direction the company might be taking which would substantially change interaction with devices like the iPhone. According to the document, the new system would allow for simple finger gestures like swipes to the left or right to control basic functions of text editing. Some movements outlined in the application include a left swipe for deletion of characters, right swipes for a space, and a swipe down in place of the return key. Of course, these types of gestures are nothing new (and frankly, nothing patentable we suspect), as applications on the company's own devices -- namely the jailbreak-only MobileTerminal -- feature almost this exact implementation of gesture control, and Microsoft has had a similar (albeit stylus-based) concept in WinMo for years. Still, adding in this functionality to the software's existing tools would likely improve navigation and input, and opens the door for solutions to the lingering (and annoying) copy / paste problems Apple seems to have.

[Via Mac Rumors]

Hands-on with Samsung's Instinct

by Sean Cooper posted Apr 2nd 2008 @ 2:54AM

Samsung and Sprint were keeping their cards close all day today but we finally had a chance to check out Samsung's Instinct up close and personal. The handset's look and feel is really top notch, materials, finish, and the oh-so-glossy -- but hard to shoot -- screen is sweet. Haptics for touch feedback are here as well, and aside from some strange behavior while scrolling, was a pretty useful feature for letting you know you'd actually done something -- it was most noticeable, and most useful when typing. Not a bad effort, look for this to hit Sprint in June. Follow the link to the gallery.

Gallery: Hands-on with Samsung's Instinct

Nokia shows off Haptikos tactile touch screen technology

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 6th 2007 @ 11:39AM

Apple's already shown its interest in tactile touch screens, but it looks like Nokia is a bit further along in its own touchy feely endeavor, with it now showing off a prototype of its so-called "Haptikos" system. According to Red Ferret, Nokia's system is also a good deal more advanced than some similar ones already on the market, with it actually allowing for a 0.1 mm movement in the screen itself. That, combined with a pair of sensor pads under the screen, supposedly allows it to "mimic exactly the sensation of pressing a real key," complete with a "clunky click and tactile snap." What's more, it seems that the technology isn't all that far off, with Nokia's upcoming S60 handset apparently first in line to get it.

HTC Polaris gets specs leaked, renamed the Touch Cruise

by Joshua Topolsky posted Oct 19th 2007 @ 9:58AM

The next step in the HTC Touch line -- the GPS-equipped Polaris -- has been re-christened the Touch Cruise, and has gone and gotten its juicy specs all leaked out to the internet. In addition to having improved TouchFlo capabilities, like rotation and zoom, the new model will sport a quad-band GSM radio (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900), tri-band UMTS (850 / 1900 / 2100), HSDPA and HSUPA data connectivity, a 400MHz MSM7200 Qualcomm CPU, 128MB of RAM and 256MB of ROM, a 2.8-inch, 320 x 240 QVGA display, 3-megapixel camera (plus secondary, 0.3-megapixel camera), WiFi, Bluetooth, and a microSD slot. Apparently, the design of the device hasn't been finalized, though it will likely feature four buttons and a navigation wheel ~~(similar to the pics up above)~~. Mouth watering? Eyes tearing up? We understand. The Cruise is expected by the end of November, so go easy on your credit cards till then.

Update: Thanks to CoolSmartPhone and Smart Mobile Gadgets, we've gotten a proper view of the Touch Cruise, and it's sweet!

New LG phone patent apps reveal touchy feely future

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 26th 2007 @ 12:10PM

We're still not totally sold on the "trust us, you don't need a physical keypad" angle that LG and Apple are taking as of late, but it seems that LG's betting we will be with a pair of patent apps filed this month. The first, aptly-named "Mobile communication terminal having multiple displays and a data processing method thereof," essentially describes a handset consisting of two touch displays that can be operated in a variety of configurations. We've seen phones like this before so we're not too sure what new tech LG is bringing to the table here, but hey, if a top-5 manufacturer wants to starting churning them out, we're all for it. The second patent, "Mobile terminal providing graphic user interface and method of providing graphic user interface using the same," suggests a touchscreen UI involving the use of dynamic icons (picture the items on your phone's menus moving around the screen randomly -- no frustration factor there!) that react in interesting ways to user's choices. Any firmware update for our KE850 on that one, LG?

[Via Unwired View]

Read - Dual-display phone
Read - Animated touch UI

Lenovo's colorful i807

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 18th 2006 @ 3:18PM

Tracking down full details on Asian handsets can occasionally be akin to pulling teeth, but our counterparts over at Engadget Chinese have done their darndest with Lenovo's new i807. The phone appears to rock a touch screen, and if we had to guess, we'd venture that there's a Linux variant lurking under its hood. You get GPRS data (no EDGE?), Bluetooth with A2DP support, microSD expansion, and full motion H.263 video through its 1.3-megapixel cam. No word on availability, but thanks to its mere dual-mode 900 / 1800MHz radio, exports seem highly unlikely.