Touchscreen Computers Archive

  • Video Demo: Google Reader Play is clearly meant for a tablet computer

    Video Demo: Google Reader Play is clearly meant for a tablet computer

    Posted on March 11, 2010 | No Comments
    We all know that there will be an onslaught of touchscreen computers this year and next. But the Internet really isn't touchscreen friendly. It was designed for a mouse, not finger input. Google Reader Play is one of the early examples of a site redesigned for this sort of navigation with a slideshow-type interface and larger buttons. I loaded up the demo on a Viliv X70 tablet computer and found it works quite well on the 9-inch tablet. The buttons could be a bit larger, but overall it's one of the most touchscreen-friendly websites I've seen. Click through for a quick video demo.

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  • Notice the Windows alternative in HP’s slate device. This is a good thing.

    Notice the Windows alternative in HP’s slate device. This is a good thing.

    Posted on March 8, 2010 | No Comments
    We have written repeatedly that Windows itself is one of the main reasons why touchscreen computers have never caught the general public's attention. The interface just wasn't designed for finger input. Like it or not, that's the truth. Windows was designed to be used with a mouse, and to a lesser extent, a pen or stylus. That's fine. Windows 7 works great. I'm writing this on a Win7 machine. But I hate Windows on my tablet computers for the aforementioned reason. It's also the reason I'm very apprehensive of the upcoming onslaught of slate computers. I'm afraid that wonderful hardware will be passed up in favor of the disappointing iPad because of the interface. But Adobe gave me hope today in its demo of Flash and Air on the HP slate device.

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  • HP shows off its slate computer while revealing a key disappointing detail (Windows)

    HP shows off its slate computer while revealing a key disappointing detail (Windows)

    Posted on January 26, 2010 | No Comments
    Apple isn't the only company with tablets. HP and Dell showed off its slate concepts at CES '10, but their demo's left us with so many questions. HP's CTO Phil McKinney at least reveals a bit more about his company's offering. But hopefully he's out of the loop a bit and HP actually has more planned for the device. Otherwise, the HP Slate will be about as successful as the HP TouchSmart iMac clones. Phil gives the background about the Slate's development at HP. He explains that the company has been working on the unit for about five years and it started out as an ereadering device. But then as many things do, it evolved into what he's showing off in the video. But this slate is plagued by the same fundamental flaw as the vast majority of the current tablets: Windows. Phil states that the device will run plain-jane Windows 7. That's a problem because even Windows 7 with its added touchscreen capabilities is not suited for extended tablet use without a stylus and Apple/Palm/RIM/HTC has proven to the world that we don't need styluses. (stylii?)

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  • Hands-on with the Blump.it Firefox plug-in on a Viliv X70

    Hands-on with the Blump.it Firefox plug-in on a Viliv X70

    Posted on December 9, 2009 | No Comments
    The Blump.it Firefox plug-in just hit the blogosphere today and I had to try it. So I loaded it up on the Viliv X70 with the hope that it will improve the functionality of the small-ish touchscreen and turn it into a certain tablet computer clone. In short, it does both very well. Check out [...]

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