Synaptics ClearPad Technology, Fingerworks, iPhone?

[ryanw]

How about for women who have nails? Acrylic or otherwise... Did Apple make a sexist phone? Not saying, just saying...

Are you a woman with nails? I doubt it, but I've seen a few women who have nails that use current technology cell phones. It's a riot. The buttons are too slippery to use their finger nails, so they end up having to hold the phones flat and use the flatter part of their fingers. So I would imagine a similar thing to occur, except easier than they use current phones because their nails tend to hit all kinds of things around them. Being that this screen will not respond to their nails hitting the screen, it could be a lot easier. Obviously, hopefully it doesn't end up scratching their screen. We'll see.

 

[twoodcc]

No matter who develops this technology, I love it. More please.

i agree, except we don't these companies fighting with each other though.....

 

[MrCrowbar]

I like the comments about iPhone-ready gloves. I like those 2 solutions:

- Gloves where you can flip open the finger tip on thumb and index finger. Imagine taking a regular glove, cut into the finger tip so it's still attached to the glove but can be easily flipped open. Make it so that it overlaps with the glove when closed and you have a cheap solution to the problem. snap your fingers, fingertips open.

- Gloves with conductive fingertips. I don't know what exactly the iPhone senses, but it seems to be similar to a touchpad. There must be some material that can conduct the required thing through the finger tip.

How about having the iPhone instantly heating up when you get a call? My Macbook does it when i open Photoshop.

 

[Chaszmyr]

--or Apple needs to buy these guys. With their war-chest it should no be too hard.

It would have to be a pretty big lawsuit for Apple to want to buy them. The company isnt worth much after their stock bombed about a year ago, but still, Synaptics really doesn't have any technology that Apple doesn't.

 

[puuukeey]

lets see a monitor.(or table) cmon han

 

[MattInOz]

I like the comments about iPhone-ready gloves. I like those 2 solutions:

- Gloves where you can flip open the finger tip on thumb and index finger. Imagine taking a regular glove, cut into the finger tip so it's still attached to the glove but can be easily flipped open. Make it so that it overlaps with the glove when closed and you have a cheap solution to the problem. snap your fingers, fingertips open.

- Gloves with conductive fingertips. I don't know what exactly the iPhone senses, but it seems to be similar to a touchpad. There must be some material that can conduct the required thing through the finger tip.

How about having the iPhone instantly heating up when you get a call? My Macbook does it when i open Photoshop.

You mean Gloves like these ones.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/04/tavo-gloves-for-the-ipod/

 

[McCarron]

Apple is also using technology developed in-part by this team of researchers at New York University led by Jeff Han.

http://cs.nyu.edu/~jhan/ftirtouch/index.html

It uses the same name, same of the same functionality and even has a note now about how they have some exciting announcements coming soon after the keynote.

But since most of their work appears to be with rear-projection screens I bet Apple had to go with Synaptics to develop a touch sensitive LCD. Either that or Apple has a mole sending Synaptics ideas.

The use of "Multi Touch" finger sensing technology though is probably very exclusive to Apple, if not patented by them. Very similar to the iPods circular touch wheel is.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Remember Uncle Steve's remarks at the keynote about Apple having patented the hell out of the iPhone's UI, and him saying "and we plan on defending it" (or words to that affect). This sounded distinctly like a shot over somebody's bow. Synaptics, perhaps?

 

[RodThePlod]

- Gloves where you can flip open the finger tip on thumb and index finger. Imagine taking a regular glove, cut into the finger tip so it's still attached to the glove but can be easily flipped open. Make it so that it overlaps with the glove when closed and you have a cheap solution to the problem. snap your fingers, fingertips open.

Dude!!! you need to patent that idea... And Quick!!!

Hahaha.. unless Apple have already beat you to it in one of the 200 multi-touch patents they've applied for

RodC

 

[justflie]

Remember Uncle Steve's remarks at the keynote about Apple having patented the hell out of the iPhone's UI, and him saying "and we plan on defending it" (or words to that affect). This sounded distinctly like a shot over somebody's bow. Synaptics, perhaps?

Good point, I hadn't thought of that. By the way, I watched a demo of Onyx. While the info on their website looks quite impressive, the actual demo of it was really not at all. Yeah, the touch screen works (kind of), but the UI not only looked like crap, but was cluttered and seemed difficult to navigate and def. not as intuitive as the iPhone. And I wonder how many times that word (intuitive) is used on this website. And no, I don't have a link for the onyx demo. I'm pretty sure it was from an RSS feed in Safari with the title of something to the effect of "move over iphone" or something like that.

 

[MrCrowbar]

Dude!!! you need to patent that idea... And Quick!!!

Hahaha.. unless Apple have already beat you to it in one of the 200 multi-touch patents they've applied for

RodC

I really might cut the fingertips of some gloves open, take some picture of it and how you're supposed it, and apply for a patent called "hand warmer for use with touch-screen based devices" or something.
Trademarking "iFinger", "iFumble", "iDonTFreezeAnymore" right now
Hope Cisco won't sue me.

 

[Whistleway]

Just what the consumer needs.

Cheaper, and more functional versions of the iPhone.

I'm all for it. Competition is good.

Yup. Give me one for $200. Imitation or not, it works for me

 

[SiliconAddict]

I actually consider this a con in that you need to take off your gloves to operate such devices. I was actually out filling up my car this evening 5* weather when I remembered that I needed to pick up milk. Well I called home to find out if there was anything else I needed. It would have sucked if I had to take my gloves off in such weather. Granted I could wait until I get in the car, but there have been plenty of other instances where I haven't had shelter as an option. *shrugs*

 

[butaro]

maybe there will be an option to answer call with the home button??? u guys are crazy lol

 

[Chef Medeski]

This post makes it seem like the screen only responding to fingers is a bad thing. I think for a phone, that's a great idea -- no way I'm going to dial anything in my pocket by bumping into a table

Yes... there is no such thing as a screen lock. Yet being able to use your phone with gloves, a stylus, a pen, fingertips. Not everyone at all time can use their fingers....

 

[Chef Medeski]

- Gloves where you can flip open the finger tip on thumb and index finger. Imagine taking a regular glove, cut into the finger tip so it's still attached to the glove but can be easily flipped open. Make it so that it overlaps with the glove when closed and you have a cheap solution to the problem. snap your fingers, fingertips open.

You dont live in Canada do you? Even in the South, where it gets to -40 C... or well F... at that temperature they dont even diffferentiate everyone knows its just F***** COLD. You dont want any cuts in your glove you might lose that finger. And just one layer of gloves.... yeah not happinen.