I just bought a touch screen MP3 player. The interface is also "virtual", but it recognizes all I'm doing, so are the controls "real" or not?
Now you all have me interested in what type of technology these devices use.
You mean screen technology? I'm very far from being an expert but I'll have a go.Now you all have me interested in what type of technology these devices use.
Oops. SorryI doubt that the success of the iPhone is going to turn on any single feature. Let's take this thread back to its root or on to something else more interesting.
Surur reckons the HTC Touch also has a capacitive screen, but I've not seen that confirmed. It's a bit hard to tell if it has a bezel (not that that should be regarded as completely diagnostic anyway):
You mean screen technology? I'm very far from being an expert but I'll have a go.
The iPhone has a capacitive touchscreen:
https://www.apple.com/iphone/technology/#mn_p
was touched. Capacitive screens don't need to deform to work and can thus be much tougher, but they do require that you touch them either with a bare finger or a capacitive device held in a bare hand.
My addled memory seems to have stored your saying "seems to be different from our usual passive touch screen" as "it has a capacitve screen". Obviously this is completely wrong. Sorry!I did not say that. In fact, I do not know what kind of screen they are using, but it certainly does not seem to be the old style resistive, and it does not seem to be capacitive either.
Here you go:We should do HTC patent searches like we do Apple ones.
[Thanks for the change of subject.]
I think that the capacitive screen and "multi-touch" are closely related and will be important to the success of the iPhone. It remains to be seen, but Multi-touch may top Graffiti as an innovation and even rival the mouse.
My addled memory seems to have stored your saying "seems to be different from our usual passive touch screen" as "it has a capacitve screen". Obviously this is completely wrong. Sorry!
That's what apple is banking on, and I will not judge until I use it, but I am a little pessimistic about it. "Multi-touch" also means TWO HANDS, which I'm sure some people won't mind but I know some will. Even at the keynote, Jobs was holding the device with one hand and interacting w/the phone with the other. I like one-handed use myself (as do most treo users), so we'll see how conducive that is on the iPhone.
That's what apple is banking on, and I will not judge until I use it, but I am a little pessimistic about it. "Multi-touch" also means TWO HANDS, which I'm sure some people won't mind but I know some will. Even at the keynote, Jobs was holding the device with one hand and interacting w/the phone with the other. I like one-handed use myself (as do most treo users), so we'll see how conducive that is on the iPhone.
Certainly the only multi-touch I've used is the (capacitive) touchpad on my MacBook: drag two fingers to scroll, tap two fingers to 'right click' etc.I think that the capacitive screen and "multi-touch" are closely related
While that's true and I agree it's sensible, TouchFLO has a more limited set of functions and I think most (all?) of those could probably be done one-handed on the iPhone (I'd certainly guess that launching apps and scrolling would be doable one handed).Thats what's nice about the HTC Touch. They seemed to have designed the device to be used with the thumb of the hand holding it. Pretty sensible.
While that's true and I agree it's sensible, TouchFLO has a more limited set of functions and I think most (all?) of those could probably be done one-handed on the iPhone (I'd certainly guess that launching apps and scrolling would be doable one handed).
I think the debate was not over whether touch controls are real but whether they are touch controls or not. I'll bet yours are touch controls. If you really shook it hard, is there any danger they would fall off? That would be one sign they are real and not virutal.
The iPhone and Touch are actually quite similar sizes:I think the Iphone is actually too large to be used solely with one hand, and still have a secure grip on the device. Also small thumbs would not be able to reach all the way across the screen, and Iphone icons are also pretty small.
I think they areI think the debate was not over whether touch controls are real but whether they are touch controls or not.