The Alfred Computer Guy: Enter the touchscreens
In the last issue of the Fiat, I addressed the disappointment I had with Apple’s new iPad. This drew ire from folks online, but I stand firmly by my opinions.
Rather than continue down this path of negativity, though, I thought it might be a good idea to expand on alternative products that might interest people looking for an iPad-like device, but without the limitations of a constrained OS.
The market for touchscreen computers seems to be blowing up right now. Movies such as “Minority Report” and “Avatar” make us yearn to move away from the traditional mouse-and-keyboard world of computers as we’ve known them for as long as we can remember.
Add to that the advances in multi-touch technology, the lowering costs of netbooks and newer operating systems that can do more on modest hardware and you have yourself a recipe for geek heaven. Because of this, PC manufacturers are coming out of the woodwork to either install touchscreen capabilities in their existing line of products or develop entirely new products built around the touchscreen technology.
As an example, I wrote earlier that Dell's Latitude 2100 laptop features a touchscreen customization option. Base configuration for the 2100 is $389.00 and the touchscreen only adds $40.00 to the price.
Asus has also stepped up to the plate with the EEE T91 Netbook. One of the most respected netbook manufacturers on the market today, Asus has consistently provided solid quality with reasonable prices and the T91 is no exception. With a swivel-screen, 1GB of RAM and a 16GB solid state hard drive, it can be found as low as $459.00.
Lastly, a company called ExoPC has come forward with a slate product (a tablet with no physical keyboard, much like the iPad) that is rumored to be hitting the market in March for $599. According to their website, it will feature an 8.9-inch screen, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, SD card slot, 1.3 Megapixel webcam, 32GB solid state drive, Wifi, Bluetooth, 10/100 LAN port, Windows 7 Pro and a free kitchen sink (I can only assume, at least). Very impressive, if it actually turns out to be true.
Of course, this begs the question, “Why?” Touchscreen technology seems like a really great idea at first thought – especially on a slate. But if you think about it, how often would this be a help rather than a hindrance? Once you stopped moving the cursor around on a slate, you would have to get down to work and actually start typing, a task that I imagine would take a lot of getting used to - using full QWERTY home-row on a flat screen with no tactile feedback.
On a tablet with a physical keyboard, it makes more sense, but then you’ve lost that edge that makes the idea so intriguing. Now, you’re hefting around what looks and feels no different than any other laptop, besides the fact that your web browsing occurs behind a bevy of fingerprint smears. Is the very notion of touchscreen technology as we know it flawed, or at the very least, a niche gizmo that will lose its appeal after the first few hours of usage? Perhaps. Technology like this represents a frightening “unknown” in the computer world. Manufacturers are investing heavily in touchscreen additions to their mobile lineups and they can only hope we respond in kind.
Is the laptop world ready for our greasy digits? Are mobile technology buyers ready for the line between computers and consumer electronics to blur even more? Only time will tell. From my perspective, touchscreens represent a “cool factor” that can’t be denied, but are ultimately an answer in search of a question.
Do you have any questions you would like to ask? Send me an e-mail at: stone@alfred.edu with the subject “Alfred Computer Guy.” Mac, PC, Linux, OS/2 Warp, NeXT… hit me with your best shot!
