Log in

View Full Version : Touchpads For Mobile Phones


Mike Temporale
09-11-2004, 04:15 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=3340' target='_blank'>http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=3340</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Synaptics Incorporated has announced the MobileTouch, a new interface for mobile phones. MobileTouch translates gestures for scrolling, selection and cursor movement into on-screen navigation, resulting in an easy to use interface that improves the user experience. The company is also known for touchpad solutions for laptops, and for the touchpad used in the recently released HP iPAQ hx4700."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Temporale-20040911-synapticsmobile.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />If you haven't seen the new iPAQ touchpad, check out this <a href="http://www.synaptics.com/flash/navpoint_demo.swf">Flash demo</a> and the pages of discussion from Janak's <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=268044">post</a> about it over at Pocket PC Thoughts. I love the idea of a touchpad for mobile phones. Especially with a design like this. It's small enough that it doesn't take over the device, yet it still allows you to easily navigate with it. Very cool. :D

Kris Kumar
09-11-2004, 05:03 PM
Not sure how well it will suit the gamers...(but I don't care..not a gamer).

I hate the way scrolling and selection of items work on the mobile phones. Especially when I am browsing a really lengthy web page or going thru contact list.

Love the mobile touch pad concept.

Found some links on the Synaptics site...

Demo - Check out the "text entry" animation :-)
http://www.synaptics.com/flash/mobto_demo.swf

The main page for the product.
http://www.synaptics.com/products/mobto.cfm

Kris Kumar
09-12-2004, 07:05 PM
Another simple alternative: Having a scroll wheel with a push to click, on the side of the phone. Similar to the RIM BlackBerry. It makes one handed operation very easy.

The MPx200 has the Volume control, which has up-down and push to click, but that control is utilized only for Volume. What a waste. Wish some third party app writer can write a program that will enable it for scrolling.