Touch Screen PCs (Week 6)

Microsoft Betting Big on 'Touch'
Software Giant Invests in Touch-Screen Technology for Personal Computers
January 12, 2009
Nick Wingfield

Microsoft Corp. is toying with new technology--touch screens for personal computers. They are anticipating that this new computer screen will eliminate the need for a mouse. This touch screen craze began two years ago when Steve Jobs revealed the iPhone at Macworld.

Microsoft is gambling that consumers will eventually prefer to control their computers with finger motions, instead of using a point and click mouse. It is not expected that the touch screen will replace keyboards. Certain PC applications require entering text, which is not easily done using a touch screen. Instead, Microsoft is hoping that consumers will use touch screens to browse libraries of photos, music, and videos with just a swipe of the finger. Other promising applications of touch screens are in the architecture and engineering fields. Architects and engineers could mold simulated objects with their hands using this technology.

We all understand the basic functions a touch screen can provide. So I'm not going to go into much more detail from the article. The point is that PCs are coming off the production line with touch screens. Mice will soon be a thing of the past . . . assuming you're able to use a touch screen.

From my experience playing with iPhones and iPod Touches, I doubt I will ever prefer a touch screen to a mouse. Touch screens use the pad of your fingers, which makes perfect sense and seems easy enough until you ask a woman with long nails to navigate. My efforts to make a call or change the song are useless unless I have freshly cut nails. The touch screens do not register the touch of a finger nail. I don't understand this, especially since they recognize touch from a stylus. If touch screens are to replace mice, they need to register finger nail touch.

I would really like to test drive one of these things to see how well it works. It looks awesome in commercials, but what doesn't? I would be surprised if Microsoft released a touch screen product that worked better than an Apple touch screen product. Because of this, my hopes aren't too high for this first round of touch screen PCs. However, I'm not against the idea and I'm sure I'll have one within a few years assuming I don't have to cut my nails before each use.

Also, what about touch screen laptops?