Filed under: Accessories, Desktops, Hardware, Peripherals, Video, Odds and ends
Troll Touch your iMac screen
I occasionally work with clients who need to have Macs set up as kiosks. That means that anyone can walk up and use the Mac to watch a video or access information, but they usually can't update anything on the Mac. Kiosks are especially useful when the user interface consists of a finger touching the screen. In my experience, touch screens are generally expensive and require that you send a Mac off to a vendor for installation.
Troll Touch now has user-installable touch screens for the 20" and 24" aluminum iMacs called SlipCOVERs. Priced at $699 (20") and $899 (24"), the SlipCOVERs come with touch screen drivers and calibration software. The video above shows a touch-enabled iMac in action -- I especially liked watching the demo dude playing Bejeweled using his finger instead of a mouse. Pull off the aluminum stand, lay that SlipCOVER iMac down on its back, and you've got a 24" iPod touch!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Gianni said 3:15PM on 6-18-2008
Multi-touch?
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JohnPQ said 3:25PM on 6-18-2008
Yeah, but will it help with the annoying glare and lousy viewing angles?
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Matt Reyer said 3:39PM on 6-18-2008
Pleeeeeeeeeeeease tell me it's multi-touch. Otherwise, it seems like quite a waste of money nowadays.
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uuc said 4:55AM on 6-20-2008
Unfortunately, No.
Current touch panel larger than about 7" cannot support multi-touch function.
Steven said 4:56PM on 6-18-2008
Where was this a week ago when my son needed to demonstrate a hotel kiosk for his portfolio show for the Art Institute of California Bachelor's program.
Great implementation, but $200-300 too HIGH!
I can buy a whole 20" iMac for $949!
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ipodrulz said 6:18PM on 6-18-2008
How'd he do it in the end?
Steven said 6:56PM on 6-18-2008
He had to just use point and click with the mouse. It would have been better with a touch screen. I even checked to rent a touch monitor but the price was too high for just a one day event.
He did get his degree.
Joshua Lipschultz said 4:19PM on 6-18-2008
I think it's cool but I was really enjoying the music. Does anyone know if that is available on iTunes/Amazon?
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Rick said 4:50PM on 6-18-2008
Are you kidding? That's a Gargeband loop.
ipodrulz said 6:17PM on 6-18-2008
Doesn't really change the fact that it's annoying.
Matt Reyer said 4:36PM on 6-18-2008
I emailed them and here's what they said:
Hello and thank you for your inquiry.
At the current time, our touch screen hardware is not developed for multi-touch.
Until Apple releases an OS that allows for multiple cursor function, we will not have a controller developed for multi-touch.
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Gordo said 4:47PM on 6-18-2008
@Joshua Lipschultz
It's one of the free loops in the iLife suite.
Hit up spotlight for "acoustic sunrise"
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Adam Montero said 5:02PM on 6-18-2008
Does anyone know how this is installed?? is it just a plastic cover that takes in user input? or this an touchscreen itself
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themartorana said 7:29PM on 6-18-2008
Very cool, but SERIOUSLY overpriced.
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KarlW said 8:28PM on 6-18-2008
Yuck. This shows why Apple isn't putting Multi-touch in its desktops (no matter how much the fanboys cry): Look how close you have to sit to it. That's not a comfortable way to use a computer - it's a gimmick.
I wish people would think before raving about multi-touch as the logical advancement of input technologies. It has no logic whatsoever. It only works on super-mobile devices where the screen is most of the exposed product - i.e. not on laptops, not on desktops.
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Cowicide said 8:49PM on 6-18-2008
KarlW said... " I wish people would think before raving about multi-touch as the logical advancement of input technologies. It has no logic whatsoever. It only works on super-mobile devices where the screen is most of the exposed product - i.e. not on laptops, not on desktops. "
Oh, Karl, Karl, Karl... you just made me get quite a chuckle. http://alum.hampshire.edu/~bjk02/xGestures/
Uh, yeah... that would be a horrible combo with a touch screen laptop. Can't imagine the practical application of that especially if you add multi-touch to the mix. No logic there. LOL Thanks for the good laugh.
KarlW said 8:59PM on 6-18-2008
Gestures as the primary input method for a computer? That's terrible. Apple would be ashamed to launch a product like that. It's terrible for productivity. Gestures are good as a supplement to a mouse and keyboard, but can by no means replace them.
Besides, gestures don't help the problem of needing the computer right up to your face. Try touching your monitor now, and moving stuff around. Arm gets tired quickly, doesn't it? Now move the screen closer. Any better? Not much. Oh, and then turn the brightness down, or you'll be prone to eye strain and headaches.
Even on the iPhone, there are very few applications that actually benefit from touch. That's not to say there aren't any, it's just that most applications aren't really much better thanks to touch input.
Blaktornado said 10:18PM on 6-18-2008
While it's not Multi-touch yet, just imagine what'll happen when it is multi-touch.
It means that when Apple releases Mac OS 10.x, we don't have to upgrade our entire computers to get the multi-touch. I've always imagined Apple or someone coming out with something like this.
Fantastic! Can't wait until it's multi-touch... (And a little cheaper, heh)
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Danny said 3:35AM on 6-19-2008
The whole multi-touch on computers is a debatable thing.
BUT i can imagine it (even on iMacs or such) while having FrontRow, Quicktime or iTunes in fullscreen running. I kinda love the tap-controls on my iPhones. and iTunes coverflow would work with multitouch on a desktop. I love to run it when having friends over for a little party. (at least the PC people are always amazed *g*).
but for productive work, i don't think mouse and keyboard get replaced very soon.
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alin Steglinski said 4:36PM on 6-19-2008
iPod touch... it has to have a battery! THEN I WILL BUY ONE!
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