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Troll Touch your iMac screen

by Steven Sande Jun 18th 2008 at 3:00PM


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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Accessories Desktops Hardware Peripherals Video Odds and ends

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...
 

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Steve Thomas

I would like to know what his other hand was doing? - It seems like a trick!

July 03 2008 at 9:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
alin Steglinski

iPod touch... it has to have a battery! THEN I WILL BUY ONE!

June 19 2008 at 4:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Danny

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.

June 19 2008 at 3:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Blaktornado

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)

June 18 2008 at 10:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
KarlW

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.

June 18 2008 at 8:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to KarlW's comment
KarlW

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.

June 18 2008 at 8:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
themartorana

Very cool, but SERIOUSLY overpriced.

June 18 2008 at 7:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adam Montero

Does anyone know how this is installed?? is it just a plastic cover that takes in user input? or this an touchscreen itself

June 18 2008 at 5:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gordo

@Joshua Lipschultz

It's one of the free loops in the iLife suite.

Hit up spotlight for "acoustic sunrise"

June 18 2008 at 4:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt Reyer

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.

June 18 2008 at 4:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joshua Lipschultz

I think it's cool but I was really enjoying the music. Does anyone know if that is available on iTunes/Amazon?

June 18 2008 at 4:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Joshua Lipschultz's comment
Rick

Are you kidding? That's a Gargeband loop.

June 18 2008 at 4:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ernie.

Doesn't really change the fact that it's annoying.

June 18 2008 at 6:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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