So it seems they are becoming the "in" thing again (or were they ever really "in" before?) with CES 2010 being awash with them (and Apples possible one). Thing is when I looked at getting one two years ago I was distinctly underwhelmed, they seemed slow, bulky and the screens seemed awful (not to mention ugly). Are they likely to change now if they actually catch on or are they still pointless/niche?
I think the main problem with touch screens on laptops like that is what is the point? The occasional benefit is outweighed by the extra weight and price. Anyone actually have experience using one? What are they actually like?
Now on to the future...
I think for them to properly catch on manufactuers need to stop trying to sell them as Laptops. I have a Desktop for my High performance needs, laptop for my medium travel performance needs but i'm thinking I want a tablet for my relaxing needs. Do away with the keyboard and make a tablet like a HTC Touch HD(2) but bigger.
Something that doesn't fold up and doesn't try to be a laptop, yet doesn't try to be anything else (no camera on the back for example). Just a 12-13" touch screen (1280x800 or even 1680x1050) on the front and about half an inch to an inch thick (so essentially idential size to a pad of paper). Stick a couple of buttons and inputs on the side and wifi inside, voila. I'd love something like that, especially if you could connect it to another screen and use it either as the main computer running the screen or as a touch pad (with the image on the screen) control for the desktop you're using (Wacom have something like this out already but it costs a fortune and can't run the screen, just a glorified graphics tablet). That way you can use it as a touchscreen keyboard and navigation for your HTPC and as a graphics tablet.
The benefit of something like that (over a wacom) is you can then take it with you on trips so you can watch films and surf the net, just with a bigger and better (full colour) screen than a phone or ebook reader. You could even write a word document with an on screen keyboard (but by then you may as well have taken your laptop).
Size wise there would be no real issue as there are already powerful laptops out there that size (XPS 1330 for example) or less powerful net browsers like the Dell Adamo (sp?) and the Macbook Air. Stick a slight extension on the media centre part of W7 and you have the software perfect for it that will pretty much any PC software you can think of.
The question is are manufacturers going to build anuthing like this in the near future or are they going to carry on with the form factor that I don't think works.
I think the main problem with touch screens on laptops like that is what is the point? The occasional benefit is outweighed by the extra weight and price. Anyone actually have experience using one? What are they actually like?
Now on to the future...
I think for them to properly catch on manufactuers need to stop trying to sell them as Laptops. I have a Desktop for my High performance needs, laptop for my medium travel performance needs but i'm thinking I want a tablet for my relaxing needs. Do away with the keyboard and make a tablet like a HTC Touch HD(2) but bigger. Something that doesn't fold up and doesn't try to be a laptop, yet doesn't try to be anything else (no camera on the back for example). Just a 12-13" touch screen (1280x800 or even 1680x1050) on the front and about half an inch to an inch thick (so essentially idential size to a pad of paper). Stick a couple of buttons and inputs on the side and wifi inside, voila. I'd love something like that, especially if you could connect it to another screen and use it either as the main computer running the screen or as a touch pad (with the image on the screen) control for the desktop you're using (Wacom have something like this out already but it costs a fortune and can't run the screen, just a glorified graphics tablet). That way you can use it as a touchscreen keyboard and navigation for your HTPC and as a graphics tablet.
The benefit of something like that (over a wacom) is you can then take it with you on trips so you can watch films and surf the net, just with a bigger and better (full colour) screen than a phone or ebook reader. You could even write a word document with an on screen keyboard (but by then you may as well have taken your laptop).
Size wise there would be no real issue as there are already powerful laptops out there that size (XPS 1330 for example) or less powerful net browsers like the Dell Adamo (sp?) and the Macbook Air. Stick a slight extension on the media centre part of W7 and you have the software perfect for it that will pretty much any PC software you can think of.
The question is are manufacturers going to build anuthing like this in the near future or are they going to carry on with the form factor that I don't think works.
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) and a couple of gig more RAM (and probably a slightly uprated CPU) and that would be perfect for general day to day travelling use. Similar screen size to my laptop yet much smaller and lighter. £800 ish and I would snap it up.