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Multi-touch netbooks/notebooks still on schedule for Q4 09

by on28 August 2009

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Wide variety of panel technologies


Back in
April, we wrote that several Taiwanese LCD manufacturers were competitively preparing for the launch of Windows 7 in the netbook/notebook market with the development of capacitive and resistive multi-touch panels for the respective market.

In recent months, nine firms have already certified new multi-touch panels with the Windows 7 Logo and are all targeting release dates generally toward the end of 2009. While most of these companies have been working exclusively on capacitive and resistive multi-touch displays, Young Fast Optoelectronics in Taiwan has taken an exclusive route of its own.

The company recently announced that it is preparing analog matrix resistive (AMR) multi-touch panels for use in netbooks with availability scheduled toward the end of the year. According to company Chairman TJ Lin, it also plans to bring a few capacitive multi-touch panels to the market for netbooks as well. Lin also stated that the technology share for capacitive multi-touch panels in particular would increase 40 to 50 percent in 2010.

On the other hand, touch panel manufacturer eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc. (EETI) in Taiwan has already received Windows 7 Logo certification for its 11.6-inch projective capacitive multi-touch panels and expects to pass the Windows 7 Logo test for its 10.4-inch, 12.1-inch and 15-inch projective capacitive touch panels by the end of the month. Like Young Fast, it will also deliver some analog matrix resistive panels in 10.1-inch, 11.6-inch, and 17-inch flavors.

As of now, the multi-touch panel technology types we can expect in netbooks and notebooks at the end of this year include projective capacitive, electromagnetic, optical and analog matrix resistive. What all of this means in terms of economics is that a variety of multi-touch technologies will be flooding the market all at once, and it is largely up to the consumers to decide which ones work best on a practical scale. With the anticipated widespread adoption of touch as a new mainstream computing input device, the possibilities are endless.
Last modified on 28 August 2009
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