Wacom announced today a major innovation in capacitive touchscreen technology, called Reversing Ramped Field Capacitive (RRFC™) touch, employing newly designed low-power circuitry and revolutionary reversing ramped electro-static fields to deliver pinpoint precision and drift-free performance to touchscreen users. The patent-pending technology can be integrated into dual-input applications with Wacom's market-leading EMR pen-input technology for Tablet PC OEMs or work by itself on other platforms that require only a finger touch interface. With this newly developed technology, Wacom can provide true flexibility to OEM partners seeking best-in-class interface solutions.

via pclaunches.com

Wacom announced today that it is showing off its latest Cintiq graphics tablet at NAB 2008. The new Cintiq is called the 12WX and provides artists with direct pen-on-screen input with a low-profile, lightweight design.

The MSRP for the new 12WX is $999.99, which is low cost for the interactive pen display market. Wacom says that the Cintiq 12WX is perfect for multi-monitor environments or as a companion monitor or by itself. The device weighs 4.4 pounds and has a 12.1-inch TFT LCD screen with 1280 x 800 resolution and 24-bit color depth.

"Users will appreciate the Cintiq 12WX's ability to integrate seamlessly into existing workflows," said Michael Marcum, director of product management for Wacom. "Whether developing content at a work station in conjunction with a large-format display or creating material with a laptop, the Cintiq 12WX provides all the advantages of pen-on-screen usage in an intuitive and functional design."

via i4u.com

For years, people have searching for ways to make computers cooler, lest they burn a hole in the lap on which they're seated. Given their noticeably icy name, one might suspect that Glacier Computer was founded on such principles.

However, in the name of true counterintuitivity, the Connecticut-based company is helping to pioneer the concept of heated touchscreens for its Everest vehicle computers, a line of tablets designed for use in forklifts, carts, pallet jacks, and other piece of heavy machinery.

The idea here is to cut down on the frozen condensation that can accrue on screens when driving back and forth between sub-zero and above freezing environments, like, say, in and out of grocery store freezers. "Customers in cold storage warehousing and involved in the manufacture of frozen food are often driving between sub-zero environments and areas above freezing," said Everest's director of engineering Dan Poisson. "This activity causes condensation and then a re-freezing of that condensation making the screen unusable by the operator."

via gearlog.com

Naturally, when we first laid our eyes on the LucidTouch prototype from Microsoft back in October, we were intrigued by the transparent multi-touch interface that allows users to control the device from behind the screen. Now, five months later, Microsoft has unveiled some artist mock-ups of what the device could look like as a final product. When compared to the prototype, it is readily apparent that they have a long way to go (especially with that bulky camera), but at least it is still an ongoing project. Whether users will prefer the UI to a traditional touchscreen remains to be seen.

via gizmodo.com

So we have all seen the the very clever Microsoft Surface coffee table PC, well check out this amazing homemade coffee table PC from moder extraordinaire Xylomn.

Here’s the specs.

ASRock ConRoe1333

Intel Pentium DualCore E2180

2GB Corsair 800MHz

GeForce 8400GS

250GB HDD

ACER 24″ Monitor

Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000

I have to say this is a pretty clever mod, and the features that this moder has built into this cool table PC are amazing.

via geeky-gadgets.com

As the market for ruggedize system is growing, everybody wants to have a product under this category. Just yesterday Dell introduced its first truly tough notebook computer and today we have ARMOR from ruggedness major DRS. The ARMOR line up include two machines -- the 12.1" C12 Convertible Notebook and the 10.4" X10 Tablet (pictured above). "DRS has extensive experience developing systems that meet and exceed military requirements and survive extremely harsh environments around the globe. Whether it's a soldier in need of mission-critical information in the desert or a utility worker in need of automation in the field, ARMOR rugged mobile computing devices survive the rough conditions they face on a daily basis," said Michael J. Sheehan, president of DRS Technologies' Tactical Computing strategic business unit.

via pclaunches.com

It's been a solid tick since we heard a peep from Motion Computing, but nearly a year after we first wrapped our paws around the firm's C5 medical tablet, the F5 has arrived. Granted, this bugger is more suited for service industries and field work than the ER, but its "semi-rugged" nature ensures that it'll get the job done almost anywhere. Packed within the IP54-compliant (read: dust, water, shock and temperature resistant) chassis is a 1.2GHz Intel Centrino U1400 processor, 10.4-inch XGA (1,024 x 768) View Anywhere display, 40GB HDD (optional 32GB SSD available), built-in 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth, WWAN (EV-DO) support and a 2-megapixel camera for good measure. Additionally, you'll spot an optional barcode reader, integrated RFID reader / passive tag, a biometric scanner, three USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, VGA output and a battery good for about 1.5 hours of usage.

via engadget.com

Sure enough, that 100 quid laptop we heard about early last week is already making the rounds, as the BBC caught up with the ONE at The Education Show in Birmingham, England. Granted, this thing is far from stylish (okay, so it's downright ugly), but it's hard to expect too much more given the ultra-low price tag.

via engadget.com

Roper today announced a new product under its rugged tablet series, the Duros. The Duros is a fourth generation, powerful Windows XP-based tablet PC that is designed for the user battling harsh environments. It is sealed to IP-65 levels for dust and water ingress and tested to MIL STD 810F for vibration, functional shock, high and low temperatures and drops. One of the good thing about this machine is its form factor -- its an 8.4-inch tablet, making it a truly portable notebook for "field work".

via pclaunches.com

Electrovaya released a new tablet PC for business professionals - the Scribbler SC4000. The SC4000 features a 12.1-inch touchscreen LCD, ultra low voltage Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 70Wh Lithium Ion SuperPolymer battery, and a fingerprint reader...

via coolgadgetszone.com

iRiver is making a comeback in a major way, they had some pretty amazing products at their booth at CES this year, but for some strange reason I don’t recall seeing this one there. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who must have missed this little gadget, but apparently its up on their site...

via slashgear.com

This radio controlled spy car has a feature that you won’t find with the R/C Snooper Robot or the Rovio Wi-Fi Spy Robot - it allows you to spy in the dark...

via geekalerts.com

According to the folks over at TabletPC2, the image above is a sneak peek of the forthcoming TabletKiosk eo i7300, which will purportedly rock a 7-inch display (1,024 x 600 resolution), a "fully ruggedized" chassis and "a number of enhancements" to the Sahara Slate PC and eo v7110...

via engadget.com

Wow, if the smallish Fujitsu LifeBook U810 rolled out 10 years ago, it would have cost a bomb. With today’s technological advancements, Fujitsu will be rolling out this wonder starting March 2008 for just $999...

via thegadgetblog.com

The Axiotron Modbook™ is a revolutionary slate-style tablet Mac® that enables users to draw and write directly on the screen.Axiotron’s innovative design and manufacturing process converts Apple’s MacBook® into a complete tablet solution, the Axiotron Modbook™, while retaining Apple MacBook® functionality...

via gadgetgrid.com