In addition to the HDPD-SUT series durable hard drives, I-O Data rolled out the LCD-MF223FBR-T, a 21.5-inch touchscreen monitor for Windows 8 PCs. The monitor features an ergonomic stand, which lets you tilt it to make touch actions more comfortable. It features a 5-point multi-touch surface, letting you perform complex touch-based UI gestures. Its surface features an durable 8H glass surface, which is tested to withstand the drop of a 227 g iron ball from a height of 145 cm.

Purely as a monitor, the LCD-MF223FBR-T features a TN-film panel that provides 170°/160° (H/V) viewing angles, 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, 1000:1 static contrast ratio with dynamic mega-contrast, 220 cd/m² maximum brightness, 5 ms response time, and a typical power draw of 18W. Display inputs include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. A USB 2.0 connection relays touch input. Accessories include 2W stereo in-built speakers. Measuring 516 × 132~324 x 384 mm (WxDxH), the display weighs 4.7 kg. It is slated for market release by the end of April.Source: Hermitage Akihabara

CyberPower Inc. www.cyberpowerpc.com, a global manufacturer of custom gaming computers, today announced its Zeus Touch desktop PC series.

The Zeus Touch is an all-in-one desktop PC that combines a minimalist tablet-like design with the latest power-efficient performance processors from Intel users into a powerful space-saving system with full 10-finger capacitive touch support. Every system is pre-loaded with Microsoft's "touch-friendly" Windows 8 operating system, which allows you to experience a more intuitive and fluid way to accomplish computing tasks.

Iiyama's 21.5-inch ProLite T2234MC, launched last week, might be a wee bit too small for certain kinds of kiosks, for such applications the company announced out the bigger 23.6-inch ProLite T2452MTS. Featuring a capacitive touchscreen that's reinforced by durable, scratch-resistant 7H glass, the T2452MTS features a flexible stand that helps orient it in highly ergonomic ways to touch on desks, when not latched onto other surfaces with its VESA wall-mount.

As a display, the ProLite T2452MTS features the usual stuff for its dimensions: 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, 2 ms response time, 260 cd/m² brightness, 1000:1 static contrast ratio, and mega-contrast. Unlike the T2234MC, it features a dated TN-film panel that's LED-backlit. 2W stereo speakers come standard. Display inputs include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. Hitting stores in January, it is priced at 31,800¥ (US $387.5).Source: Hermitage Akihabara

Dell is ushering in the next era of computing with a redesigned portfolio of business and consumer PCs designed to take advantage of advances in new operating systems. Built to best optimize Windows 8, Dell has crafted inspired designs that enable new user experiences and make touch computing available to more customers than ever before. Dell today is making available for purchase the XPS 10 tablet, Latitude 10 tablet, Latitude 6430u Notebook, OptiPlex 9010 All-in-One with touch and the Inspiron 15z. These new systems join the XPS 12 convertible, XPS One 27 All-in-One with touch and Inspiron One 23 All-in-One with touch which were announced last week.

The new offerings free customers from carrying multiple devices, helping them save time and be more productive. The gorgeous and durable designs offer unparalleled security and manageability, empowering users to keep pace in an always-connected world. "The combination of new Dell hardware and Microsoft software will allow customers to create and consume content in new and exciting ways," said Sam Burd, Vice President and General Manager Personal Computer Product Group. "We're unveiling a comprehensive refresh of all our consumer and commercial products to take advantage of Windows 8. These stylish new products include clean and intuitive touch experiences, the security and manageability required by IT departments, and features to allow anytime, anywhere access to data and applications."

Securifi, an innovative consumer electronics company best known for developing Almond, the world's first Wi-Fi router and range extender with an intuitive touch screen interface, today announces that the highly anticipated product is now available with Japanese language support.

Almond will be showcased at the upcoming CEATEC show in Tokyo at Securifi's booth (#2B38). First introduced at CES 2012, Almond made headlines for its modern design and simple touch screen interface that configures in seconds and does away with PC or Mac or CD based setup or maintenance. Almond's range extender functionality has delighted customers who wanted an easy way to extend the range of their existing routers.

Toshiba UK today expands its range of high-performance Satellite P-series laptops with the launch of the Satellite P845. Building on the P series’ premium design and power, it now features an Intel Core ultra-low voltage (ULV) processor – delivering more efficient power consumption and a longer battery life.

Perfect for movie enthusiasts, gamers, photographers or video editors looking for a portable laptop without compromising on performance, the Satellite P845 also lets users interact with games and multimedia content in a new way, using the highly responsive 35.6cm (14”) capacitive touchscreen.

Acer presents two of its newest Windows 8 tablets at Computex Taipei. The ICONIA W510 evolves the computing experience with three different modes of touchscreen operation, while the ICONIA W700 is the best-performing Windows 8 tablet with the added versatility of a cradle. Both designed to set new standards in ergonomics and user-friendliness.

The most unique part of the W510 tablet is the tri-mode, allowing users to touch, type and view. Aside from the conventional tablet mode, it can be used in productivity mode. A detachable keyboard dock can be connected to the tablet for optimal typing as well as extending the battery life up to 18 hours. Rotating the tablet 295 degrees allows it to be used in presentation mode, which is excellent for watching a video, browsing a webpage or viewing a PowerPoint presentation.

Lenovo, the world's second largest PC maker, is showcasing for the first time in the UK a whole range of desktops, laptops and All-in-ones at its stand D70 at the Gadget Show live at the Birmingham NEC.

The IdeaCentre A720 All-in-One takes touch experience in the home to the next level – the industry's slimmest 27 inch screen features an innovative screen hinge that allows a more widely adjustable angle from -5 degrees to 90 degrees that allows for a more comfortable use in any position. The A720 is an ultra-stylish and fun addition for the modern home entertainment centre with integrated entertainment features such as room-shaking Dolby Home Theatre V4 audio and Lenovo High-Sense Webcam and Lenovo IdeaTouch. It combines all this with a frameless display that supports 10-point multi-touch capabilities for a greatly enhanced multi-user experience.

Finger-lag is one specification buyers of touchscreen devices such as tablets and smartphones don't pay too much attention to. Finger-lag is a phenomenon when it takes a short but noticeable amount of time for a touchscreen-enabled device to respond to a touch interaction in progress (such as drawing something in a paint program, dragging an object around, etc.). Microsoft sought to address the issue by developing a new touchscreen technology that reduces latency to 1 ms, delivering much more responsive touchscreen interactions. Paul Dietz at Microsoft's Applied Science division has managed to lower touchscreen latency to 1 ms, in comparison, touchscreens in the market typically have 100 ms. The technology can also be applied to high-precision stylus-based devices such as graphics tablets, where touch-latency can affect the quality of graphics work.A video of the technology at work follows.

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, along with EXOPC, today announced the EXOdesk, an interactive touchscreen desk. The companies will showcase the technology demonstration at CES 2012 as part of a strategic partnership.

Built by ViewSonic, the EXOdesk is a 32" 10-point touch tabletop that uses an HTML5 powered user interface created by EXOPC. The EXOdesk demonstrates an intuitive design aesthetic and supports gesture-based control of applications including productivity tools, social networking and games. The desk will be powered by an external PC configured with an Intel Core i7 processor, Intel's integrated graphics, and Windows 7.

Rossmorr thinks it has a decent alternative to the ₤1999.99 (US $3129) Wacom Cintiq 24HD professional-grade high-resolution touchscreen. Called the Rossmorr i23 HD, this new pro high-resolution touchscreen is slightly smaller than the Citiq 24HD, at 23-inches, and offers slightly lower resolution, at 1920 x 1080 pixels, compared to the Citiq's 1920 x 1200, but costs 36% less, at US $1999. Like the Citiq, the Rossmorr i23 HD features an IPS display panel, with a high-precision touchscreen that makes it fit for professional graphics work using a precise stylus. Its touchscreen layer is pressure-sensitive and tilt-sensitive. Speaking of tilt, supports a pivotal stand that allows it to be used as an ergonomic drawing surface for designers.A video demonstration follows.

Touchscreen display developer Senseg revealed prototypes of its haptic touchscreen displays. Simply put, these are displays that can reproduce the texture and "feel" of surfaces, apart from reproducing moving images. For example, it can reproduce the texture and feel of silk and rock. Senseg is calling its display "Feel Screen". The Feel Screen is already backed by a 4D display technology, in which images consist of "tixels" (pixel with touch-texture information). We've all probably been to 4D movies, in which apart from 3D visuals, a fourth dimension (usually physical effects). Think of compact haptic displays as being similar, only here the fourth dimension is touch texture.

How does it work? Feel Screen, like every touchscreen, could be a layered display at its lowermost layer is the LCD that displays visuals (capable of even stereo 3D), above that is a touchscreen layer, and above that, a haptic layer that generates mild electrostatic fields. Touch-textures are created by making and manipulating an attractive force between the finger and that electrostatic field. The screen can reproduce surface textures and create the sensation of vibrations. Sounds too Sci-Fi? Well, Senseg stated that it will be able to mass produce displays based on this technology in 2012, which will then market by 2013. Senseg owns all patents related to this unique technology. Some of the most valuable ones could be related to how Senseg went about designing its electrostatic haptic layer to prevent it from interfering with the capacitive touchscreen layer. Please don't evaporate.Sources: TechWatch.co.uk, VR-Zone

Acer America Corp. has unveiled its new M and X Series desktops and T231H 23-inch multi-touch display that offer more power, practical features and attractive new aesthetics designed to make a versatile addition to a home office, bedroom or dorm. Consumers wanting the power of a desktop and an intuitive touch screen display to serve as a hub for fun, productivity and entertainment will appreciate Acer's latest models.

Acer's refreshed consumer desktops tout a contemporary black design with smooth lines and a glossy finish. They're available in two sizes to address specific customer needs. The M Series is built for those wanting a powerful desktop with expansion. Offering plenty of room for upgrades, it's a workhorse to leverage for years to come. Sleek and compact, the X Series is designed for those looking to conserve space. Both desktops maximize desktop real estate, while providing all the essentials for personal productivity and digital entertainment. Acer's T231H monitor is an ideal companion for computers with Windows 7. Integrating Microsoft Touch Pack, it frees users from their mouse by enabling them to interact directly with the PC in an intuitive and fun way.

Apart from a brand new CPU architecture, Intel's Sandy Bridge LGA1155 platform saw the mass introduction of EFI (extensible firmware interface) to the PC, a new BIOS-replacement component that can eliminate several limitations of BIOS, most notably, the ability to boot from volumes bigger than 3 TB in size. While most motherboard manufacturers have given their LGA1155 models support for UEFI, not everyone has a graphical user interface (GUI) based UEFI setup program that uses mouse as a pointing device, and presents users with UI elements such as radio buttons, drop-lists, and checkboxes to make changes. Gigabyte has been one such manufacturer with its first wave of P67 and H67 based motherboards.

With its newest B3-revision motherboards that include the upcoming Z68 chipset based motherboards, Gigabyte wants to make amends. It has to, being the number two motherboard vendor in terms of volumes. Gigabyte wants to go a step ahead of other vendors, and design a UEFI setup program that not only supports mouse, but also touchscreens, and present a user interface with large icons and design elements that resemble tablets, which are designed to make configuration easier than on mouse-driven UEFI setup programs. The TouchBIOS ("BIOS" here is just used as a verb) from Gigabyte should be available on Gigabyte's upcoming motherboards, as well as in the future, on Gigabyte's all-in-one PCs, tablets, and notebooks.UPDATE: It turns out that TouchBIOS isn't a firmware application, but rather a Windows-based utility that makes BIOS management easily for the people less acquainted with it. Let's hope the "less acquainted" don't touch the wrong colorful button in their "ooh what does this button do?™" moments.Source: OCWorkbench

HP today unveiled its first touchscreen desktop PCs to feature a 60-degree reclining display, enabling users to adjust the display's position for a comfortable user experience. With a sleek, clean appearance, the new HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC and HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PC recline from upright to almost flat, providing consumers and business users increased comfort for longer-term use and making it easier for businesses to engage customers.

"As a leader in touch computing, HP has made each iteration of the TouchSmart PC more intuitive, resourceful and fun for users," said James Mouton, senior vice president, Desktop Organization, Personal Systems Group, HP. "The latest generation is no exception with a new design that makes it easier and more comfortable to use, and it allows businesses to integrate the TouchSmart where convenience, space constraints and appearance matter."

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced commercial availability of its latest solutions to bring touch compatibility to the desktop – the VX2258wm display and VPC220T all-in-one PC.

“Businesses and consumers alike are engaging with more touch interactive applications,” said Sally Wang, senior director of product marketing, ViewSonic. “To address this need, ViewSonic has announced two new multi-touch solutions to enhance the computing experience. The VX2258wm is our first touch screen, energy-efficient monitor display, while our VPC220T is our multi-touch second-generation all-in-one PC, bringing intuitive touch navigation to SMBs and the enterprise.”

Lamptron, known most for its fan controllers ranging from the retro aviator switch Hummer to the analog rheostat-driven FC3/4/5 series, and the speed/temperature digital monitoring-equipped FC6, is now out with a touchscreen-based FCT "Touch", that completely does away with buttons, switches and knobs for touch-based control. The FCT occupies a 5.25" drive bay, and takes 6 independent fan channels of up to 30W each, along with fan-speed and thermal-zone real-time monitoring. It comes with two CNC-milled bezel options: graphite black and silver. Pricing is not known at this time.Source: TechConnect Magazine

Close to month after releasing the Strike-X ATX mid-tower case, AeroCool released a new touchscreen multichannel fan-controller under the same banner. The Strike-X fan-controller occupies two 5.25" drive bays on your case (designed to look best with the Strike-X case), and has a fuzzy-looking LED display that looks like one of the touchscreen computers from the retro generation of the USS Enterprise (in which William Shatner plays Capt. Kirk). The controller supports five independent fan channels, with fan-speed and thermal-zone monitoring. The unit also doubles up as a 2-port USB 2.0 and front-panel audio hub (by relaying the same from the motherboard). It is available with red+black and all-black bezel options. Available soon, the Strike-X fan-controller from AeroCool will sell for €54.90.

Source: TechConnect Magazine

NZXT, specializing in making gaming chassis, has silently introduced Sentry 2 series fan controller. Representing a step up compared to the original Sentry and Sentry LX, the Sentry 2 occupies single 5.25-inch slot and displays all the needed information on a big touchscreen display. There are no buttons or knobs, all there is to be adjusted is controlled by touching. The NZXT Sentry 2 has five temperature sensors, and supports up to five fans. It can display the temperature readings from the sensors, fan speeds, it can also manually control fans rotation speeds and alarm you if there's a fan malfunction. The NZXT Sentry 2 will set you back 29.90 Euro.Source: PCGH

ASUS today added the Eee PC T91 to its highly-successful Eee PC line. This new model is the first to sport an 8.9" swivelable touchscreen and a suite of touch-optimized software that enables users to get the most out of finger or stylus input—thus transcending the capabilities of previous generations of devices in its class. The Eee PC T91 was first unveiled at CES 2009 to tremendous buzz, and it is yet another example of ASUS outstripping its competitors in terms of being the first to market with cutting-edge innovations.

Shuttle Inc., market leader in the mini-PC segment and manufacturer of Multi-Form-Factor solutions, today announces the availability of the Shuttle Barebone D10 which was presented at IFA. As the first mini-PC of its kind, the D10 comes with a 7" touchscreen display integrated into its front panel.

HP has been showing off its latest creation, the Touchsmart IQ518, an all-in-one PC with a 22" widescreen multi-touch panel. The expected launch price is to be around $1800 (US) and HP has said Pegatron Technology will be handling its manufacture. There have been no other details in terms of specification as yet but it is likely that systems such as this are preparing for the launch of Windows 7, as it has already been said that Microsoft will be implementing touchscreen technology as a key aspect of the upcoming OS.Source: Digitimes

Thermaltake has introduced the new digital Home Theater PC Chassis, the DH (Digital Home) series. Designed with the latest multimedia module and high quality piano mirror coating front panel, the new Digital Home series shines with elegance and charm!

There are total of four models to choose from the new Digital Home Series; DH101 was designed with the latest LCD Display that not only supports multiple languages, but also allows different display selections with its blue glowing background. DH 102 on the other hand, comes with the aluminum piano mirror coating and the hottest 7 inch Touch Screen front LCD display bringing all the media function controls easy and fast at user’s fingertips.