Hasta La Gadget!

Google’s Nexus One phone has gained kudos for its vivid OLED screen and slim design. But the lack of multitouch support for its gorgeous display has left some users frustrated.

Now there’s a hack for it. A developer has modified the Android 2.1 operating system running on the Nexus One to enable multitouch for the device. Though it enables the feature for the Nexus One browser, for now, it is likely to soon become a part of other applications, such as maps.

Earlier this month, Google launched Nexus One as the first smartphone that would be sold by the search company itself, rather than a manufacturing or carrier partner. The Nexus One is designed by HTC and is currently available on T-Mobile’s network for $180 with a two-year contract with T-Mobile. An unsubsidized version of the phone costs $530.

But the lack of multitouch on the Nexus One has left many users puzzled. Nexus One has a touchscreen but users can only tap on it with one finger. So none of the two-finger pinch-and-zoom gestures that are popular among iPhone users are available. Google has said it will consider adding the feature in future updates.

The Android community, though, isn’t holding its breath. Steve Kondik, a developer who goes under the nickname Cyanogen, has offered a few files and instructions on code to add multitouch to the device.

“You will initially lose your bookmarks and browser settings by doing this,” he warns.  Hacking the phone could also void its warranty.

But as this video shows, getting multitouch in the Nexus One browser could just be worth it.

Photo: pittaya/Flickr

[via PC World]

See Also:

• Google Nexus One Leaves Customers Sour
• Google Nexus One Phone Likely to Launch Jan. 5
• Rumor: Google Nexus One $530 Unlocked, $180 With Plan
• Google Debuts Android-Powered Nexus One ‘Superphone’
• Google Nexus One Sales Off to Slow Start

We’ve had a few run-ins with Stantum before, and never came away less than impressed. This time they sent us their Slate PC concept, which is actually a hacked-up Dell mini 10. The 10-inches of real estate don’t seem to hamper Stantum’s multitouch, ultra-sensitive and pressure-simulating resistive touchscreen technology one bit. Unfortunately, with stock Windows 7 on here we’re not sure this makes much more of a compelling use-case for a “slate” computer than we’ve seen already littering the halls of CES. Read-on for our full impressions and a video tour.

Continue reading Stantum multitouch Slate PC prototype hands-on

Stantum multitouch Slate PC prototype hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As anyone who’s seen the last Engadget Show knows, we were incredibly lucky to have Google’s Erick Tseng as our guest. Erick is product manager of Android at Google, and he’s one of the sharpest, brightest, funniest guys around — it was great having him on the show, and I sincerely hope we see a lot more of him as time goes by. It’s obvious that Android is in capable hands.

Of course, the problem with having someone as funny, sharp, and bright as Erick on the show is that they tend to come in extremely well-prepared, and Erick was no exception — he’d read the many comments where you all asked for solid answers regarding the state of multitouch gestures on Android, and he had his answers ready and polished to a high shine. Like we’ve been hearing for months now, Erick told us that Android now supports the recognition of multiple touch inputs — the basic definition of “multitouch” — and that the real issue is actually how multitouch is implemented. It was a fascinating exchange that I encourage you to watch, but here’s the main quote:

When people say ‘why doesn’t Android have multitouch?’ it’s not a question of ‘multitouch’… I want to reframe the question. We have multitouch — what people are asking for is specific implementations in the UI that use multitouch, like pinch-to-zoom, or chording on the keyboard.

That’s a solid, respectable answer, and it was delivered with confidence, poise, and charm. There’s just one problem: it’s not actually an answer, because the semantics don’t matter. No matter how you look at it, the lack of “specific multitouch implementations” is still a huge issue with Android — one that’s become a growing distraction.

Continue reading Editorial: Google’s multitouch dilemma

Editorial: Google’s multitouch dilemma originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Native app multitouch, you say? It’s a dream that most US Android users have failed to experience, but Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha has let loose some promising words. In an interview with Laptop, he asserted that the company will be more proactive in getting the two-finger (or more) shuffle into its Google devices — more specifically he said, “I think you will see us deliver multitouch in the majority of our devices going forward. There’s a complex set of factors, not all of them technical.” That last bit’s pretty ominous, but nothing we haven’t surmised before, and frankly, it all sounds a lot better than “we’ll consider it.” Also discussed in the interview is the inevitability of tablet experimentation, and the (un)likelihood of a Motoblur phone landing in Google’s online store. “I think clearly the bias is towards Google Experience devices.” Perhaps, but we’ll be interested to see what HTC has to say about that.

Multitouch coming to ‘majority’ of future Motorola devices, says CEO originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doodle much? Not us — we just keep things in our heads which is probably for the best, but Ten One Design — maker of Pogo Stylus and Pogo Sketch — has just come up with a new solution for MacBook artists. The Inklet app essentially converts your multitouch trackpad into a drawing tablet by adding pressure sensitivity when using with a Pogo Sketch, as well as “advanced palm rejection” which lets you rest your hand while drawing or writing. As you can see in one of the videos after the break, you can also quickly adjust your canvas area at your convenience. $24.95 and it’s yours, Picasso.

Continue reading Inklet trackpad tablet app for MacBook is Wacom’s worst nightmare

Inklet trackpad tablet app for MacBook is Wacom’s worst nightmare originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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