touch-screen

I crown you King!

We Rule is a real-time kingdom simulation game where you'll need to earn money to expand your kingdom. Earning money in We Rule requires that you grow crops and build factories and shops that will bring in a steady income over time. The touch-screen interface is fairly intuitive for choosing what type of objects you want to build, but lacks descriptions of buildings making it difficult to predict how much income you will gain by placing a specific type of building. Part of the fun is finding out which building will net you the most cash. You also can … Read more

Touch-screen cameras: Yea or nay?

I just wrapped up reviewing Canon's second go-round using a touch-screen LCD on a compact camera, the PowerShot SD3500 IS. Unlike its first one, the SD980 IS, this model has few physical controls for operating the camera, so it relies almost entirely on pokes and swipes with your fingers. While I liked the camera overall, the touch-screen interface doesn't add much to the experience of using it and ends up feeling unnecessary. About the only benefit is the ability to tap on your subject for focus and exposure--something all touch-screen cameras do.

Other touch-screen models from Sony, Samsung, and Nikon … Read more

Study: Your kids will use touch screens in 2015

Apple's touch-screen iPad tablet has only been out for a few days. But a study has found that by 2015, the majority of kids under age 15 will be using computers that feature a touch-screen display.

According to market-research firm Gartner, the younger generation could lead the way in touch-screen computing. The firm said it believes about 50 percent of the computers that will be bought for kids aged 15 or younger in 2015 will feature a touch screen. In 2009, that figure stood at just 2 percent of PCs.

Gartner also predicts that the enterprise will see an … Read more

These tablets do what the 'iPad don't'

With apologies to Sega's classic "Genesis does what Nintendon't" ad campaign, there are many tablet and touch-screen PCs that do things the upcoming Apple iPad simply can't. While Apple's tablet runs a version of the company's iPhone operating system, most of these tablets run different flavors of Windows, and (at least in theory) are capable of performing any task a standard laptop can.

The benefits of having a full computer operating system are many, from running your choice of Web browsers, such as Firefox or Chrome, to streaming Flash video from Hulu and … Read more

Quantum physics could make smartphones smarter

A unit of Samsung has licensed technology from U.K.-based Peratech that could help it build smartphone handsets with the ability to navigate via the amount of pressure applied to a touch screen. So if you're scrolling through a list or playing a game, your input could change depending on how much pressure you apply.

Read more of "With quantum physics, Samsung aims to make smartphones smarter" at ZDNet's The ToyBox.

Canon rolls out four PowerShots for spring

Canon's PowerShots are my go-to cameras for best photo quality. However, when it comes to cutting-edge features or shooting options, the company tends to lag behind much of the competition. I'm still on the fence about whether this is a bad thing, but regardless, Monday it announced four PowerShots, three of them refreshes of older models as well as the new SD3500 IS. Judging by the specs, my opinion holds true.

Overall, the updated models don't appear all that different from the prior models; just some minor improvements to features, boosts in resolution (hooray, more 14-megapixel compacts), a couple new photo effects, and Eye-Fi support. The SD3500 looks good for those who like touch-screen interfaces, but otherwise it doesn't seem to break new ground for the category.

Lastly, it looks like Canon is steering clear of optical viewfinders, so if you need an ultracompact camera with one, I suggest you pick up an SD780 IS or SD1200 IS while they're still around; the SD1400 IS and SD1300 IS will replace them, respectively.

PowerShot SX210 IS 14 megapixels 14x 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens 3-inch LCD HD video (720p) with stereo sound HDMI output Optical image stabilization Dynamic mode reducing camera shake while recording movies New Fisheye and Miniature effects Eye-Fi support SD/SDHC memory cards Lithium ion rechargeable battery Choice of black, purple, and gold $349.99, March 2010… Read more

Nikon refreshes Coolpix S-series models adding HD movie capture

Ho hum, ho hum. Another day closer to PMA 2010 and another bunch of camera announcements. This crop from Nikon fills in the company's "S is for style" line. I've listed out the few specs Nikon managed to scribble into its press release. I've marked the upsell features on the cameras so you can see just what $50 more is getting you. The most impressive thing with these, though, is that Nikon finally managed to put a 720p HD movie mode into three of the four models. Enjoy.

Coolpix S3000

12 megapixels 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR … Read more

Touch-screen model added to Fujifilm EXR lineup

Fujifilm continues to grow its selection of cameras that use its Super CCD EXR sensor technology, which makes sense since the sensors actually perform very well. And with a 5x zoom compact camera, a full-size 14x megazoom, and two 10x compact megazoom models available, it also makes sense to add an ultracompact in the mix.

The 12-megapixel F700EXR features an internal periscopic Fujinon lens with a 5x zoom. All of the manufacturer's latest shooting features are included, like Face Recognition, Pet Detection (yes, it optimizes focus on the faces of dogs and cats), tagging of photos and movies for … Read more

BlackBerry Magnum spotted in the wild

A new Research In Motion BlackBerry device, code-named Magnum, has been spotted and videotaped in the wild.

It appears to be the company's first touch-screen QWERTY device, and an attempt to bridge the gap between its popular Curve and Bold QWERTY handsets and its Storm touch-screen device.

Read more of "BlackBerry Magnum spotted in the wild; RIM's first touch-screen QWERTY" on ZDNet's The ToyBox.