total games: Touch

Rabu, 15 Agustus 2012

Microsoft details battery saving and touch features on Windows 8 RT, device sizes

Microsoft is gearing up to launch Windows 8, a version that marks a significant departure from previous incarnations in that it supports ARM processors. The Redmond-based company is quite excited about what it has achieved with Windows 8 RT (that’s what the ARM version is called) and the kind of hardware it and its OEM partners have designed.

One of the biggest advantages of ARM over Intel or AMD made x86 processors is energy efficiency. Windows 8 RT was designed to reduce power usage to capitalize on that, but also allow for smaller batteries, which in turn means thinner and lighter gadgets.

One of the power-saving features is Connected standby, which is the answer to the dilemma of choosing between putting your computer to sleep or keeping it on to receive notifications.

Connected standby is like sleep mode but Windows keeps an active connection and checks for new events. It uses a lot less energy than just keeping the computer on. Here’s some battery life figures of a Windows 8 RT device in playing an HD video and in active standby (I wish they included regular standby too, to see just how much energy is saved).

Batteries for RT devices will range from 25Wh to 42Wh, while screen sizes will be going between 10.1? and 11.6? for laptops and tablets. Here’s what you can expect in terms of overall size and weight of the devices.

A tablet that’s 8.35mm thick and weighs 520g sounds pretty good, but the 15.6mm, 1200g device seems a bit bulky even if it’s for a laptop. After all, there are laptops with x86 CPUs capable of running classic Windows (which means all Windows 7 apps) that are this big (for a 13? screen too).

Anyway, Microsoft’s desire to reduce power usage had some interesting consequences. They combined all chips responsible for touch interaction, which reduced power usage, but the new design also has some really cool features.

One of them is 100 Hz finger tracking. Here’s a video from Microsoft Research that shows just what kind of difference a high frequency tracking makes (100Hz is at the 10ms part of the video).

Also, check out these finger gestures that Windows 8 supports.

So, are you excited about the upcoming launch of Windows 8 (the Surface should launch on the same date)?

Source

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Eliana Adriana Chandra Buana

Sabtu, 28 April 2012

Implementing Touch Screen Learning in Schools

New technological advancements in information technology are finding their way into the field of education and presenting ways in which to engage learners more effectively. Touch screen learning is one such innovation, not yet widely available in all schools but assisting learners with disabilities as well as providing basic learning tools for babies, toddlers and young children.

Examples of touchscreen devices include handheld gaming systems, ATM's, smartphones and directories in shopping malls and tourism offices. They are basically electronic display areas which are responsive to touch, either by the human hand or finger or by digital pens used to select small icons and on-screen options.

What the functionality of these displays entails for the end-user, is that these devices can be accessed and interacted with in a more direct way than via external means such as a keyboard or mouse. For this reason, it has proven to be more user-friendly and easy to understand for people who have difficulty using conventional computerized devices. Visually, it is more stimulating and may even serve to decrease time lags for those waiting in line to make payments, buy tickets or access basic information especially with regards to banking. In addition, it is a technology being used to simplify education and make it more accessible to all kinds of learners.

Touchscreen technology has functioned very well in helping learners with disabilities to develop much-needed skills. Case studies tell of cerebral palsy learners who learn to hold their heads up and improve muscle tone in their arms and hands. Additionally, games teaching math and literacy skills provide fun-filled and valuable education.

In another example, a quadriplegic student was assisted by a similar innovation that enabled him to communicate by means of a computer. The student made use of an on-screen keyboard, selecting the required letter by highlighting it and then pressing a button.

Foundational education for babies and toddlers is also improving in leaps and bounds due to technological products of this nature. Because today's children are able to relate to computerized devices and advanced technology easier than ever before, new products on the market automatically cater for these needs. Teams of forward-thinking designers are recognizing the pivotal role that technology plays in the development of babies, when implemented through the use of creative and innovative touchscreen devices.

Tablet PC's are being introduced into the classroom in many states, although lack of funds still remains a challenge for those schools who do not have the capacity to afford them. These PC's are custom-made for their purpose in schools, and are therefore durable, flexible and relatively lower priced than the average PC targeted at mainstream consumers, although at the moment, its implementation in schools is on a trial basis. Many are optimistic that its user-friendly nature will lead to easy training systems and better, more direct ways of using technology.

Gradually, just as this technology has been implemented in society in various ways, it is evident that its use in schools may become more prevalent. Touch screen learning is proving to be a way in which to engage not only learners with disabilities, but also learners who find it easy to relate, engage with and use this technology in all spheres of life, including for educational purposes.

View the original article here

Eliana Adriana Chandra Buana