Apple may have popularized the touch screen interface (others did it before but didn’t care enough to — or couldn’t — make it work just right), but Microsoft, with some help from researchers from Carnegie-Mellon University, wants to make your body the ultimate touch screen.

The new technology, dubbed “Skinput,” uses an armband that projects a touch screen with large tabs and buttons onto your forearm and hand. Each tap on your forearm produces distinct acoustic signals that are generated as your flesh ripples and your bones vibrate. Skinput’s software “listens” to each tap and recognizes its position on the “screen.” In the video, a user plays a game of Tetris using the fingers as a control pad and control an audio player by tapping on the hand.

It may once again take Apple’s designers to make this interface as intuitive as possible, say by snapping your fingers, clapping your hands, making a slashing gesture across your neck, slapping the palm on your hand to your forehead, or dial your cellphone just by tapping the numbers on your fingers. Anything else will just results in bruised body parts.

Read the article at: Toronto Star.

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The goal is just a week old but here is a play by play of the last 4 seconds to Sidney Crosby’s goal, with some fascinating insight into what the main players, coaches and referees were thinking during these 4 seconds.

Read the article at: Toronto Star

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2

DPReview has published their hands-on preview of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2, successor to the G1, with a touch screen interface that can be used to select the focus point, adjust camera settings and fire the shutter. However it’s not a love it or hate it affair since the traditional control buttons are still [thankfully!] present. Feature-wise, the G2 is similar to the G1 but adds HD Movie in AVCHD Lite with monaural sound (stereo with optional adapter). The Control Dial has also moved from the front of the handgrip to the back at the thumbrest area.

Read the Hands-on Preview of the Panasonic G2 at: DPReview.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2

LUMIX DMC-G2, WORLD’S FIRST¹ INTERCHANGEABLE LENS SYSTEM CAMERA WITH TOUCH-CONTROL MOVABLE LCD

Panasonic LUMIX G2 Features a 3-Inch Touch-Screen, Allowing for Quick and Intuitive Setting Changes, such as Focus, with a Single Touch

Secaucus, NJ (March 7, 2010) – Panasonic today announces the LUMIX DMC-G2, the world’s first¹ digital interchangeable lens system camera with a movable LCD that allows for touch-control, and the successor to the award-winning and revolutionary LUMIX G1, which was the world’s first Micro Four Thirds digital camera. The intuitive touch-control shooting elevates the camera’s operability, letting the user adjust auto focus (AF) simply by touching the subject on the large 3.0-inch 460,000-dot high- resolution LCD. The LUMIX G2, also shoots 720p High Definition video using the AVCHD Lite format, and joins the LUMIX G10, also introduced today, as the latest models in the LUMIX G Micro System.

With the touch-screen operation, users can even snap a photo by touching the LUMIX G2’s screen. Additionally, the touch-screen operation excels not only for shooting but also during playback. Users can touch one thumbnail viewed among many to quickly and easily see the full size of the desired photo. Also, to view images one-by-one, photos can be dragged across the screen to browse as though flipping the pages of a book.

“With the LUMIX G2, Panasonic is pleased to continue to lead the evolution of the Micro Four Thirds platform and also be the first in the industry to offer a touch-screen interchangeable lens system camera,” said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Touch-operation is a user interface with which many consumers are both familiar and expect, and we think the LUMIX G2’s touch-operation makes it easier and quicker to take photos and videos that have professional-like effects.”

Read the whole Press Release »

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10

PANASONIC LUMIX G10, WORLD’S LIGHTEST¹ DIGITAL INTERCHANGEABLE LENS SYSTEM CAMERA WITH A VIEWFINDER

Compact and easy-to-use, the LUMIX G10 shoots high-quality photos and HD video and is an approachable alternative for users new to system cameras

Secaucus, NJ (March 7, 2010) – Panasonic today introduces an addition to its Panasonic LUMIX G Series, the LUMIX DMC-G10, the world’s lightest¹ digital interchangeable lens camera with a viewfinder, which packs a host of advanced digital camera functions designed to be easy-to-use for users new to system cameras. The new compact and portable LUMIX G10, which can record High Definition (HD) video in addition to high-quality still images, joins the LUMIX DMC-G2, also introduced today, as part of the Panasonic LUMIX G Series.

“The LUMIX G Micro System has revolutionized the photography industry ever since the release of the Panasonic G1, the world’s first interchangeable lens system camera based on the Micro Four Thirds System standard,” said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “We continue to expand this award-winning LUMIX G Series, and with its easy-to-use features and compact size, we expect the G10 to attract a lot of new users who want to step-up from their point-and-shoots.”

Read the whole Press Release »