Articles and Lifehacks
Unfortunately, not all users understand what this function is. Understand that what is multitouch in a tablet, will be useful to the average person, also occasionally encountering various types of devices. It happens that even sales consultants, when offering goods in their store, indicate multi-touch support, but they cannot confidently answer all questions related to this technical feature.
Multi-touch: what is it? Features of use on the tablet
From English, multi-touch can be translated as multi-touch. This is a special feature that many modern touch devices are equipped with, including smartphones, laptops, tablets and tablet computers. Thanks to it, our equipment can respond simultaneously to several touches when entering data or commands.
Most often, multi-touch is used for scaling, and often so that two users can work with the tablet right away. For example, on an iPad, you can install a game called “Cut the Buttons”. It not only has modes immediately for 2 players, but also allows each of them to control each with 2 fingers.
Adequate recognition by the device of all touch points at one point in time significantly expands the capabilities of input and control of the tablet. It also improves speed and efficiency.
So we figured out what multitouch is in a tablet. Note that resistive touch displays generally do not have support for such technology. In any case, when buying a tablet, it is recommended to find out as many characteristics of the device model of interest as possible. If it has a capacitive display, it is possible that multi-touch support is provided.
Separately, we add that some tablets with resistive screens support scaling with 2 fingers at once, but this can not be called a full multi-touch. You can recommend starting, for example, Google maps, since they definitely need this technology.
Devices that have only a 2-point multi-touch are also quite common. As a rule, these are budget tablets, however, such multi-touch is quite enough to solve most problems.
Why do I need multi-touch on a tablet?
As already mentioned, this technology is very useful if we use, for example, scaling and Google Maps. However, many users will object that multi-touch support is not so important.
Most often, those who like to play games resort to buying a tablet with multi-touch. A good example would be installing Super Mario as part of the Dendy emulator. Support for this function will allow you to fully enjoy the game - especially given the fact that modern manufacturers are increasingly equipping their games with the need to recognize 2 or more touches at the same time.
If you are not a tech savvy user and you will soon have the choice of a mobile phone or a smartphone with a touch screen, you will probably come across terms such as “capacitive screen” or “resistive screen” when reading mobile device specifications. And then a logical question will come to your mind - which one is better: resistive or capacitive? Let's find out how the touch displays differ, what types of them exist and what their advantages and disadvantages are.
RESISTIVE SCREENS
Speaking in an accessible language, avoiding wise technical terms and turns, the resistive touch screen is a flexible transparent membrane on which a conductive (in other words, resistive) coating is applied. Under the membrane is glass, also covered with a conductive layer. The principle of the resistive screen is that when you press the screen with your finger or stylus, the glass closes with the membrane at a specific point. The microprocessor captures the change in membrane voltage and calculates the contact coordinates. The more accurate the click, the easier it is for the processor to calculate the exact coordinates. Therefore, with resistive screens it is much easier to work with a stylus.
The main advantages of resistive screens are that they are relatively cheap to manufacture, and also that this type of display responds to pressing by any objects. This is very useful for presentations, especially since the prices of projectors are falling every day today.
The disadvantages of resistive screens are as follows: low strength; low durability (about 35 million clicks per point); impossibility of implementation; a large number of errors in the processing of gestures such as sliding, flipping.
So which screen is better: resistive or capacitive?
If you carefully read this article, then without any problems you can make a conclusion yourself. I can only say that the dispute is doomed to failure. Some users like to work with the stylus and they do not accept capacitive displays. But still, it’s more convenient for the majority to control a device equipped with a capacitive screen - this is more convenient, and the ability to multitouch solves a lot. After all, it’s not casual that all modern smartphones and tablets running Android have capacitive displays.
Related Articles:
It happens that there are situations when you need to find out some information about your Android smartphone or perform some actions with the device (reset ...
As you already know, in the line of smartphones from LG there are two devices with support for 3D technology. The first was released last year - this is the LG P920 Optim ...
It always seemed to me that the concept of “multitouch” is something taken for granted, but, probably, it is connected only with the fact that all my life I have to work with certain gadgets. Recently, I had to face several times that far from everyone imagines what this technology is and what its advantages may be.
The last case contributed to the writing of this article: I went to the store of one of the major chains for a gift for my wife. She wanted herself a fairly simple, but touch-sensitive Samsung phone. I decided on a specific model before going to the store, and so I immediately informed that I was going to buy this phone and would like to inspect it in order to avoid any mechanical damage or firmware glitches. The whole time while I was studying the phone, the consultant girl smiled smilingly something like: “this will be a great gift ... multitouch ... three ji ... the most popular model ... multitouch ..." (I did not understand the rest, I was focused). I asked her what a multi-touch is - she began to explain what it means to be able to use the touch screen, display widgets on it and more. I bought a phone, although there is no multitouch there. But in my place there could be someone else who is less versed in the intricacies of touch screens and who needs multitouch support. And he could come across the same consultant girl who does not understand this at all. To prevent this from happening, I will try to talk about the subject clearly and to the extent necessary.
Multi touch - a feature available in many modern touch devices (this is not necessarily tablets or smartphones, but we will talk about them), which allows the device to simultaneously determine the coordinates of several touch points. In the video below - a good, in my opinion, demonstration of technology.
Why is this needed?
You’ve probably all seen how the image or map is scaled with two fingers on the Apple iPad: when the fingers come closer, the scale decreases, while the distance between them increases, it increases. Conveniently, I do not argue, but this can be dealt with without multi-touch by clicking on the corresponding icon with one finger.
Another example: You installed the Dendy console emulator on your device and decided to play Super Mario. On the screen you see the standard joystick of this console, you run across the screen to the right, press the "jump" button ... and nothing happens - Mario stood up in his tracks and did not jump. This means that you do not have multi-touch. And the screen cannot handle two simultaneous clicks. Super Mario is just an example (I hope everyone has played it at least once), but a fairly large number of modern games require at least two fingers to control, especially given the fact that manufacturers are increasingly abandoning the hardware keys on their devices.
How to determine if there is a multitouch in a device where Super Mario is not installed?
First of all: read about this device in various sources. But there is one thing here: it happens that in some online store it is indicated that there is multitouch, although in fact it is not in the device.
Secondly: smartphones and tablets with resistive screens do not have multitouch. If someone is trying to convince you of the opposite and even demonstrates something similar to the one mentioned above - do not believe it. Yes, it is possible to implement scaling or image rotation with two fingers on a resistive screen. But: this is achieved by miscalculating the change in the relative position of the touch points, and in Russian: the coordinates of each individual finger are unknown and in Super Mario you can’t play everything either.
Thirdly: try the device before buying - run, for example, Google Maps, in it scaling with two fingers only works if there is multi-touch.
Perhaps that's all. It is also worth noting that you should not expect from any tablet or smartphone with multi-touch function what was shown in the video above. Most budget and mid-range solutions support only two-point multitouch, but for most tasks this is enough.
Who invented the multi-touch, you ask. This question cannot be answered. One can only assume that the pioneers were musicians who tried to use touch sensors to influence sound effects. Then all the fingers were used, and such a touch can be called multiple.
What is the difference?
What is the difference between a screen equipped with a multi-touch function and a regular touch screen?
A touch screen is a screen that can determine the coordinate of only one touch point. A screen with multi-touch function can simultaneously determine the coordinates of two points or more.
Speaking in a simple, understandable language, information is entered using several fingers at the same time. In this situation, the user can work more productively, quickly and comfortably. Objects can be moved anywhere, resized, rotated, grouped. And all this - with the help of standard gestures. Another plus of this technology is the ability to simultaneously work with multiple users. This is done if special software is available. A large number of special multi-touch gestures have been developed. Such gestures greatly simplify the work. With their help, the management of rather complex functions becomes convenient. So, if you bring your fingers together on the touch screen, the picture on the screen will decrease, if you delete it, it will increase.
The implementation of the idea of \u200b\u200b“multi-touch function” began in the 80s. Yes, it’s very hard to imagine now! By about 1982, Canadian scientists were able to develop a new technology in detail. But putting the idea into practice was still very expensive. And the dimensions of the then version were very large. Massively, such an idea could not be implemented.
The 21st century was a breakthrough. The first gadgets with similar technology began to appear precisely from the beginning of the new century.
For the multi-touch system to function, special software is needed. It is part of some modern operating systems, such as: Windows Mobile 6.5, Windows 7, Mac OS X. The following technologies are currently popular for working with multi-touch: projection-capacitive (PCT) and optical (IR, SAW.
The word "multitouch" refers to touch screens. Apple touchpads (such as the PowerBook) can also recognize multi-finger gestures. PowerBook has a special meaning, scrolling, parallel movement with two fingers, and the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air already have the function of recognizing two finger turns, spreading and pinching, and multidirectional movements with three or even four fingers. You can cite, as an example, a new mouse from Apple: Magic Mouse and a separate touchpad: Magic Trackpad.
Modern large multi-touch screens have a working principle, which is based on projection. Developed IR framework (IR). They are able to track multiple points of touch at the same time. Interestingly, they can be used with any type of display. Currently, there are many manufacturers on the globe that have already launched mass-production of multi-touch IR-screens. The sizes of the screens are very different: 32 ”, 40”, 42 ”, 46”, 50 ”. They use cameras and infrared light. And in recent years, sensor films and even glass have become in great demand! They cover screens of different sizes: 17 ”to 50” and even more.
Small screen size is a common occurrence. Readers will probably be interested in reading the following figures: the number of phones with multi-touch screens has been increased from 200,000 units sold in 2006 to 21 million in 2012! Agree, the numbers are impressive! Yesterday's science fiction is becoming an everyday reality! Older people are surprised to see young people who masterfully work with all fingers on the screens of different devices. But older people still remember wooden abacus!
This modern look of the user interface is becoming very popular and in demand, as there is reliability and comfort of multi-touch solutions. The number and quality of understandable gestures is growing.
Choosing a device with multi-touch
Therefore, before choosing, for example, a tablet, you should ask about this issue and find out information from several sources.
Attention: on smartphones and tablets with resistive screens, the multitouch function is simply absent! If the type of touch screen is a projection-capacitive screen, then the presence of multitouch technology takes place. There is a function with which you can implement scaling on the resistive screen, as well as rotate the image with two fingers. But this is achievable by miscalculating the change in the relative position of the points of contact, that is, the coordinates of each of the fingers are unknown. For example, you will not play Super Mario!
How to check the multitouch function in practice?
You can launch Google Maps. Google Maps zooms with two fingers only if there is multi-touch.
What is multitouch on a tablet or phone?
This is support for point-to-point or more touches. This feature has the majority of budget tablets and smartphones, as well as middle-class solutions. For most of the tasks that are set for these devices, this is quite enough.
Tablets should be purchased with multi-touch support, because the cost of a device having this function is not too different from its predecessors that do not have a function. But you will get a lot of additional amenities. For example, the ability to embed a modern “reader” - a reader. Thus, you get a plus in the form of the ability to quickly increase or decrease the font size if necessary while reading a book and a web page, increase or decrease any images and pages in PDF and DJVU readers, and even in a browser.
Analysts predict that soon the vast majority of electronic devices that will be sold on the market will be equipped with this option. We will benefit from this!
Again, explaining in simple terms what a 5-touch multi-touch is, is very simple. For example, with two touches you will receive a limited number of actions. These are: scaling and rotation of the screen.
Five touches or multi-touch of 5 points - this is more universal, while each gesture has more functions. So, the “kopeck piece” has a variant of one or two touches: your every action is multiplied by two. And there will be exactly twice as many management capabilities. On the "five" the number of such touches increases to five. You can use two, three, four, fingers and at the same time the teams will be different.
For an ordinary average person, there is no difference. But those who use graphic editors or CAD on touch screens will be very, very comfortable! A simple user gets the opportunity to play together on one screen. Why not?
There are also disadvantages. So, the five-position is not very convenient to use in smartphones. The smartphone screen is small, the technology is expensive and unprofitable for screens of this size. It turns out that often the cost does not justify the presence of a five-position touchscreen. The exception is perhaps the Galaxy Note.
What does capacitive multitouch mean?
This question is often asked. There are a lot of myths and confusion around him. There are two types of capacitive screens that differ in principle: capacitive screens and projection-capacitive screens. In the iPhone, iPad it is used projection-capacitive, because on a regular capacitive screen multitouch is simply impossible, as well as on a resistive one.
What does a multi-touch screen mean? This is a touch screen or touch panel that can simultaneously detect two or more points of contact.
The prophetic words spoken at Intel's presentation are interesting. They sound like this: "In 2013, the personal computer will be reinvented."
The words referred to fourth-generation ultrabooks. But without touch screens with multitouch technology, Intel no longer plans to create new mobile personal computers! PC. What can I say about the developers of tablets and smartphones!
Thank you for your attention to our site, if you liked the published information, you can help develop the resource by sharing the article through social networks.
The word "multi-touch" (multi-touch), which has become popular these days, is translated from English as "a lot of taps." This fully characterizes the purpose of multitouch technology, which has recently been widely used in the production of smartphones, tablets, laptops, payment terminals, stands and tables for presentation.
Multi-touch is a feature whose presence allows the device to simultaneously determine the coordinates of several touch points on the touch screen. Multi-touch displays recognize two-finger manipulationsnamely, it executes the command to increase, decrease and rotate images and text when the user spreads, brings together and rotates two fingers at once. Multitouch function Today, it is also available in many touch devices that can be controlled by several users simultaneously.
However, the presence of a touch screen on the device does not mean that it is multi-touch. Real multi-touch will know coordinates each finger touch, even if there are not only two, but many. This is the main difference between the multi-touch touch screen and the usual one, the latter is able to adequately determine the coordinates of only one touch point, and multi-touch - two or more points. Therefore, multi-touch devices are more functional and versatile, and the highest quality multi-touch is currently presented on Apple mobile devices - iPad tablets and smartphones.
To determine if a mobile device has a real multitouch or is it just an imitation of this, you need to know how this technology works. If you saw how the image or the map is scaled on Apple’s iPad, then you have an idea that the multi-touch scale decreases when the fingers come closer, and when the distance between the screen and the finger increases, it increases. The presence of a multi-touch screen in a smartphone or tablet is convenient and stylish, but you can also change the scale of images without multi-touch by clicking on the corresponding icon with your finger.
It is believed that if a tablet or smartphone is equipped with a multi-touch screen, then it can handle several clicks at once, which greatly improves the quality of games. Indeed, the majority of modern games require control with at least two fingers, so if the device does not have hardware keys, then playing on a regular touch screen is quite problematic. Therefore, when choosing a smartphone or tablet for a game lover, it is very important to choose the right device with this multitouch, and not the one that only has this feature, but in fact it is missing.
If the seller of the store offers you to buy a smartphone or tablet with a multi-touch resistive screen, then immediately abandon the purchase. In devices with a resistive sensor, multi-touch can not be! Despite the fact that the ability to implement zooming and image rotation with two fingers on resistive screens it is possible, usually this is achieved in them not due to the multitouch function, but because of the determination of the relative position touch points.
The coordinates of each finger are known and it’s impossible to get the same pleasure from games as with multi-touch. You can distinguish a regular touch screen from multi-touch in the following way: launch Google Maps on the device and try to enlarge or reduce the image with two fingers in it. If all else fails, the touch screen does not support this function. This application allows you to zoom with two fingers only in the presence of multi-touch.
Currently, the lion's share of smartphones and tablets are equipped with a projection-capacitive touch screen. This technology optimally allows you to implement the multi-touch function. Unlike a conventional capacitive touch screen, which is a glass panel coated with conductive material and having electrodes in the corners, projection capacitive touch screen consists of a grid of electrodes. When you touch such a screen with your finger, a capacitor forms, the capacitance of which is measured to determine the coordinates. Multitouch can be implemented only on these screens, and on a conventional capacitive multitouch is also impossible, as well as on a resistive one. 
Respect for multitouch appears immediately after you try to use a smartphone or tablet from Apple. According to many experts, it was the multi-touch technology that was smartly implemented in iPhone smartphones and iPad tablets, and not competent PR, that provided Apple products with such phenomenal popularity. On iPhone smartphones, there is only one functional button, and this is the merit of multi-touch.
Using multi-touch you turn your fingers virtual pages as if they were made of real paper, you launch any applications and work, slightly touching the screen with your fingers. It’s hard to imagine how many advantages a multitouch provides for a modern user, but only one thing is clear: today tablets are in great demand, this is a merit multitouch technology. For the multitouch - the future, most likely in the near future it will supersede all the traditional means of entering information from the electronics market.
