Multitouch screen - fake or what?

[profi]

Hello,

I came across several different tablets, namely Smartbook 7" and 10", Malata Zpad and Dreambook W7. I found out several interesting glitches, but one most important of all: touchscreen.

All of these tablets are advertised as capacitive multitouch displays. But, if you download and try simple application "My piano" (available through Slideme.org for example), or any other application that requires three or more fingers to be used at the same time, you will find out, that:

- Smartbook 10" - can only use two fingers = you cannot make a chord.
- Malata Zpad T20 - can only use two fingers = you cannot make a chord.
- Dreambook W7 - can only use two fingers = you cannot make a chord.
- Smartbook 7" - has as the only one full capability of using multitouch = you can make a proper chord.

Can anyone explain this to me? Is this firmware related? Because if it's a feature of the display, then I begin to think this is kind of a false advertising, as under "multitouch" I imagine real multitouch of any number of fingers as ipod/iphone/ipad can do... :-(

How's your tablet? Is it a real multitouch?

Thanks for any input,

Michael.

 

[Maddmatt]

It's due to older/cheaper capacitive sensors.

 

[Ajax]

It's due to older/cheaper capacitive sensors.

Yeah, I have also read up on that. The firmware is fine, just the sensors they put in there.

 

[profi]

That is really sad. Doesn't it bother you? I mean form the user's point of view?

 

[DJACID]

It doesn't bother me at the moment,
Most apps are 1 or 2 finger based...

 

[TabletConnect]

Unfortunately, this is one area where most consumers will overlook and manufacturers get away with. True multi-touch means that the device can simultaneously register three or more inputs. Based on what you said, the non-Smartbook tablets are 1+1 which means the screen registers only 2 inputs. Most apps only need 1+1 capabilities. For any tablet that I review, I always double check to make sure it is a true multi-touch. (Android System Information app has a multitouch test.)

1+1 is not necessarily bad. Actually my Droid X phone is 1+1 which I found odd when I discovered this.

Any manufacturer that advertises "multitouch" should be using the terminology correctly. If an ad does not mention multitouch, its probably 1+1.