HP has added to its TouchSmart range with the launch of the TX2 laptop featuring a multi-touch capable touch-sensitive screen with gesture support.
The laptop comes equipped with HP's proprietary software that will enable users to manipulate objects and files with their fingers, directly on the screen.
The multi-touch gestures include selecting objects with a touch, flicking to pan, scroll or rotate, pressing and holding to drag, and zooming in and out by pinching with two fingers. Alternatively, you can take the more conventional approach and draw on the display using the built-in pen.
The machine is powered by an AMD processor, with a choice of either Turion or Athlon X2 processors at up to 2.4GHz and up to 8GB of memory is supported. The display, which can swivel round to form a tablet, is 12.1in in diameter and will have a resolution of 1,280 x 800. Graphics will be ATI Radeon HD 3200 powered, and hard drive size options range between 160 to 500GB. The machine will weigh in at 1.96Kg.
The HP TouchSmart TX2 will be available in the UK in January 2009 at a recommended street price starting at 799 including VAT.
Though this computer is primarily aimed at consumer, touch sensitive technology is heading the way of business users too as it will be built in Windows 7, which IT PRO recently saw demoed at Microsoft's Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles.
Apple has touch support integrated into the trackpad of its new laptops such as the MacBook Pro, while Asus recently announced a touch screen PC.
