Gartner is predicting that by 2015 10 per cent of business desktop and notebook PCs will have touch screens, and that more than half of PCs for younger consumers will have touch capabilities too. If you want to add touch to your laptop by adding a second screen - rather than buying one of the small number of touch-enabled models - Samsung offers a multitouch model in its Lapfit range.
These are designed to complement notebook PCs by resting directly on the desk, with a tilting stand at the back, so that they're at roughly the same level as the screen of your laptop. So how well does that work for a touch screen?
The Lapfit LD220Z will look good next to most laptops. The case and bezel are glossy black and nice looking. The screen is also glossy but we found it clearly visible even in direct sunlight. The large size will dwarf many laptops though. The control buttons are literally hidden on the front of the display. Press near the power button and they light up (as menu, up, down, select and auto).
On the one hand this is certainly less distracting than having the buttons glowing in the corner all the time, while on the other hand you're playing blind man's bluff every time you want to use the controls. Hidden touch buttons look sleek but physical buttons would be more practical. Indeed, though you might expect it, you can't actually touch the screen to control the control menu, instead you have to use the up, down and select buttons on the front.
The screen itself is clear and bright. We found the colour space quite different from many laptops, which is as much a comment about the laptop displays as the Lapfit. Choosing the MagicBright option and running the auto adjustment creates a pleasant image that's good to work with for documents but also shows off video well.
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