Chinese newspaper claims 22-inch touchscreen iMac coming in 2010
A new report claims that Apple will ship a new version of its iMac all-in-one desktop this year with a 22-inch touchscreen panel display.
Citing the Chinese-language newspaper the Commercial Times, Taiwanese industry trade publication DigiTimes reported Monday that the 22-inch iMac would be in addition to the current 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs, which do not have touchscreen panels. Taiwan-based Sintek Photronic was said to supply the screen, while Quanta will allegedly handle the production of the hardware.
Via its Web site, Sintek currently offers touchscreen panels ranging in size from 2.8 inches to 12 inches. There are no 22-inch panels listed.
Though the Commercial Times is generally somewhat reliable when it comes to Apple-related rumors, the newspaper did report last year that Apple was building a netbook that would feature a touchscreen display. While it's possible the displays referenced in last year's report could be headed to Apple's long-rumored tablet, Apple has never produced a low-cost netbook.
In October, Apple refreshed its iMac desktop line with a new, glossy, LED-backlit screen. The new iMac line, starting at $1,199, ships with a wireless keyboard and the all-new multi-touch Magic Mouse.
Citing the Chinese-language newspaper the Commercial Times, Taiwanese industry trade publication DigiTimes reported Monday that the 22-inch iMac would be in addition to the current 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs, which do not have touchscreen panels. Taiwan-based Sintek Photronic was said to supply the screen, while Quanta will allegedly handle the production of the hardware.
Via its Web site, Sintek currently offers touchscreen panels ranging in size from 2.8 inches to 12 inches. There are no 22-inch panels listed.
Though the Commercial Times is generally somewhat reliable when it comes to Apple-related rumors, the newspaper did report last year that Apple was building a netbook that would feature a touchscreen display. While it's possible the displays referenced in last year's report could be headed to Apple's long-rumored tablet, Apple has never produced a low-cost netbook.
In October, Apple refreshed its iMac desktop line with a new, glossy, LED-backlit screen. The new iMac line, starting at $1,199, ships with a wireless keyboard and the all-new multi-touch Magic Mouse.
Comments
Besides, fingers never worked well with glossy screens (much less slick plastic Apple mice).
Did anyone notice that the monitors of the PCs that he touted were all smudged up from being touched. It look unprofessional to the Max, and so to is this idea.
Not a good idea at all so I am hoping the source got it wrong and that the 22" inch is for something else.
Maybe we'll see it in a 22" tablet? That would be awesome!
Has anyone tried holding their arms out, pointing at a screen, try that for 10 seconds and hold, and repeat. After about a minute your arms ache. What a stupid idea. Fine for iSlate or Tablets, but not desktop computers, will never happen. And you will be cleaning the screen every 5 minutes.
stylus
Maybe we'll see it in a 22" tablet? That would be awesome!
Yep plenty of uses for that.
And I'm not being sarcastic.
Music industry is gagging for a device of just that size. Imagine a DJ platter, decks would be a thing of the past. Imagine synthesiser controls. etc
Its a freakin ergonomic nightmare.
Does HP and others actually look into the usability of something like this?
Obviously no.
I see most here agree.
It could mirror the primary display to add touch input while maintaining a (potentially bigger) primary display in the normal upright position. This would lessen the paradigm shift (and ergonomic solutions) needed to adopt touchscreen home computing compared to purely upright touchscreens or purely tabletop touchscreens.
Sure there would be a learning curve getting finger placement correct whilst fixing your gaze at the primary monitor, but a similar curve applies to touch typing too. And it's not uncommon to sneak a peek at your fingers while typing now, so perhaps it won't be uncommon with this device to sneak a peek at your fingers to do some manipulation that you previously did with the mouse.
Obviously there are some big issues with size, cost, ease of use, OS integration, lack of benefit, etc etc, which may be insurmountable, but it could be an avenue worth exploring. The mouse is so good at everything it does, it would be hard to imagine replacing it any time soon.
Is 22 inches about the footprint of a current keyboard + mouse, assuming the mouse becomes a multitouch trackpad?