SANTA CLARA, Calif. – April 22, 2008 - Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications, and entertainment devices, announced its ClearTouch™ product portfolio ClearPad™ and ClearArray™ sensors are available for a wide range of consumer electronics that require transparent touch-sensitive user interfaces.
Synaptics’ ClearTouch™ products are designed for durability, low power consumption, and easy integration. They enable attractive and intuitive user interfaces to meet the rigorous needs of consumer electronics. Patented ClearPad technology builds on the capacitive touch sensing technology used in over 400 million TouchPad devices. Synaptics has over a decade of experience in clear, two-dimensional, capacitive touch sensing. All ClearTouch solutions can operate under glass or plastic, resulting in robust devices with slim form factors and sleek industrial designs.
“Next-generation handsets will greatly benefit from touchscreen technology,” said Bill Morelli, research analyst at IMS. “Synaptics ClearTouch sensors provide an ideal solution and are well suited to a wide range of handset styles.”
ClearPad
A ClearPad sensor was the key feature in Synaptics’ pioneering Onyx concept touchscreen phone demonstrated in August 2006. ClearPad provides a robust, intuitive, and high-resolution touchscreen interface solution for today’s mobile devices – including mobile phones, portable music players, and handheld GPS devices.
ClearArray
Synaptics’ ClearArray interface solutions support buttons and scrolling in fixed locations over a display, a cost-optimized touchscreen solution. ClearArray sensors can even be used in monitors and kiosk-style devices as an alternative to mechanical buttons. These transparent sensors enable manufacturers to differentiate their products according to their target price point, industrial design requirements, and the desired end-user experience.
Capacitive vs. Resistive – How to Tell the Difference
Resistive touchscreens respond to pressure. When a user presses the screen, a top layer of flexible material makes contact with the lower layer to indicate the location of the user’s finger or stylus. The mechanical flexing of a resistive sensor reduces its durability and the air gap affects optical quality. Resistive interfaces also require frequent end-user calibration. Capacitive solutions such as Synaptics ClearTouch use a grid of conductive traces implemented on a clear substrate such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film or glass to accurately report one or more finger positions and relative pressure on a sensor. Synaptics ClearTouch solutions offer superior optics, are solid state, and require no end-user calibration.
As the number and sophistication of handheld applications proliferate, touchscreen technology is a must have for future devices. With multimedia- and communication-rich functionality, handheld devices require innovative interface technology to make accessing and managing applications and content easy for the end user. ClearTouch solutions unlock the potential of advanced devices with a lot of functionality through an intuitive interface that the average user can use without reading a manual.
"Synaptics' proven capacitive sensing technology has been used in more than 400 million devices,” said Andrew Hsu, strategic and technical marketing manager at Synaptics. “The ClearTouch product family enables users of next-generation data and media-centric handheld devices to enjoy an intuitive, accurate, responsive, and durable touchscreen interface."
Gesture Technology
Synaptics ClearPad solution includes integral detection of gestures such as single-finger Tap, Double Tap, Tap & Hold/Tap & Slide, Press, and Flick, as well as two-finger Pinch.
Availability: Synaptics ClearTouch solutions are available now to device manufacturers. More information on Synaptics’ transparent capacitive touch sensors can be found at http://www.synaptics.com/products/cleartouch.cfm
About Synaptics
Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA) is a leading developer of human interface solutions for the mobile computing, communications, and entertainment industries. The company creates interface solutions for a variety of devices including notebook PCs, PC peripherals, digital music players, and mobile phones. The TouchPad™, Synaptics’ flagship product, is integrated into a majority of today's notebook computers. Consumer electronics and computing manufacturers use Synaptics' solutions to enrich the interaction between humans and intelligent devices through improved usability, functionality, and industrial design. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. www.synaptics.com <http://www.synaptics.com/>
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Synaptics, ClearTouch, ClearPad, ClearArray, OneTouch, TouchPad, and the Synaptics logo are trademarks of Synaptics in the United States and/or other countries.
All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
