Part of the appeal of a tablet PC and a smartphone is the intimate nature of the interface. There is just something about the touching, pinching, and swiping actions than changes the computing experience. Of course, savvy computer makers are attempting to increase the popularity of desktop PCs to fend off the popularity of tablets. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this lofty goal was to mimic the user experience of a tablet through a touchscreen computer monitor.
Of course, before rushing out to turn that trusty old desktop computer into a touchscreen machine, potential buyers should take a few seconds to evaluate their particular needs. Touchscreen monitors are not created equal, and their particular effectiveness as a means of interfacing with a computer vary greatly from user to user.
That being said, the first and probably most important item on any checklist is to make sure the computer operating system can handle a touchscreen monitor. According to Microsoft, one of the more common versions of Windows 7, which is Home Premium, supports touch screen and multi-touch gestures. Therefore users running an alternative operating system will need to upgrade to a system that supports the monitor in the first place.
The size of a touchscreen monitor matters a lot. Users who are currently sporting a 19 inch widescreen monitor, or bigger, might think that scaling down to a 15 inch is not that big of a deal, but users are generally rewarded by sticking with a current size or bigger. Of course, if the touchscreen terminal is going to be used in a business setting for a specific reason, logging in customers for example, a smaller monitor might be sufficient.
Touchscreen monitor placement is an issue few users address prior to making a transition. A typical desktop setting usually places the monitor farther away, which poses a problem if more than one user is present in the setting. Children also present an interesting challenge for touchscreen users due to the limited reach of just being young. Let’s face it, if kids can touch a screen they want to touch the screen. That being said, many times the entire desktop setup needs to be altered to accommodate the new technology.
The best touch screen monitors support multi-touch, which are gestures that many users are familiar with from iPads, iPods, and just about every Android device around, which means before committing to a monitor, shoppers should be sure that the monitor is rated as multi-touch enabled or uses multi-touch technology.
A little research and comparison goes a long way in the world of touchscreen monitors, and shoppers who do a bit of legwork before making a purchase will be rewarded with a new computing experience for everyone in the house.