HANDS ON GUIDE

5 - Touchscreens

It makes sense

Even when compared to other netbooks, the EeePC is small and light тАУ the 7тАЭ Eee PC weighs in at just under a kilogram - about two thirds of the weight of a MacBook Air. In fact itтАЩs so small you can slip it into the pocket of a large jacket, a great way to impress fellow geeks when you produce it down the pub to settle an argument or cheat your way to victory on the 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' quiz machine.

We think it could be made even smaller though, without compromising on screen space. The EeePC is limited by its current design, as the screen and keyboard form a clamshell. If the two could become one by making the EeePC touch-sensitive (which would make it more of a тАШnetpadтАЩ than a netbook) it would both reduce the profile of the device and add tactile input. No longer would a cramped keyboard be required, and the touchpad could be forgotten.

If youтАЩve spent a long time using another touch-sensitive device, the large icons on the EeePC can sometimes lead you to tap the screen without thinking. ItтАЩs almost as if netbooks are begging to be turned into tablets, as a touch sensitive display could increase both functionality and usability and allow for an even smaller EeePC.

It works well on the iPhone, and there are persistent rumours about a Mac tablet which brings an iPhone-style operating system to a larger, more fully fledged computer. It would be a challenge for Asus, since the problem with a touchscreen PC isn't the hardware, but actually making it usable. Surely we don't need to remind you how big a failure Tablet PCs were?

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