Touchy-feely 23 Aug 2006

Despite being best-known for its iPod click wheel, Synaptics receives the bulk of its revenue from designing and building touchpads for notebooks. A recent visit by CNET News to Synaptics' headquarters "turned up several notable concept designs that might make their way into future PCs". It's certainly interesting to see the addition of volume controls, application-launching shortcuts and emoticon buttons to the touch-pad. Not to mention the new "laptop lid" screens - allowing users to manage email, calendar appointments and contact information on a small secondary "monitor". Will they prove successful? Time will tell.

Take a look at Synaptics' designs in CNET's photo gallery...