If you’re planning to purchase a touchscreen device in the near future, you should pay attention to the devices’ specifications. While all touchscreen devices support touch-based commands, functionality can vary depending on their hardware and software. By checking the following specs, you can choose the right touchscreen device for you or your business’s needs.
#1) Methods of Input
What methods of input does the device support? If it’s a capacitive touchscreen device, it may support a conductive stylus or bare finger. But if it’s a resistive touchscreen device, it may support a traditional stylus as well.
#2) Maximum Touch Points
Assuming the device has multi-touch functionality, it should have a maximum number of touch points. This spec refers to the maximum number of points on the device that you can touch simultaneously while still triggering a command. A device with three maximum touch points, for example, means that it supports up to three simultaneous touch commands.
#3) Operating System
Of course, you should check to see what operating system the touchscreen device runs. Android is perhaps the most common, though many touchscreen devices run other operating systems like Linux, Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows CE. Each operating system has its own unique interface and features. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with the different operating systems and how they work.
#4) Vibration Response Time
The vibration response time refers to the time it takes a touchscreen device to produce vibrations from when it receives the user’s touch command. Most touchscreen devices are designed to vibrate after a user performs a touch command. Known as tactile feedback, it’s designed to notify the user that his or her touch command was register. If you’re writing an email on a virtual keypad, for instance, the touchscreen device may vibrate each time you press a key. The time it takes for the device to vibrate is the vibration response time.
#5) Life Expectancy
When choosing a touchscreen device, check its life expectancy. Normally, the life expectancy of touchscreen devices is measured in number of touches. Some may last for 500,000 touches, whereas others can last for more than 200 million touches.
#6) Required Pressure
How much pressure does the touchscreen device require to register a touch command? If it’s a capacitive touchscreen device, you might be surprised to learn that no pressure is required. As long as your finger or capacitive stylus is hovering directly over the display, it should register your command. But if it’s a resistive touchscreen device, you’ll have to press down with at least some pressure.
