Friday, November 8, 2013

Dell SS240T: Mind-blowing monitor


Mind-blowing.

This piece of new technology conjures up scenes from hit Hollywood movies and puts us right into the action, one cool swipe at a time.

You open and close apps and execute programs and process by touching, pointing and dragging using your finger, instead of a mouse or touchpad, on the display monitor itself.

We are not talking about the latest tablet around—innovation, you can see anywhere today.

It’s a desktop touchscreen monitor we’ve tested from giant PC maker Dell.

Called the Dell S2240T, the flat 21.5-inch display won’t impress you off-the-box yet as it seems just like any ordinary monitor. However, when I connected the accompanying cables to my VGA or HDMI ports and the additional USB port to my laptop, the ordinary chores of checking my Outlook, launch Word or Excel, and even bring up a Photoshop window, turned into one fascinating experience.

Even if I’m using Windows 7, which still shows the traditional Windows interface, clicking on icons and maneuvering on the menus of the applications was as easy as picking up, using or leaving items on a real desktop or table. What’s extra cool is picking up items and organizing them into folders, which made my usual computing not only convenient but fun.

Yes, it is just a desktop version of your favorite tablet, and I admit it would still take time before users can really get a hang of it, using a touchscreen instead of a mouse, on a desktop. Some might even just opt to use a tablet instead of using a touchscreen monitor, given its handy and light form factor. But the innovation is something we must welcome as it puts the desktop experience on a higher plain, transforming it into a cool, futuristic interface everyone would want in their office cubicles or study tables.






But, I recommend using this monitor with Windows 8, which clearly defines the touchscreen desktop experience.

The LED touchscreen provides even more than what its target audience demands. Sliding, swiping, pinching, or stretching those desktop items on a large screen to view photos, play games, and browse websites is just so cool, you won’t want to get your hands off it. The multi-touch feature allows you to execute desktop programs more conveniently and easily with its 10-point touch capability. This means it recognizes up to 10 touch points simultaneously.

Not only does the multi-touch capability make you crave for the Dell S2240T, the image quality, too! It offers a full 1920 x 1080 full-HD resolution, a dynamic contrast ratio of 8,000,000:1 and support 16.7 million colors. It also has a wide 178-degree viewing angle, allowing screen views from almost any angle without sacrificing image quality.

And this I have to say: the design is just truly jaw-dropping, not only aesthetically but functionally. The end-to-end glass screen makes it look stunning and offer a smooth touch experience for users. What amazed me was its ergonomic stand that allows the user to easily adjust the panel up to 60 degrees of tilt. Users can choose the best angle wherein they can comfortably type or touch the screen. Do you want to mount the monitor on the wall? You can do that as well, with a VESA-compatible mount for viewing flexibility.

It supports a wide array of signal inputs, including DVI, HDMI and VGA. Because my laptop does not have an HDMI or DVI port, I used the “classic” VGA connection and still, the astonishment was there. But what’s further impressive was its low power consumption and eco-friendly features. Despite loads of functions, the Dell S2240T consumes only 20W of electricity, arsenic-free glass, and mercury-free LED panel that not only saves power but pushes to protect the environment.




There may be some kinks along the way, as some touches have not followed what I wanted. Like when I wanted to touch the File menu, the Edit menu on its right appeared instead. Also there were times when I still reached for the USB mouse when I wanted to access right-click menus or other options. But for sure, Dell will address this and make the experience even more compelling.

As it is, it’s still like living a dream.

source: interaksyon.com