With the US release of Apple’s iPad pushing hundreds of thousands of technology fans to pick up the device, a greater number of companies are approaching touch screens as a serious alternative to traditional keyboard-based PC input.

A sea of competitors appears to have emerged after Apple’s tablet release, including a significantly more technically powerful offering from rival HP. Whether the devices aim to compete with the iPad directly is difficult to tell – the wave of recent releases could simply be the result of touch screen technology becoming more accessible and affordable.

The gaming industry has also jumped aboard the touch screen crusade. Nintendo’s DS system has long been a top-seller and favourite amongst gamers, and the device’s up-sized makeover – the DSi XL – continues to make touch screen input a focus amongst gamers.

Meanwhile, away from portable devices and gaming consoles, the home computing industry appears to be investing heavily in touch screen technology. Dell and HP’s recent line of touch-enabled home computers offer touch-based input at a price point that’s certainly attractive to consumers, allowing technology once reserved for touch screen kiosks to find its way into the hands – and homes – of consumers.