The iPad is the latest technology to hit our world and everyone wants a piece of it. The smart and sophisticated new device has been installed with a variety of applications which are applicable to a variety of markets, from food to travel.

And not only that, self service kiosks can no be integrated with the device and many businesses are jumping on the bandwagon.

However there are some sceptics when it comes to the iPad, with people commenting on its durability etc, so we at Protouch thought we would have a look at this mad craze to see if the introduction between the two devices goes down well.

Applications

It is clear why the iPad is appealing to the kiosk industry. Touch screen technology, customisable application software, and a multi touch user interface. The only main difference is that the iPad is portable and delicately designed.

With the iPad craze, kiosk manufacturers are trying to find new ways in how they can integrate this modern technology into their offerings and services.

Brian Ardinger, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President at Nanonation said that his company has a long history of Apple-related product development and has expanded these efforts to include iOS projects for the iPhone and iPad.

“We recently showcased an application designed for sales associates in a retail enviroment at the KioskCom show in Vegas in April of this year,” Ardinger said.

Furniture company Room and Board, contacted Nanonation to feature an application which would allow users to browse inventory and provide customers with a sign up form to receive special offers.

The first iPad ticket kiosk was rolled out at the Malaysian Kuala Lumpur Airline. The SITA Lab developed the MNkiosk, which allows users to book and purchase flights, search for flight schedules and flight status and check-in, as well as choosing their preferred seat.

And retail giant Gap has also jumped on the iPad bandwagon. Its application software, developed by AKQA, is described as a ’social shopping experience.’ Users are able to customise their outfits within the Gap brand and ask for advice from sales assistants.

Versatility

Founder of iPad-kiosks.com, Blain Warkentine, is iPad business enthusiast working to get products to market. Warkentine said that service industries need to be more efficient, however the iPad may not always be an answer for them.

A prime example would be the food-service industry which demands a quick and efficient service than the iPad can currently provide if used improperly, however if used correctly it can still deliver some benefits. During rush hour lunches the iPad could be integrated into restaurants with the option to remove the iPad from its kiosk mounting offering a mobile menu for customers. This can virtually eliminate wait times. Then once the rush hour is over, the iPad can be restored back on its stand for customers to use as a kiosk to order meals.

“Every technology platform offers positives and negatives. Traditional kiosk platforms have excelled at issues such as peripheral support, remote management and enterprise integration,” Ardinger said. “The iPad doesn’t pose an immediate threat for some of the kiosks developed specifically for retail environments like the IBM Anyplace Kiosk and others. These solutions have been retail hardened, offer a variety of peripheral support options and have a longer legacy of application development.”

Some people think the iPad is a fun and cool accessory however it just isn’t robust enough for public developments.

“While these kinds of consumer-grade products are powerful and fun devices, right now they simply cannot stand up to the daily wear and tear a kiosk is subjected to,” said Bob Ventresca, vice president of marking for NCR Netkey.

Cost

Expect to be paying between $3,500-$8,000 for the touch screen kiosk, printer enclosure and software. Applications and customised materials cost within the region of $1,000 -$10,000. Extra software from$2,500-$20,000.

“Many retailers have already created apps on the App Store: Walgreen, Target, etc./” Warkentine added. “The investment was made for customers’ devices, but the need for that customer to have the app and the device is no longer required with iPad-kiosks.

“In the end though, it will come down to what experience the retailer wants to create and matching it with the technology that enables them to best develop, deploy and support it.”

A decade ago, touch screens were a cool addition to sci-fi films and a dream for geeks across the world. Who could have imagined that just seven years later – with the release of the iPhone in 2007 – they’d become a commonplace feature in just about every piece of technology released since?

From touchscreen kiosks to touch-driven mobile phones, we’ve scanned the entire commercial world for the most desirable, interesting, and pure cool touchscreen accessories on the market. If you’re after a slick new car, a cool new mobile phone, or an interesting new gaming device, read on and choose from our ten coolest touchscreen gadgets.

1. Apple iPad

Apple’s iPad is the ultra-popular touchscreen device of the moment – a content reader, web browsing tool, and portable computer all at once. Designed to offer an alternative for netbook and laptop users, the remarkable tool has truly taken off, selling out its entire shipment in less than a week’s worth of pre-orders.

Despite early criticism from the technology press, the iPad appears to be sticking. From 90-year-old grandmothers to young children, the device’s demographic is much wider than that of traditional PCs, making this flashy piece of technology a must-have for people all around the world.

2. Nintendo DSi

When released in 2004, the DS quickly became Nintendo’s hottest gaming console. The ultra-portable touchscreen device drew praise from the hardcore gaming press and the casual gaming crowd, giving it lasting appeal that its competitors just couldn’t match. With over 125 million units shipped, is appears Nintendo have conquered touchscreen gaming – blocking out competitors and inspiring their users at the same time.

The DSi – and DSi XL, a larger version of the device – are the latest on offer from Nintendo. Both include a range of features aiming to increase their appeal, including a high resolution camera, web browser, and remote chat interface.

3. Sony Dash

The Sony Dash may not be an iPad-killer, but it is a very cool device on its own. Designed to offer touchscreen technology around the house, the Dash requires a wall socket to function and a relatively static location in order to perform best. Perfect for the kitchen counter, coffee table, or bedside desk, Dash users can quickly configure home video, movie rentals, or web browsing using the device’s touchscreen interface.

4. The Tesla Model S Dashboard

It’s difficult to top American carmaker Tesla when it comes to innovation. The well-known Silicon Valley company has designed and built the world’s first electric sports car – the Tesla Roadster – and more recently the Model S sedan. Designed as a piece of technology first and a luxury sedan second, the car boasts a range of impressive features.

At the center of the Model S’s dashboard is its full-featured touchscreen options menu. Designed to simplify operation of the radio, vehicle controls, and heating options, the screen can adapt to different input menus or display modes with a quick press of the driver’s fingers.

5. Attigo TT Touchscreen Turntables

Who said turntables were strictly analog? Dundee University graduate designed the Attigo TT – a full-featured touchscreen turntable system – as a final year project for his product design degree. The device attracted attention in the DJ world, and eventually moved into limited production for a small number of very lucky DJs.

Users can mix music by scratching simulated records, by manipulating sound waves, or by creating preset buttons on the device’s adaptable displays. While the Attigo TT currently operates alongside a standard mixer, it seems inevitable that DJ technology will turn entirely touch-based – competitors appear to be working on multi-channel touchscreen mixers and control units at the moment.

Head to Part Two >>>

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.

Apple’s touch-screen iPad tablet will go on sale in the UK in “late April”, the company has revealed. The late April launch date applies to both models of iPad – the wi-fi only and wi-fi plus 3G – in the UK.

Apple’s UK website still gives a March launch date for the wi-fi only iPad with the 3G iPad stated to arrive in the UK in April. However, according to a press release from the company today, both devices will now arrive at the same, albeit slightly later, time.

CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad back in January. The touch-screen tablet device resembles a giant iPod Touch and is designed for web browsing, playing games and reading e-books.

The news coincides with Apple’s first iPad advert, which featured during the Oscars. You see the airbrushed hands of a man at home picking up the iPad to check out videos, read the New York Times, flip through book pages, check his private mail, and that sort of thing… See for yourself.

The iPad is the topic of conversation the web is buzzing about after the touch screen product was finally unveiled. Last week, Trendrr revealed that there were 177,000 tweets alone in the first hour after the announcement. But what was the sentiment behind those tweets?  

Crimson Hexagon analyzed the content of more than half a million tweets following the iPad announcement. While the results aren’t shocking, what it boils down to is that the Twittersphere is split straight down the middle. 48% of tweeters reacted positively, while the remainder — 52% — had less than stellar things to say about the iPad in a virtual tug-of-war.

Based on the breakdown below, the largest chunk of tweets were very enthusiastic about the iPad, with 29% of people firmly decided on buying it. It may just be Apple ‘fanboy’ syndrome, but even in light of all the negative counter tweets, it’s hard to ignore that nearly one third of half a million tweets — 145,000 to be exact — indicate a decided intention to buy the iPad, with the $499 price point resonating with these future purchasers.

Of the 52% of tweets that lacked enthusiasm for the iPad, the majority — 21% of all tweets — had a bad reaction to the name itself. Nineteen percent just weren’t impressed, and 11% were critical of all the build-up and/or just sick of hearing about it. Those that were disappointed, per the Twitter sentiment analysis, primarily took issue with the iPad not supporting Flash or multitasking.