Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
Resources
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • Newsletters
  • Resource Library
  • Forums
  • Sponsored
Go Premium
Popular Topics
  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
  • Project Management
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • Big Data
  • Tech Jobs
View All Topics
Go Premium
Hardware

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

By Bill Detwiler August 21, 2006, 9:00 PM PDT Bill Detwiler on Twitter billdetwiler

Image
1
of 8

Dual-mode touchpad
Dual-mode touchpad
Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

Tom Krazit/CNET News.com

A recent visit by CNET News.com to Synaptics‘ headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., turned up several notable concept designs that might make their way into future PCs.rn

rnThe company, perhaps best-known for its iPod click wheel, actually receives the bulk of its revenue from designing and building touchpads for notebook PCs. One example of a current product featuring Synaptics’ technology is Toshiba’s Qosmio entertainment notebook. This is a dual-mode touchpad, which means it can either operate in cursor mode or in multimedia mode by tapping the button in the upper right-hand corner with the arrows. The touchpad can be used to adjust the volume or launch different applications when in multimedia mode, as shown here.

Tom Krazit/CNET News.com
Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

Synaptics is hoping to cash in on the future vision of the digital home, where we all watch TV on our PCs with wireless keyboards or remote controls. In the company’s labs, Synaptics is demonstrating a regular keyboard that comes with an iPod-like scroll wheel in one corner. The wheel lets users adjust the volume or flip channels in the middle of typing an instant message.

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

The demonstration keyboard actually has little buttons for emoticons on the bottom right hand side of the keyboard, making it even easier to express your disgust with the coach’s decision to punt from the opponent’s 35-yard line.

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

Synaptics is also working on a remote control that features the same scroll wheel for controlling the volume or channel. Many people are frustrated by the current designs used on DVD or set-top box remote controls, and are looking for something much easier, said Mariel van Tatenhove, senior product line director for Synaptics.

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

PC companies are starting to build more and more notebooks with entertainment applications in mind, and the increasing use of flash memory in notebooks will allow users to listen to music or other audio with the notebook lid closed. This concept for a sliding media control on a notebook would give users a few basic controls they could access while the notebook was either open or closed.

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

With the notebook’s lid closed, it’s still possible to advance to the next track or adjust the volume. Synaptics is currently pitching this idea, along with several others demonstrated on Monday, to PC companies, van Tatenhove said.

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

The company is also looking to take the notion of outside notebook controls a step further, working with display manufacturers on a notebook interface that could access e-mails, calendar appointments or contact information on a secondary screen. Some notebooks already have secondary screens built onto their lids, but Synaptics hopes to add the touchpad technology shown to the right of the display for scrolling through the applications.

Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

A simpler version of the multimedia touchpad might look like this, with an area for controlling the cursor ringed by controls for volume, brightness and audio playback. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are also used on the right side of the touchpad to indicate the level of the volume.

  • Hardware
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel

    Your email has been sent

Share: Photos: Reinventing the scroll wheel
Image of Bill Detwiler
By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
  • Account Information

    Contact Bill Detwiler

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Bill's content

Daily Tech Insider

If you can only read one tech story a day, this is it.

TechRepublic TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on X
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on YouTube
  • TechRepublic on Pinterest
  • TechRepublic RSS
Services
  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • Careers
Explore
  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Editorial Policy
  • Legal Terms
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
CLOSE

Create a TechRepublic Account

Get the web's best business technology news, tutorials, reviews, trends, and analysis—in your inbox. Let's start with the basics.

Already registered? Sign In
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

* - indicates required fields

CLOSE

Sign in to TechRepublic

Not a member? Create an account
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

Lost your password? Request a new password

CLOSE

Reset Password

Please enter your email adress. You will receive an email message with instructions on how to reset your password.

Check your email for a password reset link. If you didn't receive an email don't forgot to check your spam folder, otherwise contact support.

Back to login
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Welcome. Tell us a little bit about you.

This will help us provide you with customized content.

No thanks, continue without
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Want to receive more TechRepublic news?

Newsletter Name
Subscribe
Daily Tech Insider
Daily Tech Insider AU
TechRepublic UK
TechRepublic News and Special Offers
TechRepublic News and Special Offers International
Executive Briefing
Innovation Insider
Project Management Insider
Microsoft Weekly
Cloud Insider
Data Insider
Developer Insider
TechRepublic Premium
Apple Weekly
Cybersecurity Insider
Google Weekly
Toggle All
No thanks, continue without

You're All Set

Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye out for a confirmation email from our team. To ensure any newsletters you subscribed to hit your inbox, make sure to add [email protected] to your contacts list.

Back to Home Page
×