Gartner is predicting that by 2015 10 per cent of business desktop and notebook PCs will have touch screens, and that more than half of PCs for younger consumers will have touch capabilities too. If you want to add touch to your laptop by adding a second screen - rather than buying one of the small number of touch-enabled models - Samsung offers a multitouch model in its Lapfit range.
These are designed to complement notebook PCs by resting directly on the desk, with a tilting stand at the back, so that they’re at roughly the same level as the screen of your laptop. So how well does that work for a touch screen?
The Lapfit LD220Z will look good next to most laptops. The case and bezel are glossy black and nice looking. The screen is also glossy but we found it clearly visible even in direct sunlight. The large size will dwarf many laptops though. The control buttons are literally hidden on the front of the display. Press near the power button and they light up (as menu, up, down, select and auto).
On the one hand this is certainly less distracting than having the buttons glowing in the corner all the time, while on the other hand you're playing blind man's bluff every time you want to use the controls. Hidden touch buttons look sleek but physical buttons would be more practical. Indeed, though you might expect it, you can't actually touch the screen to control the control menu, instead you have to use the up, down and select buttons on the front.
The screen itself is clear and bright. We found the colour space quite different from many laptops, which is as much a comment about the laptop displays as the Lapfit. Choosing the MagicBright option and running the auto adjustment creates a pleasant image that’s good to work with for documents but also shows off video well.
We have some potential concerns about the ergonomics of the Lapfit. You're sitting closer than with a traditional monitor, because you will want to be able to comfortably touch the screen. It’s ergonomically better to be able to adjust the height of a screen, but the tilting support doesn’t change this much. However, it does make sense to have the screen at the same height as your notebook screen so you can look back and forth with ease.
The stand that folds out form the back is very easy to adjust, giving you up to a 40 degree angle, and the grip on the base of the stand is a good idea too as it helps to keep the screen stable. The ports are well placed at the back. There’s a Kensington lock point, which is welcome for securing something you might take to different locations. There’s also a microphone socket and 3W stereo speakers. Not only is it very convenient having USB audio rather than needing yet another cable but the sound is very clear too, which is a big improvement over usually poor laptop sound on offer, especially on business laptops.
The monitor is also a USB hub: you can use the two ports for a mouse and keyboard or for connecting further scr... |
