HP TouchSmart tx2 — First Consumer Tablet PC With Windows 7 Multitouch
HP has updated the TouchSmart line with new entries, including the first consumer convertible notebook supporting Windows 7 multitouch. The tx2 is the evolution of the convertible notebook line aimed at consumers, and it brings Windows 7 multitouch to market starting at $799.
The tx2 is officially part of the TouchSmart line, HP’s product line aimed at bringing multitouch computers into the home. It features two digitizers, an active digitizer requiring a pen and providing full Tablet PC features, along with a capacitive two finger touch digitizer for finger operation. The 12.1-inch WXGA screen can swivel for operation in either notebook or slate mode.
The new tx2 runs the AMD Turion X2 processor and can be configured with either 4 or 8 GB of memory. The notebook features HP fancy imprinting on the case and the interior surfaces. The new Tablet PC gains the HP TouchSmart software as part of the rebranding.
“including the first convertible notebook supporting Windows 7 multitouch” – Didn’t Lenovo just announce one the other week?
This is the first consumer convertible with multitouch, at $799 vs. nearly $2k.
I think you’re both wrong. This same device was the first consumer convertible with multitouch LAST year. http://jkontherun.com/2008/11/18/hp-introduces-f/
I think that model has multiple input methods (pen and touch) but not multitouch. A few of my students have the old version and love it, except for the anemic battery life.
I forgot about that having capacitive multitouch. HP told me specifically that this new tx2 was the first. Marketing hype.
HP probably said that the XT2 was the first Win 7 multi-touch consumer convertible, while last year’s XT2 was the first Vista multi-touch consumer convertible. Like James said, gotta love their marketing hype. Anything to create a perceived differentiator.
The intro statement in your article is still not factually correct, though, despite HP’s marketing hype with their own statements. It isn’t “the first convertible notebook supporting Windows 7 multitouch”. There have been previously announced convertible notebooks supporting Windows 7 multitouch.
I added the word “consumer” to that sentence to back up what the post title indicated.
Company I work at just bought several of them (tx2) and so far I tried both HP software on Vista and Win 7 RTM and haven’t saw any multi-touch yet….
I have a TX2 and have been running Win7 RC on it for a while (I haven’t gotten around to upgrading it to RTM yet). The multi-touch does work, but you have to download beta versions of the N-Trig touch-screen drivers in order to make it work. The drivers are a bit buggy (every once in a while, the screen stops responding to touch altogether), but overall I do like the multi-touch features.
Here is the link to the download page for the drivers:
http://www.n-trig.com/Content.aspx?Page=Multi_Touch
-Jeff
This is a great device. We have one for testing, but I find myself taking it home in the evening now and then. Just would like to see the a better screen (view angle).
SO can anyone comment on the two problems that every HP convertible I’ve ever bought seem to suffer from? Weight over 4 pounds, and heat problems if you use them for over half an hour. I know some of those were due to the nVidia issues, but I’d be a lot more interested if these were using Intel CULV instead of the AMD chipset.
Is there any hardware difference in the screens from the older TX2 and the new one, or will I be able to upgrade mine to 7 with no problems?
I have one of these laptops and I bought it with Vista installed. I then upgraded it to 7 RC and yesterday installed the new n-trig drivers. It works a treat (so far) the screen seems to respond better with the new drivers. Multi touch is great too and I now use my laptop with a combination of mouse/keys and touch!!
It’s funny because on my work laptop I sometimes find myself touching the screen and nothing happens. (Doh!) Then I have to look around to see if anyone saw me (hehe)
Painfyully slow, lot’s of bugs.
I am using this tx2 1004au with windows 7 ultimate (RTM 32bit).
i have problem with the n-trig driver. HP doesnt provide an official driver. n-trig provides only 64bit driver. I tried the beta driver for win7 RC. multitouch ok. but sometimes it will the mouse cursor change to a dot as if we touch the screen, and click by itself. it stops my movies when i watches it fullscreen….
anyone can help?