Touchjet Wave is a brand new device that uses Wi-Fi to transform a run-of-the-mill TV into a huge mobile phone touchscreen that downloads Web content. The gadget attaches to the top of a television set, then uses High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) to add touch screen technology and Google’s Android OS to the electronic appliance.
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Containing a 2.0 GHz quad-core ARM 9 Cortext A9 processor, 1GB RAM and 8GB of storage space, WAVE offers multi-touch support, capable of registering up to four points simultaneously.
The underlying software, as we mentioned before, is Android, and sits at version 4.4.1 KitKat.
This includes playing games such as Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja or Candy Crush, streaming movies with Netflix – which is pre-loaded onto the device – watching YouTube, or working on documents with Microsoft Office or Google Docs.
We witness a world where every task is done with a touch.
I recently met up with the team from Touchjet to try out the device, and while it was just a prototype, it was clear that the WAVE had a ton of potential uses for users looking to upgrade their existing TVs.
Users must calibrate the device by tapping a few carefully positioned dots, which only takes a minute or so, before they can start using their TV as a touchscreen.
A sensor module sitting on top of the television tracks a user’s finger movements. This prevents screen smudges. For those anxious about smudgy screens, the contraption ships with an infrared stylus and an “air-mouse” is another proposed alternative though it must be purchased separately. However, there is an additional charge for the accessory.
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The main thing to remember is that the pre-order price $99 isn’t just for touch capability, you’re also buying an Android PC that upgrades your TV to allow a host of apps that you can control from your smartphone, as well.
