Dynamic Touch Screen

Dynamic Touchscreens  Source: TG Daily    

When this is proliferating, the keyboard phone such as Milestone would have no reason to exist.

Touchscreens have been around for a while now and as good as they have become many people do still hanker after the feel of a button. Enter Tactus Technology and its tacticle technology using microfluids leading to dynamic touchscreens. If that sentence full of technobabble makes little sense to you let me put it in simpler terms: Tactus’ technology allows for the creation of touchscreens that can form a physical keyboard or buttons that can then merge back into the touchscreen. No moving mechanical parts here, the buttons would rise from the screen and sink back in once they are no longer needed. The technology doesn’t even require touchscreens to be any thicker than they already are because it utilises an existing layer within the stack. Some companies have previously shown an interest in this sort of approach, companies such a Apple, but Tactus is looking to 2013 to launch its first products itself.

Kaohsiung Weekend Trip 2012

It was really a spur of a moment thing and I did need to change the environment to get myself into study mode.  Taiwan, a place (better be political neutral), which is only an hour by jet would be a perfect get-away trip for the weekend.

I caught the 9so flight operated by China Airlines to Kaohsiung International Airport and everything went so smoothly.  If the earlier flight wasn’t full, actually 7pm would be the perfect time for me.

It was 11pm when I got to Kaohsiung Airport and finding a way out back to the city/hotel is so imperative.  I have done no research at all, and the best thing is to ask the tourist kiosk (not every airport has trustworthy tourist support, e.g. Moscow, so be alertive!!!).  The staff was very efficient and could actually give me an almost perfect estimation of taxi fare – TWD360.  Taxi is always my preferred choice at nice as it is no fun in tracking down a hotel at night (it’s TWD30 if taking subway, a preferred way if it wasn’t that late).

People in Kaohsiung are quite friendly and talkative, including the taxi driver, who did talk about what to see etc. for the whole journey.  Of course, his hidden agenda was to sell me hourly rental for the coming two days.  I do, however, strongly against taking taxi when touring within a city unless safety is a concern because you would just miss out so much that you would discover by wandering among alleyways and side streets.

I went to two biggest night markets in Kaohsiung on the 1st and 2nd days.  The market near my hotel is pretty much like the small market in Taipei I went to three years ago, which caters mainly the locals.  It is more fun because they would be more willing to talk to you and could actually ask them for suggestions on what other stalls are the must-try.  The bigger market – 瑞豐夜市, does offer more choices and it was just a bit too crowded for me.  I did, however, enjoyed both.  My directionless wandering brought me to a supermarket, which is always a great place to get a glimpse of what the locals eat etc.

Shopping is a big disappointment in Kaohsiung as they are generally more expensive than in Hong Kong.  For those street fashion, there are so many shops selling the same item and no uniqueness could be located whatsoever.  Where are the local designers????

It was a fun trip after all.  I got to do some studying, and had a good rest, which I would probably not able to do so if I had stayed in Hong Kong.  Let’s arrange another 1 and see.

Photos are uploaded to here