6 October 2014
 Categories: Technology, Articles

Modern technology has brought with it a vast array of changes in computing, not least of which is the emergence of touch screen monitors. Touch screen monitors are a relatively new invention, and alongside the smartphone allow a much more interactive and natural experience for users.

Benefits of Touch Screen Monitors

In addition to looking extremely slick and high-tech, touch screen monitors bring with them a number of advantages to the consumer:

• Ease of Use : Touch screen monitors are far more interactive than their traditional counterparts, making them much easier to use for most purposes. With a simple hand motion, the screen can be resized, flipped, zoomed or dragged, allowing you to forget any troublesome keyboard shortcuts without sacrificing common features.
• Ideal For Presentations: Touch screen monitors can be used in place of traditional cue cards for business talks, toasts etc. You can also make use of handwriting recognition software in order to turn your notes into digital cards.
• Great For Artists/Photographers: Interactive monitors are the artist's best friend, allowing sketches to be made directly on to the monitor instead of tablets. They're also great for photo editing as well; pictures can be edited by hand rather than using a mouse.
• Helps Children's Learning: Touch screens are ideal for early learners, as they can easily pick up interactive games or other educational tools, making the whole experience more enjoyable for them.

Although each touch screen offers a wealth of benefits, there are a wide variety on the market. As a new customer, it may be difficult to differentiate between each model and choose the one that's right for you. As such, there are a few key questions you have to ask when buying a touch screen monitor. 

Questions to Ask When Buying a Touch Screen Monitor

1. How Much Warranty Does It Come With?

When you're buying any product, you'll want to know that your purchase is guaranteed with a sufficient warranty in order to avoid any costly repairs early on. This is even more important with touch screen monitors, as their interactive nature and delicate structure mean that they can be susceptible to bumps and falls. 

The warranty term offered by the manufacturer is indicative of the component's life expectancy. The longer the term, the more faith the manufacturer has in its design. Therefore, look for a monitor that comes with an extensive warranty in order to give yourself peace of mind.

2. What Type of Stand Does it Come With?

It may seem unusual, but oftentimes the stand that comes with touch screen monitors can be less robust than the screen itself. This is because touch screens are often fitted onto a non-touch LCD frame which are typically used for other flat screen monitors. Although this usually works fine, classic LCD frames aren't built to remain rigid when the screen is touched. This can sometimes result in an excessive rock or wobble, so you should check this out  prior to purchasing.

3. What Type of Technology Is Used?

To the untrained eye, all touch screen monitors are the same. However, there are actually a wide array of different technologies available on the market, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The main types of touch screen technology used at present are:

• Resistive: Fairly cheap, easily available and low power consumption. However, can be less durable than other technologies.
• Capacative: Difficult to install small enough capacitor to eliminate noise, but is much more durable than resistive due to having no moving parts.
• Infrared: Better image quality, great for larger screens. However, IR isn't as responsive to touch as capacitive.
• Surface Acoustic Wave: Highly responsive with great light transmission. However, is very sensitive and as such may register 'false touches'.

Before investing in any touch screen, you should ask your supplier to give you some advice on which technology is best for you. Each technology has particular applications that they excel at, so your supplier should be able to offer professional advice on how to proceed.

4. Where Have Touch Screens Been Sold?

As mentioned, not all touch screens are equal. In fact, there is a wide variation in performance and integrity between touch screen monitors. One style of touch screen may be suited for a particular environment or industry, whereas that same screen may be rendered useless for another purpose. Before purchasing, you should ask your supplier what companies and industries have purchased each particular touch screen. This should give you a better idea of each screen's benefits compared to other models.

Another possibility is to ask for a free, short term trial. Not all vendors will agree to this, however suppliers who are confident in their product should be willing to offer you up to one week's free trial of the screen.

Amidst all the benefits that touch screens offer, they are prone to accidental damage due to their nature. If you suspect a problem with your monitor, contact your local PC repair company such as Nation's First Office Repair who will be able to offer professional advice on how to proceed.