Some might say a capacitive touchscreen that also accepts input from a stylus or a gloved finger is the white whale of the cell phone industry. Ok — most people probably wouldn’t say that. But a single touchscreen that can respond just as well to a finger as it can to a stylus is a huge breakthrough in the mobile world. This versatile display could address the U.S. and European markets just as well as it addresses Asian markets, where handwriting recognition and stylus input are requirements for many. At this year’s IFD International conference, Hitachi showed the world that we’re not as far away from these all-purpose displays as one might think. Hitachi’s new touchscreen panels definitely aren’t ready for primetime — look at how shaky those lines are — but seeds have most definitely been planted and the company thinks it should have a ready-for-market product by the end of 2011. Hit the break for a video showing off the new tech.
