Hand-painting has always been awkward on digital devices, and the interfaces have never quite matched the intimacy of the paintbrush. Even on the canvas-like iPad, using your finger or a stylus to paint is clumsy and brutal compared to a good old-fashioned brush and paper. But get this, grandpa: the Nomad Brush is here to push analogue painting right out of the picture, once and for all.

Okay, so perhaps it does just look like a regular paintbrush. And by all means, go try using an ordinary brush on your touch-screen. Once you’re done dusting your display, come and try the Nomad Brush…

You see, what sets this brush apart are its highly conductive bristles, which interact with the touch screen with extreme precision – keeping the artist in full control. Plus, it requires no power, no cleaning and won’t lose its bristles in your painting. Progress!

The Nomad Brush works well with a variety of existing painting apps, and not only works on the iPad, but is compatible with Android and Galaxy devices too. Fickle artists can rest at ease(l), knowing they have a canvas to paint on whatever platform they prefer.

Artistic freedom with the Nomad Brush is yours for just $24.

Via: Red Ferret

The Joystick-it iPad Arcade Stick brings the traditional and easy-to-use joystick to the digital age – improving precision with touchscreen-based games on your iPad, or any other device with a capacitive touchscreen.

Simply press the Joystick-it down on the screen (in other words, stick the stick-it) and enjoy the feel of a real, physical joystick as you play a variety of game apps.

The Joystick-it can be used with thousands of games because it works with any game that has an on-screen control pad – plus it’s removable, reposition-able and won’t harm your screen. When you’re through playing, just pull the joystick off and tuck it away in your pocket till you’re ready to play again.

The Joystick-it is made of solid milled-aluminum and has a laser-etched crosshair grip on the top of the stick that adds thumb traction. Best of all, there are no batteries to buy or wires to hook up. Get one for $24.99 or get two for $39.99 for dual-stick games.

After some delay, Asus’s Eee PC T91MT convertible multitouch netbook is finally available stateside sporting an 8.9-inch LED-backlit swivel display, a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor and the new touchscreen-capable Windows 7 (Home Premium).

With a size as small as a paperback novel, ASUS claims the T91MT is the world’s smallest and slimmest touch PC and includes 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 32GB SSD which the company extends with 500GB of Eee online storage.

The convertible display can be folded over the keyboard for use as a tablet for easy note-taking or e-book reading and includes a stylus for writing or more delicate touchscreen control.

Also including Bluetooth and 5 hours of battery life, the ASUS Eee PC T91MT measures 8.9″ wide x 6.5″ deep x 1″ thick, weighs just 2.1 pounds and is available now from Amazon.com for $532.

Sources:
Amazon.com via Engadget

Dell today announced their new 12.1-inch Latitude XT2 XFR Tablet PC which is the world’s first rugged tablet with a multi-touch display. The system is designed for use in the field by the military, police, security, factory fulfillment, healthcare and delivery services where maximum-durability is crucial.

The XT2 XFR convertible tablet adds to Dell’s Rugged Mobility Solution range – which includes the ultra-tough Latitude E6400 XFR we’ve been in awe of previously – featuring compression-sealed I/O doors, LCD and keyboard for resistance to moisture and dust at a high IP54 level of Ingress Protection.

Featuring an impact-resistant, sunlight-viewable 12.1-inch 1280 x 800 capacitive multi-touch display or alternatively, a resistive touchscreen – the XT2 runs on an Intel Core 2 Duo ultra low voltage processor with Intel GMA 4500 graphics, up to 5GB of DDR3 memory and your choice of 64GB/128GB SSD and 160GB HDD storage options.

The Latitude XT2 also includes a fingerprint reader, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi a/g/n, mobile broadband options, 3 x USB ports (one shared with eSATA), Firewire, Gigabit Ethernet, a gesture enabled trackpad, a digitizer pen, point stick, stereo headphone jack and either 4 or 6-cell primary batteries or a mega 9-cell slice.

Being able to withstand drops from up to 3 feet and temps from minus 10 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the XT2 can take a lot of abuse (video below). Surprisingly though, it’s also the thinnest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet around – measuring just 1.5 inches (38.1mm) thick and with a weight of only 5.4-pounds.

Shipping with Windows XP by default, (Pro and Ultimate versions of Windows 7 look like they’re on the way) the Latitude XT2 XFR rugged multi-touch tablet is available now direct from Dell starting at $3,599.

Press release

Dell Delivers Smallest 12.1-Inch Rugged Convertible Tablet PC, First with Multi-Touch Technology

Latitude XT2 XFR is Purpose-Built to Meet Unique Requirements of Field Service Workers, Military, Law Enforcement and First Responders
Thinnest 12.1-Inch Rugged, Convertible Tablet PC
October 27, 2009 10:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time
ROUND ROCK, Texas–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Dell today unveiled the industry’s smallest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet PC that is the first with a multi-touch display, the Latitude XT2 XFR. The system is designed to meet the unique and demanding needs of customers in the military, police, border patrol, field service organizations, factory fulfillment and first responders.

The Latitude XT2 XFR adds to Dell’s Rugged Mobility Solution offering that includes the fully rugged Latitude E6400 XFR and the semi-rugged Latitude E6400 ATG laptops. It also joins purpose-engineered products like the Latitude Z, Latitude 2100 netbook for education and Dell Precision M6400 mobile workstation as another step in Dell’s strategy to develop differentiated form factors and solutions that meet specific customer usage needs.

The News:

Inspired by discussions with the defense, law enforcement, homeland security communities, field service departments and utility companies, Dell developed a convertible tablet that can adapt to changing mission requirements and withstand harsh environments. Features of the Latitude XT2 XFR include:
At 1.5 inches (38.1 millimeters) it is the thinnest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet and starts at 5.4 pounds (2.45 kilograms) with four-cell battery and solid state drive1, it is engineered and independently tested to meet MIL-810G standards for operation in harsh environments. Dell expects MIL-810G certification in the coming weeks.
Compression-sealed and rugged I/O doors, LCD, and keyboard, provide an IP54 level of Ingress Protection, or resistance to moisture and dust.
The Latitude XT2 XFR can be installed in police or first-responder vehicles where critical information can be accessed with one hand. The Latitude XT2 XFR is also ideal for field-service and industrial manufacturing workforces who need an easy to carry, rugged system that can stand up to drops, spills and temperature extremes.
The Latitude XT2 XFR is available with Dell’s optional remote management capabilities and next business day service and support.2
The rugged tablet shares common images and components with the Dell Latitude XT2 tablet for easy integration into existing environments. The Latitude XT2 XFR also includes:
Intel Core 2 Duo processors with up to 5GB3 of DDR3 1066 MHz memory.4
QuadCool Thermal Management System enables excellent performance, even in extreme temperatures from minus 10 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Four-, six- and nine-cell battery options.
Standard data security features that include Dell ControlVault and Dell ControlPoint, as well as optional solid state and spinning disk drives with full disk encryption.
Impact resistant, sunlight viewable, 12.1-inch wide LED display with capacitive multi-touch gestures-enabled or optional resistive touch screen.
Optional hot-swappable modules including GPS (in the coming weeks) and webcam.
Optional expansion sliver provides camera/light, serial, and RJ11 inputs.
An extensive range of optional accessories and services that include mobile rugged docking and mounting solutions in the coming weeks.
A full complement of wireless connectivity options including wireless LAN 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and mobile broadband.
The XT2 XFR is available in the U.S., Canada, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany and Italy via all of Dell’s sales channels, including PartnerDirect. It starts at $3,599 and more information is available here.

Quotes:

“The Latitude XT2 XFR is more than a laptop, it’s a key part of our mobile command and data-center solutions for field service, defense and first-responder customers,” said Paul Bell, president, Dell Global Public-Sector Business. “These unique solutions, coupled with our service model, make those communities more effective, enabling them to focus on their core missions instead of managing technology.”

“We are listening and delivering purpose-engineered products based on unique usage models within customers’ environment,” said Steve Lalla, vice president and general manager, Business Client Product Group, Dell, Inc. “The Latitude XT2 XFR is a perfect example where feedback told us that customers needed the innovative functionality of the Latitude XT2 with the ability to perform in rugged environments.”

LINKS

www.flickr.com/dellphotos

http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/direct2dell/archive/2009/10/27/the-world-s-thinnest-rugged-convertible-tablet-pc-is-unveiled.aspx

www.dell.com/xfr

www.dell.com/latitude

www.dell.com/public

About Dell

Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they need and value. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Dell and Latitude are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

1 Weights vary depending on configuration and manufacturing variability.

2 Availability and terms of Dell Services vary by region. For more information, visit www.dell.com/servicedescriptions.

3 A 64-bit operating system is required to support 4GB or more of system memory

4 Significant system memory may be used to support graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.

Sources:
BusinessWire (Press Release) and Dell (Product Page)