The P3, the first digital media player in the world to include touch feedback, is showing at this weekâ??s Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas and is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2009.
Immersionâ??s TouchSense® haptics technology enables fun and distinctive interactions with the Samsung P3. A swipe across the P3â??s slider brings up media player controls enlivened with touch feedback response. Users feel unmistakable tactile confirmation when powering on or off and when navigating menus and playlists on its large touchscreen. Haptics confirms selections, enabling users to quickly and confidently find the songs, videos, or games they want to play. These actions prove more engaging with touch feedback, supplying a palpable physical connection with the user.
Additional haptic features in the P3 include an innovative VibeWoofer that can be turned on to add bass depth to beat, rhythms, and video soundtrack. The on-board Bubble Bang game comes alive with gaming-console-like rumble, providing heightened realism, fun, and excitement. Similar to Samsungâ??s Haptic 2 phone, the P3 includes 24 onscreen widgets that play fun tactile effects: the vibration of a kittenâ??s meow, subtle sensations of petals falling from a virtual flower, the crunch of a virtual cookie, and slight friction when stirring a virtual coffee cup.
Market research firm iSuppli estimates that shipments of touchscreens will more than double from 2008 to 2012, from 341 million to 833 million units. Rapid touchscreen adoption illustrates the dramatic shift in user experience across the broad range of consumer devices including mobile phones, MP3 players, personal navigation devices, digital cameras, and others. Immersionâ??s haptic technology plays a central role in shaping user experience with touchscreens and other interfaces. Haptic response provides the necessary user feedback required to deliver truly intuitive interaction even when physical buttons are eliminated -- and to significantly improve gaming and other media experiences.
