MWC 2010: Various brands overview

Synaptics Fuse

It's been a while since we last heard of the Synaptics Fuse full touch phone concept. For a quick refresh, the Fuse is a prototype, a technology showcase. It's a phone loaded with an array of sensors, each allowing unusual way of interacting with the 3D-accelerated UI.

Force sensors on the sides allow you to control scrolling by simply squeezing the phone. Those same sides have touch sensors that enable another type of scrolling - by finger sweeps along the sides. Come to think of it, this is one of the most convenient scrolling methods that we have seen because you don't even have to reach for the screen.

The back of the phone is also touch-sensitive and allows for 2D navigation throughout the interface. Just push your finger against the back panel of the Fuse as if you're pressing the backside of an icon you're seeing on screen, et voila. Okay this one might not be too practical but its cool looking nonetheless and saves the screen some fingerprints.

Synaptics Fuse

The Synaptics Fuse uses a WVGA AMOLED screen and is powered by a Cortex A8 based processor with PowerVR SGX graphics chip. The user interface is developed specifically for the Fuse and offers some cool eye-candy and 3D graphics. For example, the icons on screen turn as you tilt the screen, so you can see them from the side.

Here's a demo video of the Synaptics Fuse phone in action:

Unfortunately, Synaptics don't intend to create a market-ready product out of the Fuse. It will stay a concept unless a cellphone manufacturer is interested enough to give it a try. Synaptics are more than willing to sell the technology - even separate bits of it, this kind of scrolilng or that.

Stay tuned for a video of the Synaptics Fuse in action.