Kleenex released a pretty annoying commercial last year, while driving me up a wall had an interesting message attached to it. We touch just about everything. It’s kind of sickening in a way, if you truly think about everything that you touch during the day. But that’s neither here or there. In case you haven’t seen the commercial, here it is (be prepared to hear the word “touch” a lot):

In the past couple of months, I’ve bought two devices that utilize a touch screen interface. I received an iPod Touch for Christmas, and bought a LG VU as an upgrade for a new two year contract. After a month and some change, I love my iPod Touch and can’t imagine using a MP3 player any other way. The LG VU, I’ve only had for a week but so far is a dream to use compared with my old phone. Which I had to always put on speaker just to be able to hear it.

The touch screen technology in both devices is spot on. After using both of these pieces of technology, I’m completely sold on touch screen. I want everything in my life to be touch screen. Ok, that might be going a bit overboard but you get the point. I’m still pondering what drives my fascination with touch screen.

One aspect of the touch screen interface, is how it simplifies the physical layout of devices. Take my LG VU for example. On the front of my phone is only three buttons. It’s a very sleek, and simple design that while being minimalist in approach provides ways of navigating that you can’t get with traditional layouts. I think that touch screen will greatly help those who are less tech savvy as well.

Generally, to execute functions in handheld devices, it requires a combination of buttons, and menu browsing. This is the case for cell phones, smart phones, MP3 players, and blackberries. Learning these combinations can be a struggle, specifically for those who are technologically challenged. Touch screen brings some relief to these poor souls. Sure, it still takes some savvy to get around, but everything is visually on screen for you to click through. You don’t have to memorize anything, because the applications, and executions are right there on screen for you to touch.

For myself personally, I haven’t reached a total conclusion yet but I think I enjoy touch screen so much because it’s second nature. Flowing your finger across the screen just feels right, like you’re writing instead of pressing buttons.

Let me hear back from you. Are you an avid touch screen user? If you don’t prefer to use touch screen, what interfaces do you like to use? Feel free to let loose.

Tags: Gadgets, Videos //