At the 2017 CES, Neonode will be demonstrating the AirBar For MacBook Air, a gadget that turns the slim line notebook's display into a touch screen.
When asked about why his computers didn't support touchscreen technology, Steve Jobs said that touch screens give great demo but were too gimmicky in real-life use. Indeed the ergonomics of keyboard input go abruptly against the positions needed to reach across and also tap on the display. However, in the five years since the Apple co-founder passed away, the way in which consumers use their PCs has changed radically. So much so that Apple recently rolled out the iPad Pro which is a tablet that can be used like a notebook, or a notebook that can be used like a tablet.
"We believe the community of devoted MacBook Air users will welcome this new product, as AirBar for MacBook Air will surely enhance the user-experience of an already great product," said Remo Behdasht, Senior Vice President of AirBar Devices at Neonode. At US $99 for an AirBar, compatible with the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, the device is at just the right price point to intrigue even those that are in two minds as to the benefits of a touchscreen Mac. And, because it simply plugs into a USB port and sits directly under the computer's screen, it can be unplugged and removed very simply.
It works by creating a light field directly in front of the screen using light from an area of the spectrum invisible to the human eye. This field is sensitive enough to react to taps and swipes on or very near to the screen, whether it's with a finger, a gloved hand or even a paintbrush -- something that could open up a range of creative possibilities for avid users of applications like Illustrator or Photoshop. Most impressive is that the gadget is completely plug and play, with no software installation required or a third-party app store of compatible programs. This is an issue that has plagued devices like the Leap Motion Controller that only work with certain specific apps rather than with the computer as a whole.
The AirBar for the MacBook Air has already scooped a CES 2017 Innovation Award and when it goes on sale in the US in March, will be stocked by Amazon.
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