From companion devices like smartphones and tablets, through to slate-type notebooks and electronic reading devices, touch-screen computing is becoming a commonplace fixture across all forms of consumer technology.
But it's not just in the consumer sector that this trend is proliferating.
Terence Barter, Dell business unit manager at Tarsus Technologies, says the huge uptake his company has seen in the all-in-one desktop realm is driving touch-based computing into the business sector.
And while he admits it is totally plausible that businesses are interested in all-in-one desktops because of their aggressive price points, better power-efficiency, and reduced footprint over conventional desktops, touch-capabilities are a nice addition.
The main reason for this, he says, is that Windows 8 is due for release during the second half of 2012.
“And since Windows 8 at its core utilises touch far more than any of Microsoft's previous operating systems, it's great that users today are becoming more accustomed to touch-screens,” he says.
Interestingly enough, Barter says that once Windows 8 arrives, we can expect a role reversal to take place and for the operating system to begin driving the hardware platform.
“Of course, there will be a number of touch-sensitive screens coming to market over the next year. However, these will be sold at a price premium because they need to incorporate touch sensitivity and feature a desktop stand that allows for tilting.
“The all-in-one already does that,” says Barter, “and this is something that I believe will result in it becoming one of the most significant hardware platforms of 2012.”
Barter says that, thankfully, there are also no major trade-offs to negotiate.
“The performance and drive space available on all-in-ones is consistent with that of a desktop, while desktop footprint is reduced, power-efficiency is increased and capabilities (like touch) are expanded.
“It's becoming more of a no-brainer for companies, and when touch becomes an intrinsic part of how businesses use their computers, we will see a real boom in all-in-one sales,” he concludes.
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Tarsus Technologies
With more than 26 years' of experience in the ICT industry, Tarsus is the leading value-added distributor in South Africa, specialising in the supply of the world's foremost PC and peripheral hardware brands to the local reseller channel.
Tarsus strives to meet the channel's needs for credit funding, stock availability and efficient logistics, ensuring that resellers are able to deliver the highest quality service to their customers, focus on support and compiling the best overall solutions for their end-user customer base at the lowest possible cost.
The company prides itself on its flexibility, adaptability, knowledge, skills and successful track record combined with an industry-leading ability to manage large rollouts. These are the reasons Tarsus has consistently been rated as the top distributor in the country by international vendors, resellers and the IT media alike.
With its strong commitment to the South African channel, Tarsus is able to not only make the reseller channel more efficient, but more importantly, it plays a vital role in dramatically reducing the costs of doing business in the local ICT market.
Tarsus distributes a range of products from the world's leading manufacturers, including Acer, APC, Cisco, Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Meissner, OKI Printing Solutions and Samsung.
Tarsus' head office is situated in Johannesburg with branches in Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Nelspruit. Tarsus has also extended its footprint into Africa with branches in Namibia, Botswana and Mauritius.
More information about Tarsus is available at: http://www.tarsus.co.za.
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