14 DAY TRIAL // Cypress Semiconductor Corp. announced today that it had joined forces with the Open Handset Alliance, along with the fact that it had released a touchscreen device driver that offered support for Google's Android mobile operating system. The new I2C interface driver for Cypress’ flexible, robust TrueTouch touchscreen is expected to offer manufacturers of Android-based devices or other Linux-powered handsets the ability to easily deliver high-performance touchscreen interfaces.
According to the company, the driver comes with both single-touch and multi-touch capabilities, and is also backwards compatible with applications that have been built for older versions of the Android platform. Cypress’ TrueTouch family of products includes single-touch, multi-touch gesture and multi-touch all-point offerings, the company notes, adding that it was the first that ever introduced the multi-touch all-point functionality, which has been developed so as to track a virtually unlimited number of touches.
“The Android platform is rapidly gaining popularity, and our new driver has already enabled customers to rapidly integrate TrueTouch touchscreen controllers into Android-based phones coming to market,” Dhwani Vyas, vice president of the User Interface Business Unit at Cypress, said. “Cypress is pleased to bring the unmatched design flexibility, accuracy and performance of the TrueTouch solution to members of the Open Handset Alliance for development of full-featured Android handsets.”
Cypress has released not too long ago its next-generation, high-performance TMA300 multi-touch all-point family, which is aimed at offering true multi-finger touch, and best-in-class scan times for it. The inclusion of the multi-touch all-point functionality offers designers the possibility to create new usage models for various products, including media players (PMPs), GPS systems and mobile phones. The company also notes that TrueTouch is the most flexible touchscreen architecture on the market.
As stated above, the company also announced that it joined the Open Handset Alliance, “a group of more than 60 technology and mobile companies working to offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience. The Open Handset Alliance developed Android, the first complete, open and free mobile platform. Android features an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. As a member of the Open Handset Alliance, Cypress will work with other members to contribute to continued development and success of the Android platform for mobile devices.”