In July 2012, Microsoft acquired Perceptive Pixel, a company that was famous for making huge touchscreen displays of up to 82 inches for clients like CNN. Since then, Microsoft has been showing off how the division"s big screens can be used with Windows 8 and 8.1. Now a new competitor has come forward to challenge Microsoft and Perceptive Pixel on their own ground.
The company, believe it or not, is Westinghouse. Yes, the business that is usually known for kitchen stoves has recently announced plans to release a line of touchscreen "whiteboards" that are compatible with both Windows 7 and 8. Westinghouse showed off one of the models on their YouTube channel in an unlisted video.
The company plans to release the 6 point touchscreen displays in 55, 65, 70 and 84 inches. All of them support HD resolutions and the 84-inch model goes up to 4K resolution. Westinghouse will also offer an optional PC module that can be attached to the screen in the back but users can also hook up their own PC if they want. It also comes with some proprietary software that offers up text recognition when a user draws on the screen, among other features.
The video does not offer up any information on pricing or availability, nor does the listing for the touchscreen models at the Westinghouse Digital website. However, we would expect they would be at least as expensive as Perceptive Pixel"s products. Microsoft"s 52-inch model sells for $7,000.
Source: Westinghouse on YouTube via ZatzNotFunny