Software

Once up and running the DisplayLink equipped monitor acts as a secondary screen. This means you could pull normal Windows applications into this screen with the mouse. Thanks to the included software from Soundgraph by the name of HD Frame, you can easily control and access your media and information with your fingertips on the FingerVU screen as well.


Before we dive into the software itself, there are various ways to control everything on the host computer. You have a full keyboard at your disposal which allows you to enter URLs or other short texts. While this works well, the fact that it is a resistive screen makes it a bit tedious. Then there is a virtual mouse pad, which works very nicely just as you would expect. The last, but certainly not least method of controlling things is the remote interface. It basically offers all the functionality of a Windows Media Remote. All these possibilities allow you to use the FingerVU 1016W as a remote to control what is on the big screen TV, be it for surfing, moving the mouse around or browsing through your Windows Media Center interface.


Tapping anywhere on the empty screen will reveal a little optical disc. Tapping on it will spin the icon around as if it is starting up a disc within a drive. I should mention at this point that the software comes across extremely polished and solid. It is obvious that Soundgraph has invested a lot of work into it and made sure that the quality is as good as possible.


The basic control panel to access various functions uses large square icons which you can scroll through horizontally with a swipe of your finger. You are shown the brightness and battery status in this screen as well.

The task manager shows you what applications are open and where these can be found as the top row is for the big screen TV, while the bottom row is the FingerVU display. Simply pulling something down will also move that application or window unto the 1016W. Next in the main menu is the "Task Closers" which does just that. It allows you to close windows or programs easily without having to move the mouse to the little X of the Windows interface. Then there is the Settings window, which allows you to change the brightness, calibrate the display or change the language of the entire application.


You may open up pictures, audio or video files though the HD Frame interface. The system adds shortcuts as tiles once you have viewed a video or folder, so that you may access it again without traversing the entire folder structure to reach the data. Pictures show in a nice stacked interface and can be controlled by swiping these up or down on the screen. The audio interface is intuitive as well. Tapping the screen simply pauses the music and allows you to fast forward or rewind the track, swiping up or down will move to the next track, swiping to the left will move back to the list of music. Controlling a video is done just like that as well. The entire interface is extremely polished and fun to use with virtually no real learning curve.


Some functions give you different submenus, when listening to music you may use the presets to adjust the sound output to your fancy or control the volume. Both are done by moving your finger in a circular fashion on the screen once the appropriate interface is present - pretty cool. You may also rotate images on the screen if need be.


Soundgraph has also included the possibility to search YouTube to watch your favorite videos or access a large number of RSS based news feeds. Out of the box you will have access to big names like CNN, MSNBC and many more. News is shown in simple matters with a paragraph and you may swipe up or down to view the next one. If you find something that peaks your interest, simply tap on the screen and the application will transport you straight to the website for the full article.


You may also check the world time or weather. These can be set to specific locations in the settings menu or rotated through a variety of major cities around the world. Last but not least, you may scribble down notes quickly and easily. This should come in handy if you are using the device, receive a call and need to note something like a phone number. It would have been great if Soundgraph could have included a stylus for something like this though.

User Experience

In terms of hardware and the various uses of the case and dock the entire Soundgraph ecosystem is surprisingly useful. While you would never think that a display on top of a chassis could be useful, placing the system in a well frequented area within your living room, you can easily and intuitively control the music as if you are touching a small "MS Surface". Another really important feature is the fact that you do not loose focus of the mouse on the main screen. Under normal circumstances tapping on a touch screen monitor automatically moves the mouse to that point and thus away from whatever someone else may be doing with a normal mouse. By not controlling the mouse, you are able to watch movies, view pictures or listen to music while your buddy is gaming on the big screen or your girlfriend is watching something completely different from the comfort of the couch.


As soon as you pull the screen away from the system or dock, the pair of dongles sync up automatically and the system is usable right away. The wireless FingerVU 1016S opens up a completely new way to use your media center PC. The biggest gripe I have - and have had with Soundgraph displays in the past - is the fact that they still use resistive touch screens. There is really no excuse for something like this. If a long list of manufacturers can offer Tablets with capacitive screens and a full system behind it, it should be possible to offer such a touch screen technology in something like this as well. In terms of reach, the wireless system may manage around 7-8 meters before a FullHD video ends up cutting off. While not much, this is more than enough for HTPC environments allowing you to use it from the comfort of your couch.