We've seen plenty of all-in-one systems with touchscreens and Windows 8, including various tabletop and tablet-like models, but InFocus has announced what might be the largest offering to date. The Oregon-based display maker's new 55-inch "BigTouch" AIO PC scales the experience up to a size that's more suitable for larger crowds of people, be they in a classroom, an office lobby or a conference area.
The BigTouch's 1080p display can handle up to five points of finger input, enabling gestures such pinch to zoom and rotate along with the typical swipes and taps that make up touch navigation. Although we usually frown on bloatware, it sounds like InFocus preloads the BigTouch with some apps that would be useful for a big screen presentation setup. The company's Monopad software comes with support for video conferencing, digital annotation over documents, interactive whiteboard capabilities, a customizable interface as well as Microsoft Office 2010 Professional.
There doesn't seem to be anything particularly impressive under the hood, but there wouldn't have to be for a presentation rig either. Known specifications include a Sandy Bridge-based Intel Core i5 processor, a 120GB SSD, Wi-Fi connectivity, dual gigabit Ethernet, two HDMI ports and six USB ports. Units with Ivy Bridge chips are in the pipeline but InFocus hasn't provided a release date.
There's no word on RAM capacity or optional features such as a TV tuner, but InFocus says the system is built with ease of serviceability in mind, so you should be able to upgrade components as necessary. Plus, the machine's healthy array of USB ports should make it easy to expand functionality via dongles.
The BigTouch will roll out in the US first for $4,999 before it becomes available worldwide. We haven't seen any precise dates, but the company is talking as if units will start shipping sooner rather than later.
