June 30 - 3:10pm EDT   Phone headset maker Jabra has recently announced the upcoming release of its latest Bluetooth headset, the GO 6400-series, on which it partnered up with Synaptics. The collaboration results in the headset lacking any form of traditional buttons, relying instead on the latter's capacitive touch technology. The headset uses the touch controls for its volume adjustments and microphone muting. [full story]

June 3 - 3:00pm EDT   Timing its launch for Computex, Synaptics has unveiled a new notebook trackpad design to close the gap between MacBooks and Windows PCs. Similar to Apple's design, the ClickPad removes discrete mouse buttons in favor of a larger unbroken surface. Users press down to click the button and get more space for multi-touch gestures, which are now a staple of the design. Pinching, scrolling and zooming are all possible with two fingers, while three fingers can either swipe or else produce an alternate click. [full story]

May 14 - 3:35pm EDT   Nokia's recently rumored entry into multi-touch phones may come relatively quickly if a slip through Taiwan circuit designers is accurate. They reportedly tell DigiTimes that Nokia has finally settled on Synaptics to provide the circuitry driving at least one phone's touchscreen and "does not rule out" the possibility of the phone supporting multi-touch input, a first for Nokia's handsets. The product would be launched in the summer, though whether it ships at that time or is simply announced isn't apparent. [full story]

February 3 - 9:55am EST   Alleged market sources tell DigiTimes today that Nokia is planning a resurgence that may hinge on multi-touch devices. The Finnish company is said to be planning several cellphones with advanced 3G as well as "multi-touch and multimedia functions" for the year that will help not only itself but the companies that make the cellular chipsets and touchscreen technology, including Qualcomm, Synaptics and Texas Instruments. Other details aren't mentioned, though the multi-touch technology doesn't apply to the N97. [full story]

July 23 - 4:20pm EDT   The various iPhone rivals on sale or in development may in fact prove serious competition for Apple, writes analyst Yair Reiner of Oppenheimer. In commenting on the performance of Synaptics, a key maker of touchscreens, Reiner previously suggested that the relatively low cost of the iPhone 3G ($199) would harm Apple's competitors, and thus Synaptics' potential market. That view was "wrong," says Reiner, who has once again given the company an "outperform" rating. [full story]