The Dell Canvas was on show last month, at CES 2017, after previously being partially revealed / teased at the Adobe MAX conference. Dell describes this 27-inch QHD touch screen device as a "smart workspace". It's definitely not a tablet or AiO, as it still requires a partner PC to work with. However, it is in some ways a rival for the Microsoft Surface Studio AiO as it is designed to appeal to creatives and offers touch, precise inking, and tactile rotary screen tools.
Dell's Canvas is for doing, rather than watching says Dell. It works 'seamlessly' with your existing professional software and monitor setup to encourage interaction. The gap between what humans have created with natural media for millennia, and what we create with digital devices, is addressed directly by the Dell Canvas, we are told. With this device you will be able to "create, communicate, and express your thoughts and ideas as naturally as on paper," but as part of a digital workflow - with all the flexibility that provides.
For ergonomic pleasantness the Dell Canvas has a paper-like feel screen. Furthermore, its tilt height is adjustable for natural, comfortable, drawing, writing and painting etc. The video above shows a slew of creative apps in use; skeuomorphic apps responding naturally to your touch, and other apps and tools working slickly with the precise pen input and 'Surface Dial' like rotary controls.
At the CES we learnt that the Dell Canvas is scheduled to launch in time for the Windows 10 Creators Update and it will be priced under $2,000.
One of the apps you saw demoed in the above video is Microsoft's Sticky Notes app. This has just been updated with some important improvements such as:
- the ability to create a new note straight from the jump list
- a font change to Segoe UI for emoji flexibility
- UI and text manipulation tweaks
- and faster launching
It already integrated with Surface Pen usage, and allowed the creation of Cortana reminders, and intelligently recognised addresses, emails, phone numbers, and more for click actions.
