bassbiscuits Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 Someone put me out of my misery here - tell me I'm not the only one in the world with this problem. My fingers, (complete with calluses and thick fingertip skin from decades of playing) don't seem to work very well on touch screens like smartphones, tablets etc. Now - someone said they work by picking up some electrical pulse from your skin. It occurred to me that thick calluses might be something to do with why my fingers don't always seem to work on touch screens. Or it could be a load of old cobblers. Does anyone else have this problem? Can't figure out whether to call Apple or Embarrassing Bodies... Quote
molan Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 My mum has an iPad and uses a rubber tipped pointing device. She's never touched her screen with a fingertip! Quote
icastle Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1420753916' post='2653160'] Does anyone else have this problem? [/quote] Yes! iPad's and iPhones totally ignore my fingers. Quote
StephenYork Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 My iPad/iPhone is not too bad but my laptop touch pad doesn't agree, have to use my little finger a lot. Quote
HowieBass Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 I think it'll be down to the calloused fingertips being very dry - apparently some people (esp older) have this issue and you can fix it to some extent by using moisturiser... so maybe not something to do immediately prior to playing your bass? Quote
discreet Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) I can only do the bare minimum on touch screens - don't like 'em and prefer to have a real keyboard under my fingers. I like real, moving keys. Old skool, me. Edited January 8, 2015 by discreet Quote
Wonky2 Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 I have same issue, and yes worse with laptop track pad...... iPhone messages are alway nonsensical mis hits where I think i point at he right character and it must pick up an electrical pulse from maybe the side of my finger and hits the wrong key....... Won't adding moisturiser make your calluses peel off ? Quote
discreet Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1420755954' post='2653214'] Won't adding moisturiser make your calluses peel off ? [/quote] Yes, don't jeapordise your hard-won calluses! Simply use semaphore, instead. Edited January 9, 2015 by discreet Quote
jazzyvee Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1420753916' post='2653160'] Someone put me out of my misery here - tell me I'm not the only one in the world with this problem. My fingers, (complete with calluses and thick fingertip skin from decades of playing) don't seem to work very well on touch screens like smartphones, tablets etc. Now - someone said they work by picking up some electrical pulse from your skin. It occurred to me that thick calluses might be something to do with why my fingers don't always seem to work on touch screens. Or it could be a load of old cobblers. Does anyone else have this problem? Can't figure out whether to call Apple or Embarrassing Bodies... [/quote] Yes I have the same problem. It's worse when you have a protective film over the screen too. I also wonder how well the fingerprint detection would work on our bass and guitar playing fingertips as they would undoubtedly change over time with the possibility that all of a sudden the phone would not recognise our prints and lock us out of our own phones. I'll stick with a password. Edited January 8, 2015 by jazzyvee Quote
bassbiscuits Posted January 8, 2015 Author Posted January 8, 2015 Wow! Thanks folks - at least I'm not a total freak, so thanks for reminding me of that at the very least! I like the approach of using the little finger - why didn't I think of that myself d'oh! For what it's worth I don't think moisturisers affect calluses too much tho, as mine are still going strong despite a daily dose of hand cream. But at least I've got a brand new excuse for not answering unwantwd phone calls now: "sorry my fingertips wouldn't let me..." Quote
bassbiscuits Posted January 8, 2015 Author Posted January 8, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1420755891' post='2653213'] I can only do the bare minimum on touch screens - don't like 'em and prefer to have a real keyboard under my fingers. I like real, moving keys. Old skool, me. [/quote] Ha ha this made me laugh! Quote
bassbiscuits Posted January 8, 2015 Author Posted January 8, 2015 [quote name='molan' timestamp='1420754502' post='2653184'] My mum has an iPad and uses a rubber tipped pointing device. She's never touched her screen with a fingertip! [/quote] Hmmm interesting. I wonder how that works then? Maybe the whole thing about electrical stuff from skin isn't the whole picture then... Quote
icastle Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1420759124' post='2653252'] Wow! Thanks folks - at least I'm not a total freak [/quote] No, it just means you're in similar company. Quote
icastle Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1420759311' post='2653254'] Maybe the whole thing about electrical stuff from skin isn't the whole picture then... [/quote] It's simplistic but close enough. The stylus described will have a tip made of conductive rubber. EDIT: edited to make vague sense. Quote
bassbiscuits Posted January 9, 2015 Author Posted January 9, 2015 Thank you all for shedding light on this one - I'll go to bed having learned something new. Cheers folks! Quote
goblin Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Yep, my iPhone can be a bit dimwitted towards certain fingers of mine... The fingerprint scanner ain't struck either! Quote
howdenspur Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I heard somewhere touch screens rely on the moisture in your skin to work, I hadn't thought about callouses, but I guess they could be problematic. Mrs H struggles with her phone as she has dry skin (not callouses), but manages with a stylus (about £8 from Carhousewarephone). Quote
Dave Vader Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1420759124' post='2653252'] I like the approach of using the little finger - why didn't I think of that myself d'oh! [/quote] No good for me, I have calluses on all my fingers and thumbses from my various stupid techniques on various stupid instruments. am often laughed at when seen trying to work my phone with the side of one of my fingers. Damn you modern world..... Quote
Geek99 Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 [quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1420794550' post='2653403'] I heard somewhere touch screens rely on the moisture in your skin to work, I hadn't thought about callouses, but I guess they could be problematic. Mrs H struggles with her phone as she has dry skin (not callouses), but manages with a stylus (about £8 from Carhousewarephone). [/quote] They are about 3 for a quid on eBay I believe it's to do with capacitance through skin, which is why it doesn't work with gloves Quote
Geek99 Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question716.htm Quote
icastle Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1420797506' post='2653440'] am often laughed at when seen trying to work my phone with the side of one of my fingers. Damn you modern world..... [/quote] Haven't you tried licking it? Quote
pfretrock Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1420797506' post='2653440'] No good for me, I have calluses on all my fingers and thumbses from my various stupid techniques on various stupid instruments. am often laughed at when seen trying to work my phone with the side of one of my fingers. [/quote] I now have problems picking up small components (M3 nuts, screws, washers...) with my left hand or first two fingers of right hand. Quote
discreet Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) [quote name='icastle' timestamp='1420813298' post='2653772'] Haven't you tried licking it? [/quote] Many, many times. But not since I was taken to A&E after I got stuck in a wheelie bin. Edited January 9, 2015 by discreet Quote
Happy Jack Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I was very slow to adapt to these 'touch' interfaces. In fact, my first few basses had keyboards ... Quote
KevB Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Only thing I have with touch screen is my sat nav and half the time I end up using that with the end of a pen because it is so easy to activate the area next to the one you want even without massive fingers. I recall using a crt monitor on a piece of lab kit 20yrs ago that was touch screen. You had to occasionally wipe down the little cells on the edges of the screen because if they got too grubby it would misbehave. Quote
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