Abstract: The present invention provides a method for adding pressure simulation for touch-screen devices, by detecting a user's finger contact surface area with the screen—instead of a regular physical screen layer pressure sensor. A finger's surface area on touch-screen devices could be used for Z-axis navigation in virtual 3D environments, manipulating digital content, creative and technical software, or used as a custom variable in any application.

Abstract: A “Pre-Touch” pointer method and apparatus for facilitating data entry and control of touch-screen devices. As a user hovers finger(s) above a touch-screen device (before making contact), plurality of sensors detect the finger and based on the physical location of the finger, create a pointer that is offset from the location of finger (to prevent obstruction). Said pointer helps a user target the precisely desired target location by reducing its size as finger(s) approaches the screen. When contact is made by finger(s), the location of said offset pointer remains the same, but it could become invisible—to help prevent obstruction. Its properties can also change to help better visualize or interact with touch-screen devices.