Would YOU touch-type on this chunk-tastic keyboard? The TREWGrip keyboard is designed for butter-fingered mobile users who are keen to touch type as fluidly on their smartphones as they would on a desktop keyboard. The keys are positioned on the back of the pad, piano accordion style, allowing you to depress them with the outstretched fingers of your hand, which is firmly …
It's an excellent idea, but I won't buy this for the same reasons I never bought a Microwriter. It needs to be able to work with all the devices I use. I need to be confident that I'll still be able to use it, or a replacement, for the rest of my life. Until then I'll stick with the crummy keyboards that I can connect with all my devices. (Yes I need wireless and wired keyboards, but at least they all have, more or less, the same key layout.)
Was trying to remember the name of that device from the late 70s... Microwriter - the device that was interesting but useless for almost everything due to certain little functional issues. Connectivity - good luck with that. Editing - you basically can't edit until you get the text into a more conventional device.
This said, the rather more recent follow up CyKey does look vaguely interesting. It would look a bit more interesting if it was possible to connect it to any form of modern device without all kinds of nasty kludges and cables. They claim to be working on bluetooth support but are having licensing problems... which is a little strange seeing as bluetooth chips are pretty damn easy to get up and running as they are largely "commodity" systems now, but maybe the problem is more integration / configuration and power management on CyKey's side.
Still a niche product though.
I think I've seen something like this before...
http://squeezeboxstories.com/background/accordion-101-types-of-the-accordion/
Costs:
- some learning required
- large to carry
- hard to stow/ juggle if user need to consult eg a paper document
Benefit:
- requires less learning than a Microwriter or other chorded typing solution.
I've posted links about the lad who made an Arduino-based chorded-keyboard mobile phone case.... http://www.srimech.com/chorded-keyboard-for-mobile-phones.html
seems someone has put a similar project (3D files etc) on Github:
https://github.com/Madfellows/Arduino/tree/master/Chording%20keyboard
Killer cost omitted. It requires that you support the weight of the thing out in front of you while you use it. To say nothing of the weight of both your arms. Ergonomic FAIL. (BTW, it's probably illegal for a business to ask its staff to use such a device, under the EU VDU regulations).
If you doubt me on this, try holding an ordinary keyboard in the illustrated pose for a few minutes, and then consider what several more hours would be like.
Hi, Nigel: Good point. Do we know how this might compare to, as another commentard mentioned above, doing surveys with clipboards and pens? Genuinely curious, since I'm having a difficult time thinking who would use one of these enough to justify the cost aside from survey-takers, nursing staff, and others whose clipboard is part of the uniform. Neat idea, but might be a solution in search of a problem?
Potentially, but the main problem I can see is that it doesn't appear to be ideal for anything else. Touch-typing on a mobile might be nice, but if it requires something the size of a small laptop to manage it, you've rather lost the advantages of a mobile.
The whole "high friction pad with magnets" seems to asking for trouble as well. Sure, it's fine when you're holding it in front of you, but what if you want to rest your arms for a minute? If the phone falls off as soon as you drop it to your side, that's not going to be much use for anyone.
eight to 10 hours to achieve unconscious competence at 90 to 100 per cent of their flat keyboard typing speed.
Is this people who can type or people who can't type? Achieving 90 to 100 per cent of my mum's typing speed, not impressive, the real question is can a trained typist get up to 100 wpm out of the beasty?
Looks nice. Saves nailing my hands and feet to my custom gaming keyboard and being carried around by Ibis. Whenever I need to be heard going CLACK CLACK over a large event, this is the thing. I'll just store it on my back, or as a fashion goiter until I need to look awkward and ignore my fun note apps like Fii. Looks like it could double as a kettle bell. And a fire extinguisher or chocolate nib cold brew rig if I have the demographic right, I think.
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