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OrbiTouch Keyless Keyboard Review
robyn217 writes "When I last looked at strange, new keyboards (here's the previous thread here on slashdot), I thought I'd seen it all... not even close! I just reviewed a new keyless keyboard, called the OrbiTouch, and gave it a run for its money. It's literally made up of two humps--it reminds me of holding onto my knees rather a keyboard. To type or mouse, you need to move the humps around in a synchronized manner. It's twisted--but it's better for you to decide for yourself--here's the article, OrbiTouch Review: A Keyless Keyboard with lots of pictures. Think you'll give it a test drive? Will it survive the year?"
From the article:
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why would anyone design a keyboard like this? In one simple word, comfort.
There are also other reasons why keyboard alternatives like this are cool. Disabled users, obviously. Also for typing where you can't be very accurate, e.g. while riding a bike.
Hmmm wonder if you could type with your feet while surfing during lunch
All keyboards just need to report their keycodes to the machine (where the keyboard driver/definition translates them into the actual text encoding) The techonology has been around for years, and is quite flexible allowing multiple language specific keyboards to be attached to the same hardware.
What is needed is really a user upgrade. People have invested a lot of time in learing exactly where the letters are located on their particular keyboard. (I know this as I recently had to "relean" the locations of various keys on a Spanish keyboard). Imagine asking someone to memorize (to the point of not thinking about it) the various dual-joystick combinations to type out a typical email. Or if not this device, the various mouse gestures (mouse based keyboard), hand wriggling (joystick based keyboard), eye-control (for eye-tracking keyboard), or other method of input.
Certainly there will be adopters, but there will be a rough cost-benifit analysis by the masses. Most that will conclude it's more expensive to learn new keyboard type when the new keyboard only offers the same functionality of inputting text into a computer.
when you're typing on a conventional keyboard, you're pretty much pipelining your next couple keys. When you type "ASDF" as your pinkie is coming down, your next find is ready to depress the S and ther your middle finger should be resting on the D. You just can't do that on the keyboard in question. You have to use both hands to make every single letter -- you'd think that they would have made the left or ride side movements by themselves to type a vowel.
the problem i have is that this style of input is that it transfers the labour of input motion from the wrists and lower arms to the lower arms and shoulder. especially with the dual input and fast small mtions.
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. ht ml ... but its got its own price problem and it does take a while to use. but its unix friendly and the emacs movements are a real nice way of showing it off
if you suffer like i do, the referred pains after using this are terrible. now you feel pain arms shoulder and neck.
in my opinion its all about this product
http://www.fingerworks.com/touchstream_products
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