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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?"
According to the last page of the review, it costs $695. Interesting concept but .... need I say more?
and you've got it made. Sorta like what divers have to use. my biggest complaint about keyboards is their limited motion.... I can relearn to type (tho it would be rather hard, I admit)... just give me a keyboard I can use with 1 hand and rest it wherever I need to (no jokes about a keyboard in your lap, etc ;P)
;-)
Besides, that many keystrokes combined with a good mouse might make sims such as Americas Army quite a bit more interesting
I think I can wait until I see it at wal-mart for $99, thanks.
This is one of the few peices of computer technology that needs to have a better upgrade path... I mean, I get a new video card every year or two... and a complete new system at least once every 4 years... the damn keyboard hasn't changed much in at least the last 10... The MS Natural keyboard was the last 'major' update to the keyboard design, and it wasn't much more than simply splitting it in two... Barely qualifing as an evolution on the design
When are we going to have some real changes? I want something that allows me to enter data as fast as I can think... Why can't we come up with a better general input device??? Keyboards SUCK!
---
Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
From the article:
...
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
Hmmm... If it's like holding onto some hot girl's knees...
Hey, a breast-shaped keyboard. Just what a geek needs to surf pr0n!
i think a victoria secret bra might be a decent keyboard cover.
-- ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space!
From the article:
Despite--or maybe because of--the OrbitTouch's similarity to the female anatomy, it's very comfortable to use. Your hands rest very naturally on the twin domes.
So, instead of clacking away on a keyboard all day I can basically feel up boobies while I work?
Is there a downside to this?
this will never work as most geeks have little to no experience cupping their hands around two large mounds - the learning curve is just way too steep
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur
How did you post that message?
Are you really willing to go through the pain of typing with RSI just to be heard on slashdot?
Millions in research and they left out the nipples. Didn't the QA department notice this minor glitch. Oh, you mean it's actually a keyboard? nm.
---- The geek shall inherit the Earth.
OrbitTouch?? Sucky Name. You guys shoulda gone with the more obvious "BoobieBoard"
"A microprocessor... is a terrible thing to waste." --
GeneralEmergency
that the only intuitive interface is the nipple, and that everything after that is learned. Therefore, I suggest someone come up with a computer interface device that is a nipple one puts in one's mouth, and sucks and bites in various ways. Uh, yeah, thats it.
"I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
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.
How fast can you type with this thing?!
The reviewer should consider using the thing for a month (exclusively), and tell us whether he learned how to do use it in the end. Furthermore, he should tell us what his WPM is with a regular keyboard, and what his WPM is with this thing is (in a month's time).
The assumption with giving him a month's time is that the novelty (for me) would last about a month. If most people wouldn't be up to keyboard speed in a month, I can't imagine many people sticking to it.
a joystick in between ...