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(Yet Another) Mobile Keypad
A reader wrote to us about Intel's newly unveiled mobile keypad, which, all things considered, doesn't look nearly as terrible as most mobile keypads. Still not exactly stirring, but not too bad either. Of course, there's getting it into production, licensing etc etc
j4Ust W1h1a8t we al3l ne21ed!!!
Okay, obligitory funny out of the way, it actually might just work out. As far as I'm concerned the extra $2 bucks a month I spend on unlimited text messaging on my phone saves me a ton of money because I'm not using minutes. Anything to help facilitate me using it more, I'm all for.
Yorks peally hre4t
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Maybe it's just because I've become so adept at using the traditional one, but I have my doubts about this one, for two main reasons...
1. At this stage I, and indeed the rest of the texting universe, know where 'R' is; just press 7 three times. I don't even need to look at the keypad any more. Just because I've to press it three times doesn't make it a chore. With use, it's easy. That may be true of the new keyboard, but more keys doesn't make it simpler. Which brings me to point two:
2. As I said, I don't need to look at the keyboard any more; that's because there are just four rows of three keys. With this one, if I want to text without looking I'd have to feel my way from one of the corners. That, or stop texting while I walk. That, or bump into a lot of lampposts. 4x7 is not simpler than 3x4.
And anyway, unless the protruding keys are huge (making the numbers difficult to use), punctuation is still going to have to be shifted. Unless, of course, UR 1 F THSE FKRS HO DNT UZ PNKTN.
I can buy a faster AMD keypad for less money. Of course, VIA hasn't released a decent set of drivers for it yet.
Where's NumLock?
Quick, dial KLOP KLOP ABEF !
ObSimpsons