Registered: Nov 1999
Location: venice, ca. USA
Posts: 32

Just received the Silkyboard integral screen protector and keyboard interface in the mail.

It does *not* protect the entire screen, just the graffiti pad.

I have not installed the software just yet to see how well it works. Details to follow.

f

Okay:

SILKYBOARD PERFORMANCE REPORT:

Silkyboard seems to work well and is compatible with Handspring even though it is
essentially designed for Palm III and other models. You can write Graffiti or "type" on the
Silkyboard on the fly without having to toggle back and forth between Graffiti and ABC,
and never worry about the keyboard interfering with whatever else is on your screen.

Its calibration function seems precise, although the Shift button (mysteriously labeled
"Tab" - perhaps by its (Russian? Have you actually *read* the Web site?) inventor)- is
limited.

It allows .alt functions such as Apps, Menu, Calc, ABC and Find to be accessed from the
keyboard, and provides alternate punctuation (: from the ; key, & from the 7 key, etc).
These punctuation marks are not available on the ABC keyboard, and are a pain in the
backside to emulate via Graffiti.

However, in Silkyboard, to capitalize letters, you have to use the Graffiti Upstroke, then
a keystroke for the letter. A tiny tradeoff, particularly for someone who can't write the @
or $ symbols to save his life.

One drawback (which may be common to all screen protectors) is that you occasionally
have to bear down a wee bit harder than usual to get Graffiti characters to register.
This, however, is only an intermittent problem.

Overall, I like the product a great deal, and the fact that free upgrades are offered
makes it particularly enticing to anyone whose Graffiti penmanship is lacking. Even for
Graffiti experts, inputting via Silkyboard seems much faster and near-effortless.


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factoid
venice, ca
http://www.well.com/~factoid/