Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

We now have the following keyboards available:

Gotype Pro for Visor.

Stowaway for Visor.

Genovation Travelboard.

I'm torn between the three. The Gotype and the Stowaway both have that "grab and go" feel, and the Gotype is more rugged, but the Travelboard is supposed to have better keys than the Gotype and it's compatible with any handheld that has a serial cradle.

What to do? What to do?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 406

GoType! Pro : Small keys are extremely unconfortable for medium to large hands. they are literally half as tall as norml sized keys on a regular keyboard. Also, when you push them, thy move down maybe 1mm (no, I didn't look up the specs, that's what I recall).

Think Outside : Two Words. Size Matters. This is easily the smallest keyboard with FULL SIZED keys available. that combination alone makes this the winner for me anyway.

Genovation : You have to have a Cradle to use it, adding even more stuff to the load you have to carry around. bah. Andit uses batteries, but that's no biggie.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

I'm looking for a keyboard I can expect to be able to use pretty much anywhere. That includes riding in the car or on a plane, or sitting in the park. The Stowaway seems to require a flat surface, which is going to be a problem, though it's surely the most portable, followed by the GoType and Travelboard.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Aurora, CO, USA
Posts: 23

I have fairly beefy hands and I think the GoType is very comfortable. There is an adjustment period due to the smaller keys, but once you adjust, touch-typing is a breeze.

I agree that the StowAway may be easier to type on, but it's also got a lot more delicate moving parts. I'll stick with the sturdy one-piece design of the GoType until more people get the StowAway and convince me that it's durable.

Jeff Kirvin
Writing On Your Palm http://www.jeffkirvin.com/writingonyourpalm/

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

Yeh, Jeff, you keep telling me to use the Gotype.

And, well, I just went and ordered one.

I was hoping for some feedback about the Travelboard. I guess nobody is using it. Which is a pity, it's an interesting design... but I don't feel like being a pioneer.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

There's been concerns raised over the Stowaway's ability to be used in ones lap due to the fact that it tends to fold up. I remember reading somewhere recently that the GoType also doesn't lend itself to lap use because the entire unit wants to flop backwards unless supported (a little tough in ones lap). Any of you GoType users want to comment about this?

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MarkEagle - Ice is nice!

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal
Posts: 115

Waiting for GoType for Visor to arrive but my experience using the GoType w/Palm III was very good. As a previous post said once you adjust to the key spacing the typing goes quite smoothly.

I've found it easy to use in many different situations. The pull-out piece used for balance is very easy to access and use but I didn't find that it was always necessary. -
Never really had any problems with it tipping over even when balancing it on my lap/knees.

I'm curious about the Stowaway but will probably wait - or put it on my birthday list - great way to accessorize your Visor!

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 119

I'm a beta tester for the Stowaway, and I really love it. The keys are the same size as a regular keyboard. I'm a very fast touch typist and I have no problem with it -- I can fly! People comment on the fact you allegedly can't use it on your lap, but here's the real scoop: the keyboard folds like a W. But since the sides slide in toward the center, the two side pieces are quite firm. The only place it folds is in the middle -- so if you held it on your knee, it would fold down on both sides of your leg. But this is simply solved by putting anything flat behind it -- a book, piece of cardboard, or whatever.

On the plus side, when it is folded up it is about the same size as the Visor itself. It comes in a neoprene zippered case which seems to protect it quite well. I just carry it in my purse (you guys may have a bit of a problem with this part!). So it's always handy.

The Visor sits up on it and is very easy to see -- in fact, I wish I had a Visor stand to hold the Visor at that angle on my desk at work!

Anyhow, the Stowaway is worth waiting for!

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Holt
Posts: 7

The travelboard isn't an option. I wrote a review on it a while ago but no one looked at it or responded to it, so oh well. But it doesn't work with the visor. I've been getting the run around from genovation for about a month and they finally admitted to me it doesn't work with the visor. They didn't even test it before they said it worked with the visor!! They just were like hey it uses palm os and it worked with palm pilots so they said hey, it must work with the visor too, but they were wrong and I am very disappointed :-(

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

Sorry you got burned, David, but I'm sure glad you piped up! I'm not that happy with the feel of the GoType, though the software is first rate.

I haven't decided whether to sell it on eBay or take a file to the case to get the visor to lay back far enough that I can work comfortably on it.

Thanks again for the input!

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

quote:

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Originally posted by DavidSmith:
The travelboard isn't an option....They didn't even test it before they said it worked with the visor!! They just were like hey it uses palm os and it worked with palm pilots so they said hey, it must work with the visor too.

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