Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 604

Mini-Keyboards - What's the Deal?

Has anyone else noticed that there has been a slew of announcements on miniturized keyboard attachments for Palm OS devices?

There was the "Snap-On" shown at PC Expo (or whatever they call it these days) which VC covered. There was a piece over at PDA Buzz about Seiko (the same folks who make the SmartPad) announcing a similar device for both Palms and Visors. Now there's a thread on this board about yet another mini-keyboard, this one with a jog-dial type attachment.

There's also the half-keyboard mentioned in the review piece this week here on VC.

Along a similar vein, the prototype Sharp Zarus PDA, discussed on int he past on PDA Buzz (and mentioned in a thread or two here) among other places, has a similar type of keyboard built in.

Most notably, the different proposed keyboards look a lot like the keyboard on my RIM Blackberry.

I'm curious what folks think about this budding trend. Here's my two cents:

1. It must reflect some perceived dissatisfaction with Grafitti.
2. It's partly prompted by the success the Blackberry. I've had mine for about a month now, and it's a great device, albeit one with serious limitations and flaws. The two great things about the RIM are its "always on" email, and the keyboard which is actually somewhat superior to Graffiti for some input tasks, like email. The keyboard isn't suitable for novel-length compositions, but I'm able to bang out a short-to-medium length email quicker and more accurately than I can on my Palm. The two bad things about the RIM are it's sub-par PIM functions and the lack of a touch screen.

Just curious if anyone else has noticed this trend, and what it means (if anything). It will be interesting to see how these things sell.

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

I've noticed the exact same thing - but I was forewarned. In my talks with Think Outside earlier this year, they said they weren't goign to make a minikeyboard, but come late summer, there will be TONS of them on the market. Minikeyboards are really cheap to make, and can be sold for $40-50! BIG profit margins. Pretty soon their will be tens and tens of kb's for the visor-just like there are for comptuers.

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-miradu

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

When my Vdx was broken I was looking for the available options.

One of the options was the PSION (a co-worker of mine had one so I could have a good look and have some first hand user experience)
The thing I liked most about the PSION was that it both had a touchscreen AND a keyboard.

I like the idea of grafiti, but in real life I wrote to slow and I'm too used to a keyboard... I hardly write with pen and paper anymore...

I ended up fixing my VDx (cheaper and I love the PalmOS) but I was seriously tempted...

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Elkins Park, Pa
Posts: 577

My question is "Why?"

Why wouldn't someone use the built in keyboard? It's not like you can touch-type with these new mini-keyboards. I've heard it's impossible (and I believe it), but I think voice recognition would be more useful. I heard it's impossible because the visor doesn't have the processing power, SO, why not make some attachment with its OWN processing power? Lots of $$$ but I think worth it.

More: and why do these companies think that everyone's allergic to the Stowaway? The stowaway is fine! It seems that these companies are making up problems that don't exist, like with the half-keyboard, being able to hold a stylus in the other hand, which you can't do with the stowaway. What's wrong with putting the stylus down right by your hand, and picking it up when you need it?

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Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 10

quote:

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Originally posted by ernieba1
My question is "Why?"

Why wouldn't someone use the built in keyboard? It's not like you can touch-type with these new mini-keyboards. I've heard it's impossible (and I believe it), but I think voice recognition would be more useful. I heard it's impossible because the visor doesn't have the processing power, SO, why not make some attachment with its OWN processing power? Lots of $$$ but I think worth it.

More: and why do these companies think that everyone's allergic to the Stowaway? The stowaway is fine! It seems that these companies are making up problems that don't exist, like with the half-keyboard, being able to hold a stylus in the other hand, which you can't do with the stowaway. What's wrong with putting the stylus down right by your hand, and picking it up when you need it?

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 604

Yeah, that's been my experience. I find composing an email longer than one sentence is much easier on my RIM (which has a similar mini-keyboard built in) than on my Prism. Thumb typing is pretty quick and natural, once you get the hang of it.

I don't think these things are a knock on the Stowaway by any means. They are pitched at a different type of use. I have a Stowaway, and I love it - it has nicer keys than my mini-notebook. I use it to write longer pieces, anything over a page or so.

However, the Stowaway isn't pratical for quick notes and emails - it takes too long to set up, and it's awkward to use on anything other than a desk or table. The (alleged) advantage to the minikeyboard is that you can type with some speed in pretty much any environment - on the bus, etc.

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

MY big question, is I look at these and go! God those look big, bulky and heavy. Are they realyl light? (like you can't tell their there) or are they big weights??!

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-miradu

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 2

hrm.. 2� -

keyboard easier than graffiti on a moving vehicle: big plus for commuters on bus, BART/Muni/Metro, carpool, etc.

i'm allergic to the stowaway. *another* gizmo to tote alongside? looking like that kid with the tissue wrapped hard-boiled egg, salt shaker and tupperware condiment collection when it's time to set it up. can't use it quickly or spur of the moment. no subtlety, can't use it very well on public transpo. can't use it standing up. it's big when set up, need a good sized space to lay it out.

clip-on, snap-on, oven-mitt, or socket keyboards - right on! can leave it attached & bag the entire PDA in a slightly oversize case. {heh, m'game boy pikachu bag.} pull it out and "type" on the bus or where-ever. don't need to set it on anything. if i do keep it separate as 2 gizmos the set-up is a lot more subtle then the 7 course luncheon.

appealing, these mini slip-ons!

~Ky

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KymbaKhan - the mediocre, somewhat dim horde of one.

Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 10

quote:

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Originally posted by miradu2000
MY big question, is I look at these and go! God those look big, bulky and heavy. Are they realyl light? (like you can't tell their there) or are they big weights??!

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by CrocHunter
Why? It's much easier to use thumb typing than the virtual keyboard or graffiti.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

If it's not a full-size keyboard, one that I can use with two hands, it's just not worth it for me cuz graffiti will always be faster or as faster as any one-hand operated keyboard.

Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 10

quote:

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Originally posted by namja
If it's not a full-size keyboard, one that I can use with two hands, it's just not worth it for me cuz graffiti will always be faster or as faster as any one-hand operated keyboard.

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

I love the slew of new mini keyboards coming out
I think the reason MAY be because of wireless users not having a fast way to enter data (If using Omnisky module, or the like?). I really like the idea of these keyboards because I will be able to just plug in my Thinmodem to the wall, dial in, and be able to chat on ICQ and IRC without having something to unfold the stowaway on. Even better when I decide to drop the cash for wireless (When/If the price drops).

I'm eagerly awaiting a review of the Snap N' Type vs. the new 'Etherage' Keyboard.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

Kool avatar KymbaKhan.

I only use Graffiti when I have a little bit to input, and tend towards the virtual keyboard when there's a lot. I can tap the keys one-handed with the stylus much faster than I could write them in Graffiti. As long as a mini-keyboard has individual keys (instead of the double-purposed keys on one of these products; I haven't paid enough attention to the names yet so can't say which one it is) I exect I'll be just as quick on that.
It's a decent input alternative, IMO.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by CrocHunter
This is a thumb typer. I've tried both and it's faster to thumb type.

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 604

Namja:

I don't think you can generalize that way. I'm pretty good at graffiti - I've never timed myself, but I've been using it since I got my first PalmProfessional several years ago. In fact, I often find myself unconsciously using graffiti characters when I write using pen and paper.

But . . .

Since I got my Blackberry, I have found thumbtyping on their keyboard to be pretty quick, quicker than graffiti. Again, I haven't timed myself, but it's somewhat faster for some types of data entry.

Maybe graffiti is better for you for some applications. However, I haven't heard you say in any of your posts that you have tried the thumb-typing thing, so I'm not sure how you can make a valid comparison. Try it, you might like it.

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

quote:

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Originally posted by namja

How fast can you thumb type? Probably no more than 30 wpm, which is about how fast I can graffiti.

Really, all these mini-keyboards are for people who can't graffiti.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

VTL, Vertigo,

I guess if the thumb typing makes that much difference to you, then it may be worth it. I suppose if I was writing an essay on the Visor, it'll be easier (less strain on the hand) to thumb type. But I think that for the vast majority, people don't input more than maybe 300 characters at any given time, so the time/effort saving may not justify getting another device.

Even if I got one for free, I don't see myself carrying yet another device with me. If I have a lot to input, I'll just record it in my voice recorder.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

One of the great strengths of a PDA is its intuitive nature- you can do so much with so little education or effort!

Grafitti, on the other hand, is an exception to this intuitiveness. It is pretty easy, but NOT intuitive. How many of us, even after use and exposure, still have problm with R (I get the Command fish), M (I get n), G (I keep doing it upside down), V (forgetting to go backwards), etc.? JOT is a bit better, but neither is perfect.

I get along just fine with Grafitti, the on-screen keyboard, and my Stowaway, but on a recent vacation, I would have LOVED to have had one of the mini-boards to compose letters, etc. while sitting there. Grafitti was distorted and I kept missing the on-screen targets.

To me, it is pretty dang cool that there are a lot of options to allow us to tailor our PDAs to fit our real-world usages so well! Bring'em on I say! (but, lets try to get them thouroughly reviewed, too, huh?)