iKeyboard, is a new Kickstarter project which could finally offer a solution to the difficulties of typing on the iPad.
My solution is to provide the feedback missing from a virtual keyboard by "grafting," or piggybacking, a real keyboard onto the screen. My inventionthe iKeyboardwill sit atop the virtual keyboard and be lightweight. It will add little bulk and not increase the footprint of the tablet. It will be easy and fast to deploy and remove.The iKeyboard will improve accuracy and typing speed, letting tablet users do real writing. It will set the brain free. In certain settingsthe lecture hall, the library, the classroomthe iKeyboard will be an essential tool rather than just a useful accessory.
Working with IDEAZ, the iKeyboard's inventor, Cliff Thier, has managed to match the feel of a physical Apple keyboard.
The designers at IDEAZ have managed to match the force required to depress a key on the iKeyboard to the force needed to depress a key on an Apple keyboard. Theyve also succeeded in making the iKeyboard's keys travel a distance equal to that of Apple keys. We now have a fully functional prototype that works pretty well.The highest hurdles have been jumped.
You can contribute to the project to be one of the first recipients of the iKeyboard. The project has already raised over double its funding goal of $4000.
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Comments (11)
Comments are closed for this article.
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feelys - May 30, 2011 at 5:47am
Good idea, on the "iKeyboard Could Solve the Problem With Typing on the iPad" of this article, do not worry use their iPad for e-mailing, making notes and writing documents. AND This ipad 2 keyboard case http://www.espow.com/wholesale-apple-accessories-protective-cases-ipad-cases.html that seamlessly connects with the iPad 2 for a quicker and more comfortable typing.easily convert into a laptop style position.
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MCF3778 - May 13, 2011 at 11:26pm
If you like the idea time to grab some cardboard and a knife
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kerin - May 13, 2011 at 5:19pm
i am under the impression that if this device appeals to one, that person has already bought the wrong computer.
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luqshal - May 13, 2011 at 6:41am
people wanted to have a simpler version of a laptop, light weight, ultraportable, long battery life, easy to use,...and they did very nice jobs with ipad and some other similar tablets. Of course they are not perfect, but improved very quickly by time.
However,adding addtional parts and this time trying to change it back to laptop doesn't make any sense to me!! if you have to carry all the other accessories then it will be much heavier, less mobile, more expensive and less effecient than a laptop. Why just not having a light weighted laptop then?
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Septentrion - May 13, 2011 at 2:18am
Looks like a fine idea to me but it unfortunately won't work for people who have to change the keyboard language on a regular basis since the keys are placed differently...
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teraflow - May 13, 2011 at 4:57am
Exactly, It won't work i.e., on european keyboard layouts (+ russian, chinese, japanese...), in fact, I think it will work just for US layouts
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gentster - May 13, 2011 at 4:28pm
I think the keys on this keyboard are transparent, allowing it to display the current key settings on the iPad keyboard. If not, that's how they should be.
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teraflow - May 13, 2011 at 5:06pm
It's not about the keys position on the keyboard (i.e. qwerty and azerty) it's about the layout, i.e. US enter is different from EU enter (L shape)
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Mo_money - May 16, 2011 at 5:03am
It's call market segmentation. A different skin for every country. Buy one get one half off! Pick 6 for the price of three. Stupid and brilliant all at the same time. Where can I get one (or 6) for my iPhone 4?
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MacAttack - May 12, 2011 at 10:10pm
What difficulties? I type on mine without problem. (And I'm no champion typist...)
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John - May 12, 2011 at 9:12pm
Wow..... iKeyboard. It's like emate all over again.