02-28-2002, 07:02 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 135
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A Typing Lesson
http://reviews.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=reviews&id=233
Well, it seems like the main thing that I'm catching these days in the area mobile technology are keyboard news and reviews. I'm writing one, I have a rant in progress about the whole concept, and now Pocket Now has a wonderful comparison article. If one of them would just work right all the time without any hassle, I'd be really happy. Alas, this is another rant for another time.
The good folk(s) over at PocketNowhave a really nifty article comparing the hardware input options for the iPAQ devices.
"In all, it's great to see so many great keyboard options out on the market, though none is perfect. I think the SnapNType is about as close to perfection as it gets due to the key size, useful software, and elegant design. The Stowaway is a must have for serious document editing where you might want to use a laptop, but for most situations that I find myself in where I need quick text input, I don't have the luxury of a flat surface. Finally, the Micro keyboard, while it feels great and the keys are very well designed, the individual keys are too minuscule to allow for accurate typing."
What do you think the perfect (realistic) input solution is?
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02-28-2002, 07:13 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 99
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On-screen Keyboard
On-screen Keyboard with Guestures and Large Keys...
Of all the input methods available, I have found the on-screen keyboard to be the most reliable, portable, and easy to use. Others may be better in one of these categories, but not in all three overall.
Guestures speeds data entry, and by turning on large keys, it's easier to peck out the small keys. Oh, and I also turn up the "Word Completion" suggested words up to FOUR to easily finish longer words off.
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02-28-2002, 08:15 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 226
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Forget keyboards...
I'm almost as fast with Transcriber as I am with pen and paper - the only thing that slows me down is editing the three or four "typos" I get per sentence. I doubt I could beat that performance with anything but a full-size keyboard, and sure as heck they're never going make a full-size keyboard that fits in my pocket like the iPAQ does.
'Course, I kinda liked Graffiti, too...  ops:
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02-28-2002, 09:05 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 4
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Hi! First time here, hope this comes out ok.
About keyboards: I personally use on-screen keyboard and graffiti 50-50 on my iPAQ. However, I really would like to have an option to attach any ps/2 keyboard for typing faster for longer texts. Now I actually just don't write any longer texts. If I could attach ps/2 keyboard, I could hunt down the smallest possible keyboard (Happy Hacking or something like that) and have it with me when I would need to write more than normally. Stowaway isn't the one for me, for I have understood that it doesn't go to use with double pcmcia jacket. I have heard about the KeyMate (www.microfoundry.com), but it doesn't seem to exist anymore? Anybody know about it?
Ibiz's KeySync keyboard sounds good, but to order it to Europe would cost too much, I think.
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02-28-2002, 02:14 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 197
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On screen SIPs are pretty useful for most tasks. I particularly like WordLogic and FITALY. The "thumb-boards" are about as fast as either of these, but I can't seem to get any more speed out of them. They also have some issues (no up & down arrows or hard-buttons on the HP version; no macros on the iPAQ version; and they all make the Pocket PC longer than will fit in a standard case.) So I opt for using SIPs for small data entry.
With big data entry, even the thumb-board gets tiresome, so I opt for a full-size folding keyboard. The StowAway is great, but the new iPAQ 3800 keyboard is better. It has keyboard functions to call up menus and even the iPAQ task switcher (the arrow menu). If they had done nearly as good a job programming the thumb-boards as they have the folding keyboard, I'd probably use it more often.
__________________
HTC HD2 US (unlocked) + 16GB micro SDHC (in holding)
HTC Evo + 16GB micro SDHC (in use)
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02-28-2002, 03:25 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 137
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I'm torn...
I really like the hp pocket keyboard, but the battery drain and lack of navigation dampen my enthusiasm somewhat. The more I use it, the more I ask myself, "why am I using a two-handed thumb keyboard while I have to hold my stylus at the same time?" I also use Fitaly, Block Recognizer and a Stowaway. As much as I want to like Transcriber, it's nowhere near accurate enough for my sloppy southpaw handwriting.
While the thumbboard, SIP panels and Stowaway all have distinct advantages, there is NO perfect input method yet.
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02-28-2002, 04:44 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 623
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While keyboards and transcriber are all good and well, I think the input solution will be voice recognition. When they can get voice recognition were it will be acurate 99% of the time, that is when we will have reached the peak of input ability. Anyway, that was my 2 cents. 
__________________
~SpencerOwner-Editor of TabletPCBuzz.comMicrosoft MVP - Tablet PC
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02-28-2002, 04:49 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2
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Best kept PocketPC secret? Fitaly :!:
I've tried many alternatives in the search for a PocketPC input method that makes me truely productive composing emails/etc on the PocketPC. I've taken time to learn the MS on-screen keyboard, transcriber/calligrapher, the letter recognizers. I've purchased the Targus folding keyboard.
However, nothing has given me the speed or convenience of input I get from the Fitaly on screen keyboard. It's soo much better than any of the alternatives, for me. Plus, there is no extra hardware to carry around, and it's cheaper than any of the hardware solutions.
MS should license Fitaly for inclusion in the OS!
Brian
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02-28-2002, 04:55 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 137
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Best kept PocketPC secret? Fitaly :!:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by bripirie
I've tried many alternatives in the search for a PocketPC input method that makes me truely productive composing emails/etc on the PocketPC. I've taken time to learn the MS on-screen keyboard, transcriber/calligrapher, the letter recognizers. I've purchased the Targus folding keyboard.
However, nothing has given me the speed or convenience of input I get from the Fitaly on screen keyboard. It's soo much better than any of the alternatives, for me. Plus, there is no extra hardware to carry around, and it's cheaper than any of the hardware solutions.
MS should license Fitaly for inclusion in the OS!
Brian
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Fitaly's great (I've been a big fan since my PalmPilot Pro days) but I've found it less than ideal on my Jornada 565. The 560s -- at least the early batches -- have somewhat insensitive digitizers to begin with, and I put a CompanionLink screen protector on mine as well. This gives me a problem with any of the SIP panels, in that they frequently read "pen up" for a brief split second when I still think I have the pen on the screen. In Block Recognizer, this leads to things like it recognizing an "N" as a capital "V" because it things the first upstroke is a separate shift gesture. In Fitaly, I get doubled characters a lot as it thinks I'm just double tapping really fast.
The hp pocket keyboard and Stowaway are both far more accurate for me.
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02-28-2002, 05:21 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,389
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I find myself using character recognizer most. I am more acurate with the on-screen keyboard but only if I am sitting down. I walk and type alot at work and you just can't hit those little keys very well. Transcriber is cool but I get way too many errors.
So I bought the micro-keyboard (and the new folding one too which I am still waiting for patiently :wink: ). I use terminal services ALL the time from my ipaq, unfortunatly the micro-keyboard does not work with terminal services. Which is the main reason I bought it. 
Although I do like the micro for taking notes and writing long papers. It is a little less frustrating than the on-screen error factories.
Over all I like it. Not as much as I thought I would but it's ok.
(Still want my new folding keyboard from Compaq *sigh* )
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Linear Mode
