09-03-2004, 11:00 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,186
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Virtual Keyboard Part 4: A New Hope, or Phantom Menace?
I'll bet you were thinking that the Virtual Keyboard was dead, right? Or at least permanently virtual? Well, unfortunately, the Virtual Keyboard saga just keeps on going. Let me explain. No, that will take too long. Let me sum up. A company called iBiz told everyone about a year ago that they were going to sell a Virtual Keyboard for $99. Huzzah! iBiz allowed pre-orders, and ostensibly rubbed their hands together, twirled their handlebar mustaches, and cackled quietly to themselves. Several people got to play with prototypes, but alas, they forgot to send one to the FCC to play with, lawsuits were flung around like cat pi�atas at a dog party, and no one was very happy. The end? Nope.
Now comes word that a Japanese company called Tanomi, or possibly "Nippon Style" is planning on selling their own version of the device. It looks about the same as the iBiz device, except that it's white and has a green LED. Wow! My guess is that the white is from a thin coating of white gold, and the green LED must be from a real emerald, as only that could possibly explain the price of $270. Oh, and if you're in the market for a wood phone jacket, an aluminum rose, or, you know, A CAR, Nippon Style has your hook-up. According to the English bits on the site, you can expect to receive YOUR Virtual Keyboard sometime in October. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath. :mrgreen:
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09-04-2004, 12:03 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 116
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The message is clear....revolutionary innovation has failed. And when it does rear its head your'll have to pay for it...astroglide not included.
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09-04-2004, 12:07 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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I predict it'll not make it this time either. It'll come out with a blue laser when they are slightly more commonplace but no less expensive.
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09-04-2004, 12:43 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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Odd thing is - I saw the Virtual Keyboard being reviewed/tested on a UK TV pogram just a couple of weeks ago.
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09-04-2004, 12:53 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 116
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We were using them at CES back in january, but they were shipping engineering samples around.
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09-04-2004, 04:07 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 193
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Re: Virtual Keyboard Part 4: A New Hope, or Phantom Menace?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Pat Logsdon
... lawsuits were flung around like cat pi�atas at a dog party, ...
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(enjoying that mental image for a moment...  )
Well, all I know is that today the UPS guy finally delivered the Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard I ordered... in May... :roll:
Pretty bummed that they don't have Smartphone drivers yet...
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09-04-2004, 04:18 AM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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I think the target market is still too small for this device to make an impact. More "common" users of PPCs would probably prefer to utilise a conventional-style keyboard, than fork out an extra wad of cash for a virtual one. Still...the concept is nice, it looks nice, and heck...it may make your nerdy friends drool. 8)
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09-04-2004, 05:48 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,183
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by DJ Apod
I think the target market is still too small for this device to make an impact. More "common" users of PPCs would probably prefer to utilise a conventional-style keyboard, than fork out an extra wad of cash for a virtual one.
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I am not sure I can agree. I paid �70 for a PocketTop ir keyboard (hopeless, useless, driverless - for my Toshiba e335 - they promised me for 6 months there would be drivers so I gave up ...) and about $70 for a nice Belkin keyboard. If the virtual keyboard really had made it into the market for $99 I don't doubt there would have been a flood of buyers.
Let's face it ... owners of Pocket PCs are hardly common people. We are all gagetophiles.
Steve
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09-04-2004, 07:06 AM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by SteveHoward999
Quote:
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Originally Posted by DJ Apod
I think the target market is still too small for this device to make an impact. More "common" users of PPCs would probably prefer to utilise a conventional-style keyboard, than fork out an extra wad of cash for a virtual one.
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I am not sure I can agree. I paid �70 for a PocketTop ir keyboard (hopeless, useless, driverless - for my Toshiba e335 - they promised me for 6 months there would be drivers so I gave up ...) and about $70 for a nice Belkin keyboard. If the virtual keyboard really had made it into the market for $99 I don't doubt there would have been a flood of buyers.
Let's face it ... owners of Pocket PCs are hardly common people. We are all gagetophiles.
Steve |
You raise a good point. But one factor I see that makes an impact on its popularity is "awareness". I'm not sure what it is like in other countries, but if you walk into a common technology store here, you have the "general" products. Very rarely will you see exclusive products, such as this virtual keyboard, on their shelves. And for a lot of people out there, they are not made aware of such products unless someone tells them about it or reads about it themselves. A lot of consumers "know" about products based on pamphlets, brochures and advertisements distributed in their mail or in stores. Unless you actively browse the internet and read Pocket PC resource centres such as PPCT, you often are made unaware of such exclusive products. I would never have known about this virtual keyboard if I was not actively involved in reading the stuff here on PPCT.
IMHO, unless this keyboard is actively publicised around the world, very few people will know much about it and therefore never consider it when purchasing a typing peripheral for their device.
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09-04-2004, 08:11 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 194
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Samsung is also about to release in Korea their version of the same device announced by iBiz... with an acceptable price.
And regarding the Japanese price, don't forget that Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world, and everything there costs at least twice the price of anywhere else. It is the only country in the world where you can pay 6-8 dollars for a cup of coffee.
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