Comments on: Poll: What ‘MID Space’ Gadgets Do You Use?

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:23 +0000

Really? to me, the G1 is the only acceptable pocketable keyboard I’ve ever used. Good feedback on whether or not you’ve clicked something, not too stiff (doesn’t require too much pressure), good layout (5 rows). The only thing I’d change is adding an escape key and a control key (or two — one on each side). Though, on a larger device I’d expect the keys to be larger, as well.

Every other pocketable keyboard lacks an important aspect:
1) feedback to indicate a key press
2) pressure required to generate a key press
3) 5 rows and/or dedicated number keys
4) overall space (of the blackberry and the nokia e61i/e71 keyboards I’ve used, I found them to be too cramped)

To me, the G1 is the standard to which other mobile device keyboards need to live up to … and none have.

By: Vlad2000

Vlad2000 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:24:40 +0000

P.S. Andriod on top of a HTC Diamond Pro Looked good. But then not 100% working. As I liked the Idea of a linux Phone with an ok keyboard.
G1 Keyboard is not up to scratch.

By: Vlad2000

Vlad2000 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:20:42 +0000

I am still looking for a PSION 5MX Replacement.
Nokia/Symbian S80 are no longer made. And were 10% to small.
So I am currently using an HP Netbook with Linux and a psion emulator.
Always on the lookout for a decent PIM software.
I find S60 (N81 + BT Keyboard) way to restrictive.

By: TempusFugit

TempusFugit — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:19:30 +0000

I think we should challenge the notion that we need a keyboard.

Speech recognition and handwriting input are just as effective in the right scenarios. I find that I am never in a position to use a keyboard when I want to input something.

I write my software designs and architecture descriptions in the car on the way to work/home using speech recognition.

I scribble to-do notes on the tablet’s screen while I am waiting in lines to get on the train.

I record what my wife says when she gives me a birthday list, because she speaks faster than I can type or write.

I try to make the technology solution part of the background. No one wants to wait while I get my system setup to take notes. Of course I use a keyboard to type, but I usually sitting at one of my workstations when I do. The method of input is a modal operation depending on my location and type of activity.

-tf

By: Vakeros

Vakeros — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:13:04 +0000

Not having a keyboard is completely fine for a MID. It comes back to definitions which are a confusing blend of hardware and software.
If you have the right User Interface (UI) then you can achieve most tasks without a keyboard.
However some tasks require at least a decent thumbboard, and others you really want a decent keyboard. For these tasks I think you want a UMPC. Similiar in many respects to a MID, the difference being the extra things you can do with it. Where Viliv S5 confuses is that it has a UI for keyboard-less use, but has hardware and uses an OS which gives options for all a UMPC can. Does this make it a UMPC? If it had a keyboard I would think of it as such. Strange isn’t it!
I do believe though that it is aimed as an advanced MID. Viliv seem to be gearing the X7 and S7 as UMPCs. This is also about what connectivity options there are, and which means of input is generic (as opposed to optional.)

By: primaz

primaz — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:21:33 +0000

I am more of an MS fan but true I guess Linux is another desktop OS. It does seem to me that more Linux people seem to be ok with thumb input? What do you think?

By: alese

alese — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:06:21 +0000

I’m not sure the MID “space” is dead. Sometimes you need a more screen than it’s on a phone (GPS navigation, video player…) and you still don’t need “full” computer.
Truth is at least for book reading, watching video on the go and navigation MID sized devices are much better than phone or notebook/netbook.
I have HTC Diamond phone and while it can handle video, navigation and books I almost never use it for that, even though it has bigger and better screen than most phones on the market, it’s still small and that, combined with simple fact that I need my phone for work and I don’t want to drain the battery is the reason I need some other device for such things.
My notebook or my netbook (Asus EEE) are also not usable for this tasks. They both suck as navigational devices, not only because of lack of build in GPS, but also because of not as good software for navigation, lack of touch screen, size (car and on the go use) and battery life. Book reading is also not as good on such devices, they are just too big and heavy (even netbook) to be readers. Additionally I just don’t like the clamshell form factor for reading. And while notebooks/netbooks handle video just finr, using such device on the go is again not as good (for me at least), the size and battery life is just not as usable.
So at the end I need something else, and at the moment I use my HTC Advantage for all this and more and when some other MID sized device with more power will be available I’ll will definitely be interested – so rumored Apple MID would be very interested even though I don’t use Apple stuff.

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:12:59 +0000

primaz:

Are you saying desktop Linux is less keyboard intensive than desktop Windows? o_O what are you smoking?

Or are you saying the mobile linux efforts, like Maemo and Android, have much better success in creating keyboardless solutions, than Windows has?

By: primaz

primaz — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:38:14 +0000

People whom ignore the fact that most people use full Windows OS software with a touch type keyboard, and somehow think UMPC’s that do not provide a keyboard will change human behavior is crazy. People want technology to enhance their work not make it harder. Typing a long report using thumb input or pen input is just not what people want. The sales results since UMPC’s prove that and the reason origami project died is the same issue there is no big demand. There is something they call Free Speach in the USA, ever heard of it?

By: primaz

primaz — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:33:24 +0000

I owned a Jornada 720 and its touch type keyboard made it a more useful PDA to enable decent use of doing the handful of MS applications and longer e-mails, etc. than a normal palm PDA. I think a modern version would create a market both for a Windows Mobile OS version but to me there is a larger market if they made a modern one with full Windows OS and then that would be a great UMPC to me.

By: primaz

primaz — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:29:31 +0000

I disagree it is marketing. I’ve seen UMPC’s and MIDS at Fry’s and other stores, I’ve also seen many magazine ads too. People just do not see enough value in buying one when they do not have a keyboard.

Vakeros, to me the lines between MIDS and UMPC’s are often blurry as some MIDS have the same power. To me if it runs a Full Windows OS then it really needs a touch type keyboard to sell and attract people to buy it. If it does not have full Windows and just runs Linux or Windows Mobile then maybe a keyboard is not critical but still would help differentiate between smart phones and PDA options.

By: animatio

animatio — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:37:36 +0000

where to place the good, old jornada 720 hpc? because it’s either mobilphone+hpc or phone+netbook

By: David

David — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:24:52 +0000

Or surf the web, and view docoments (pdf, doc, xls) on 480×320 pixels, now that I have a choice.

By: David

David — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:22:51 +0000

I’d prefer not to watch a movie on a 3.2 inch screen.

By: David

David — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:21:46 +0000

I can type faster and with less mistakes on the N810 on-screen keyboard than the hardware keyboard.

Is it because the hardware keyboard is a bad design? Of the on-screen keyboard is a very good design.

So while it’s ok to say MIDs need a keyboard if that’s your preference. Not having one could very will be alright for some other people.