I like reading the reviews at Pocketables. Jenn takes a slightly different tack than we do with our reviews here and often comes up with a slightly different focus.
This review of the Kohjinsha SA1 is no different because where I didn’t find the keyboard issue too much of a problem, Jenn finds it a major issue saying that it doesn’t even justify the bulk it adds. The keyboard is, to be frank, pretty crap considering that this is 2007 and the book about basic keyboard engineering must have been written over 20 years ago. It could be so much better but you have to carefully consider and weigh up the advantages of having an ultra mobile device like this against a bigger, heavier device (assuming you need a keyboard) because there is no other option out there at this size and weight. You also need to consider how long you actually need to type for. This article, for example, will take 5 minutes to type and another 5 minutes to format, add image, spell check, post, preview and go live. The typing part is 50% of the time taken and if I use the Kohjinsha, that would take another 5 minutes (The typing speed on the Kohji is around 50% that of a normal keyboard.) It would add 30% to the time to make a blog but to be honest, there are many situations where I’d be happy to type for an extra 5 minutes just to be able to have the extra hour battery life, minimal size and sub-KG weight. Its a trade-off that part of every ultra mobile PC purchase decision. The only way to come to a conclusion is to read read read! Read Jenn’s review here and go though some of the other reviews and opinions available through the ‘river of links.’
