I've really like the idea. I would like to test that keyboard at work (coding)
Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
211–220 of 251 posts
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#212Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think so - my mum was trying to get a cheap-ish new replacement for her 5 year old 10" netbook last month. It's very very hard to do. Certainly when you compare the spec:price ratio of anything on the market today compared to a tablet + bluetooth keyboard.
Netbooks are being subsumed by laptops, as laptops get smaller. Several of the "ultrabooks" are thinner and lighter than my old Dell Mini 9. The 11" models are perfectly acceptable "netbooks", they just don't call them netbooks anymore because that was an indicator that it was kind of a crappy computer, but was small and cheap and good enough for browsing the web. The cost is getting closer to netbooks, as well, thou…
And frankly, MS and Intel basically made it this way.
Both freaked when the netbook first hit. Intel because they could make for a passable citrix client and so undermine their lucrative ultraportable segment. MS because it was Linux on a off the shelf product.
So what we got was some very stringent spec requirements from the two to make a underperforming mini-laptop running Windows XP (remember that MS was trying to sell Vista at the time).
What looked like a interesting experimental market (one early model had a thumb sized touchpad sitting near the screen hinge rather than a touchpad below the keyboard) ended up another pile of rebranded clones.
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#213This is almost perfect. They didn't reinvent the keyboard of course, and I expect the typing experience to be somewhat crap but still ... compared to a 5inch touchscreen and for $99? Wait - how in the world is a bluetooth keyboard not be compatible with Android 4.2, iOS 6, etc? [1] Isn't a bluetooth keyboard, a bluetooth keyboard? Is "support" defined as "exactly what is says on the label" (months of battery life), o…
Bluetooth LE is a good thing. It means that the keyboard will pair quickly and consistently, which has not been my experience with older bluetooth keyboards. Worse, because power consumption is significantly higher, those keyboards tend to go idle and unpair themselves frequently, which means when you start typing, it takes a few seconds you generally lose a few keystrokes while the keyboard repairs.
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#214Reinvented is pretty strong language here, this idea is far from new. I think this new keyboard looks convenient enough for those needing extreme portability, but also probably a pretty mediocre typing experience. In any case, this time.com post is just blogspam. Here’s Microsoft’s page that all the content comes from: http://blogs.microsoft.com/firehose/2015/03/02/get-more-done... And here’s another third party page…
Smartphones and tablets are at least 15 years old too. Bill Gates used to run around CES telling everyone that tablets were the future. Anyway, for the "Post PC era" to truly take off, we're going to need portable wireless keyboards that "just work". Tablets are going to replace desktops for most people, once we figure out how to attach better input devices. The Microsoft keyboard does appear to be a big step in the…
Yeah i remember the UMPC push. Was way more interesting designs flying around back then. Now it is all "multitouch".
One example: http://www.tabletpcreview.com/tabletreview/samsung-q1-ultra-...
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#215This is almost perfect. They didn't reinvent the keyboard of course, and I expect the typing experience to be somewhat crap but still ... compared to a 5inch touchscreen and for $99? Wait - how in the world is a bluetooth keyboard not be compatible with Android 4.2, iOS 6, etc? [1] Isn't a bluetooth keyboard, a bluetooth keyboard? Is "support" defined as "exactly what is says on the label" (months of battery life), o…
Bluetooth LE is a good thing. It means that the keyboard will pair quickly and consistently, which has not been my experience with older bluetooth keyboards. Worse, because power consumption is significantly higher, those keyboards tend to go idle and unpair themselves frequently, which means when you start typing, it takes a few seconds you generally lose a few keystrokes while the keyboard repairs.
Bluetooth LE is indeed a good thing when you have it. The opportunity to support "vintage" hardware would have cost next to nothing. If you had even one non-LE device, wouldn't you rather it could fall back?
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#216Earlier quoted context omitted.
Smartphones and tablets are at least 15 years old too. Bill Gates used to run around CES telling everyone that tablets were the future. Anyway, for the "Post PC era" to truly take off, we're going to need portable wireless keyboards that "just work". Tablets are going to replace desktops for most people, once we figure out how to attach better input devices. The Microsoft keyboard does appear to be a big step in the…
Does "post PC era" even have a meaning to anyone other than tech pundits? Is tablet hardware really better, or do people just prefer the software experience? In a world of commodity hardware that distinction is quite important. People will buy an IPad because it is easy to use and will reject the Windows 8 laptop because it is hard to use and ignore the practicality of the hardware.
Possibly, in that the PC was "open" while these new devices are more and more locked down.
Just look at Android. Now a days a app can't really get direct access to the filesystem. Everything has to go through the "media storage".
The way i see it, these "post PC" devices are Big Media's wet dream. Now they can get the DRM enforcement built in that before they had to attempt to "hack" in (Sony's rootkit, anyone?).
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#217Earlier quoted context omitted.
But even the 11" models cant replace tablets. Imagine a scenario, you are travelling in a train or a bus-you cant open the 11" laptop/netbook, while traveeling. And as far as the debate about tablets replacing desktop goes, that might be possible when tablets get stronger/better processors
There are plenty of 2-in-1 Windows laptops where the tablet is completely detachable from the keyboard. Some are very popular, like the Asus Transformer T100 wiht a 10.1inch screen. (Yes, Asus launched an Android version years ago.) There are other Windows laptops where the screen folds back to provide a slightly heavier tablet, like the Lenovo Yoga 2 series and the HP11 x360. Windows 8.1 tablets can support USB keyb…
Makes me wonder how well a updated Fujitsu U1010 would do today.
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#218Since every single comment[0] at the time of me writing mine is negative, let me make a positive one. I do really like the concept and would buy a high-quality Bluetooth keyboard. I care about ergonomics and probably wouldn't want to code all day on such one, but sure as hell I would use it to reply to e-mails during my commute or write stuff wherever I happen to be at the moment. I actually bought a cheap BT keyboar…
I recently bought an EC Technology foldable keyboard. It folds in three sections so I think it is smaller than the Microsoft one. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00QRQZQR8?psc=1&redirect... When folded it is about the same size as my Note 4, and I use it with the phone plus a Bluetooth mouse as a much more capable tablet alternative. The actual keyboard is pretty good - better than some laptops - and the fact you…
Seems like it will be bulkier when folded, but do no have the center split when unfolded.
The MS keyboard seems like a continuation of their Surface keyboard cover.
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#219Since every single comment[0] at the time of me writing mine is negative, let me make a positive one. I do really like the concept and would buy a high-quality Bluetooth keyboard. I care about ergonomics and probably wouldn't want to code all day on such one, but sure as hell I would use it to reply to e-mails during my commute or write stuff wherever I happen to be at the moment. I actually bought a cheap BT keyboar…
I wonder if a small handheld keyboard could work? So that you could prop up the tablet and then lean back to type.
What you're looking for is the word twiddler.
Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard
#220Reinvented is pretty strong language here, this idea is far from new. I think this new keyboard looks convenient enough for those needing extreme portability, but also probably a pretty mediocre typing experience. In any case, this time.com post is just blogspam. Here’s Microsoft’s page that all the content comes from: http://blogs.microsoft.com/firehose/2015/03/02/get-more-done... And here’s another third party page…
I've been using a similar keyboard for months. It's a bit awkward and I get stares at coffee shops, but it's an amazing way to crank out emails on my large screen phone. It's the most portable office I've ever had. http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-High-touch-Bluetooth-Flyshar...