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Glass Multitouch Keyboard and Mouse Seeking Kickstarter Investment

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Mr. Pink said:
SandboxGeneral said:
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There are no keys, it's glass!
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I think that's what he meant. :p He's saying he doesn't want it because of this.
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Oh, perhaps you're right. Just didn't read it that way when I first saw it.
 
Very cool—but only practical in certain limited situations, like a high-end kiosk where the public does very little typing, but cleanability is vital.
 
I'm wondering who chose these Kickstarter projects as stories for Macrumors. There really are much better projects that are relevant to Mac and iOS.
 
MacRumors said:
Multi-touch keyboards have been done before, but none that we've seen in recent years since the rise in popularity of the iPhone.
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I'd bet a dollar that Apple has already tested many multi-touch keyboard prototypes and rejected them all.
Apple needs to ship lowest-common-denominator keyboards, since they're the default keyboard for all Macs, more or less.

That leaves room at the high end for keyboards like Giddings'. I think it would be even cooler if it had a few changes:

1. Solid glass with no hinge or metal base. If you have to look to type, it's distracting having the aluminum under the lower half.
The electronics could be housed along one of the edges.

2. Illuminated keys. I know that would add to the cost and reduce battery life, but it would be cool.
And, if the keyboard used something like AMOLED to display the keys, international keyboards would be easy.

3. Multi-touch right on the keyboard. No need for a separate trackpad. This would require significant driver work.
 
Hahahaha

I wonder why they are still SEEKING investment.

This is the worst idea ever you jackasses.
 
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kipj77 said:
I wonder why they are still SEEKING investment.

This is the worst idea ever you jackasses.
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They're still seeking investment because they still need capital to fund their operations.

I like the idea, but I think if it's done right, and include some of the ideas that a few people have posted in here, it could turn out to be really awesome. And again if it's done right, I think it would be a great addition to any Mac.

In fact, I'm even considering investing in these people myself. I don't know how much, but I'm thinking about it.
 
lamerica80 said:
I think this is an concept thats great in theory (and science fiction movies) but doesnt really work in reality or they would allready exist.
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I'm glad that you don't work for Apple's engineering department. With your attitude, there would be no iPods, iPhones, iPads......because clearly they don't work or "they would already exist." Way to kill the soul of innovation.

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SockRolid said:
1. Solid glass with no hinge or metal base. If you have to look to type, it's distracting having the aluminum under the lower half.
The electronics could be housed along one of the edges.
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Watch the video. There are cameras underneath the glass.
 
It's style over function. Looks slick but not practical.

Anyone with one of these on their desks are very casual computer users worried more about appearance.
 
those look pretty fantastic. Hope they work as well too ;-) keep the good work coming, people sure will have a interest in it!
 
Do not want.

I don't know how a person could type very fast on a smooth piece of glass.
 
A sufficient tactile boundary could be provided by etching the markings on the glass. I don't mind typing on my iPad, just need a slight tactile indicator of positioning; even slight bumps for D and k would be enough. Couple that with iOS-like autocorrect (aware of typical finger drift) and it would work to the satisfaction of many.

Despite the prolific "I want my 100+ button keyboard!" posts, methinks the keyboard as we know it is an anachronism looking for a replacement.

”The customer doesn't know what they what.”
“You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”
- Steve Jobs
 
The only way I could see this being a practical thing is if the software incorporated some sort of auto-correct feature. Because I know damn well if iOS didn't come with auto-correction I would have gotten frustrated with the iPhone and gotten a BlackBerry or something with real buttons a long time ago.

But I've never really seen a great auto-correct feature for an actual computer, minus the minimal amount incorporated into Microsoft Word and Pages. If I'm wrong someone please correct me here. But unless auto-correct becomes something that is included along with this keyboard to be used within the entire OS then I don't see people like myself having much use for it.
 
NAG said:
I'm wondering who chose these Kickstarter projects as stories for Macrumors. There really are much better projects that are relevant to Mac and iOS.
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submit them?

arn
 
42streetsdown said:
One of the biggest benefits of touch screen tech is customizable interface. This has all of the problems without any of the benefits.
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Exactly.

The multitouch keyboard was invented for the iPhone in order to maximize the screen real estate and contextualize/customize the keyboard.

This stupid idea takes only the limitations of both keyboards and combines them into one pointless and inevitably frustrating input device.
 
Definitely a living room table sort of device.

GenesisST said:
I simply cannot imagine coding 8-10 hours per day on that thing.
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I don't think people that sit at the keyboard all day are the target demographic.

ctdonath said:
A sufficient tactile boundary could be provided by etching the markings on the glass. I don't mind typing on my iPad, just need a slight tactile indicator of positioning; even slight bumps for D and k would be enough.
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From the FAQ:

kickstarter said:
Is there a way to locate the F and J keys by feel?

Yes! There are small bumps on the F and J keys and you can touch them without activating the keys. There is also sound that can be turned on or off to help with the tactile function of the device.
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It didn't really say that it had a configurable screen, but yes that would help, however for the price and being harder to type on. Just no it needs work
 
bwillwall said:
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It didn't really say that it had a configurable screen, but yes that would help, however for the price and being harder to type on. Just no it needs work
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I read "Multitouch" and I mistakenly thought that you would be able to configure the keyboard a million ways using software. Having watched the video, it's a lot less exciting--all the problems, none of the benefits as someone said.

It does say in the FAQ that you can take the sheet of keys off and put a custom one in. But the keys themselves are fixed, you are just changing the labels.
 
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