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Hands-On With the Collapsible Magnetic 'TextBlade' Keyboard for iOS Devices
- Thread starter MacRumors
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Yep. WayTools does plan to release new key plates for different languages after the initial product ships.
What I want to know is how durable this keyboard will be longterm. The last thing I want to do is spend $100 for something that only lasts 6 months.
I'm not really an expert on Cherry keyboards, but at 2mm travel it's closer to an Apple keyboard. It's not as clicky sounding as a Cherry. The keys feel nice though - similar to the Apple keyboard and more solid than mobile keyboards.
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Has a 1 year warranty, so it'll last that long at the least. Looks like there's an option to extend that to 3 years on the website for $9.
This.
Personally I'd really like to try out the TextBlade as I rarely ever carry a bag/briefcase - too lazy to schlepp one around
- so something this portable really appeals to me.
Have you seen how easy it is to put together? It basically snaps together al by itself.
As soon as a Scandinavian version is released I am geting this for my Mac mini as well as one to have it my computer bag for my iPad and iPhone on the train/plane. Extremely well designed product, much superior to any foldable keyboard which will have frustrating and inferior keypress feel.
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You're going to have to put up with the vocal minority who see negativity in everything. There are always going to be those 1-2 who want to cry conflict of interest every time a positive review is posted here. You guys are doing a great job, and I for one am happy with the increased original content and reviews on the site in relatively recent times, it makes the site more worth coming to, more than just a content aggregator for Apple news and rumours.
I honestly don't think you should have to come out and defend yourselves every time you write a positve review of a product.
I think you've overestimated the wits of the readers here by suddenly introducing in-depth product reviews like this. Pretty much every one of them has been met by the same confusion about why the article is so long or why it's in a different voice or why it exists at all. If you prefaced each review with 'MacRumors is now a news and product reviews site, and here's today's review...' maybe everyone would be able to keep up. Or maybe put reviews in a new Reviews sidebar so that it's obvious what's going on and that a range of products are getting good and bad reviews.
The MS foldable keyboard is bulkier, has more cramped and irregular spacing, is 99% likely to have a lot less key travel distance, and a more mushy feel.
Don't get how that is more apealing, really...
Disappointed in MountainApple's attitude
I am incredibly disappointed in the attitude of MacRumors readers who immediately thought the article above was some kind of 'ad'. The thought did not cross my mind as I was reading the article, so I was very surprised to see it.
I've personally purchased a TextBlade and am waiting for it to arrive in early April, so I was very pleased to see such a detailed hands-on first look at the device - as well as get additional detail on what the 'butterfly remoulding' was that I had seen in the real-time updating purchase order information on the Waytools site when you check the status of your order.
To then see people immediately accuse MacRumors of writing up an ad was just really disappointing. I decided to write article about it (see below) and have decided to register here so I can register my complaint at the complainers and whingers who immediately see a detailed write-up as an 'ad', rather than a genuinely useful piece of information.
iTWire - MacRumors posts detailed hands-on with WayTools TextBlade keyboard http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-a...led-hands-on-with-waytools-textblade-keyboard #textblade #waytools #macrumors #hands-on
I am incredibly disappointed in the attitude of MacRumors readers who immediately thought the article above was some kind of 'ad'. The thought did not cross my mind as I was reading the article, so I was very surprised to see it.
I've personally purchased a TextBlade and am waiting for it to arrive in early April, so I was very pleased to see such a detailed hands-on first look at the device - as well as get additional detail on what the 'butterfly remoulding' was that I had seen in the real-time updating purchase order information on the Waytools site when you check the status of your order.
To then see people immediately accuse MacRumors of writing up an ad was just really disappointing. I decided to write article about it (see below) and have decided to register here so I can register my complaint at the complainers and whingers who immediately see a detailed write-up as an 'ad', rather than a genuinely useful piece of information.
iTWire - MacRumors posts detailed hands-on with WayTools TextBlade keyboard http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-a...led-hands-on-with-waytools-textblade-keyboard #textblade #waytools #macrumors #hands-on
One of the worst articles ive read on this forum. Doesn't actually describe what this keyboard is. Spends most of the article sounding like a cut and paste from the manufacturers marketing material without actually cutting and pasting the part that tells you what is so good about it.
This site needs a down vote option
This site needs a down vote option for posts like the one quoted above.
Of course the article describes what the keyboard is, why it is the way it is, there are stacks of images, and... with a device that is brand new and so few have tried one yet, where do you think some of this information is going to come from? Of course some of it will be repurposed from the company's own materials.
I wonder where the brains are of some people and how they managed to become Apple users.
This site needs a down vote option for posts like the one quoted above.
Of course the article describes what the keyboard is, why it is the way it is, there are stacks of images, and... with a device that is brand new and so few have tried one yet, where do you think some of this information is going to come from? Of course some of it will be repurposed from the company's own materials.
I wonder where the brains are of some people and how they managed to become Apple users.
Really excited to try this out with my ipod touch. I've tried bringing my Apple wireless keyboard but it's just too cumbersome. I always have my pod with me and this means I can type stuff up whenever an idea strikes. This is the only gadget I've seen in three years that has tempted me.
Some much nonsense. What you're basically saying is 99% of people are exactly like you. People writing hundreds of thousands of words a year might like to have choices about where, when and how they write. Some books get written on buses and trains, some at night in bed, some at work when nothing else is happening. Choices, options, back-ups.
There's a magnet in your iPad case. Are you worried about that?
There's a magnet in the palm rest of your MacBook. Are you worried about that?
There's a magnet in the MagSafe adapter of your MacBook. Are you worried about that?
Are you still using media on tape? Are you still using a spinning hard drive?
SSD's are unaffected by magnetism. iPads and iPhones are unaffected by magnetism.
Sure, your credit card or portable hard drive might be, but use your brain - if you're worried, keep the TextBlade in your pants pocket - the company's own video shows you that's a pretty nifty place to keep it.
Look, my TextBlade might arrive and it might be crap. But its magnetic properties are the least of my worries - and are, according to the article, an integral way the device works and how its various processors communicate with each other.
I've put portable 2.5-inch hard drives in my bag next to my magnetic iPad Air case, no problems. I've put it over the bit on the MacBook palm rest - no problems.
TextBlade's magnets might have a greater effect, and I'll be careful to keep them away from the few spinning hard drives I still have, but the magnetic properties are to be welcomed, not feared.
I think this price is reasonable considering what you are getting, how do you put a price on a keyboard this size and portability, also the tech and innovation in this product is seriously impressive.
A keybord that does the same thing and feels the same as a full size keybord yet is a 12th of the size and costs the same, that's worth it I think.
Also well done macrumors I think this was a great review I don't just want to see an individual's opinion I want to see what the designers set out to achieve, I.e the companies own marketing aswell, well done!
A keybord that does the same thing and feels the same as a full size keybord yet is a 12th of the size and costs the same, that's worth it I think.
Also well done macrumors I think this was a great review I don't just want to see an individual's opinion I want to see what the designers set out to achieve, I.e the companies own marketing aswell, well done!
It's disappointing to see so many people dismiss this so quickly. It's certainly a bit of a niche product -- if you don't immediately see the possibilities of this, then it's not a product for you.
But for some mobile professionals, this could be invaluable. For a backpacker, this could be invaluable. For a writer, this could be invaluable.
I'm a big traveler. The possibility of using this + my phone to do essential writing could be a game changer. I get around to rural areas in third-world countries quite a bit. I could do what I need to do on my phone without needing to lug around more expensive electronics (iPad + keyboard case) that you have to worry about getting stolen. There are other compact keyboards but this is the only thing that I've seen that comes close to a workable solution.
For people yelling that they'd prefer to use their iPad keyboard case anyway, think about how this could be paired and travel well with ANY tablet or phone, and be practical with more than only the size/brand of tablet a case was designed for. It's a single product that can fill a role with multiple devices.
I'm really, really interested in this. Just not sure if I'm up to paying $100 plus international shipping (as, surprise, I'm abroad currently) before being able to try it out.
But for some mobile professionals, this could be invaluable. For a backpacker, this could be invaluable. For a writer, this could be invaluable.
I'm a big traveler. The possibility of using this + my phone to do essential writing could be a game changer. I get around to rural areas in third-world countries quite a bit. I could do what I need to do on my phone without needing to lug around more expensive electronics (iPad + keyboard case) that you have to worry about getting stolen. There are other compact keyboards but this is the only thing that I've seen that comes close to a workable solution.
For people yelling that they'd prefer to use their iPad keyboard case anyway, think about how this could be paired and travel well with ANY tablet or phone, and be practical with more than only the size/brand of tablet a case was designed for. It's a single product that can fill a role with multiple devices.
I'm really, really interested in this. Just not sure if I'm up to paying $100 plus international shipping (as, surprise, I'm abroad currently) before being able to try it out.
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Firstly, excellent editorial article, as someone in the market for a small but useable keyboard this article delivered what I needed. I'm a writer, I used to carry around a notebook and jot down all those fleeting moments of inspiration (think Seinfeld's napkin), I now tend to use my iPhone/iPad Mini & notes/Scapple but it is not perfect, unlike some of the suggestions I don't want to carry around a MacBook/Air as they don't slip into my jacket pocket, there are many situations that I like to get stuff jotted down without drawing any attention to myself, there are also many occasions where I can find myself with 20/30 mins time when I'm out and about and it would be great to whip this out and get some work done, esp if it works well with Scapple/Scriviner.
Did any of the experienced user mention working between keyboard i.e. I'd use this out and about but revert to MacBook or normal keyboard at home, once you are used to both is it easy to move between them.
Thanks again for informative article with an actual opinion.