InkWell? Where is the Keyboard?

nostradamus

Some rumours have suggested that Apple's next keyboard will have a pad for use with InkWell. Apple will apparently eliminate the keypad in favor of an InkPad for use with a stylus and InkWell under OS X.



Discuss.



[ 05-08-2002: Message edited by: Nostradamus ]</p>

jasonpp

Yes, I think this sounds like a good direction to go. Has anyone heard of any research into how much the average user types every day or per hour?



I thought of a 0.7" Titanium or carbon nanotubes (they're growing them as long as 20cm now) powerbook with 2 15.4" screens, the second where the keyboard is now. A thin keyboard with a frame snaps on top of the second lcd - or not -. You can prop up the computer like a book on your desk, seperate the keyboardand and fold the frame under it. This would be your desktop as well.



InkWell enables this.

the power of x

How about a little larger screen maybe 16 or 17" in a widescreen ratio and make the trackpad larger to accomidate as a writing surface? That would be the ultimate portable desktop in my idea.

bobthetomato

[quote]Originally posted by Nostradamus:

<strong>Some rumours have suggested that Apple's next keyboard will have a pad for use with InkWell. Apple will apparently eliminate the keypad in favor of an InkPad for use with a stylus and InkWell under OS X.



Discuss.</strong><hr></blockquote>



I dunno, It seems kind of hard to write on a surface with no visual feedback. It seems kind of hard to write on a near horizontal surface ans seeing your writing on a near vertical screen. I never have been able to write well while looking somewhere else.



I really enjoy my Newton but I think I'd give him a rest if Apple could create a new ibook that could take keyboard or pen input, something like the "clipperbook" discussed here some time back or perhaps like this <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article/0,2997,s=1474&a=25081,00.asp"; target="_blank">Acer prototype</a>

dennis the phantom menace

Inkwell? Dude, where's my car?

cinder

I would die without my keypad.



and I can type way faster than I can write.

henriok

You must be quite experienced with a stylus or a pen to achieve tha performance an clarity that a semi experienceed keyboard user achieve. I've done a study (University level; Usability of Palm Graffiti) that shows that a keyboard makes tha user faster and more accurate than if he'd been using a pen or a stulys on a board with direct feedback (Like on a Palm or Newton).



You have to be a really avid Graffiti-user or have skills in stenography to write faster than a unschooled but experienced keyboard user.



So.. Inkwell might seem like a good idea, but if you're going to write fast, the keyboard is the way to go. When a ballpoint pen an a paper pad can't compete with a keyboard, how could Inkwell ever do?

fran441

They won't integrate anything like that on the keyboard, but they might make it an external device.

nitzer

Would REALLY suck for someone that is left handed!



Plus Apple would kill themselves in the enterprise (again). <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />



Edit: But bring on the iPad!!!



[ 05-08-2002: Message edited by: Nitzer ]</p>

fran441

That's why it won't happen on the keyboard. But an external PDA (w/Bluetooth) would work perfectly.

lolo

I think Fran441 is right on the money. If you're at home, use your computer's keyboard for text input. If you're on the go, simply use your PDA's Inkwell input pad; no keyboard needed.

When you get home, put your PDA within Bluetooth reach of your Mac and you're done!

And if you'd rather use a pen than the keyboard, your PDA is right there...

fran441

jasonpp

What about something like this:



<a href="http://www.twomobile.com/content/1086.php"; target="_blank">http://www.twomobile.com/content/1086.php</a>;

river-wind

I would say like the link above, but thinner, , and with a thin keypad that would either slide down from the bottom of one side (if you rotated the thing 90°, in a tradtitional laptop fasion), or, if one of the screens would turn into a virtual keyboard that you could use to type. while I am a terrible typer, my HW speed is even worse. I often used the virtual keyboard on my newton for typing out long sections of text.

river-wind

crap quick mockup



<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/river_wind/PhotoAlbum2.html"; target="_blank">http://homepage.mac.com/river_wind/PhotoAlbum2.html</a>;

river-wind

actually, I'm thinking 2 models



1) 13" x 7.5", slide out keyboard of an additional 3", so a little smaller than the tibook KB, fuction keys could be onscreen when the kkeyboard is out



2) 8"x 4.5", on screen keyboard, with a slower proc, and 256 megs ram.





both should have and audio in/out via miniplug jacks(earphone jacks)

fran441

[quote]What about something like this:

<a href="http://www.twomobile.com/content/1086.php"; target="_blank">http://www.twomobile.com/content/1086.php</a>; <hr></blockquote>



<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />



That's awful.



[ 05-09-2002: Message edited by: Fran441 ]</p>

clonenode

Think ellegance and simplicity. The look of the LCD half of an iBook, with ports for ADDING a keyboard if needed. It'll use an iPod style harddrive and battery.

fran441

That's neither elegance, nor simplicity. Plus, the screen will probably get damaged VERY easily.