idea2go_twitter

Many people reading the Apple Insider article (and podcast) about TextBlade are undoubtedly intrigued with the technology.   

After the initial comments, anyone reading on to the now 21 pages of blather probably has their head spinning wondering who or what to believe about the company, the product, the integrity of the people involved and the moral character of the various frequent posters here on this thread and even proper use of latin roots in naming things.

I have been in the test user group since October 2016 (my initial impressions here) and I'm very enthusiastic about the potential for this product to change the way we work with technology.  I've been a Waytools watcher since 19 months prior to that, had various discussions with the company as part of my testing efforts, spent many hours thinking about the problems and potentials of it as a technology and their possible routes as a business endeavor, and participated in lots of discussions about these things on the Waytools Forums and the private discussion group among testers (which the company does not participate in).    

FOR ANYONE READING THIS FAR (in the thread, and in my post!) I want to refer you to two posts which appeared today on the Waytools forum.   One post from an individual who visited Waytools while traveling giving his impression of the technology and the people.  The other post from an individual that I've come to know and respect (through the testing discussions) with a strong technology background who has not only been in the test group but has also had detailed conversations with Mark about the evolution of the technology and its future.   

Although each post has it's own purpose taken together they paint a wonderful picture of the technology, the company, the delays, etc.   They are self evidently from genuine individuals describing their experiences and impressions, and the picture they paint is totally consistent with my knowledge of where things stand and how to think about the company and technology.   I highly recommend reading both posts.

The TextBlade is a truly transformational device.  I don’t mean this in a small way, in the sense that it is a remarkable and incredible innovation in the technology.  I mean this in a big way: TextBlade has the ability to transform how you interact with technology.   

I ordered the TextBlade thinking it would be something to take with me to occasionally type on my phone, and was lucky enough to receive a test unit.  This is not just a small, elegant, portable keyboard.  It is a smart device in its own right, a small elegant gadget that you can use to communicate in a textual way with all of your other devices, and which miraculously folds into a compact thin unit that can go along with you everywhere.   

The TextBlade knows intent.  There are key combinations (chords) that “mean” certain things, and it will send the proper characters to your device based on which operating system you are connected to.  After decades of constantly reaching out from my typing for a trackpad or mouse because of my refusal to learn arcane key combinations and shortcuts that are unique to each device I now gladly stay on my home keys while typing, editing, and commanding.   Want to page up, select a word or sentence, copy, paste, increase volume, change apps?  It’s the same whatever device you are on.  Want to have 3 or 4 devices on your desk — just hit a jump chord and work or respond on each device as you look at it.   Want to set up your own macros or keyboard mappings?  You can do that too, and the key mappings can be specific to each device you are jumping to in order for the intent to be the same on each device (or different, depending on your desires).

When I think of the incredible power, and then look down and realize that I’m typing on a simple 8-key device rather than a 101+ key monstrosity, I feel like things are right with technology.  I look forward to a moment when this is widely available (and when all those I’ve shown it to during my encounters can finally get one too).