idea2go_twitter

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).