

Microsoft's RearType: Physical keys to the iPad, Kindle and tablet kingdoms? - bensummers
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsofts-reartype-physical-keys-to-the-ipad-kindle-and-tablet-kingdoms/7039

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fragmede
The actual paper is
[https://research.microsoft.com/pubs/135609/reartype%20mobile...](https://research.microsoft.com/pubs/135609/reartype%20mobilehci.pdf)

They only had 12 participants, and while they cite 15 WPM as average
performance, one of the participants did 47 WPM. Unfortunately, they don't
give original keyboard speed of participants.

Their testing also compared between the 3 - touchscreen, keyboard, and rear-
type in relatively short bursts. The all-important question is how well would
someone do if they used this exclusively as their input device?

Judging from the pictures, the hardware used is a MIMO usb monitor[1] with an
ergodex keyboard[2].

[1] <http://www.mimomonitors.com/>

[2] <http://www.ergodex.com/mainpage.htm>

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kenjackson
I think they have the right idea, but the wrong implementation.

It shouldn't be a physical keyboard, but rather a touchpad on the back. With
faux-translucency so you can see where your fingers are resting. By default,
when you rest your four fingers to each side of the back... the keyboard home
row adjusts to rest under your finger

The way it should work is that it detects a keypress when the user presses
down and releases a key within half a second.

This would allow them to build a thin device, easily support landscape and
portrait, and even provide multiple keyboard types.

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WiseWeasel
This looks like an awful kludge. The thought of typing for extended periods
while holding my arms up at that angle, plus supporting the weight of the iPad
seems like an ergonomic nightmare. If you need to do some serious typing with
a tablet, pull out a bluetooth keyboard and prop the tablet up, or go for a
clamshell keyboard case for the tablet, like this:

<http://clamcase.com/>

~~~
fragmede
This is attempting to supplant usage of laptops where there are no desks -
[http://www.amazon.com/Connect-A-Desk-Mobile-Laptop-
Harness-D...](http://www.amazon.com/Connect-A-Desk-Mobile-Laptop-Harness-
Desk/dp/B001G713NO)

~~~
WiseWeasel
For that, you simply hold the tablet with one arm, and peck-type with the
other hand; works fine for short text entry. You're not going to write an
essay without sitting at a desk first. I don't see any good usage cases for
the MS tech being demoed.

~~~
fragmede
What's with being chained to a desk for essay writing? If you can't admit to a
use case somewhere between 'short text entry' and 'an essay', then I can't
help you.

Snark aside, you've never had an email you're writing ('short text entry')
turn into something longer ('an essay')? At what point do you sit down?

Or how about a 30-minute long subway commute? No tables, and during rush-hour,
no seats either. Or on bus or in a car? You _can_ awkward perch a tablet on
your lap in a pinch; no one is saying you can't still do that, but, well, it's
awkward.

~~~
WiseWeasel
The answer is simple ergonomics. If you have any notion of staying free of
back, neck, arm and wrist pain for the rest of your life, you'll want to get
comfortable to type for extended periods, along with any other repetitive
tasks you perform. Bad ergonomics plus extended repetitive tasks equals
potential serious and lasting injury. If it's just your personal device, it'll
simply not get used and gather dust in a drawer. If we're talking about
something you'd be required to use at work, then it's a legal liability.

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adolph
It reminds me of some Apple patents for back-side input on small devices:
[http://gizmodo.com/259271/next-gen-ipod-patent-has-touch-
sur...](http://gizmodo.com/259271/next-gen-ipod-patent-has-touch-surface-on-
back)

I think that both ideas have a snowball-in-hell chance of being in an actual
product. A significant power of a touch interface is directness (
<http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1453235> ). Fingers on the back of the
device break directness.

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BornInTheUSSR
I hope they get somewhere with this, but it just seems like the wrong
direction for tablet interface design. "Perfection is not when nothing more
can be added, but nothing more can be taken away." - Antoine de Saint Exupery

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Shorel
I want special gloves and special glasses.

That's my dream portable computer.

