[Gta04-owner] [ANN] GTA04 Keyboard prototype

[Martin Jansa]

On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 3:44 PM, Matthias Apitz <guru at unixarea.de> wrote:
> El día Monday, May 07, 2012 a las 03:31:11PM +0200, Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller escribió:
>
>> The idea is that the keyboard is integrated in the back battery cover. And if you remove
>> it, both parts (main body and battery cover/keyboard) are connected through a small
>> ribbon cable.
>>
>> I.e. you remove the keyboard, fold it by 180 degrees so that the keys show in the same
>> direction as the display and you can us the display in landscape format.
>>
>> If that works out with the snap mechanism of the battery cover and/or if it needs
>> some physical connection between both parts has to be worked out.
>>
>
> I don't want to be negative (just reaistic), the list of disadvantages
> of such a solution (keyboard in battery cover, or with hinge) is:
>
> 1) works only on desktop or table surface, i.e. not while walking or
> standing;
>
> 2) open the battery cover many more times (as for hard reset with battery
> lift) will break the case soon;
>
> 3) you are forced to use landscape applications, while most of the apps
> today are in portait;
>
> 4) perhaps your battery will fall out (if not secured with something) in
> a lot of cases, esp. if it is the most important situation :-)
>
> to be continued...
>
>        matthias

I agree that physical connection between both parts is the most
important part which makes
such solution to work out of the box (and not like any other small BT
or usb keyboard).

Most of the time when I'm using hw keyboard on Sharp spitz or n900 I
hold device between
and type with just two thumbs and if needed I can hold it safely with
just one hand and open door
or something.

I don't know about other people, but I've never used keyboard with one
hand while
holding device in other hand (like sometimes shown in that comparison video).

I would even consider to give up overall oval shape in order to make
some sliding mechanism
easier to implement (I cannot imagine how to slide keyboard from
current shape if we want to use
whole lenght of device for keyboard part which I think we want/need).

just my 2c..

Cheers,