Hasta La Gadget!

More than a decade ago, I decided to learn how to touch type. I didn’t use any tools or special programs, I just placed my hands on the keyboard and tried to find the right keys without looking at it. It took some time, but these days my hands flutter across a keyboard very quickly indeed, but I can see the reason for a keyboard like the Smartype.

Smartype includes a full-color LCD screen, that reminds me of some of electronic typewriters, that shows you what your are typing. If you’re not a touch-typist, it stops you from constantly glancing at the screen and back to the keyboard. The creators claim that the Smartype keyboard will even make touch-typists more productive. That seems somewhat counterintuitive to me, but maybe the visual cue will help.

The display on the Smartype keyboard promises also to run widgets including minimal versions of Twitter and Facebook so that you can share things without even having to open a full-fledged app on your tablet, smartphone or browser. You’ll also be able to run other handy apps like a PC status bar or e-mail and calendar notification apps. Unfortunately, though, the Smartype is only planned for Windows computers at this point, and it doesn’t have a numeric keypad either.

The Smartype will be available for pre-order soon, but no official price has been announced. For now, you can register your interest over on their website.

[via The Verge]

Just what is so special about the Smartype keyboard? For starters, the Smartype keyboard will come with a long narrow display which is capable of showing off what you type as you type it, delivering an overall improved typing experience while the viewable real estate is useful to work with other tiny apps. Developers of the Smartype keyboard claim that this display will help reduce typing errors since you are able to see exactly what you type without having to move your head, and unsurprisingly, it might result in speeding up your typing prowess.

Apart from that, more ergonomic reasons include a reduction in eye and neck strain, while an increase in concentration levels should be part of the benefits since you experience less distraction when you type. No idea on whether productivity levels will increase, as this is greatly dependent on the user. The Smartype keyboard ought to cost a Benjamin thereabouts when available. This is nice and good, but what happens when you use someone else’s computer without the Smartype keyboard? Isn’t that going to reduce your productivity and speed? I guess sticking to Typing of the Dead to improve your typing skills would be a far better option, don’t you think so?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 is waterproof, washes grease right off, Elecom NFC keyboard for Android devices is a world’s first,