Mini-Keyboards Coming from Seiko

Posted By: Ed Thursday, July 12, 2001 7:16:59 AM

Seiko Instruments Austin is set to release a family of clip-on mini-keyboards for Palm and Handspring models. The Thumboards will slip directly onto the handheld fully covering the Graffiti area and interfacing with the serial port. They will have replacement hot keys (Calendar, To Do, etc.) as well as keys for "New,'' "Done,'' and "Delete,'' taking away the need to touch the screen to execute these commands. The first model, the Thumboard TB5000 for the Palm V series, should be available in August for $50.

In September, the company will be shipping three additional models. The TB5100 is compatible with the Palm m500, the TB5500 is compatible with the Palm m505, and the TB6000 is compatible with most Visor models.

The TB5000 is 3.8 by 2.67 by .82 inches but adds just .75 inches to the length of the Palm V. The TB5100 and 5500 will be very close to this. It will weigh 1.8 oz. The TB6000 will be about a half inch longer and a quarter to a third of an inch thicker and a touch heavier due to the larger size of Visor handheld.

"We've learned through consumer market research how awkward and time-consuming the Graffiti application is to use on handheld devices,'' comments Stokely Marco, director of marketing, Seiko Instruments Austin. "So we've eliminated the difficulty of entering data, as well as designing the Thumboard to fully integrate with the handheld for a 'leave-on' approach, thus providing improved functionality and easier access to key Palm OS features.''

Seiko Instruments Austin is affiliated with Seiko Instruments of Japan. The company recently opened its new Austin division to diversify into the handheld electronics products market. Look for future handheld-related announcements from the company.

On the Web:

Seiko Instruments Austin Introduces `Leave-It-On' Mini-Keyboard for Palm and Visor Handheld Devices

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will these work for games?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 8:23:25 AM #

well, will they (you think)+

What about the Clie?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 9:06:12 AM #

Where's the support for the new Clie's???
They don't think the market is big enough yet? Well, it will be!

RE: What about the Clie?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 1:03:51 PM #

Do you know how big that would be? Sure, the Clie is thinner than the m505, but it's way longer. You'd have a beast there, even if the market every expanded.

RE: What about the Clie?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/6/2002 2:05:05 PM #

Actually, the way the Thumboard is designed, fitting *over* the grafitti area, it doesn't look like it would make the Clie that much longer. In fact, it would appear to be more manageable than the Targus version, which does fit at the end and makes the whole thing longer. C'mon, Seiko, we're waiting!!

RE: What about the Clie?

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/8/2002 9:44:35 PM #

i am in the same boat i bought the t 415 for the expansion of the digital camera but there is not a keyborad out there. i really wnat a full size like targus has for the other models but will settle for a thumbs for now. FYI bugme has some good programs for jsut sriting nad not using graffit and it is pretty good if you dont want to use the keyboard on the pull down menu.

is graffiti really that hard?

ajf @ 7/12/2001 12:17:55 PM #

i keep reading that consumers find graffitti hard to use -- but my personal experience certainly doesn't support that (i know, an N of one...).

do people really have that much trouble with it?

RE: is graffiti really that hard?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 12:41:20 PM #

I don't think graffiti is that hard but keyboards will always be faster and easier than longhand. For example, time yourself writing something with graffiti then again while typing the same thing on your keyboard. I'll wager the keyboard was about twice as fast. Some people, like me, enter a LOT of text into their Palm. I use mine to take notes in meetings, write e-mail, put in a dozen or so to-dos every day, and much more. I like my PPK but it isn't always convenient to set up a full sized keyboard. And the on-screen keyboard isn't much faster than graffiti. I hope these new clip-on keyboards will make entering data easier. I won't really know until I get one, tho.

RE: is graffiti really that hard?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 2:23:17 PM #

no it really isn't....but anything that can make a person just a
little more lazy is a good idea and is good marketing. My only objection is
that there are already keyboards, and people probably find them
easier to use than "thumboards".

RE: is graffiti really that hard?

altema @ 7/12/2001 2:33:54 PM #

Graffiti works fine for me, the 't' used to give me trouble on my old IIIe, but no problems with my current Palm. In those cases where I need more serious input, I'll use a full size keyboard like the Palm Portable or similar. I can see this small keyboard being handy for those who spend a lot of time commuting on planes and trains though... and I know my wife would be using her email more if she had one.

RE: RE: is graffiti really that hard?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 9:37:43 PM #

I usually ONLY get trouble with R and J, mainly because I use the middlecaps hack.

Palm with Keyboard

Legible @ 7/12/2001 9:31:08 PM #

All these talk about Graffiti being hard and using a keyboard is easier makes you wonder if Palm should come out with a version incorporating a keyboard. Psion Revo anyone? :-)

RE: Palm with Keyboard

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 11:27:58 PM #

PSION has discontinued the REVO line, or haven't you heard they're pulling out of the consumer PDA market?

RE: Palm with Keyboard

Legible @ 7/12/2001 11:49:37 PM #

That's my point ;-)

RE: Palm with Keyboard

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/13/2001 12:39:53 AM #

I think the current setup makes the palm very modular and probably makes more marketing sense. What they do need to make sure is that the palm os and palm application developers provide a nice keyboard interface.

English only?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/13/2001 2:57:04 AM #

As it seems, another example of how Non-English speakers are incresingly ignored by tech companies. There is even no provision on the layout for special characters like umlauts or accents. It is simply not acceptable to need typing those in with obscure key combinations. For this, they are just to often in languages like French or German.

Thx, but No, thx

Thyl Engelhardt

on-screen keyboard

ckuttner @ 7/16/2001 12:52:56 AM #

Graffiti has its uses, keyboards take space--With both my Newton and my Palm, the Fitaly keyboard that I can pop up on my screen is a compact and cheap compromise. Check it out at www.fitaly.com.