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The problem isn't just the power or closed ecosystem, it's the form-factor. Try typing in code, or even just shell commands, with any soft keyboard. Unfortunate
by asolove 15y ago
The problem isn't just the power or closed ecosystem, it's the form-factor. Try typing in code, or even just shell commands, with any soft keyboard. Unfortunately, we need too many symbols for it to work.
So the real problem is building a mobile computer on which you can quickly enter text and symbols. I'm currently building a prototype of a folding tablet, about the size of a novel, that allows touch-typing. As your fingers grasp it and hold onto the back, they naturally fall on the home row of a split keyboard. Haven't actually gotten it together but will post pictures and an ergonomic explanation when I do.
- protomyth 15y agoI wish instead of following Apple's "plate of glass" interface someone had went with the "keyboard first" approach. It sounds like you are headed in that direction. I really thought Blackberry would be the one to do it, but they went with the crowd. I guess I was hoping for a true successor to the Psion Series 3 & 5 lines.
- asolove 15y agoCan you comment on what you liked about the Psion? I'm afraid I never saw one and from photos I'm unclear how the interface worked. I'm currently doing research on the history of mobile UI and this is a big hole I hadn't thought about.
- protomyth 15y agoSmall, quick with an ok keyboard and amazing battery life. It worked fine for the day. It was sort of the spiritual successor to the TRS-80 Model 100. There are some videos on youtube that give a feel for the interface better than I can write.