5 ms·

The iPad's 'Ultimate Typing Accessory' Is A Dud

35 points by JJColao 14y ago

ChuckMcM 14y ago
Interesting, the article slams it for fit and finish (manufacturing issues) rather than functional issues. I suspect this will be the biggest thing people learn using kickstarter, manufacturing is not straightforward as one might hope.
- mikeash 14y ago
  It criticizes both aspects, although it spends less time on the functional issues, presumably because it really doesn't do that much. Here's the paragraph dedicated to the problem with the functionality: 'One benefit touted by the Touchfire creators is that you can rest your fingers on the keyboard without accidentally producing a string of nonsense. The problem with that statement is that it’s not true. Especially when typing on an angle, my resting fingers easily made it through the thin plastic layer to create fun words like “eoran” and “nadskj”.' It also says that it's "pretty gratifying" to type with, so it seems to be a mixed bag, functionality-wise.
- nicholassmith 14y ago
  Well, it kind of nailed on the resting fingers angle which would be a big draw for touch typists who are used to resting on the 'home' keys.
napierzaza 14y ago
But I think it's pretty lazy writing when they just seem to have to mention "Apple groupies". I think there are a lot more than just cult members, fanboys and groupies when you're talking about Apple mobile devices. Sad to see a Kickstarter fail so much. Though people have to take it with a grain of salt with a concept product made by first timers. It seems like no matter the quality you're going to pay a markup on retail (assuming that the products reach retail after the Kickstarter).
Mythbusters 14y ago
That makes the whole keyboard cover for Surface really interesting. Microsoft has made keyboards for many years though so I am hoping that they are aware of possible problems and hopefully will be able to avoid it.
- taude 14y ago
  I agree, the Surface keyboard cover looks like it might make it the best of both worlds...a tablet that I can actually use on the road with me to get some typing done, and then docked at home into my normal keyboard/mouse/monitor. As it is now, I hate typing so much on the iPad that I use it mostly like a larger phone. Just a little tactile feedback will go a long way. BTW, I'm still awaiting my TouchFire to arrive, and I'm still hopeful that it improves touch typing on the iPad, especially since this review was a bit of a mixed-bag
  - Terretta 14y ago
    My apologies, I should have replied to you: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4232558 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4232558
- Terretta 14y ago
  While waiting, try out the new Logitech Ultrathin for iPad. It's a real keyboard with great touch feel and all the coder keys, with the smart magnets to cover iPad face, and a brilliantly positioned slot to angle it in that gives you extra inches on an airline tray. http://www.pcworld.com/product/1198763/logitech_ultrathin_keyboard_cover.html http://www.pcworld.com/product/1198763/logitech_ultrathin_ke... http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Ultrathin-Keyboard-Cover-920-004013/dp/B007PRHNHO http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Ultrathin-Keyboard-Cover-920-... I've taken three cross country trips and countless trains to NYC, Boston, or Philly, all on one charge. No longer need a laptop for travel.
ComputerGuru 14y ago
I'm more worried that products like this will put an end to the ease of crowdfunding. A few more duds like this that raised over $200,000 for developers and engineers clearly without the technical know-how and prowess to pull something like this off and deliver what they promised just makes it that much harder for people to have their projects taken seriously on kickstarter in the future.
- dclowd9901 14y ago
  I can't think of a better example for buyer-beware. The crowd-funding idea is new and exciting, and a lot of people are jumping in on ideas they want to see come to fruition, without properly vetting those behind those ideas. We will probably see some money come out of crowdfunding, but only the mindless money that was being thrown at it before that shouldn't have been. This product shouldn't have been funded, and likely, in the future, a product with similar prospects won't be. That's a good thing.
  - veyron 14y ago
    This product should have been funded, clearly. You are saying it shouldn't have been because the execution didn't match the (perfectly reasonable) hype. One problem highlighted by this situation is the lack of an advisor. There should be an advisor (essentially a board member) associated with sufficiently large projects to make sure that things progress (and to give the inventor the ability to communicate changes without it blowing up like this).
- famousactress 14y ago
  I'm not worried about that, I'm hoping it happens. It obviously should be harder to have your project taken seriously and raise 200k. I adore kickstarter, but it shouldn't be a gold rush for anyone good at making videos, but not products.
  - laironald 14y ago
    I agree with this point and I too adore kickstarter. Generally, the startup advice I've been receiving is to show vision by creating a really solid pitch rather than actually building (or only build for pitch purposes). I understand why this would be the case since if I can build the right emotional state which leads to the same or better outcome (raise $$) at a fraction of the time/cost, why wouldn't I? However, this has caused me to be jaded. Instead of getting excited about new products, I'm now very cautious. I'm asking myself... is the focus on the sales approach right for this product or does it weaken its credibility?
crikli 14y ago
I help fund the iKeyboard, which was (is) very similar to the Touchfire. It's an excellent execution of what I now see as a fundamentally flawed concept. Having to remove an object from my iPad when I want to switch apps, which is often, sorta sucks. IOW, the suck of messing with the iKeyboard > the suck of trying to touch type on the iPad.
- glhaynes 14y ago
  I'm not familiar with the iKeyboard — you have to remove it to switch apps? Do multitasking gestures help with that at all?
  - nik_0_0 14y ago
    Any attachable keyboard on the iPad will be the same. When the keyboard hides itself (on the home screen, or any other screen without the keyboard input selected), you are left with a keyboard covering 25% of your real estate. However this review seemed to note that it is possible to click through the keyboard, which is a good thing in that regard.
    - glhaynes 14y ago
      I'm sorry, I don't follow. If the keyboard is hidden, why is there then "a keyboard covering 25% of your real estate"?
      - URSpider94 14y ago
        What he is saying is, if you have this plastic keyboard attached to your iPad, then you are stuck in software-keyboard mode. If you dismiss the software keyboard, then you have no access to the UI now displayed on the bottom half of the screen, without pulling off the plastic keyboard. I tend to agree -- there are only a very few iPad apps that are designed to be used 100% of the time with the soft keyboard displayed. Even in mail, for example, you switch back and forth between browse and edit mode.
      - vshade 14y ago
kmfrk 14y ago
I recently received a DVD that was a reward for sponsoring a Kickstarter project back in the days. At first, I was worried that the DVD might be region-locked, considering I live in Europe and had it shipped overseas. And while that wasn't the case, what if it had been? What would people do? It made me think that there should be a satisfaction rating available to users, after they receive their reward, digital or physical. It doesn't have to do anything at first; it's just there for the people behind Kickstarter to see if someone seriously fucked up. People like these guys or these guys: https://twitter.com/jb/status/214437340737843200 https://twitter.com/jb/status/214437340737843200. They could divide the reviews into two categories. 1) Did you receive your product? 2) Did you not receive your product? The first is more relevant, because it describes the end product rather than the logistical issues that aren't - usually - as important. They can be ignored at first. It's going to bite the Kickstarter people in the ass, and I think we need some kind of middle-of-the-road solution between goodwill and project creator ratings. Who knows, maybe we'll see companies who offer Kickstarter insurances in the future.
- icebraining 14y ago
  You should remember that the rewards are not supposed to be the main goal of a Kickstarter project, but more like an appreciation token for your donation.
  - simias 14y ago
    It's not the goal of the project, but I'm sure they are pretty much the only goal of the donation... Or do you think people would donate at all if there weren't any gifts?
    - kfury 14y ago
      I've donated to several kickstarters without a backer reward. They're usually film or music projects though, where the finished product is available to everyone for free.
    - sp332 14y ago
      I've backed a few projects that I just wanted to exist, or happen. I put $250 toward a documentary project. Sure I'll get a copy as a "reward" but the copies obviously aren't worth $250 to me. I just wanted it to happen.
sedev 14y ago
It's worth remembering that Kickstarter is ("merely") a way to codify and publicize promises. Keeping promises is no easier than it's ever been.
- Shoomz 14y ago
  A very good point and something that needs to be built into the Kickstarter framework. Some way of keeping ideas 'easy' to fund, but still hold the initiators to a high standard for excellence/delivery.
smackfu 14y ago
Another dud, an iPhone case that blocks reception: http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2012/01/lessons-for-kickstarter-creators-from-the-worst-project-i-ever-funded-on-kickstarter.html http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2012/01/lessons-for-kickstart... It actually surprises me that more big kickstarters don't fail on fulfillment, but I think that is because they are Strongly Encouraged to outsource it to one of kickstarter's partners.
beefman 14y ago
I spent ten minutes with mine and threw it in the trash. Edit: But I'm not disappointed. First, I expect a certain failure rate with venture funding. Second, it was worth it to me just to see if they could pull it off. If I got a working keyboard overlay out of it, that would just be a bonus. Finally, I didn't expect they'd pull it off, because it's a really hard problem (which is why Apple doesn't have a solution for this).
URSpider94 14y ago
One thing that's come up in this article, it seems that Kickstarter's members are often willing to give free money to developers. Why? Kickstarter is referred to again and again, even by posters in this discussion, as a "micro-investment" site. That's a nice thought, except that Kickstarter funders get zero equity in what they produce. This makes great sense in funding an artist to create a new piano concerto, or produce a documentary on Rwanda. It also makes sense for development or improvement of Free Software, where the world will benefit from the result. It makes much less sense for people to fund the for-profit development of hardware that will ultimately be sold at a mark-up. Have we somehow fooled ourselves into thinking that we are improving the world by bankrolling the creation of a more stylish iPhone dock? Or, is it the street cred of saying, "Yeah, I knew them when they were on Kickstarter..."?
gotrythis 14y ago
There are also positive reviews like these: http://www.zdnet.com/touchfire-ipad-keyboard-enhances-text-entry-and-is-made-in-the-usa-review-7000000536/ http://www.zdnet.com/touchfire-ipad-keyboard-enhances-text-e... http://www.padgadget.com/2012/07/11/hands-on-with-the-touchfire-keyboard-overlay/ http://www.padgadget.com/2012/07/11/hands-on-with-the-touchf...
SpikeDad 14y ago
How an "entrepreneurial reporter" gets his editors to print his article - be sure to bash an "Apple" product and be plenty insulting to "Apple" fans. Of course, there are plenty of Kickstarter products that produced crap, plenty that folded for no reason. But only the "Apple" ones get you a certain article. Garbage.
- JJColao 14y ago
  In blogging there's little editorial oversight, thankfully. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to write anything. Here's how the article came about since you seem to view journalism as some kind of conspiracy: The Touchfire people reached out to me, sent me the Touchfire for review, and I reviewed it. Simple as that. I'm not bashing Apple fans since I clearly am an Apple fan in that I make known that the Touchfire is unworthy of a "beautiful" device - i.e the iPad. (Yes, I had fun with the lede though.) As for some kind of Kickstarter bias, I wrote a very positive review about the Zboard which was a Kickstarter project. I'm all for informed pushback from readers, but that's an awful lot of unfounded speculation.

35 points by JJColao 14y ago

Interesting, the article slams it for fit and finish (manufacturing issues) rather than functional issues. I suspect this will be the biggest thing people learn using kickstarter, manufacturing is not straightforward as one might hope.

mikeash 14y ago
It criticizes both aspects, although it spends less time on the functional issues, presumably because it really doesn't do that much. Here's the paragraph dedicated to the problem with the functionality: 'One benefit touted by the Touchfire creators is that you can rest your fingers on the keyboard without accidentally producing a string of nonsense. The problem with that statement is that it’s not true. Especially when typing on an angle, my resting fingers easily made it through the thin plastic layer to create fun words like “eoran” and “nadskj”.' It also says that it's "pretty gratifying" to type with, so it seems to be a mixed bag, functionality-wise.
nicholassmith 14y ago
Well, it kind of nailed on the resting fingers angle which would be a big draw for touch typists who are used to resting on the 'home' keys.

napierzaza 14y ago

But I think it's pretty lazy writing when they just seem to have to mention "Apple groupies". I think there are a lot more than just cult members, fanboys and groupies when you're talking about Apple mobile devices. Sad to see a Kickstarter fail so much. Though people have to take it with a grain of salt with a concept product made by first timers. It seems like no matter the quality you're going to pay a markup on retail (assuming that the products reach retail after the Kickstarter).

Mythbusters 14y ago

That makes the whole keyboard cover for Surface really interesting. Microsoft has made keyboards for many years though so I am hoping that they are aware of possible problems and hopefully will be able to avoid it.

taude 14y ago
I agree, the Surface keyboard cover looks like it might make it the best of both worlds...a tablet that I can actually use on the road with me to get some typing done, and then docked at home into my normal keyboard/mouse/monitor. As it is now, I hate typing so much on the iPad that I use it mostly like a larger phone. Just a little tactile feedback will go a long way. BTW, I'm still awaiting my TouchFire to arrive, and I'm still hopeful that it improves touch typing on the iPad, especially since this review was a bit of a mixed-bag
- Terretta 14y ago
  My apologies, I should have replied to you: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4232558 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4232558
Terretta 14y ago
While waiting, try out the new Logitech Ultrathin for iPad. It's a real keyboard with great touch feel and all the coder keys, with the smart magnets to cover iPad face, and a brilliantly positioned slot to angle it in that gives you extra inches on an airline tray. http://www.pcworld.com/product/1198763/logitech_ultrathin_keyboard_cover.html http://www.pcworld.com/product/1198763/logitech_ultrathin_ke... http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Ultrathin-Keyboard-Cover-920-004013/dp/B007PRHNHO http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Ultrathin-Keyboard-Cover-920-... I've taken three cross country trips and countless trains to NYC, Boston, or Philly, all on one charge. No longer need a laptop for travel.

ComputerGuru 14y ago

I'm more worried that products like this will put an end to the ease of crowdfunding. A few more duds like this that raised over $200,000 for developers and engineers clearly without the technical know-how and prowess to pull something like this off and deliver what they promised just makes it that much harder for people to have their projects taken seriously on kickstarter in the future.

dclowd9901 14y ago
I can't think of a better example for buyer-beware. The crowd-funding idea is new and exciting, and a lot of people are jumping in on ideas they want to see come to fruition, without properly vetting those behind those ideas. We will probably see some money come out of crowdfunding, but only the mindless money that was being thrown at it before that shouldn't have been. This product shouldn't have been funded, and likely, in the future, a product with similar prospects won't be. That's a good thing.
- veyron 14y ago
  This product should have been funded, clearly. You are saying it shouldn't have been because the execution didn't match the (perfectly reasonable) hype. One problem highlighted by this situation is the lack of an advisor. There should be an advisor (essentially a board member) associated with sufficiently large projects to make sure that things progress (and to give the inventor the ability to communicate changes without it blowing up like this).
famousactress 14y ago
I'm not worried about that, I'm hoping it happens. It obviously should be harder to have your project taken seriously and raise 200k. I adore kickstarter, but it shouldn't be a gold rush for anyone good at making videos, but not products.
- laironald 14y ago
  I agree with this point and I too adore kickstarter. Generally, the startup advice I've been receiving is to show vision by creating a really solid pitch rather than actually building (or only build for pitch purposes). I understand why this would be the case since if I can build the right emotional state which leads to the same or better outcome (raise $$) at a fraction of the time/cost, why wouldn't I? However, this has caused me to be jaded. Instead of getting excited about new products, I'm now very cautious. I'm asking myself... is the focus on the sales approach right for this product or does it weaken its credibility?

crikli 14y ago

I help fund the iKeyboard, which was (is) very similar to the Touchfire. It's an excellent execution of what I now see as a fundamentally flawed concept. Having to remove an object from my iPad when I want to switch apps, which is often, sorta sucks. IOW, the suck of messing with the iKeyboard > the suck of trying to touch type on the iPad.

glhaynes 14y ago
I'm not familiar with the iKeyboard — you have to remove it to switch apps? Do multitasking gestures help with that at all?
- nik_0_0 14y ago
  Any attachable keyboard on the iPad will be the same. When the keyboard hides itself (on the home screen, or any other screen without the keyboard input selected), you are left with a keyboard covering 25% of your real estate. However this review seemed to note that it is possible to click through the keyboard, which is a good thing in that regard.
  - glhaynes 14y ago
    I'm sorry, I don't follow. If the keyboard is hidden, why is there then "a keyboard covering 25% of your real estate"?
    - URSpider94 14y ago
      What he is saying is, if you have this plastic keyboard attached to your iPad, then you are stuck in software-keyboard mode. If you dismiss the software keyboard, then you have no access to the UI now displayed on the bottom half of the screen, without pulling off the plastic keyboard. I tend to agree -- there are only a very few iPad apps that are designed to be used 100% of the time with the soft keyboard displayed. Even in mail, for example, you switch back and forth between browse and edit mode.
    - vshade 14y ago

kmfrk 14y ago

I recently received a DVD that was a reward for sponsoring a Kickstarter project back in the days. At first, I was worried that the DVD might be region-locked, considering I live in Europe and had it shipped overseas. And while that wasn't the case, what if it had been? What would people do? It made me think that there should be a satisfaction rating available to users, after they receive their reward, digital or physical. It doesn't have to do anything at first; it's just there for the people behind Kickstarter to see if someone seriously fucked up. People like these guys or these guys: https://twitter.com/jb/status/214437340737843200 https://twitter.com/jb/status/214437340737843200. They could divide the reviews into two categories. 1) Did you receive your product? 2) Did you not receive your product? The first is more relevant, because it describes the end product rather than the logistical issues that aren't - usually - as important. They can be ignored at first. It's going to bite the Kickstarter people in the ass, and I think we need some kind of middle-of-the-road solution between goodwill and project creator ratings. Who knows, maybe we'll see companies who offer Kickstarter insurances in the future.

icebraining 14y ago
You should remember that the rewards are not supposed to be the main goal of a Kickstarter project, but more like an appreciation token for your donation.
- simias 14y ago
  It's not the goal of the project, but I'm sure they are pretty much the only goal of the donation... Or do you think people would donate at all if there weren't any gifts?
  - kfury 14y ago
    I've donated to several kickstarters without a backer reward. They're usually film or music projects though, where the finished product is available to everyone for free.
  - sp332 14y ago
    I've backed a few projects that I just wanted to exist, or happen. I put $250 toward a documentary project. Sure I'll get a copy as a "reward" but the copies obviously aren't worth $250 to me. I just wanted it to happen.

sedev 14y ago

It's worth remembering that Kickstarter is ("merely") a way to codify and publicize promises. Keeping promises is no easier than it's ever been.

Shoomz 14y ago
A very good point and something that needs to be built into the Kickstarter framework. Some way of keeping ideas 'easy' to fund, but still hold the initiators to a high standard for excellence/delivery.

smackfu 14y ago

Another dud, an iPhone case that blocks reception: http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2012/01/lessons-for-kickstarter-creators-from-the-worst-project-i-ever-funded-on-kickstarter.html http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2012/01/lessons-for-kickstart... It actually surprises me that more big kickstarters don't fail on fulfillment, but I think that is because they are Strongly Encouraged to outsource it to one of kickstarter's partners.

beefman 14y ago

I spent ten minutes with mine and threw it in the trash. Edit: But I'm not disappointed. First, I expect a certain failure rate with venture funding. Second, it was worth it to me just to see if they could pull it off. If I got a working keyboard overlay out of it, that would just be a bonus. Finally, I didn't expect they'd pull it off, because it's a really hard problem (which is why Apple doesn't have a solution for this).

URSpider94 14y ago

One thing that's come up in this article, it seems that Kickstarter's members are often willing to give free money to developers. Why? Kickstarter is referred to again and again, even by posters in this discussion, as a "micro-investment" site. That's a nice thought, except that Kickstarter funders get zero equity in what they produce. This makes great sense in funding an artist to create a new piano concerto, or produce a documentary on Rwanda. It also makes sense for development or improvement of Free Software, where the world will benefit from the result. It makes much less sense for people to fund the for-profit development of hardware that will ultimately be sold at a mark-up. Have we somehow fooled ourselves into thinking that we are improving the world by bankrolling the creation of a more stylish iPhone dock? Or, is it the street cred of saying, "Yeah, I knew them when they were on Kickstarter..."?

gotrythis 14y ago

There are also positive reviews like these: http://www.zdnet.com/touchfire-ipad-keyboard-enhances-text-entry-and-is-made-in-the-usa-review-7000000536/ http://www.zdnet.com/touchfire-ipad-keyboard-enhances-text-e... http://www.padgadget.com/2012/07/11/hands-on-with-the-touchfire-keyboard-overlay/ http://www.padgadget.com/2012/07/11/hands-on-with-the-touchf...

SpikeDad 14y ago

How an "entrepreneurial reporter" gets his editors to print his article - be sure to bash an "Apple" product and be plenty insulting to "Apple" fans. Of course, there are plenty of Kickstarter products that produced crap, plenty that folded for no reason. But only the "Apple" ones get you a certain article. Garbage.

JJColao 14y ago
In blogging there's little editorial oversight, thankfully. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to write anything. Here's how the article came about since you seem to view journalism as some kind of conspiracy: The Touchfire people reached out to me, sent me the Touchfire for review, and I reviewed it. Simple as that. I'm not bashing Apple fans since I clearly am an Apple fan in that I make known that the Touchfire is unworthy of a "beautiful" device - i.e the iPad. (Yes, I had fun with the lede though.) As for some kind of Kickstarter bias, I wrote a very positive review about the Zboard which was a Kickstarter project. I'm all for informed pushback from readers, but that's an awful lot of unfounded speculation.