TINY FROGPAD MAKES A BIG LEAP
Did you know that only around twenty percent of us who use a keyboard are full-fledged touch typists? The rest either hunt-and-peck or use two or three fingers on each hand to do their typing. In the search to design a better keyboard, many alternative keyboards are available. Some use different key layouts, different key positions and other creative methods that try and find a more elegant solution to the standard QWERTY keyboard.
Another ongoing endeavor is designing ways to make keyboards more portable. Some fold up making them easy to carry around but they still must be opened when used. When you make a keyboard smaller, so do the keys and there's the rub. Most of these keyboards have keys that are way too small for most adult fingers. One way to get around the "small keyboard with keys that are too small" paradox is to make a keyboard with less keys. Some of these smaller keyboards use a chording method where more than one key is pressed at the same time to produce alternative characters. The drawback to that method is the time you must spend to learn the new chording technique. But one keyboard maker has come up with a small keyboard that has full sized keys, requires no chording, and as an added bonus, it only requires one hand to type anything.
 The FrogPad looks much like a numeric keypad but only uses fifteen character and five function keys. The five function keys are placed along the FrogPad's bottom perimeter. These are Space, Number, Symbol, Enter and Shift. By combining the pressing of these function keys with your thumb and pressing any of the other fifteen keys with your fingers, you can produce any character you can with a standard 101 key keyboard. The fifteen letters featured at the center of FrogPad's keyboard includes the letters "A," "E," "T" and "H" which are the keys most used during average English keyboard activity. All of the vowels can be pressed by the index finger. Hitting the Shift key at the bottom of the keyboard in conjunction with one of the fifteen central keys, for example, leads to the rest of the alphabet. Similarly, pressing the Number key allows a person to type in numbers, and the Symbol key lets users type in punctuation marks. Indicator lights indicate which function key is selected as well as special and alternative modes that can be selected. According to the company, you will never have to simultaneously press more than two keys at any time.
As for its dimensions, the FrogPad is 5 x 3.5 x .4 inches and weighs 4.9 ounces. And it's green, hence the name. The keys are the same size as those found on a standard size keyboard. According to its maker, in about two minutes with the FrogPad, you will understand the logic behind the patented letter layout. In an hour you will remember where most of the letters are located, Then in about 6-10 hours of usage, you can get to 40 words a minute. The FrogPad has been designed to be used ideally with the right hand, however the company says that it can be used with the left hand as well. FrogPad does plan to build a left-handed version.
The FrogPad connects to your PC or Macintosh via a USB connection. A Japanese version is also available. A new cordless version that works with Bluetooth has just been announced and will be unveiled at the upcoming Macworld convention. The corded model sells for $149.99 The price for the Bluetooth model is $199.99.
If you're looking for a portable keyboard or have a need to type with just one hand, the FrogPad deserves your consideration.
www.frogpad.com |
