does anyone remember the name of the hand-held keypad some boffin invented in the 80s, to replace a conventional keyboard ? IIRC it worked by the user making "shapes" of letters against 5 buttons.
Presumably sunk without trace, as we're still using keyboards ....
The integrated unit was the Microwriter, the keyboard itself later called Quinkey:
Richard.
Not quite:
Microwriter
A scriptwriter, Cy Enfield
You can get a more recent version from these people
Still using them. It was the Microwriter (somewhat impractical, too big on the outside, too small on the inside). Around 1989 this begat the AgendA, which is still one of the most effective PDAs ever for discreet note-taking in meetings. The AgendA also had an I2C bus, which means you can still connect them to a PC and use them as an input keyboard. For some years afterwards a small group of developers in Barnstaple were supporting them and trying to find new channels for the tech.
I had about 50 AgendAs at one point. I used to sell them as calibration terminals for the embedded data logger and control machines I was builidng for factories. As we already used the I2C bus for interconnection within the machines, the AgendaA was the cheapest way of putting a portable display and terminal on there.
Generally known as a 'chording' keyboard.
Any left-handers and/or programmers have experience of using the Microwriter or similar? I've always wanted to try one, but (a) when programming I will be using more non-alphameric characters than is usual, and (b) I have a malformed right hand which means I'd have to use my left. IIRC the layout and mnemonics for the keys are oriented towards Right-handers.
J^n
I wondered how good they were with carpal tunnel/RSI. I think with similar devices my hands have had problems, whereas with a keyboard they're fine. (or was it the friend who swore by his AgendaA - can't remember if he gave up coz it was bust or his hands hurt)
There were prototypes that doubled the thumb button to the RHS and were switchable for RH or LH use. I think this is what they've now done with the cykey.
Chord Keyboard, one device that used it was (IIRC) the "AgendA"
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