22-01-2003 18:01									#1
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Picture this:


Instead of a standard QWERTY keyboard layout, orbiTouch does away with keys altogether in favor of two sliding domes, each capable of sliding into eight different positions.

Here is the link , or if it's not, scroll down and press Archive.

I would like to know how this thing really works. And how fast you can type with it.

	22-01-2003 18:02									#2
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Pointless.

	22-01-2003 18:43									#3
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Dont wanna type, buy dragon naturally speaking.

	22-01-2003 20:15									#4
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quote: orbiTouch: $695

I wonder who in the world could buy something like that, for such a price

Saluti

	22-01-2003 20:18									#5
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I saw this one at the Consumer Electronics Show website last week, I'd like to physically touch one to see how it works.

	22-01-2003 20:18									#6
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so you move the orbs to make letters? like 1-1 would be, say a, 1-2 would be b or something? what happens when you reach the bottom of the orb, and your hand begins to invert? thats how it looks like it works anyway from the pic.

	22-01-2003 20:20									#7
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... and it was designed to prevent wrist injuries...

	22-01-2003 20:22									#8
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Yes it seems kind of silly. Voice recognition is the step in input evolution. The software exists and works, but it just needs to be tweaked a bit more.

	22-01-2003 20:23									#9
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There are 102 keys on the PC keyboard, and these two, um, domes can only produce a total of 64 combinations.

	22-01-2003 20:25									#10
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UR, don't forget the irrational combos... whatever they are.

Actually, that is why I'm interested in what this thing does.

	22-01-2003 20:28									#11
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I hope those domes are big and soft

*cough* *cough* Don't mind me.

	22-01-2003 20:30									#12
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* aaglo has a relevation...

I think that the designers did only half the job with the package...

	22-01-2003 20:30									#13
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger There are 102 keys on the PC keyboard, and these two, um, domes can only produce a total of 64 combinations.

unless it depends on which you move first...

anyway, how do you "lock in" a character? what if i was spelling "call" and i wanted 2 l's? is there a button or something for "enter"?

	22-01-2003 20:32									#14
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A-hem. Back to the topic.

Looks like input with these things will be a lot slower than with keyboards if you are a touch typist.

	23-01-2003 07:18									#15
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Yeah, I can't imaging it would be faster than typing. And it seems it would be more difficult too.

	23-01-2003 07:34									#16
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Is it bigger or smaller than a keyboard?

	23-01-2003 08:15									#17
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger I hope those domes are big and soft *cough* *cough* Don't mind me.

You wouldn't want to get too used to typing on that device either. You might accidently try "typing" on your girlfriend.

	23-01-2003 08:22									#18
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quote: Originally posted by Skanky Burns You wouldn't want to get too used to typing on that device either. You might accidently try "typing" on your girlfriend.

It was obviously invented by somebody that doesn't HAVE a girlfriend!

ACK!

	23-01-2003 10:29									#19
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http://www.keybowl.com/kb/index?page=orbitouch

I can't get the other link to work, so I found this one instead.

	23-01-2003 11:16									#20
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Ah, I see. It is made for people with wrist/hand/finger injuries.

	23-01-2003 15:49									#21
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Hm. The blurb says it can generate 128 combinations, I don't see how. Even if we count the rest position as one, plus the 8 sliding positions, the total is only 81. Plus, you need to a real rest position (both domes centred), so the total is only 80.


Uber,

It's a sliding thing, you just push the domes around with you palms instead of twisting them.

	23-01-2003 16:22									#22
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Edit: New information renders old post irrelevant.

Last edited by DRoseDARs on 24-01-2003 at 02:15

	23-01-2003 16:47									#23
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Order is not important, so left first then right is exactly the same as right first and then left. What they have probably done though is add a modifying button, and in that way doubled the number of combinations.

	23-01-2003 18:12									#24
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quote: Originally posted by Skanky Burns Order is not important, so left first then right is exactly the same as right first and then left. What they have probably done though is add a modifying button, and in that way doubled the number of combinations.

Yeah, some kind of 'shift key' is the most likely explanation for the extra combo's.

	23-01-2003 18:14									#25
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I hope order is not important - 128 combo is a lot to memorise.

	24-01-2003 02:14									#26
	Here's the SlideGuide for the orbiTouch Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I was mistaken about order being the determining factor. They do have an built-in shift-mode. You can 'click and hold' the left dome, you can double-click the left dome, and you can single-click the right dome, all according to the SlideGuide.

Attachment: slideguide.pdf
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