Microsoft Shows Tablet With 'RearType Keyboard'

[abswindows7]

Will it play crysis ?

 

[theshonen8899]

While it may be a viable method to typing on a tablet, simply the look of it will intimidate people. Probably better off not trying.

 

[gti88]

I won't type like that for sure.

 

[jecastej]

I can barely use 6 fingers when typing, MS how are you going to teach me to type backwards?
If this is your master plan... Make an efficient, solid and detachable wireless keyboard. Make the device touch screen. Those alternate methods did not worked before, 2 decades ago, even there were extremely fast and efficient users, 99% people ended with the qwerty keyboards.

 

[whitecrowro]

Is aKIN to fail.

 

[kelemvor4]

Looks interesting. Not interesting enough to PAY for, but I'd like to play with a demo unit in a store...

 

[Guest]

Good timing. The Youtube video where Ballmer laughs over the iPhone and dismissing it with "it doesn't even have a keyboard" was getting old. This is a new winner...

 

[bebangs]

Flip the tablet to type.
To see your progress, flip it back to see your results.

It's a feature.

 

[Tattysnuc]

Be great for blind people, but not sure if that's even a real market. I'd hope it is...

 

[tigsounds]

If it is laid on a table, will it start beeping from what it will sense is a stuck key(s)??

 

[irh_1974]

A tablet with a keyboard, maybe if it was similar to the new R2D2 Droid phone, where it slides out from underneath, but when it slides all the way out then folds up to 180 degrees to act as a clamshell.

That would bridge the laptop, netbook and tablet markets all in one.

 

[sailfish]

It looks like something that was designed in the 90s.

Good solution? uh, no.

 

[jsm6746]

one thing you'll notice is the squareness of it, meaning there is no need to rotate the device... other than that, i could type using keys on the back of something, the labels on my keys have long since worn off, but i'm pretty sure the majority of 'touch' typists couldn't... while apple appeals to grandma, something like this would only appeal to the savvy... one issue i see is when setting the device down, would it accidentally hit keys? idk, but i'm all for changing the keyboard layout... change is good...

 

[Fendulon]

Eh, the way I see it, if it took an hour of training to get to a point where it is equal to a touchscreen.. it isn't worth it. I'd rater not have an ugly set of keys on the back of my device. Though if they can make them flush to the back, I suppose I'd be more than willing to try it. Can't bash it too hard until I've tried it. It just doesn't seem too practical to me right now.

 

[nebun]

this makes no sense...is Microsoft following Apple? God help us all

 

[tommysch]

We are not in April... Seriously is this a joke?

 

[Dkz]

HORRIBLE design!! A tablet is for easy use, I can't imagine my mom who does not know where the "Y" key is in an normal keyboard while she is looking at it. How is she gonna use that one?

 

[Camikazi]

[citation][nom]darthvidor[/nom]they should have designed the keys differently ... looks like a typewriter. what happens to "press any key to continue hdd wipe" when you suddenly put the tablet down?[/citation]
Why would you suddenly put the tablet down when it asks that?

 

[Guest]

Absolute worst idea ever. Makes the thing more bulky and awkward. #MicroFail

 

[jeffk464]

Seems to me I would rather have a super thin netbook over any of these tablets. I just need a real keyboard, if I'm just going to read I have a smartphone or I can get a kindle type device. I've tried using my smartphone for entering text and its just too much of a pain in the ass.

 

[dark_lord69]

Kinda neet but I'd rather have a slide out keyboard like a phone.

 

[jeffk464]

I have an idea how about an android netbook with all tablet hardware. Super long battery life, cheap simple, you get a real keyboard, and the keyboard props up the screen. You could even have the screen swivel around to the back of the keyboard so it could be used as a tablet.

 

[BluntObjection]

asdkhaoiddaklsg

...Oh sorry, I just sat my new tablet on my desk.

 

[Guest]

u hold tablet with thumbs and pinkies and use the remaining six finger to type backwards. Good thing for the discriptions on the keys, if you forget where a key is, u can flip the tablet over. This is geared towards acordian player like steve urkel. Time better spent getting thousands of so-called friends on facebook. whats next a rearmount joystick, microphone camera? just mount an iphone on it and it will be revolutionary!

 

[Deadlift1]

If users can already achieve 15wpm on a touchscreen keypad what is the point of having a full backward qwerty keyboard that only achieves the same rate? The whole point of having a full keyboard would be to increase the wpm exponentially not just match it.