Can’t decide if you want to have an iPad or a MacBook Air? If you pick up the CruxSKUNK Keyboard Case from CruxCase, you can almost have the best of both worlds. This is a protective case for the iPad 2 and the “new” iPad, but what it really does is transform that tablet into a notebook. You get a complete Apple-style keyboard that very much mirrors what you get from the MacBook series, except you’re still being powered by iOS.

The CruxSKUNK goes even further by providing a 360-degree hinge. What this means is that when you don’t want to use the keyboard, the case can be rotated all the way through so that you can more easily use the touchscreen. The keyboard portion is just 6mm thin and the whole thing is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The CruxSKUNK uses Bluetooth to connect to your iPad and the built-in 350mAh battery is said to last about a month.

CruxCase has even integrated Smart Cover technology, so just like the regular Smart Cover from Apple, your iPad will turn itself on and off when you open and close the CruxSKUNK. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, but with over $87,000 raised of the $90,000 goal with 36 days to go, I think they’re in good shape. Pledge a minimum of $135 to get your hands on one of the first CruxSKUNK cases, plus a bonus leather sleeve. Shipments are expected to commence in December.

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How much will it cost?
Microsoft said that the ARM-based Surface will be competitive with other ARM-based tablets, whereas the Intel-based version will be competitive with Ultrabooks. They weren’t any more specific than that, but I’d guess that the ARM-based one would start in the $499 range and the Intel version would start at $899 or $999.

When will it launch?
The assumption is that Surface will launch alongside Windows 8 later this year, but again, there was no firm commitment on a timeline.

Is there 3G/4G wireless data?
While it’s quite possible that the Surface could be a WiFi-only affair, it’s probably more likely that some sort of 3G/4G connectivity will be on board.

What about the other specs?
We’re told about the storage capacities and that there will be an ARM and an Intel version, but what about the more specific specs? Which processor exactly? How much RAM? What is the battery life? Microsoft refused to comment.

What is that connector on the side?
You may have spotted a MagSafe-like connector on the side of the Surface, but Microsoft didn’t really say what it was for. Is this to charge the tablet or is there something more there? Perhaps it’s also used for transferring data to and from your computer?

Is the keyboard case included?
There are two versions of that keyboard case too. There’s the Touch Cover and then there’s the clicky-clacky Type Cover. Just like how they didn’t talk specifics for price, they didn’t say anything about the keyboards either. My guess is that they are both optional accessories, just like the Smart Cover for the iPad, and they’ll likely retail in the $99 range.

How does that keyboard even work?
It looks like it attaches magnetically, like the iPad Smart Cover, but how does it interface with the tablet? I think I saw a dock connector of some kind, so is the magnet just meant to help line it up more easily? I hope the keyboard doesn’t require its own power source.

What are your thoughts on these questions? And what other questions would you like to see answered by Microsoft?

[Source]

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Most of the setup looks like a regular electronic keyboard, but there are some extra buttons along the left side that correspond to certain sounds in Japanese. By combining those buttons with the regular keys on the keyboard, a person is able to sound out just about any word in Japanese, combining them with the notes and chords on the keyboard to achieve the sound they’d like. The net result is an incredibly creepy robot-like singer.

To make sure that the musician is getting the words he or she desires, there is an electronic display on the keyboard that shows the generated words in katakana. I imagine this could be translated into other languages, but Yamaha’s Vocaloid Keyboard is currently only available in Japanese… and when I say “available,” I mean not available, because Yamaha has no intention of launching this as a commercial product just yet.

[Source]

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In the world of technology making a device thinner is always perceived as an improvement. That is why all the manufacturers from around the world try to make their products as slim as possible. Apple is also following a similar path and appears to be planning thinner keyboards for bringing out thinner notebook computers.

The new info comes via a patent application filed by Apple entitled “Single Support Lever Keyboard Mechanism“. It talks about a peculiar single support lever mechanism which will help to shrink the size of a keyboard without affecting its performance.

Unlike the scissor-switch mechanism (which uses a scissor like attachment to keep the keys up) seen in existing laptop keyboards, Apple’s new mechanism involves keys positioned on the ends of a long lever. When the key is pressed, the lever bends and an “elastomeric spacer” underneath the key (but also on the lever) comes into contact with a metal dome positioned below. This sends a key down signal to the processor.

Apple says that the method allows for the top portion of the key cap to be formed of a multitude of materials “including, but not limited to, wood, stone, polished meteorite, ceramic, metal, and glass“. The spacer will be made of a material such as silcone rubber which will reduce rattling on the keyboard in addition to giving the user a snappy feel.

The advantage of this new design is that the key will be travelling just 0.2 mm. The mechanism will allow Apple to make a thinner keyboard which in turn helps to design “a thin-profile computing device without compromising the tactile feel of the keyboard“.

Is there anyone out there waiting for an extremely thin MacBook Air?

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What’s interesting about this keyboard and mouse is that they are made fully of bamboo; there is “almost no plastic” here and the bamboo goes more than skin deep. Because bamboo grows in a tropical environment, it is particularly hardy against humidity. It’s also sustainable, since it grows relatively quickly.

The actual keyboard and mouse aren’t all that exciting with the usual set of keys and buttons. The keyboard has 108 keys, including some shortcuts, while the mouse has a rubber scroll wheel between its two bamboo buttons. Find it on Brando for $82.

The post Getting Eco With Bamboo Wireless Keyboard And Mouse appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The Apple iPad may seem more like a fun device to play games on, watch movies, read magazines and other stuff like that, but it can actually be quite useful for business folks too. Even so, typing on that touchscreen for extended periods of time might just not be good enough. And so, Logitech has come up with a Fold-Up Keyboard that works in tandem with Apple’s tablet.

The core functionality is really no different than any other Bluetooth keyboard. You pair it up with the iPad and start typing away at those documents and e-mails. What makes this product different is its fold-up nature. It folds up and hides behind the tablet when not in use, automatically shutting itself off. Fold it back out and it’s ready for you to type away again. It’s meant to be convenient and compact. The keyboard itself charges over USB and still uses Bluetooth to communicate with the iPad 2.

The split design is pretty interesting and it even comes with a stand in the back to prop up the iPad. That gives you an “ideal angle for typing and taking notes,” not unlike what you’d get with a netbook or notebook… or even something like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. And just like the Eee Pad, this keyboard dock is priced quite similarly at $129.99.

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The large touchscreen on the iPad might be great for some things, but it might not be quite as great for others. We still want physical feedback. We still yearn for physical controls. And that’s where the iKeyboard from Cliff Thier comes into the picture.

It’s hard to touch type on the iPad’s on-screen keyboard, because you type a key as soon as you touch the screen. There’s no physical feel to it. The iKeyboard is an overlay that goes over the keyboard and gives you similar sensations to what you’d get with a conventional keyboard. The feel should help you reduce typos and enjoy tactile feedback.

“But why not just use a Bluetooth keyboard?” Well, that’s just another thing to carry. This slip-on overlay is certainly less bulky and easier to bring around with you. Add this to the JOYSTICK-IT and the iPad is becoming even more multifunctional and multi-purpose than ever.

If you want to see the iKeyboard become a reality, back Cliff Thier on his Kickstarter page. With a month and a half to go, he’s already easily surpassed his $4,000 goal, though I’m sure he’d appreciate a few more bucks if you are interested in it.

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Way before I got into the world of smartphones (since they didn’t even exist at the time), I had a Palm Pilot PDA. I thought it was God’s gift to humankind. I could keep track of my schedule, take all kinds of notes, and have my entire contact list in the palm of my hand. It was also useful for writing my university papers. I didn’t have a laptop at the time, but I could whip out my fold-up keyboard, connect it to the PDA, open up a basic text editor and have at ‘er. The portability and versatility were great. And now, many many years later, we somehow find ourselves back at the same scenario with the newly announced Verbatim Mobile Keyboard.

Sure, it does Bluetooth instead of a physical connection and it’s for the iPad/iPhone rather than a Palm Pilot, but it’s still a fold-up QWERTY keyboard aimed to help you write on a device that can be hard to write on. It’s amazing how regardless of the leaps and bounds we’ve made in technology innovation, so many aspects still stay the same. Kinda sad, really.

The Verbatim keyboard is $79.99 and can be found at Fry’s and Amazon.

[Amazon via PR]

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ION has announced full-size keyboard that connects to your iPhone designed for those travelers who want to use a large keyboard when writing emails, texting or surfing the web. I’m not sure how well it will fly with the younger generation of iPhone users.

It has 25 keys, a pitch bending rocker and eight physical buttons to control the keyboard.  Flat style keys were chosen, supposed to work on both the iPhone and iPod touch and can be hooked up to your PC or Mac using a USB cable.  No pricing or release date has been given, but it will most likely hit the market just before the summer.

Source: GeekyGadgets

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In case you missed it, Swype was a touchscreen keyboard system where you didn’t need to lift your finger off the touchscreen in order to type out the individual letters. Instead, you swiped your finger across the keyboard, connecting the letters together with a virtual string. The software would then figure out what you were trying to write. Your finger movements did not need to be exact.

The new system from a startup called Tiki’Labs is called Tiki’Notes. This text input technology is said to be even faster than Swype and they were quick to post up a video on YouTube to prove this point.

The virtual keyboard with Tiki’Notes is called Tiki6Keys, because it utilizes six oversized keys instead of the usual QWERTY batch of buttons. Whether you can achieve both speed and accuracy with this system, well, that’s up to you to decide.

Source: Textually

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