Touch typing on a C[78]x0

[decay]

I\'ve heard much exhortation over the awesomeness of the C[78]x0 models, and I\'m guessing it\'s because of the large, bright screen, long battery life, and the \"full\" QWERTY keyboard.  This led me to wonder how often a person actually uses the C[78]x0 keyboard in daily PDA usage, hence the poll below.

In addition, of those who do use the keyboard, how is it for touch typing, as we do on full size keyboards?  Do you end up hunting & pecking because it\'s too small?  Do you just revert to writing & HWR instead?

My experience is that I bought a keyboard for my Newton, but found myself almost never using it.  With the excellent handwriting recognition (HWR), I could just write out the info longhand and it would be automatically turned into text.  About the only time I use the on-screen keyboard nowadays is to enter URLs, because they\'re not usually individual words.

[Zuber]

Touch typing as in all fingers, forget it.

Use 1 or 2 fingers from each hand or thumbs (when holding the device) works great.

Never could get my handwriting to work consistantly on any unit (PPC, Palm etc. been there done it. Not the newton though). Would work great on one sentence and then completly loose the plot on the next.

Could get reliable performance if I concentrated on writing neatly and slowed down, but would rather concentrate on what I am writing...

Zaurus is quite good provided you take the time to adapt the characters to your style. Single character at a time though, not joint up writing. I prefer making everything single stroke like palm.

But you just can\'t beat a keyboard. Particularly for longer input where you want to think about what you are writing, not how you are entering it.

[zbones]

Editing a shell script with hwr is not my idea of fun.

I have enough trouble reading my own writing, the zaurus has no chance.

I can type nearly as quickly on my C760 as I can on my PC.

From the photos it looks like a membrane keyboard, but the keys do move and are pretty responsive for a device so small.

I can\'t see myself going back to the 5500 form factor now, and I would never get a device without a keyboard.

Peter.

[jchung]

I\'m always using teh keyboard.. (most of the time with my thumbs while holding the Z)

[jchung]

I can\'t see myself going back to the 5500 form factor now, and I would never get a device without a keyboard.

me too..

I cant see myself using a PPC or Palm w/o the keyboard... even the 5500 keyboard cant compare to the c7x0 keyboard

[spaul]

I have a 5600.  I was shocked at how fast you can type using two thumbs.  What an improvement over palm.  Curious if those who have had both 5000 series and 700-800 series feel the latter is much better for typing.  Someone kidded me about multitasking in that with the 5600 I can type in notes while walking.  Does the clamshell shape enable you to hold the device and finger type while standing also.

[Anonymous]

I don\'t think anyone types on the c7xx.  It is more of thumb typing but the most comfortable thumb pad ever conceived on a pda!

You\'ll be amazed at how fast you can type!

[Sudonix]

You\'ll be amazed at how fast you can type!

I am quite amazed at how fast I can type even on my 5500(especially while walking down the stairs  ).
I don\'t have a c7xx, sorry (I thought of buying c760 instead of 5500, but the price was just a little too high to feel comfortable; ever since the appearance of Cacko/X11 I\'m starting to regret it  ), but felt like making a useless comment to praise the thumbpads on all Zaurii anyways...

[ScottYelich]

I have a 5600.  I was shocked at how fast you can type using two thumbs.  What an improvement over palm.  Curious if those who have had both 5000 series and 700-800 series feel the latter is much better for typing.  Someone kidded me about multitasking in that with the 5600 I can type in notes while walking.  Does the clamshell shape enable you to hold the device and finger type while standing also.

I\'ve already explained how I hold the 7x0 and type.

I hold it between my thumb and my third finger... and I use first and second finger
from each hand to type... so, that\'s 4fingers holding (with the pinky or
last finger also giving support) ... and 4 fingers typing.  

It can sound a bit like popcorn popping.  The only issue is the occasional punctuation.

Scott
ps: and the punctuation is only because it\'s in a new location, etc.

[Zuber]

from each hand to type... so, that\'s 4fingers holding (with the pinky or 
last finger also giving support) ... and 4 fingers typing

Having trouble visulizing/trying this one. Any chance of a more detailed explanation or diagram. Current attempts incolve dislocating fingers  

[ScottYelich]

heheh...


I should take a picture.

ok, take a clamshell device.  open it up, so the screen is at 90 degrees... just not so that the device is
flat  (you need space behind the device where the power plug is, where the on/off is, etc.).  Left hand,
the ring that holds the marriage ring, the third finger -- goes to where the power plug is on the 7x0.
The left thumb goes on the front edge of the device (I don\'t have it in front of me) -- but on the edge,
down by the \"fn\" key.  The pinky or smallest finger, is just on the bottom of the device -- whatever is
natural.

The same is done with the right hand.

If done right, you should have your first and second fingers.... able to point straight up (to the sky).
If you bend them,they can type...  use the first finger on the left hand to press and hold \"left shift\"
and the middle finger on the right hand to press \"u\" ... etc.

I\'ll take a pic tonight.

Although, yes, you do have to hold the device... this works if I\'m in bed, in the dark... etc.
I find that I can type quite fast this way -- much faster then when the device is flat on a table, etc.

Scott

[jchung]

Scott,

I think I got what you said.. but I tried that and it\'s a bit difficult..

I like my thumb typing better .. whatever floats your boat !

Joe

[donspinelakemed]

Hi decay,
Haven\'t talked with you since we discussed registration of Virtual Intern on the Newton.  I almost always use the keyboard on the Zaurus.  Having used the Newton for several years, handwriting recognition on the Zaurus really doesn\'t cut it. (but then, nothing compares to the Newton as a PDA)
I see the C-700 as a neat, small Linux box and am anxious to compile the IO language for the Zaurus.  This is close enough to Newtonscript that it may be possible to port some of the Newton PIM apps over to the Z.  I am waiting for Sash to release his next x-11 ROM that will support the C-700 (the current version has problems with the stylus).  In the meantime, I am working on a Gentoo cross-compiling enviornment on my XP box under Virtual PC.

Donald T. Stewart, MD

[makiaea]

hiya!

i\'m using a modified dvorak keyhelper keymap and touch-type using all fingers on a C860 and C700. qwerty is fine too.

Six-fingers with some looking at the keyboard was all could manage on the 5500, but that could be quite fast at times too...

So for me the clamshells are better, although I can\'t use all fingers to type when holding the zaurus as well. I passed my infra-red keyboard on to a friend in the end!

maki

[ScottYelich]

Scott,

I think I got what you said.. but I tried that and it\'s a bit difficult..

I like my thumb typing better .. whatever floats your boat !

Joe

Yes, this works well when the unit is opened all the way (180 degrees / flat).

Most of the time when I am typing, I am on my back in bed... the zaurus is
in front of me or above me.   I need to hold it in place.

Scott