i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard

i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard

Frazier Barretto, May 28, 2007 1713 hrs IST

With 'compact, simple and innovative' becoming synonymous with gadgets, virtual reality takes it a step further. Is this the face of the future?

Great Concept, Portable, Battery life.

Requires only flat and solid surface, Price.

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Usability

The keyboard, as I earlier mentioned, projects a laser keyboard on a surface. The surface for both, device placement and the projection space should be solid, else you won't be able to press the buttons formed and the device will turn off. The projection shouldn't be further than palm's length. It's not like the projection can't cover any further distance, it's just that keystrokes won't be recognized beyond a palm's length.

Typing on a surface is not the most comfortable thing and that makes this keyboard defy the ease of use aspect. There is definitely no way it can replace the conventional hardware keyboards. In the first place, it was never meant to do that. The missing response or feedback that we get from a standard keyboard is what makes this keyboard feel very odd. Add to that, you'll be seen typing on a surface, which may make you look stupid, that is, if you care.

Initially when I just started using the keyboard, I couldn't type an alphabet without making a mistake. After a little practice I could type correctly with the use of just one finger instead of all. It took a lot of practice to get a hang of it and use all my fingers to type. But even after using it for quite some time there wasn't a single line I typed out without making a mistake.

In fact, I did start typing out this review on the virtual keyboard, but then it felt like it would take forever, considering the typos I'll have to keep rectifying (not happening!); therefore, I immediately switched over to a standard keyboard. Moreover, the average projection distance, projects a small keyboard on which you can't really type easily.

The projected keyboard is a QWERTY and displays almost all keys of a standard keyboard. What is missing is the numerical pad and function keys (F1, F2, etc.). Instead, there is an 'fn' key which when used with other strokes makes for these combinations.

Battery Life

The Virtual keyboard comes with an inbuilt Li-Ion battery. The company states that a single charge will last you 2 hours of continuous typing. In reality, the battery lasted for about 1 hour 30 - 40 minutes. This span of battery life is obviously short for a person who's going to use this for a lot of typing.

Verdict

The i.Tech Virtual Keyboard will set you back by Rs. 14, 500. It comes with a year's warranty. That spilled, it will only appeal to people with deep pockets. Not only that, it is more of a WOW product than a useable product at the moment. It doesn't work for more than 2 hours and needs a solid surface. No doubt this technology will be developed to offer a much better product in the future. Then its mass acceptance and production will probably lead to an affordable price as well. Till then, we will just play the wait game or flaunt this futuristic gizmo now; whatever suits you better.

Test unit sourced from: Access Point