Xref: utzoo comp.std.misc:171 comp.windows.misc:1168 comp.misc:6616 comp.periphs:1950
Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!dino!uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!bionet!apple!deanb
From: deanb@Apple.COM (Dean Blackketter)
Newsgroups: comp.std.misc,comp.windows.misc,comp.misc,comp.periphs
Subject: Re: Chord Keyboards (was User Interface Standards -- *Keyboards!*)
Summary: There already is a portable computer that uses a chord keyboard
Message-ID: <2989@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 22 Jul 89 03:37:18 GMT
References: <115518@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> <29607@ism780c.isc.com>  <436@uwslh.UUCP>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA
Lines: 35

In article <436@uwslh.UUCP>, lishka@uwslh.UUCP (Not an illusion!) writes:
> 
>      While we are on the subject of keyboards, does anyone have some
> good references for "chord" style keyboards, where one presses several
> keys simultaneously instead of a single keystroke?  It seems to me
> that most keyboards are too large, partly because there is one key per
> letter.  The keyboards could be made smaller if there was a set of ten
> keys, of which different combinations would produce different
> letters/keystrokes.  Sure, its not qwerty, but it would make portable
> computers a lot smaller.
> 
>     So, does anyone have references or more information on chord
> keyboards?  Thanks in advance for your help.
> -- 
> Christopher Lishka                 ...!{rutgers|ucbvax|...}!uwvax!uwslh!lishka
> Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene                   lishka%uwslh.uucp@cs.wisc.edu
> Data Processing Section  (608)262-4485                       lishka@uwslh.uucp

There already exists a pocket computer that uses a chord keyboard.  It's called
the AgendA, and is made by a company called MicroWriter in the U.K.  They used
to sell a portable machine called the MicroWriter with a chord keyboard and  
apparently was pretty popular with journalists in that country.  The AgendA is
one of the best pocket calendar/notepad/address book computers I've seen, very
useful.  It uses a seven key chord keyboard (three for the thumb) and it only
takes a few minutes to learn the alphabet. (But a lifetime to master. :-)
Now if I could only get it back from Mark, who borrowed it to "try it out."


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Dean Blackketter                                               deanb@apple.com
Apple Computer                                                  (408) 974 4213
20525 Mariani Ave  MS 60V
Cupertino CA 95014                
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