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From: fin@norge.unet.umn.edu (Craig A. Finseth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: HP95 keyboard?
Keywords: size,typing
Message-ID: <4252@uc.msc.umn.edu>
Date: 10 Jun 91 13:35:35 GMT
References: <1991Jun10.063838.20847@marlin.jcu.edu.au>
Sender: news@uc.msc.umn.edu
Organization: Univ Netw Serv, Univ of Minn
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In article <1991Jun10.063838.20847@marlin.jcu.edu.au> zlraa@marlin.jcu.edu.au (Ross Alford) writes:
>Now that a few of you have had HP95s for a while, how do you really find
>the keyboards?  I'm thinking about getting one when they eventually
>become available here, but do have my doubts about the keyboard.  I am a
	...

My quick summary is "unexpectedly good."  I have both a 48 and a 95
(plus a dozen others, but that is a different article).  I believe the
experts who say that the construction on the 48 and 95 keyboards is
the same and so they *should* feel the same.  However, I find the 95's
keyboard to be much better.

Why? I use the 48 as a calculator.  In that mode, I (mostly) press a
button and see the results, then press another button.  It does the
job fine.  Speed typing is simply not an issue on this device.

However, I find it difficult to type alpha stuff.  Basically, I press
ALPHA / letter / ALPHA / letter / etc.  (I am left-handed, so holding
down the ALPHA key is clumsy.)

On the other hand, I use the 95 as a notepad (I am running an
Emacs-type text editor, not the built-in applications).  Typing text
goes very smoothly.  The horizontal format and QWERTY layout makes it
very easy to find the keys.  In addition, I can fit about 1 1/2 hands
on the keyboard, so I can almost touch-type.

Yes, I find the keyboard a little tight but I am willing to live with
that in exchange for having something that I can have with me instead
of in my briefcase.

Craig A. Finseth			fin@unet.umn.edu [CAF13]
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