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iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)

by Nilay Patel posted Nov 5th 2009 at 6:31PM

I just dashed off this quick video for my Twitter followers to demonstrate that the DROID doesn't have a multitouch soft keyboard, and pretty much instantly realized that I should probably share it with everyone else, since we've been getting a lot of questions about it. Long story short, while Android 2.0 and the DROID's hardware support multitouch, the device itself doesn't do multitouch out-of-the-box, and the soft keyboard suffers mightily for it. Why it's missing is certainly open for debate, but for now just know that no amount of hoping, wishing, or booze is going to make the stock keyboard register more than one press at a time. Don't despair, though -- while I'm not a fan, Chris Ziegler absolutely flies on this same keyboard on his DROID. Videos after the break.

Continue reading iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)

Lenovo goes crazy, lets you switch Fn and Ctrl keys in BIOS

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 5th 2009 at 4:14AM

Some people, including certain Engadget editors, just can't live without a Ctrl key in the bottom left of their keyboard and a Delete key in the top right. Call it Windows shortcut addiction, but the miniscule adjustment of having to step one key inwards to do our thing totally messes with our mojo. Well, after slapping on some massive Delete and Esc buttons on its T400s, Lenovo is now taking care of the Ctrl freaks by offering up a BIOS option to switch that all-important key with the Fn button. Regrettably, current Lenovo owners won't be getting it as an update, but the Switch Mode will be available "in all future ThinkPad models," giving us yet more reason to be excited about that rumored X200e machine.

[Via ThinkPads]

ASUS retools Eee Keyboard, swaps in capacitive touchscreen

by Darren Murph posted Nov 4th 2009 at 3:02PM

At this point, we're beginning to wonder if we'll ever see ASUS' Eee Keyboard on store shelves. Heck, we've even see it drop by the all-knowing FCC, yet the company has apparently delayed the official debut once more. The kids over at Register Hardware were able to sit down with a tweaked version of the device, which is now slated to ship in early 2010. What's different? ASUS threw out the old resistive touchscreen that we'd played with before and swapped in a capacitive panel like the one in SE's XPERIA X10, Apple's iPhone and Nokia's X6. Engineers assert that touch response was far better with capacitive, and at least in this application, it simply made more sense. We're also given a good look at the external WiFi / UWB antenna that we spotted in the aforesaid FCC filing, which is being used over a sleek internal option due to possible interference from the metallic enclosure. Other than that, most everything else has remained the same, though we are told that a non-metallic iteration is in the works for those who hate awesome things.

Fake iPhone comes with magical external QWERTY keyboard you've always fantasized about

by Paul Miller posted Nov 1st 2009 at 10:13PM

Alright, would you look at this, Apple? We know you require your employees to pay in blood for every single button or moving part that makes it onto a shipping product, but would it really kill you to work in some proper Bluetooth keyboard support for the iPhone so we could enjoy the magical freedom of external QWERTY pads if we so choose? Take this particularly stunning KIRF, for example. Sure, you might find the iPhone-miming handset it's paired with offensive, but is there really so much wrong with this flip-out QWERTY action? Do you enjoy our suffering? Please? iTwinge just isn't cutting it.

[Thanks, facelessloser]

Korg Nanokey controller repurposed into MIDI foot pedal

by Darren Murph posted Oct 28th 2009 at 4:20PM

Korg's Nanokey MIDI controller is pretty awesome in its own right, but using it with your feet gets a little difficult under "normal" conditions. We can't say for certain why Marc Fischer decided to convert his perfectly good control board into a MIDI foot pedal, but frankly, that's beside the point. The point is he did it, and he did it with just a bit of ingenuity, some wooden blocks for risers and a bit of Plexiglas to cover up the missing keys. Hit the read link if you're interested in doing something similar, and feel free to ask the man himself where that gorgeous shag carpet came from. Kinky!

[Via MAKE]

How-to guide details PS/2 keyboard-to-iPhone mod, just for you

by Darren Murph posted Oct 15th 2009 at 10:50AM

Oh sure, we've seen hacker after hacker brag about their success in connecting some sort of keyboard to Apple's iPhone, but have any of them bothered to take the time to explain the process behind the magic? Exactly. The man behind AwghBlog, however, is a kinder, gentler soul, and he's found the time to detail in quite specific terms how he connected a legacy PS/2 keyboard (you know, the one you're not using any longer) to Apple's cash-cow of a smartphone. Best of all, the guide actually explains how to build a PS/2 keyboard-to-iPhone converter, so you're not necessarily tied to a certain board. Hit the read link if you're down for a weekend project.

[Via MAKE]

Logitech's G110 gaming keyboard announced

by Laura June posted Oct 15th 2009 at 10:27AM

The just announced Logitech G110 gaming keyboard is the followup to the G11 -- and it shows. Aesthetically, it's a bit tamer looking than the previous version. This bad boy boasts customizable red and blue backlighting LEDs, 12 programmable G keys, three M keys, automatic game detection which allows you to create custom profiles for each game, plus integrated headset support (definitely going to need that), and a USB 2.0 port. There's no word on pricing or availability for the G110 quite yet -- we'll keep you posted.

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 asks 'what multitouch revolution?'

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 15th 2009 at 6:25AM

Logitech, the company that's dropped more than a billion mice in our laps, is back with a glossy, gold-accented new laptop accessory kit. There's not an overwhelming amount we can tell you that you can't already see above, so we'll go ahead and point out that the laser mouse (M505) and keyboard duo are controlled wirelessly via Logitech's teeny tiny Unifying Receiver (which comes as part of the package), and the laptop stand is capable of accommodating machines with screens up to 15.6 inches diagonally. The riser also has three elevation levels, while the keyboard packs a full numeric pad -- something at least Excel-loving accountants should appreciate. Expect the set to show up in Europe and the US this November with a price around $100.

[Via Electronista]

Vioguard's self-sanitizing keyboard means maybe we don't all have to die this year

by Paul Miller posted Oct 12th 2009 at 2:09PM

If there's one thing scarier than going to the hospital for some potentially harmful harmfulness, it's getting sicker due to some minor slip-up in the carefully-observed hygiene practices of your own personal Zach Braff M.D. That's where Vioguard's newly shipping UVKB50 self-sanitizing keyboard comes in, with a proximity detector to let a set of freshly sanitized keys slide out for use by a health care professional, which slide back once they're not in use to get re-sterilized with anti-bacterial ultraviolet light. The $899 pricetag isn't too bad given the application, but it probably won't be making our own cubicles safer any time soon. Video of the keyboard in action is after the break.

Continue reading Vioguard's self-sanitizing keyboard means maybe we don't all have to die this year

Eee Keyboard splayed, detailed by FCC

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 12th 2009 at 7:44AM

Several of the documents hidden from our anxious eyes during the FCC filing have now gone public. Not only can you visually inspect its innards, the feds have also laid bare the full spec sheet for the ASUS Eee Keyboard model EK1542. Beneath the 5-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touch panel (with stylus) we'll be getting Windows XP Home running on an Intel Atom N270, 945GSE / ICH7-M chipset with Broadcom AV-VD905 video decoder, 1GB of DDR2 memory, either 16GB or 32GB of flash storage, 4-hour battery, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and VGA outputs, integrated stereo speakers and mic, 3x USB, headphone and mic jacks, and external WiFi / UWB antenna. The Eee Keyboard's on-board Ultra-Wideband (UWB) throws 720p content to your TV within a 5-meter range (10-meters for non-video transmissions) via a UWB receiver packing 2x USB ports, another mini-USB port, audio out, and HDMI. You can even connect to two external monitors at the same time using UWB and either VGA or HDMI cable. Now all we need is a final date and price... ASUS?

Gallery: Eee Keyboard splayed, detailed by FCC

[Via EeePC.it]

Fujitsu cellphone design contest yields mind-blowing results: hands-on

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2009 at 5:01AM

Fujitsu has been wowing us with cellphone concepts for quite some time, but this year's round at CEATEC is undoubtedly a show-stopping bunch. Some of the hottest ideas to come from the outfit's most recent mobile phone design contest were on display here in Japan, and we went end to end capturing the lot. The clear pebble mock-up (shown above) was easily the crown jewel (in our mind, anyway), with a small black blob able to morph into different screens (media panels, a keypad, web browser, etc.) depending on which corner you drag said blob into. There was also a design reminiscent of paper mache, not to mention one with a circular vibe that just has to be a long lost cousin to Motorola's AURA. Have a gander at the masterpieces in the gallery below, but don't bet on these hitting your ~~favorite~~ carrier anytime soon.

Gallery: Fujitsu cellphone design contest yields mind-blowing results: hands-on

Das Keyboard Ultimate S unleashed for the tactile experience-loving typist

by Laura June posted Oct 5th 2009 at 11:59AM

Das Keyboards are pretty well known for the tactile and auditory assault they delight fingers and ears with. Well, the mechanical Ultimate S -- an updated model which has just surfaced -- is just as tactile and noisy as all the other models, but it's also got a few added features, including two USB ports, an external PS / 2 adapter, plus full 'n' key rollover with PS / 2. The board is also KVM switch compatible, and of course, the keys are still blank. The keyboard is now shipping, and runs $129.

[Thanks, Rocky]

New Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse arrive at the FCC

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 2nd 2009 at 12:34PM

Well, well, what's this? A new Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse have arrived at the FCC, and they've got new model numbers of A1314 and A1296 -- the current wireless keyboard is A1255 and the Mighty Mouse is A1197. That's pretty much all we know for now, but these keyboard dimensions are also smaller than the current model, which rules out a return of the numeric keypad -- sorry to dash your hopes, Excel jockeys. Is this the new keyboard rumored to accompany an iMac refresh? We'll have to wait to find out -- but on a similar note, AppleInsider says Steve Jobs himself is leading the development of this new mouse, featuring some kind of multitouch ~~and potentially housed in an aluminum shell~~. That would certainly explain those multitouch mouse patents we've seen in the past, as well as bring the desktop mousing experience in line with the multitouch action found on the MacBooks -- AI says the new mice somehow enable iPhone-style kinetic scrolling, which would definitely be interesting. So... you want to maybe schedule an event to launch all this stuff, Steve?

Update: And... Apple's managed to yank the images out of the FCC filings, which is about as fast as we've ever seen that happen.

Update 2: Revised images have been posted, carefully cropped to show only the relevant FCC labeling -- although model numbers remain. This is absolutely the fastest we've ever seen the FCC database change, it's rather impressive.

Update 3: AppleInsider's revised their post to say an aluminum mouse is just speculation, so this thing could be plastic after all.

Read - Apple Bluetooth keyboard at FCC
Read - Apple Bluetooth mouse at FCC
Read - AppleInsider post on new mouse

Continue reading New Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse arrive at the FCC

Video: KORG places an iPhone pocket in its microSAMPLER, calls it a day

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Sep 16th 2009 at 11:29AM

The kids over at Korg are a savvy bunch -- they know that the best way to perk up jaded bloggers (such as ourselves) is to somehow attach an iPhone to their device. Unfortunately, what we thought at first glance was an innovative/insane new way to make music on Apple's flagship handset turns out to be, in fact, little more than a sampler with a pocket for your media player and a 1/4-inch audio input. While we have you here, however, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that, as samplers go, this one is pretty awesome. Featuring a 37-key keyboard, a number of sample modes (including autonext mode, which auto-magically slices a beat into individual hits, not unlike Propellerhead's ReCycle), a preset sound library, 21 KAOS-driven multi-parameter effects, and a USB cable for managing sounds on your Mac or PC (with the included Editor Librarian software), this could be the perfect companion for the microKORG that's already collecting dust in your bedroom. Of course, Korg wouldn't be able to sell this thing at Guitar Center without a heavy-handed, borderline silly promo vid ("Suddenly... you receive a gift... FROM YOUR OWN MIND... in the form of: THE PERFECT BEAT") which we highly suggest you check out after the break. Yours now for $750.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Video: KORG places an iPhone pocket in its microSAMPLER, calls it a day

Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 peripherals break cover, reveal pricing

by Vladislav Savov posted Sep 11th 2009 at 4:34AM

You should already have a pretty good idea of what extra sauce Mad Catz will be bringing to Modern Warfare 2's November 10 release, but here are some up close and personal snaps of the hardware anyway. Monochromatic camo patterns -- all the rage in that war-torn near-future world -- are evident throughout and will cost you a cent under $50 for either of the Xbox 360 or PS3 Combat Controllers, the Combat Keyboard or Sniper Mouse, or a cool hundred for the Elite Keyboard with a blood-red backlight. And if you want to spruce up your current hardware, gamepad faceplates and Xbox 360 Skinz will be available for $15 and $30, respectively. Feeling like a badass comes as a free extra.