Nothing to show, but a lot happened.

[Glyph Reader]

   A good idea would be to add different textures to the L2 & R2 buttons, If pososible, you could label them using braille letters. You could also label some of the ports in the same way. That would be nice for those who can't see and it would make it look a little more interesting.

       

...Teenage Engineering did something similar with their "OP-1 Synthsizer "

http://www.techtrend24.com/teenage-engineering-op-1/

That seems plausible to me.  Of course, I'm not Askarus or ED. 

-Glyph Reader

 

[ekianjo]

 A good idea would be to add different textures to the L2 & R2 buttons, If pososible, you could label them using braille letters. You could also label some of the ports in the same way. That would be nice for those who can't see and it would make it look a little more interesting.

I'm all for braille letters on common, everyday items (elevators, food, medicines), but it's really overkill to try to put them everywhere.  

 

[FaeMinx]

And what is a blind person going to do with a Pyra?

Sure... someone might make a few applications that could be useful for the blind, and have them load depending on certain button combos... but really? I'm sure that for each useful application, there is a dedicated device out there that would be both more compact and easier to use.

=~. O =

 

[ekianjo]

but really? I'm sure that for each useful application, there is a dedicated device out there that would be both more compact and easier to use.

exactly. There are several devices out there specially made for blind people, we don't have to try and cater to every person out there, unless we want to end up with a homer car...  

 

[_wb_]

Actual braille aimed at blind people seems like pointless overkill indeed. But something to improve tactile recognition does make sense to me, like the bumps they put on F and J keys on a normal keyboard. Something different probably, because the Pyra keyboard is not suitable for 10 finger typing.

I don't think the shoulder buttons really need tactile identifiers (it's easy enough to find them anyway), but the main keyboard could probably use them, and also the ports at the back: it could help to have something (I don't know what, not braille but maybe some kind of vertical bumps between the ports, or some kind of smooth valley auto-guiding the connector) to make it easier to plug something in at the back without looking.

 

[spiralofhope]

I like the idea of hard flat (matte?) buttons.  Hopefully they will be readible .. with light in the room.  Right now they're impossible to see without horrible glare.

I know this has been mentioned in the past, but it bears mentioning again for this new device.  I've always wished the pandora could have chicklet keys like the hp200lx.  Mine is an absolute joy to use.  Smaller keys, but way easier to work with than the pandora's gigantic ones because of their hard edges and lack of "wobble".

While on the issue of keyboards.. it would be nice if the keyboard layout was sane.  The layout is qwerty on the surface, and the function keys are elvish.  I'd like something closer to a standard US layout so I can.. do anything more than basic typing.
  =/  With so many Europeans interested in it, I can understand the freakish layout for things like the euro, pound and yen.. but shift-1 for "section", is that symbol even used for anything?

 

[N3Cr0]

A good idea would be to add different textures to the L2 & R2 buttons, If pososible, you could label them using braille letters. You could also label some of the ports in the same way. That would be nice for those who can't see and it would make it look a little more interesting.

Braille letters on (shoulder) buttons would be painful for the fingers, as you don't read, but press them.

 

[ekianjo]

but the main keyboard could probably use them,

One good thing is to have at least one or two keys on the keyboard, around the middle/center area, with a distinct feel on the surface, so that you can clearly know where you fingers are even if you cannot see the keyboard. Some laptop keyboards have that.  

 

[Kevin Osuna]

Actual braille aimed at blind people seems like pointless overkill indeed. But something to improve tactile recognition does make sense to me, like the bumps they put on F and J keys on a normal keyboard. Something different probably, because the Pyra keyboard is not suitable for 10 finger typing.

I don't think the shoulder buttons really need tactile identifiers (it's easy enough to find them anyway), but the main keyboard could probably use them, and also the ports at the back: it could help to have something (I don't know what, not braille but maybe some kind of vertical bumps between the ports, or some kind of smooth valley auto-guiding the connector) to make it easier to plug something in at the back without looking.

  Yep, my idea wasn't aimed primarily to be an aid for blind people, that came latter.

   I first thought about adding textures to the shoulder buttons because concidering the little space we have for them, we are gonna get little shoulder ones compared to the ones from a home console controller, so anything helps here, even a few braille dots could give us better grip, not to mention the better aestetics (in my opinion). The idea for the shoulder buttons is not so we can find them faster, that's pointless and silly. for the shoulder buttons I was just thinking about the feel they could provide.

And what is a blind person going to do with a Pyra?


Sure... someone might make a few applications that could be useful for the blind, and have them load depending on certain button combos... but really? I'm sure that for each useful application, there is a dedicated device out there that would be both more compact and easier to use.


=~. O =

   And yes, there are many things a blind person could do with a Pyra, A few months ago they released an open source version of "SIRI" for linux, it was gonna be named JARVIS like the one from IronMan but they changed the name to "JASPER". if they add this to the pyra, then I dont see how a blind person would not be able to use a Pyra effectively. The Braille marks for the ports would represent a way of telling people that The Pyra is a friendly device for those who are concidered limited because of their blindness. It doesn't take too much to make the pyra be a more open device.

     the labes for the ports would be located on the base of the Pyra, aligned with each respective port/jack (obviously)

but really? I'm sure that for each useful application, there is a dedicated device out there that would be both more compact and easier to use.

exactly. There are several devices out there specially made for blind people, we don't have to try and cater to every person out there, unless we want to end up with a homer car...  

I'm not asking to add a waffle maker or anything silly.

A good idea would be to add different textures to the L2 & R2 buttons, If pososible, you could label them using braille letters. You could also label some of the ports in the same way. That would be nice for those who can't see and it would make it look a little more interesting.

Braille letters on (shoulder) buttons would be painful for the fingers, as you don't read, but press them.

Im also not talking about sand paper, let's not be dramatic. They would protude just enough to be identifiable.

 

[Kevin Osuna]

 A good idea would be to add different textures to the L2 & R2 buttons, If pososible, you could label them using braille letters. You could also label some of the ports in the same way. That would be nice for those who can't see and it would make it look a little more interesting.

I'm all for braille letters on common, everyday items (elevators, food, medicines), but it's really overkill to try to put them everywhere.  

  The labes for the ports would be located on the base of the Pyra, aligned with each respective port/jack (obviously) So only those who need or want to notice them, will notice them.

 

[Matthew Mongan]

... I've always wished the pandora could have chicklet keys like the hp200lx.  Mine is an absolute joy to use...

Amen to that, brother. I also liked the zaurus c3200. However my favorite keyboard for long form writing was the jornada. 

 

[Grench]

... I've always wished the pandora could have chicklet keys like the hp200lx.  Mine is an absolute joy to use...

Amen to that, brother. I also liked the zaurus c3200. However my favorite keyboard for long form writing was the jornada. 

I have an HP 28S calculator from those days.  Keep in mind, though, that the keyboards on those were -expensive- to produce even in the quantity that HP was able to crank out.  My $200 calculator from 1987 probably had a $50 keyboard.  In today's $$$ that would be like $420 calculator with a $105 keyboard.  The Pyra can't afford a $100+ keyboard.  $10-$20 is more likely - thus key mats instead of mechanical keys.

 

[Granitehead]

I have an HP 28S calculator from those days.  Keep in mind, though, that the keyboards on those were -expensive- to produce even in the quantity that HP was able to crank out.  My $200 calculator from 1987 probably had a $50 keyboard.  In today's $$$ that would be like $420 calculator with a $105 keyboard.  The Pyra can't afford a $100+ keyboard.  $10-$20 is more likely - thus key mats instead of mechanical keys.

Even the pretty cheap mobile phone I had before getting a smart phone (this one: https://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/GT-B2710IKAXSA/) (still in use when I need something rugged, waterproof which might be lost/stolen) had better keys than the one's used in the Pandora. They just feel good. Those, a little bigger, I would be entirely happy with.
(whether I'll buy a Pyra or not depends mainly on the keyboard, as I'm not primarily into gaming and was pretty disappointed with the Pandora's keyboard)

 

[Grench]

I have an HP 28S calculator from those days.  Keep in mind, though, that the keyboards on those were -expensive- to produce even in the quantity that HP was able to crank out.  My $200 calculator from 1987 probably had a $50 keyboard.  In today's $$$ that would be like $420 calculator with a $105 keyboard.  The Pyra can't afford a $100+ keyboard.  $10-$20 is more likely - thus key mats instead of mechanical keys.

Even the pretty cheap mobile phone I had before getting a smart phone (this one: https://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/GT-B2710IKAXSA/) (still in use when I need something rugged, waterproof which might be lost/stolen) had better keys than the one's used in the Pandora. They just feel good. Those, a little bigger, I would be entirely happy with.

(whether I'll buy a Pyra or not depends mainly on the keyboard, as I'm not primarily into gaming and was pretty disappointed with the Pandora's keyboard)

I expect the Pyra's keyboard to be incrementally better than the Pandora's.  I thought the Pandora's was pretty darn good for the device it was on.

The keyboard in the phone you pictured - that is likely a rubber dome keymat with a hinged key overlay.  Have you ever taken it apart?  Key technologies that work well on a phone don't necessarily transfer well to a qwerty keyboard.

What didn't you like about the Pandora keyboard?  Travel?  Dome key tops?  Other?

 

[Granitehead]

I expect the Pyra's keyboard to be incrementally better than the Pandora's.

That's what I expect too, I just don't know if that's good enough.

The keyboard in the phone you pictured - that is likely a rubber dome keymat with a hinged key overlay. Have you ever taken it apart? Key technologies that work well on a phone don't necessarily transfer well to a qwerty keyboard.

What didn't you like about the Pandora keyboard? Travel? Dome key tops? Other?

Distance travelled would be okay. I don't like the feeling of pressing the keys. There should be (1) not much pressure needed to press key farther in at the beginning and (2) for the last bit it should take much more force, and when there is enough force you should clearly and suddenly feel the key register. (1) is optional, it can also start right with (2). That phone does this, when you press the key, nothing happens/moves until there is enough force, and once there is enough force the key registers with no subjective additional time.The other thing I don't like about the Pandora keys is the surface coating and the space between the keys combined with their dome tops (respectively I don't like the result of those things): When I put my finger on the keyboard without force/pressing keys, and then want to move them around without lifting them, feeling the keys so I don't have to look down. Or when I don't quite hit the right spot and need to move the finger a bit so it fully rests on top of the key and no other key. Then I have trouble. The finger doesn't slide over the keyboard like it should.

(I've now written this for the last time. I was pretty outspoken in the keyboard threads and have made my opinion clear enough)

(and I don't care if someone now claims I'm typing wrongly - that's the way I type, and any keyboard which makes this difficult is bad according to my standards, respectively unsuitable to me)

Edit: No, I haven't taken that phone apart. I don't want to risk it's watertightness.

 

[DrHAX]

I'm I the only one who loves the Pandora keyboard :unsure: seriously even the odd function layout I've accidentally done on normal computers. I guess I'm the small happy minority.

Sent from my Z665C using Tapatalk

 

[TrashyMG]

I don't mind it, a tad bit of improvement doesn't hurt.

 

[spiralofhope]

I'm really glad the Pyra is incrementally improved.  If it had the exact same keyboard as the Pandora, I wouldn't want to buy it.  It really is a terrible experience that makes me not want to use the device.

I personally would pay the extra money for a superb keyboard, but I'm still pleased at what I've heard of the Pyra's keyboard.

I'd also like a magnesium alloy case and sapphire screen, but we can't have everything.  =)

 

[Grench]

I wouldn't want the key tops to be completely flat - about half the dome of the Pandora's maybe?  The 'bumps' allow me to no-look thumb type some by moving bump to bump over the keyboard - so some hump/dome to the key tops is good.

The Pandora has quite a bit of travel before the dome collapses - which allows the contacts to register the signals.  Maybe shorter domes that require about the same amount of pressure to collapse?

Key spacing - I like the Pandora's key spacing.  It's about right for my big thumbs.

Locator keys (bumps or ridges on the F and J keys) might be good to have - I'm not sure if my thumbs care.

 

[EvilDragon]

You can still feel the buttons thanks to the spacing.