Sunday, December 31, 2017

iClever keyboard testing

I am typing on a new iClever travel keyboard*. It’s very nice indeed, fits in a jacket pocket and is only about 150 grams. 
 And yet it feels quite solid. It is covered in a nice, solid rubber-slash-cloth-like covering (they say it is faux leather) which makes it feel like it won’t break, unlike many other small keyboards. And I really like how it feels in the hand. Much classier than the price would suggest. (I’ve paid almost as much for a set of crappy earbuds which came apart after a few weeks.) 
It is “tilted” on each side, v-shaped, like some of the full-sized Ergonomic keyboards. I’m not sure how much that helps, but it does not seem to hurt. 
The keys are pretty nice despite the necessary short key travel, apparently they have an actual mechanical switch under each, not the common rubber membrane which I don’t care much for. 
It’s wireless of course, and so far Bluetooth works very well with it, connecting right away after I open the keyboard (kept in place with the nice modern way of a simple magnet rather than a fiddly mechanism). 
The one thing to get used to is that (I think this was done to solve the problem of folding the keyboard without the fragile mechanics that often results in) is clearly that there is a big gap in the middle of the design. For me that means that my thumb tends to hit outside the space bar. But there are signs that I’m already getting used to bending the thumb a bit more than I’m used to, so that shouldn’t be a biggie. (Although I think the design could easily have accommodated a longer space bar on both sides.) 
It is very economical, I think all the other keyboards I’ve bought (big or compact) have been more expensive, many significantly so. 
If this keeps working for me, it may be really good. It can fit even in my cargo pants (which I tend to use in the era of pocket phones etc). And I like to write in cafés and such (I’m in one right now, waiting for my panini), but I also like to take walks without bringing a bag. But this keyboard and a phone is a quite good little pocketable modern typewriter.
Or indeed a pocketable studio. I wrote on my phone, took the photo with my phone, and posted it with my phone. Such compact power.




*Oddly I don't see a specific name or number for it, search on Amazon for  iClever Bluetooth Keyboard Ultra Compact Foldable Universal Ergonomic Keyboard.

3 comments:

David Evans said...

That is certainly clever, but I find the screen on my phone too small for serious writing. The smallest system I am comfortable with is an iPad mini with a Logitech keyboard built into its cover. I admit it won't fit into a pants pocket.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Then I will admit that an iPad Mini is surely more ideal, screen-wise. In fact I think the Mini is just about ideal for a portable device if you have a bag.

But on a 5.5-inch phone, I can see several lines, it works OK. And I like not carrying anything except in my pockets.

I’ve not tried a keyboard the size of a Mini, but I don’t think I could touch-type on it. I have large hands and need a full size keyboard (about 20cm wide).

David Evans said...

Ah well, I never learned to touch-type.