build quality of newton keyboard
Robert Wong Jr.
I was at my local Newton Store and got a chance to see a newton
keyboard. What did you think of the quality of the keyboard?
Is it worth the money?
It seemed like an OK keyboard. My main beef was that it was
cheaply built, but expensively priced. The letters on the keys
are actually decals that are stuck on top of the key. If Apple
was selling the keyboard inexpensively, this would not be a
problem. For a product that is CAN$100+, the use of decals is
not acceptable. One would expect that the letters actually be
imbedded into the plastic.
Please correct me if I am wrong. Hopefully this demo keyboard
was an older one and the newer ones are much better.
RWW.
P.S.: The Newton Store in Vancouver has a demo keyb that is
selling for CAN$100. They also have MP2x00 rechargeable
batteries and serial adapters in stock.
P.S.S.: I am not associated with the Newton Store, but am merely
a customer.
--
Robert W. Wong Jr. rw...@direct.ca (NeXTmail welcome)
Crasher of automated banking machines, Cesspool of useless information,
Backward tier of shoelaces, and Collector of titles.
"I can't even remember all the things I've forgotten."
J. Spelling
If you regularly use email, newsgroups or word processing, you definitely
need this keyboard. I think it could be better though. I can't type as fast
as on a usual keyboard.
--
If you want to write me email, put a dot between the j and the rest.
Robert Wong Jr. wrote in message <34C082...@direct.ca>...
Ken Schoenberg
For the $79 charge the Newton keyboard is overpriced when you consider
the full size keyboards of better quality that sell for significantly
(30% - 40%) less, but, hey...when has Apple ever been competitive when
pricing something.
...ken
On Sat, 17 Jan 1998 02:05:26 -0800, "Robert Wong Jr."
<rw...@direct.ca> wrote:
>I was at my local Newton Store and got a chance to see a newton
>keyboard. What did you think of the quality of the keyboard?
>Is it worth the money?
>
>It seemed like an OK keyboard. My main beef was that it was
>cheaply built, but expensively priced. The letters on the keys
>are actually decals that are stuck on top of the key. If Apple
>was selling the keyboard inexpensively, this would not be a
>problem. For a product that is CAN$100+, the use of decals is
>not acceptable. One would expect that the letters actually be
>imbedded into the plastic.
>
>Please correct me if I am wrong. Hopefully this demo keyboard
>was an older one and the newer ones are much better.
> RWW.
>P.S.: The Newton Store in Vancouver has a demo keyb that is
>selling for CAN$100. They also have MP2x00 rechargeable
>batteries and serial adapters in stock.
>P.S.S.: I am not associated with the Newton Store, but am merely
>a customer.
I do not want to receive unsolicited commercial mail
Jeff
"Robert Wong Jr." <rw...@direct.ca> wrote:
Are you referring to that light clear outline around the letters? If
you are (and not actually a piece of square adhesive stuck on), then
it's not actually a decal. The keys are painted on, and there is a
clearcoat over it to make it last longer.
Very few keyboards nowadays have the letters actually moulded into the
keys. I've looked at the Kinesis keyboards, MS Natural, a bunch
Taiwanese keyboards, and none of them have the letters moulded in.
Allof them have the symbols/letters printed on and covered with a
clear coat similar to the shape of the letter.
I know my HP calculator has the lettering moulded in the keys though!
Now that's one solid piece of technology!
jeff.
Andrew Young
In message <34c0d3d1....@news3.microserve.net>, kens@***gstand.com (Ken
Schoenberg) wrote:
>
> For the $79 charge the Newton keyboard is overpriced when you consider
> the full size keyboards of better quality that sell for significantly
> (30% - 40%) less, but, hey...when has Apple ever been competitive when
> pricing something.
The Newton keyboard will sell far fewer units than the most obscure PC or
Mac keyboard. The lower volume means higher prices. Pretty simple explanation,
really.
Andy
http://www.pacifier.com/~ayoung
Posted with Ink Spot from DejaVu Software - http://www.martnet.com/~dejavu
via the Newton MessagePad 2100 - http://www.apple.com/messagepad
Check 'em out, they're cool.
Robert Wong Jr.
Jeff wrote:
>
> "Robert Wong Jr." <rw...@direct.ca> wrote:
>
> Are you referring to that light clear outline around the letters? If
> you are (and not actually a piece of square adhesive stuck on), then
> it's not actually a decal. The keys are painted on, and there is a
> clearcoat over it to make it last longer.
Yes, I am referring to the light clear outline.
> Very few keyboards nowadays have the letters actually moulded into the
> keys. I've looked at the Kinesis keyboards, MS Natural, a bunch
> Taiwanese keyboards, and none of them have the letters moulded in.
> Allof them have the symbols/letters printed on and covered with a
> clear coat similar to the shape of the letter.
The MS Natural keyboard does use the same kecap/lettering design
as the Newton.
I own more than a couple of Fujitsu keyboards. The letters do
not look like they are painted on. If the letters are painted
on and a clear coat is added, there is no outline around the
letters. This keyboard cost CAN$80. Either the keys are moulded,
or it has a better/more consistent clear coat.
Yes, a Newton keyboard is going to be more expensive. Production
runs are smaller and it is radically different (a low power kyb).
Again, I still question the build quality of the Newton keyboard.
It has painted keys and costs CAN$100+. I was hoping that it
would not have the light clear outline either via a better clear
coating or via moulded keycaps.
> I know my HP calculator has the lettering moulded in the keys though!
> Now that's one solid piece of technology!
I was very happy with my Fujitsu, NeXT, and HP 200XL Palmtop. They
all have moulded keys.
RWW.
len lutz
I think that 23,000 for a min-van is VERY overpriced...
It leaves me with only two choices...
Pay it, or live without (well, buy a used one is a third choice)...
You Think its too much........ dont pay it......
Ken Schoenberg wrote:
> For the $79 charge the Newton keyboard is overpriced when you consider
> the full size keyboards of better quality that sell for significantly
> (30% - 40%) less, but, hey...when has Apple ever been competitive when
> pricing something.
>
> ...ken
>
> On Sat, 17 Jan 1998 02:05:26 -0800, "Robert Wong Jr."
> <rw...@direct.ca> wrote:
>
> >I was at my local Newton Store and got a chance to see a newton
> >keyboard. What did you think of the quality of the keyboard?
> >Is it worth the money?
> >
> >It seemed like an OK keyboard. My main beef was that it was
> >cheaply built, but expensively priced. The letters on the keys
> >are actually decals that are stuck on top of the key. If Apple
> >was selling the keyboard inexpensively, this would not be a
> >problem. For a product that is CAN$100+, the use of decals is
> >not acceptable. One would expect that the letters actually be
> >imbedded into the plastic.
> >
> >Please correct me if I am wrong. Hopefully this demo keyboard
> >was an older one and the newer ones are much better.
> > RWW.
> >P.S.: The Newton Store in Vancouver has a demo keyb that is
> >selling for CAN$100. They also have MP2x00 rechargeable
> >batteries and serial adapters in stock.
> >P.S.S.: I am not associated with the Newton Store, but am merely
> >a customer.
>
> I do not want to receive unsolicited commercial mail
--
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Most of what I have learned was taught to me by others.
That requires me to teach others what I have learned.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
David Herren
rw...@direct.ca,UseNet writes:
>I was very happy with my Fujitsu, NeXT, and HP 200XL Palmtop. They
>all have moulded keys.
Hmmm. Neither of my NeXT keyboards have molded keys--the letters are painted on.
--
David D. Herren www.cet.middlebury.edu/herren
Assoc. Dir. for Tech. & Instruction her...@flannet.middlebury.edu
Center for Educational Technology voice: (802)443-5746
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753 fax: (802)443-2053
Bryan Vines
Just a note about the Newton Keyboard:
I haven't broken mine yet, but I did lose one of the rubber feet. The keycap legends seem to be sturdy and haven't rubbed off, even after a year of use (8-9 months of several-times-weekly use).
In article <34C1D1...@direct.ca>, "Robert Wong Jr." <rw...@direct.ca> Wrote:
> Jeff wrote:
> >
> > "Robert Wong Jr." <rw...@direct.ca> wrote:
> >
> I was very happy with my Fujitsu, NeXT, and HP 200XL Palmtop. They
> all have moulded keys.
> RWW.
> --
> Robert W. Wong Jr. rw...@direct.ca (NeXTmail welcome)
> Crasher of automated banking machines, Cesspool of useless information,
> Backward tier of shoelaces, and Collector of titles.
> "I can't even remember all the things I've forgotten."
> .
-----------------------------------------
Bryan Vines
-----------------------------------------
Posted with PaperBoy, an offline newsreader for Newton devices by StandAlone Software.
<http://www.standalone.com>
Matthew Johnson
i received my without one of the rubber feat. after a long time on the
phone and a few months, i got one sent to me and glued it on.
matt
Bryan Vines <Aargh001@ AOL.Com> wrote:
: Just a note about the Newton Keyboard:
--
Matthew Johnson "I CAN RESIST everything
finger <mrjo...@uiuc.edu> for pgp public key except temptation."
<http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/mrjohns2/> --Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
John King
Robert Wong Jr. (rw...@direct.ca) wrote:
: I was at my local Newton Store and got a chance to see a newton
: keyboard. What did you think of the quality of the keyboard?
: Is it worth the money?
It is overpriced but worth it. It's small, light, and works. I don't think
you can piddle around very long before a cheap keyboard cost more than a
Newton one.
As far as construction: my gripette is that there is no stress relief on
the cable as it enters the plastic shell. The cable will probably break
around here. Can't believe they did this. Hey even Nitendo controllers
ease the angles.
--
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| Plantronics, Unex, ACS, GN Netcom, VXI, and more. Repairs too. |
| Commercial, small office home office. All nations, almost all phones. |
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David F. Bills
I think that the keyboard is great! I love the size- just perfect.
Someone did his homework here. If it was any smaller, it wouldn't work
right, instead it fits my hands just right.
And the sound, it is so "clicky," I really miss that on my mac keyboard!
--
-->David out.
_____________________________^_______________________________
David F. Bills Newton Intelligence
Syracuse University http://bounce.to/ni/
Maxwell School: Policy Studies
http://web.syr.edu/~dfbills
____________________________@}-______________________________
To send email please remove the "MAXWELL" from my email address.
Jonathan Sanderson
David F. Bills <dfb...@MAXWELL.syr.edu> wrote:
> I think that the keyboard is great! I love the size- just perfect.
> Someone did his homework here. If it was any smaller, it wouldn't work
> right, instead it fits my hands just right.
>
> And the sound, it is so "clicky," I really miss that on my mac keyboard!
The 'pencil case' that comes with it is pretty cool too. :)
My only complaint is the racket it makes, which prevents me using it in
quiet places like libraries. This, incidentally, is something that was
addressed with the eMate keyboard, which is almost entirely silent.
Frankly, I'd like to see the Newton external keyboard replaced with a
repackaged eMate unit for just this reason.
Build quality; I've lugged one around in a bag for 18 months, so I've
sat on several times. It doesn't seem to care.
Overall, it's a great unit - just a shade noisy for my tastes.
--
Jonathan Sanderson <jona...@quern.demon.co.uk>
Researcher/Producer, science TV <http://www.quern.demon.co.uk>
If I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter (Pascal)
Carl E. Moore
>> I think that the keyboard is great! I love the size- just perfect.
>> Someone did his homework here. If it was any smaller, it wouldn't work
>> right, instead it fits my hands just right.
I really like the keyboard as well. I've hacked two here to move the cable to
the left-hand side and enlarge the hole enough to slide the excess cable into
the keyboard case. I can't figure why the cable comes out the right-hand
side, anyway, most people landscape the Newton (that I've seen) with the PC
cards "up".
Anyway, nice piece of work, that keyboard.
HOW ABOUT A FREE $10.00 CALLING CARD?
http://www.dcfx.com/tel3
Henry Shires
In article <6a372j$c8...@theusc.csd.sc.edu>, cem...@hotmail.com (Carl E.
Moore) wrote:
I agree. I love the keyboard. It's a perfect size for real-world work
without real-world size. The only design flaw that I see is indeed the
positioning of the cable. I also like the MP2K/keyboard/case combo. It's
perhaps an inch too long when you open it up but otherwise excellent as a
writing tool that folds up into a small and lightweight packge.