Keyview-Smartype Keyboard Designed to Avoid Neckpain

By Wolfgang Gruener
published

How much innovation room is there left in the good old keyboard?

From typewriters and clumsy Cherry keyboards we mid-30s still remember, we have seen low profile keyboards, OLED programmable key keyboards and touchscreen keyboards. But essentially, keyboards are still the same they were 20, 30 or 50 years ago.

Keyview Tech, a company based in Israel and launched by M-Systems founder Dov Moran, says it can reinvent the keyboard. The Smartype still has a QWERTY keyboard, but adds on a configurable screen. Users can configure the screen with apps to show information such as email inbox, weather and time. However, the screen also display the text currently being typed by the user, which Keyview claims helps reduce neck and eye pain.

Rather than moving your eyes between the screen and the keyboard, which some of us may do frequently, you can now keep your eyes on the keyboard only while typing. Keyview says that the display also helps to increase the typing speed, and reduce the error rate.

So far the Smartype is simply advertised as a teaser on a website with very limited information. You can preorder the device, but there is no shipping date or price.

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Wolfgang Gruener
16 Comments Comment from the forums
  • scurbox
    love the idea, but what if you need to type a password with prying eyes?

    im not a big fan of third party software, but hopefully the software available hides characters when typing in a password.
    Reply
  • balister
    Learn to touch type and you'll continue to look at the screen without having to look down at the keys. You'll also be faster on typing then if you are constantly looking at the keys.
    Reply
  • tanjo
    With a lot of casual PC users now using tablets makes this gadget useless. Those who need to use a real keyboard are probably touch typing already. Makes you wonder who the targets are for this kind of keyboard - smart tv users?
    Reply
  • livebriand
    I doubt many of us will benefit from this. For instance, I keep my keyboard in the keyboard tray, pushed into the desk, where I can't see it at all, because I simply don't need to see the keys. (and I'm a little closer to the screen that way)
    Reply
  • azraa
    I cant help but imagine that this product will have a market with old granpas/tech impaired people. The kind of people who types with a stiff straight finger, letter by letter

    I guess its still useful in some situations, but most people that use a keybord for 1 year ends up typing ultra fast with no or near-zero mistakes.
    Reply
  • xpeh
    Pepperidge Farms Remembers
    Reply
  • boiler1990
    I think this is just going to cause more neck pain since you have to look down. C'mon, guys...
    Reply
  • freggo
    Hpw about we wait until there is actually something to report.
    Like more detailed photos, specs and a price.

    I hope THG does not get into the habit of posting pre-release promos to anything that may or may not see the market some day.
    Reply
  • myufox
    Practice with the keyboard. If you have to look at it, then you need to practice more typing test. As for passwords, tell those prying eyes to turn around and step out for a moment. I don't see this re-inventing the keyboard for the looking up and down aspect. However, having another screen to display notifications will go well as desktop os start to integrate social media and notifications similar to mobile os does.
    Reply
  • Menigmand
    Could Americans launch a product without "smart" in the name?
    Reply