PalmBlog

Tungsten C Long Term Test Drive Continued -- The Perfect Writing Machine?

Here's a riddle: What weighs 11.9 ounces total, is the size of two packs of playing cards, and is an (almost) perfect mobile writing machine? Answer: The Palm Tungsten C with the Palm Ultra-Thin Keyboard, Rev B. The "Rev B" is important: as I've indicated in previous blog entries, there is a known incompatibility between the T|C and the original version of the Ultra-Thin Keyboard, and I experienced this with the review keyboard Palm originally sent me. Today, though, I received a replacement keyboard which was revision B (indicated by a parenthetical (B) after the model name near the serial number). I loaded and turned on the most recent driver, unfolded the keyboard, popped the T|C into the built-in stand, and voila, instant typing. With the new keyboard, I experienced none of the problems (failure to recognize keypresses, etc.) I had seen before. In short, it just works.

So how does the Ultra-Thin Keyboard together with the Tungsten compare to other Palm keyboard solutions? As someone who has used every keyboard from the Apple Newton keyboard with a custom driver and cable to the GoType from Landware (I had pre-ordered it) to the original Palm Portable Keyboard built by ThinkOutside, I have a great deal of experience with this question. In short, the T|C and U-TK combo blows them all away.

This isn't just hype--both the Tungsten and the U-TK solve specific problems that made earlier solutions less than ideal. On the Tungsten side, the big difference is processor speed, going from 16 or even 33 MHz up to a whopping 400 MHz. I used to use my PPK with my Palm IIIxe all the time, and while it was fine for memos, the processor load for a program like BlueNomad's Wordsmith was sufficient that the screen never kept up with my typing. I either had to type more slowly, or use Memo Pad and sacrifice formatting and MS Word compatibility. With the Tungsten, though, Wordsmith flies with the keyboard, keeping up with my 80 WPM typing speed. I think, I type, I see it on the screen. It's a very nice situation.

There's one other aspect of the Tungsten C as a writing tool that is a vast improvement on earlier models--the built-in Wi-Fi. I used my IIIxe for Internet access, but because the cable to the modem or telephone took up the same serial port that the keyboard did, I could never have both attached at once. That meant that for Web browsing or even instant messaging, I had to use the slower and less accurate Graffiti instead of being able to type my inputs. Since the Wi-Fi connection of the T|C doesn't require any expansion slots, the keyboard can be attached while I'm online, making Web and chat use much more pleasant.

The keyboard itself improves somewhat on its predecessor, the Palm Portable Keyboard, in one key respect: It can be placed by itself on a lap. The PPK's design included a central hinge point that meant that you could not type on a soft, irregular surface like a lap. Instead, you had to find a flat book or magazine to use as a typing surface, somewhat reducing the convenience of the keyboard. The U-TK, by comparison, has a solid undersurface at the center of the keyboard as well as below the support for the handheld, and can be easily placed and utilized on a lap...as I'm doing right now. It makes the unit much better for use on trains and in lectures where desk space isn't available.

If the combo of the Tungsten C and Ultra-Thin Keyboard is so wonderful, why did I qualify this as the "(almost) perfect" writing tool? In short, the compromises that the keyboard designers made take a bit away from the utility. In order to keep the size of the keyboard as small as possible, they have made many keys do double and even triple duty. For example, the top row functions as the QWERTYUIOP set of letters, the numbers 1 through 0, and most of the punctuation marks as well (. and , have their own dedicated keys below). In order for the keys to function in 3 ways, the Ultra-Thin Keyboard includes two separate Fn keys, one blue and the other green. You must use the blue to get numbers, and the green for the punctuation. It's as if the left and right shift keys worked differently. It's annoying, and requires significant adjustment for a touch typist like me. Fortunately, for those keys serving only two purposes (for example, the K key also allows keyboard access to the pull-down menus in various Palm applications), either Fn key will serve. Less annoying but still somewhat peculiar is the split down the middle of the space bar, again necessitated by the design of the keyboard. The compromises remind me of some of the early subnotebook computers, which also had unusual key placements. At least the keys seem essentially full-sized and have a comfortable travel and almost-silent action.

As someone who bought his first Pilot 1000 in 1996 specifically to write with, I am very excited by the functionality provided by the Tungsten C and Ultra-Thin Keyboard. Now that the incompatibility issues are being resolved, it appears that Palm has finally created a true alternative to the bulk of a laptop, while retaining the vast majority of the functionality. {Jonathan}