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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Popkeymon on Sun, 04 September 2011, 00:07:54

Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Popkeymon on Sun, 04 September 2011, 00:07:54: I have notice the palm size keyboard Frogpad mounted by Linda since its ancient time. It is a failure by design whether it is magical or not. The target market was originally for mobile computing. It enables users to plug into mobile device thru USB to type email by one hand. It has tailored to tiny size just for the sake of mobility.

With advancement of mobile computing, the mobile device such as ipad has push the hard botton keyboard death sentence but retain its soul on the touch sensitive screen. The idea of cruching all abcs into a palm size keyboard proven foolish and useless and it is neither as ergonomic as alternative such as maltron and dvorak.

on 09/01, a brand new "magic" frog has launched. I have maintained my opinions that it is a failure by design. the new gadge is now targetting mac pc and not mobile. Should I abandon my keyboard and buy a frog to type? i won't do so. will you?
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Oqsy on Sun, 04 September 2011, 00:30:09: I agree, not yes.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: alaricljs on Sun, 04 September 2011, 00:36:29: I think you bent my brain, Oqsy.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: hcry4 on Sun, 04 September 2011, 00:54:16: It's interesting, but I agree that it's probably not gonna sell very well.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Oqsy on Sun, 04 September 2011, 02:25:21: atari: sorry, that's how I felt after reading the OP.

can someone clue me in to all the frogpad posts recently? and why are they all so difficult to understand?

what ever happened to hamblet?

what's for dinner?
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: hoggy on Sun, 04 September 2011, 07:10:41: I can understand them wanting to reduce their costs, but the new design looks as if it would be harder to use. Hands will drift, harder to hold with the other hand if you don't have a flat surface, no tactile response.

I applaud most new (or re-) designs as it proves that design is going on - but I just don't like this one. Seems that the marketing dept. has driven this one.

It seems too 'apple' - and the apple section of the target market will probably prefer the touch screen. Not sure about the non-apple section - personally I hate the look.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Playtrumpet on Sun, 04 September 2011, 08:55:48: A lot of companies don't try to make their products better, just cheaper and more sellable. That's the problem, isn't it? The first world is filled with sub par products because so many companies don't invest in actual innovation.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 04 September 2011, 09:32:14: $129 for some multitouch software and stickers for the touchpad!?

The physical FrogPad is no longer available from frogpad.com.
Google has it cached from August, this year.
The USB version cost $139.99 and the Bluetooth version cost $149.99.

... and the iPad app is free!

Edit: I saw (over here (http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/bibuxton/buxtoncollection/detail.aspx?id=1)) that the original price was $229 back in 2002.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Lanx on Mon, 05 September 2011, 10:47:37: lol doesn't frogpad just try to charge over the top cuz they have a patent?
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: mbc on Mon, 05 September 2011, 11:23:31: since it is for mac they'll do tons of money
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: Playtrumpet on Mon, 05 September 2011, 20:02:08: Quote from: mbc;410907
since it is for mac they'll do tons of money
It's not a product by Apple, but it'll probably still be sold for more than it's actually worth.
Title: Magically? How should the Magic Frogpad be a failure, again?
Post by: DaemonRaccoon on Mon, 05 September 2011, 20:18:41: Wait, so instead of a physical keyboard; now they're selling software and what amounts to a glorified window cling?