Eleksen Fabric Keyboard
26th February 2007
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So what do you get when you set the Eleksen guys on the task? A full QWERTY keyboard that not only is lightweight, it can fit in your pocket, requires only 2 AAA batteries and requires no wires.
The experts in fabric based technology have allowed us to spend some time with the Eleksen fabric keyboard features Elektex technology. What this means for mobile users is something that is a bit more substantial than the typical onboard keyboard that you get on a mobile phone or smartphone.
The Elektex technology means flexible and durable controls can be embedded in to materials such as fabric and this technology has been found in some of our iPod-enabled jackets that we reviewed over the past few months.
They’ve taken that same technology and created a fabric keyboard with Bluetooth wireless technology. So what you essentially have is this wireless keyboard that you can simply roll up and put away in your pocket once you’re done with it.
The actual size of the keyboard is not that much smaller than your typical laptop keyboard and it weighs virtually nothing at 68g.
Elektex technology is flexible and effective that it is becoming more and more widespread in so many different electronic devices from bags to jackets with integrated controls, there really isn’t many things that you can’t embed this technology in to.
True innovation is the response time and natural feel to typing when you’re using this device with a smartphone or PDA and no more crumbs or dirty getting trapped between the keys and if it does ever get soiled, simply wash it in the sink!
There are no wires or electronics inside the keyboard portion of the unit so finger stroke recognition is done through contact when you push on the key the sensors inside detect this pressure and sends that signal through the Bluetooth sender to your mobile device.
For the truly mobile worker, this is a dream come true, no more struggling with those tiny keyboards that are shoehorned in for convenience. The unit supports a range of devices from the Treo 650, Palm Tungsten T3 to the many Windows Mobile powered devices that are available on the market.
Power consumption is modest with up to 10 hours use from two AAA batteries but bearing in mind you will be using extra battery power with the Bluetooth enabled on your mobile device so you need to take this in to account if you’re going to be using this for extensive time periods.
Typing on this fabric keyboard is not as quick or easy as using your notebook or desktop keyboard and sometimes you will make mistakes, but ultimately you will find it easier and faster to type out long documents using the fabric keyboard rather than the onboard one built in to your device.
If you’re often typing extensive documents on your portable device then the Eleksen Fabric keyboard is going to save your fingers from early retirement to arthritis and enjoy the rest of your life knowing that you wont struggle to open a can of pop when you’re 70. On the flip side, you’ll be comforted to know that the soft fabric that this keyboard is made out of will be a nice alternative to a pillow for sleeping on after you’ve typed out your novel on a 3-inch or smaller display.
