[SunRescue] [OT] Pencil eraser keyboards?

[Adam Kropelin]

At 01:07 PM 2/26/2001 -0600, you wrote:
> >>http://www.pckeyboard.com/webboard.html
> >>
> >>Their wireless webboard looks pretty nifty.
> >>It's got the cl*t-mouse build in (in two locations no less).
> >>Might be good for using with all those MP3 players that
> >>everyone has. :-)
>
>I think it's cool as well!  I'm probably going to get a couple at the end of
>this week when I get paid.  One for my system at home and one for my laptop
>when it's docked at work. ;-)
>
>Mike Hebel

If you're interested in this unit because of the wireless-ness of it, 
beware.  It's IR-based, so that means line-of-sight only. I tested a number 
of IR keyboards a few months back and returned them all due to poor 
performance. Perhaps this one is better, I didn't test it specifically.

I eventually ended up with an RF model from some no-name outfit who 
apparently licensed Yahoo!'s logo as the thing is known as the Yahoo! 
Wireless Keyboard. It works pretty well, even from behind closed doors at 
the opposite end of the house. Beware of Logitech wireless units; they are 
RF, which is good, but they have a six foot max range!

Also, I have found numerous protocol incompatibilities amongst all the 
wireless units I tested (Yahoo! RF included). They definitely don't like 
KVM switchboxes, and some even had trouble under anything other than 
Windoze. Don't ask me how it's possible to screw up the PS/2 protocol such 
that it works sometimes and not others, but a lot of wireless manufacturers 
seem to have managed it.

My overall impression: wireless keyboard technology has a ways to go...

--Adam