Buxton Collection: interesting collection of input devices

[konz]

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/ ... ollection/

e.g., early datahand: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/ ... aspx?id=75

[Input Nirvana]

Thanks for that post. Interesting.

I especially like the black Datahand with the blue keys. I wish mine had those colors!

[webwit]

I've seen that black early DH200 with blue caps on ebay once, and asked Lynn from Datahand about it. She claimed the blue caps must be died or something, because they came with dark gray ones (like on the white one). Unless it's the same DH200 here, she was wrong They were nicknamed the "Black Beauties". She also said she had some NIB of those.

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Now from rare to rarer...

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[Input Nirvana]

The bottom pic (black Datahand with white palm pads) has the "up" thumb keys...must be the last models made, Personal or Pro II?

I still want to follow through on your idea of a Datahand without the boxy cases...just the pad and keys. My Datahand is almost brand new, so I won't cannibalize it. Maybe a beater or those ancient models would work to experiment with.

I would like having black palm pads.

[webwit]

The bottom one is, I have been told, a prototype or showcase model for when they tried to acquire HP as a client for bigger distribution. The HP Datahand. It didn't happen.

[Input Nirvana]

Probably unrelated, but I read a blog that of a former employee of HP was given a company provided Datahand for his RSI.

Hmmm...showcase model, might as well make them all black rather than holding out that color for a partnetship that may never exist.

Maybe you're right and they have a couple thousand left, unassembled in the manufacturers warehouse in Mexico till the manufacturer gets paid.

Also, it seems to me that the tiny keys would Rit-Dye petty well.

[daedalus]

Prototype M13s

[webwit]

Hey now.