Inside a Maltron...

[Jim66]

As sexy as the uTron is; it would literally drive me insane every time I wanted to use the shift and backspace!

[Findecanor]

It is only available in Japan, is very expensive and the key spacing is smaller than standard.

[Input Nirvana]

uTron is an outstanding uber-ergo/productive keyboard. It's about as ergo as possible without going to the cupped/bowl/thumb pad extreme. I've only seen pictures, but after the few reviews and consideration of what it is....very impressive. A beautiful combination of so many good qualities (Typematrix, Freestyle, Topre) and a few of it's own. I even reference it on my Split Kinesis Mod article on GH. I actually think the uTron has the ability to influence the ergo, as well as the 'more productive' keyboard market more than any others I've seen.

[Jim66]

There are a couple of problems that I have with the uTron:

1). The location of the shift the backspace (the shift especially).

2). It isn't really a typematix layout, it more of a traditional right hand and opposite slant on the left hand.

3). There is no wrist rest built in with the board (I understand that you can buy the extra foam rests), and the board looks very high from the table. I just don't think that it looks very comfortable.

How do you find typing on it webwit?

[webwit]

The uTron is a real ergonomic keyboard, unlike the Typematrix, which is probably the worst "ergo" keyboard in my collection (strong competition from the Apple ergo keyboard here). The vertical lines of the keyboard follow the position of your hands and the lines your fingers move perfectly, hence the special key width. The shifts are placed in close reach of the strong index fingers instead of way out there for the weak pinkies, and the whole keyboard can be operated without hand travel, just finger travel. It's very smart. It can have any slant you want because it is adjustable, for example straight vertical like the Typematrix. My only complaint is the Japanese style layout elements with lack of importance of Space, but those extra modifiers default to space when using a western layout.

Like the Datahand, the designers threw away most of the heritage of typewriters and started anew. This also means choices of habit are thrown out and new design choices and a learning curve are introduced. This is what the TRON project is about, don't get held back by the past, and do it exactly right. So when the TRON project is designing the shift keys for this keyboard, naturally they choose a better location near stronger fingers with less travel, but also one which will be different and introduces a learning curve. It is exactly this lack of will to compromise and only going for the highest quality, in design, implementation and material (such as using Topre switches) that makes the uTron a very interesting exercise with very interesting results, which made me want this keyboard. Most other keyboards are exercises in compromise, in layout, material and price, to find a sweat spot of profit maximization. Whether it is a practical keyboard for day to day usage depends on what you're looking for - it is a keyboard that only works if you dedicate yourself to it like the Datahand.

[Input Nirvana]

Clarification:
My Typematrix reference is strictly with regard to the general key layout (non-alphanumeric keys in the center) and nothing more.

[Jim66]

Thanks, it's nice to hear what it is like from someone that actually owns one. Did it end up costing you 500 + Euros to import it?

[Jim66]

Clarification:
My Typematrix reference is strictly with regard to the general key layout (non-alphanumeric keys in the center) and nothing more.

I've also owned a type matrix. It has to be THE worst keyboard I have ever owned.

[webwit]

Thanks, it's nice to hear what it is like from someone that actually owns one. Did it end up costing you 500 + Euros to import it?

I don't exactly remember, but probably. I also got the wrist rests which added to the total, but the euro was stronger. Keyboard + wrist rest cost, shipping to shopping service and from shopping service to me, shopping service fee, payment provider fee, import costs...

[Findecanor]

The µTron keyboard is a typewriter-ised version of a much more radical keyboard that did have integrated wrist rests ... and an integrated digitizer pen. I doubt that you could connect it to any modern device, though.
This is what one of the production versions looked like:

tk1.jpg (18.46 KiB) Viewed 3966 times

By the way ... this is how two prototypes looked like (now in a museum):

early Tron prototype.jpg (18.45 KiB) Viewed 3966 times

138248710_e986fac5b4.jpg (112.42 KiB) Viewed 3966 times

In the first prototype, you can see a close resemblance to the Japanese "M-System" keyboard (for the NEC PC-8801, not IBM-PC compatible) which supposedly is a quite good system for entering Japanese text. So that's where it comes from.
BTW, the second prototype has what looks like Cherry switches ...

[webwit]

Where they all fail and what only Datahand managed, is that somehow all keyboards restrict themselves to buttons on a plate you have to press down. Why? Because the typewriter was like that? Why not sideways? Or up?

[mintberryminuscrunch]

i really cant imagine pressing sideways in a controlled manner.
but looking at current prices and prodution of the datahand i'll probably never have to

[Jim66]

Where they all fail and what only Datahand managed, is that somehow all keyboards restrict themselves to buttons on a plate you have to press down. Why? Because the typewriter was like that? Why not sideways? Or up?

Exactly, why even a keyboard at all?... Because the typewriter was like that?

I have seen some very impressive data entry (mostly text) done by my professor with some voice recognition software. Converting regular speech to text was done very efficiently with almost no mistakes.

[HaaTa]

The muTron is an outstanding product, I never regret getting one.

[Jim66]

The muTron is an outstanding product, I never regret getting one.

Do you use it as your primary "everyday" keyboard?

[hoggy]

I like the hand wiring job on that Maltron...

I wonder if they write inside all of their keyboards.

[Jim66]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they do. I've had three and they have written in each one.

The personal hand touch almost justifies the strange build quality.

[captain]

I wonder when/if we will combine modes of data entry to really facilitate the input speed/accuracy? Y'all's comments have got me thinking that a combination of voice-recognition and haptic tools could be a killer combination!...

On the other hand, after using Siri for a while, I'm not sure we're ready for prime time, and I'm not sure that talking to a computer is even desirable. There is something nice about the dissociation of language creation from the vocal chords. Plus, it frees up the aural landscape for other uses. The Datahand looks pretty nifty though.