When I ordered my new M1400 I ordered all the ac

TopCat · 05-10-2004, 03:25 AM

When I ordered my new M1400 I ordered all the accessories necessary for work. I'll be passing my M1300 off to a co-worker once it gets repaired from its "Sudden Death Syndrome" so ordered a new set of peripherals: docking station, HTKB, etc.

I have found that the HTKB I received is flaky. Over the weekend I had to do some significant text entry and tried using the new HTKB. When typing any key on the bottom row or hitting the space button it registered maybe only every other time. Needless to say this is a major problem for a touch typer. This morning I compared it with my old HTKB. Typing the same thing in the same position yielded much worse results on the new HTKB. So I'm sending it back in for repair.

Thought I would post this ASAP in case anyone else is experiencing problems with their new HTKB and you don't have another to compare against. My original HTKB isn't up to par with true laptop keyboards but it's much better than this one! I figure if mine is bad there's a good chance the whole recent batch may be off.

adrobinson · 05-10-2004, 05:04 AM

I think after typing on the hardtop keyboard for a while, I would only use it intermittently as I find it extremely awkward to type on with the cramped space bar and the placement of the backpack and delete keys. I would really like to see something like the Targus keyboard made for PDA's. I understand a bluetooth version of that keyboard is in the works right now. It would be neat to see a set of drivers for the M 1400 to utilize this keyboard as I found touch-typing very easy on the original Targus fold-out keyboards.

krypticide · 05-10-2004, 06:56 AM

Can you use it to type on your lap? Or is it unstable like the Compaqs?

TopCat · 05-10-2004, 08:46 AM

The HTKB is stable. Maybe not as much as a normal laptop but not much worse if you keep it in landscape orientation. I use it all the time in my lap. In fact that's probably the ONLY place I hold it except when on travel. I haven't used the Compaqs but have seen them and the relative size/balance looks the same. I wouldn't let that concern deter you. My main complaint (with the HTKB that works, anyway) is that I tend to hit the "track point" nub when typing and since it reads that as a left mouse click the cursor jumps and I end up typing somewhere else on the page unexpectedly. Wish there was a way to turn that "feature" off!

Just to be clear, my original post on this thread was about an apparent manufacturing defect in a recently acquired HTKB, NOT the HTKB design itself. I'm pretty happy with my orignal one (though still pulling for the RWKB in the "Motion Accessories we desire" thread).

toma12 · 05-10-2004, 09:11 AM

Interesting. I've found that I can use mine for about 2 hours then it stops registering ANY key strokes. The little eraser-like mouse still works, but none of the keys work. I need to reboot the tablet before I can enter text with the HTKB. The pen and TIP work, just not the HTKB.

Anyone else seen this?

krypticide · 05-10-2004, 12:57 PM

You should be able to turn the tap off. Look under mouse settings.

krypticide · 05-10-2004, 01:05 PM

By the way, anyone know the official weight of the keyboard? Couldn't find it anywhere!

TopCat · 05-10-2004, 02:26 PM

Toma, I also had that problem over the weekend! Can't be the USB port because as your say the mouse functions still work. It's definitely back to the repair shop for the new HTKB.

TopCat · 05-10-2004, 02:38 PM

Krypti (or is it Andy?), I looked on the mouse control panel and could find no "tag off" control. If you know where to find it I would be ecstatic!

Based on my finely calibrated bathroom scales I would say it weighs about a pound +/-.

krypticide · 05-10-2004, 03:39 PM

I'm just going off my ThinkPad's mouse settings. There was someplace where you could specify the Trackpoint to respond to a quick tap. I don't have a Motion, so unfortunately couldn't help you there except a broad hint.

A pound eh? I'm trying to guage which tablet I want, a Motion or a Toshiba. I currently have a Fujitsu, and while I like the slate form, I find myself wishing I had a keyboard whenever I'm not taking lecture notes. If I got a Motion, I'd tote the keyboard with me everywhere anyways. I wanted to see how the weights compared if the keyboard was included. So I'm guessing the Toshiba is still slightly heavier.