If you cast your mind back to 2009, you might recall the Palm Pre had an edge so sharp, it was able to cut through cheese. Measuring just half a millimetre thick, the world’s thinnest keyboard — made by British company CSR in partnership with Atmel and CIT — should be able to take on a bratwurst, surely. I put my IFA lunch to the test.
In case you missed the news when CSR revealed its keyboard, the flexible touch interface has been made possible thanks to Cambridge-based CIT’s inkjet-printed copper-on-plastic innovation, which can turn any area into a touch-sensitive surface. My brief play with it showed that while I made a few typos, it had about the same level of accuracy as typing on a normal iPad or Android tablet’s on-screen keyboard.
Connecting to a tablet or laptop via Bluetooth, the battery life is currently around 7-8 hours, though it’s possible to boost the battery via USB when connected to a tablet (or other power source).
However much we may want it built into a tablet cover or as a stand-alone device, we’ve got some waiting to do — CSR figures it won’t be commercially available until Christmas 2014. In the meantime, I’m going to keep my eyes on this company, to see how else they apply this technology — wearable interfaces, anyone?
Lastly, if anyone’s going hungry, there’s a somewhat-mangled bratwurst lurking in a bin near CSR’s IFA stand. I wouldn’t mention it to the company reps if I were you though.