Since I’m doing a project on chording based input devices next term, I thought I’d ask for a few opinions.
We already have a working 5-button keyboard which can be learned within one hour. Sound interesting?
There are quite a few ideas for small chorded input devices to fit in the hand out there. The basic motivation is: you have a very small keyboard, operated with a single hand, which can be used standing, sitting, running, diving, more-or-less wherever you want. I’ll put some links to existing ideas on the web below; unfortunately only one is available to purchase and that’s not exactly great value for money (I’ll post a review if anyone’s interested).
So, do you think something like this would be marketable? Which designs do you like best, and would you want an integrated mouse (thinkpad-style stick or ball) too?
Links:
Lets start imagining... 
I’ve been messing around with chord keyboards so long it all seems perfectly obvious to me.
1 Anything like a qwerty should not be in the same plane as the display screen.
2 Any input device that requires 2 hands to operate is not appropriate for pedestrian use (NAFPU).
3 Any input scheme that requires you to look at it while you operate it is NAFPU.
3 Wireless connections between separate parts (e.g., keyboard and phone) are much better than wired ones for pedestrian use or even mobile use.
4 Gloves are less desirable than held devices because you have to remove them so often.
5 Electronic systems for normal, non-geek pedestrians should be stowable; pocketable or otherwise able to be made invisible or very inconspicuous.
6 It is unnecessarily difficult to type with fingers that must also grasp something.
To review: a keyboard for pedestrians should (must) be a graspable, pocketable, one-hand, wireless, device that allows touch typing with fingers that do not have to support the device.
I mis-numbered and mis-spoke: … fingers that do –> NOT <– have to support the device.
And (8) yes of course it must have a mouse/trackball/joystick/etc. The main reason we want efficient, non-tiring text input to pedestrian-portable devices is to accomplish useful work outside the office or lab. This includes cutting and pasting in word processors, spread sheets and all the other applications that expect mice.
Hey, I hadn’t expected a reply from the guy behind chordite! Cool!
1) I mostly agree with, but the keyboard on my N900 is perfectly usable (with two hands only). For the rest I agree with you; I’m not entirely sure whether the phone-wrapper idea would work without holding the phone with the other hand (if it’s bulky enough to sit in the hand well it might).
Really I was asking about marketability. Did you ever try selling chordite devices?