keyboard – Tech Raman

Xploree Keyboard – Yet another keyboard or something different to it?

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 18:09:33 +0000

When asked what is the most accessed app in a phone, almost everyone would skip keyboard but then isn’t keyboard the most frequently used app for any inputs? People would think keyboard as a natural extension of a smartphone than an app but then it is an app and people do dabble with different keyboard app if the default is not to their liking. There is no dearth for keyboard apps in Android play store – Google keyboard, Swiftkey, Swype, Fleksy and others. When I tested CoolPad device, it came with a different keyboard complete with green icons , back then I didn’t know about Xploree but it did pick my interest.

Prefer watching video instead? take a look at our video.

https://youtu.be/C7brGialvzE

It came as a surprise during a discussion that the very keyboard that was pre-installed in the CoolPad phone was the Xploree keyboard app and the bigger surprise was it was developed by an Indian company, KeyPoint Technology.

Amidst the crowd of keyboard apps, why would anyone want to use Xploree? The company says the key differentiator is its intent based and is powered by Natural language processing, machine learning and AI. We all know Artificial Intelligence is the future forward and KeyPoint Technology has made Xploree analyze instantly whats you key in and give suggestions based on your intent.

While keyboards like Swiftkey are great with its predictive powers at texts and language learning, the Xploree strives to predict what you might like or wish to based on the conversation made. So when you type a friend ‘shall we do a lunch?’ , it comes out with cards that can suggest some restaurants, worth trying. So the understanding of the conversation and looking into the intent is what makes Xploree stands out amidst other features. Of course you do get the usual bells and whistles features and predictive texts and other now standard features like auto correction, auto capitalization etc.

To add a bit of fun into the messaging, the Xploree also has good icon sets, text shortcuts can be added in native languages for easy keying and you can personalize the keyboard by feeding your own dictionary.

Where do people usually make their discovery? mostly on browsers, right? Xploree has added a discovery feature as its core identity. As you keep typing on the keyboard, it recognizes the intent and pushes the contextual discoveries side by side aided by Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing.

Then there is also a Presto, bubble floating around. It gathers all the discovery cards which you have not noticed and you can always fall back on this to take a look at the cards.

There are also many themes and India-specific themes too to add flavour to the keyboard.

Xploree retains the core aspects of the keyboard functionality consumers expect and along with that offers a unique medium of discovery based on intent which is its highlight. Of course, there are areas for improvement and make the discoveries more accurate but the concept looks promising and can only get better in future implementation.

https://youtu.be/CP3EnBb3xCo

In case you have not tried Xploree yet, go ahead download and let us know how you find it.

To download click HERE

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Corsair Vengeance K60 Review

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 18:41:44 +0000

Corsair has been popular for their power supplies, RAM, and cases but recently they have build an armory of gaming peripherals including keyboard, mouse and headsets that not only looks great but also are sturdy and good to use. What we have today at our review desk is Corsair Vengeance K60 gaming keyboard with its own unique charms like swappable key caps for frequently used gaming keys, and a left-hand wrist rest/keycap-storage bin. For gaming buffs, its a serious arena and the right gaming gear makes a lot of difference to the gaming experience. Corsair K60 falls under the lower deck of the Corsair’s keyboard portfolio with K70 and K90 better upgrades. Still if you are a casual gamer you can look at K60 for performance gaming.

Design and build

The K60 is a looker though not very flamboyant like some of other gaming peripherals in the market including from the Corsair’s own range. Metal body wins over me and K60 has brushed aluminum deck plate and along with the two tone color-scheme it looks neat. The K60 mixes two type of switches for the keys, while it uses Cherry MX Red mechanical switches which are a real-must for gaming keyboards due to their rapid actuation and light weighting are used for all the typing and numeric pad, the lesser used function keys uses the cheaper silicone dome switches. The keys are nicely spaced and the Cherry MX Red mechanical switches are joy to tap. On the top right corner there are media controls like buttons for stop, play/pause, forward and back search, as well as a rolling volume control and mute button. There is also a windows lock key for interference free gaming. A good, sturdy cable is a a must for a good gaming keyboard. K60 uses a durable braided USB cable. It has two USB connections and the braided covers prevents chord tangling and can withstand much of wear and tear for longer life. A unique addition to the K60 is a detachable left hand wrist rest which also combines as a little stowaway place to keep the switchable key caps and a handy key removable tool. The keyboard out of the package comes with all black keys but you also get 1-6 and WASD bright red swappable caps for easy identification and navigation while in gaming. The swappable caps are also textured for comfort. The wrist rest is very ergonomic. Even the space bar has a texture on it and these minute detailing comes handy during game play. With ‘anti-ghosting’ on works, the keyboard allows you to press any number of keys simultaneously something that only a serious gamer appreciates. Imagine a situation in battlefield where you have to run diagonally as well as keep firing your gun at opponents! Corsair Vengeance K60 is a good gaming keyboard for starters but it lacks the back-light and programmable keys which many serious gamers would look forward to. For that, you can look at K90 in the series but if you are looking for a started gaming keyboard, K60 is a good choice.]]>

Corsair Vengeance K60 Review

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 18:41:44 +0000

Design and build

Domo launches all-compatible MagicKey K36 keyboard

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 13:50:27 +0000

Have you been frustrated since your keyboard was not compatible with your windows version or not cross compatible with various OS? There are keyboards in market that works with multiple operating systems and versions. Domo, an emerging maker of smart phones, tablets and accessories has launched its first cross compatible keyboard, MagicKey K36 which works at ease with all windows version and even with PC, MAC, Linux, and Android. The MagicKey K36 with 103 keys has a sturdy and slim design with soft keys. The keyboard is also spill resistant. Mazher Shaikh, business development manager at Domo said, “We are excited to launch our first keyboard into the PC peripherals market which is growing at higher rate. Domo MagicKey K36 is designed with best features and targeting all the masses. We are always keen on fulfilling the requirements of the users by adopting latest technologies at affordable price point and we continue to launch more products in this segment.” ]]>

Circle C50 multimedia combo review

Lakshmi Rajan — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 14:01:13 +0000

Like most of the keyboards these days, Circle C50 keyboard comes with two stands at the base for angle adjustment. The thick keys are flat, well planted, spaced and raised. There is a dedicated browser button and a forward – backward buttons for shifting between pages on browser, stop and email buttons. There is also a hot key for Rupee symbol. Being a multimedia keyboard, it has dedicated buttons for play, pause, forward, backward , volume up-down and mute. The keyboard is spill resistant and should see off ocassional spills of coffee on your desk. A standard USB optical mouse with 1000 dpi resolution completes the combo pack. The performance is average and delivers what is expected of a basic mouse. The company says its uses gold-plated USB for the keyboard and mouse. Though in practical sense, it should not make much notable extra difference in usage. On a final note, Circle C50 multimedia combo looks solid, durable and focused on end-users who look for a budget friendly, multimedia keyboard-mouse combo. The segment has heated competition from big names to small names and finally it narrows down to intuitive buying, pricing factor and first-look design appeal. Circle C50 is a decent combo for average users who opt for basic wares for their computing needs.]]>

Keyboard and mouse combo makes a circle with Circle C50 combo

Lakshmi Rajan — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 19:26:09 +0000

Spill resistant, Gold Plated USB multimedia keyboard and mouse combo for just Rs. 799. Though personally I don’t buy into the gold-plated connectors though they are less prone to corrosion but seriously how many times you have come across corrosion problem in connectors? Not me in all my gadget life. Having said that from marketing POV it makes a good box print to entice the potential customer. What might make me take a look at the combo is that it’s spill resistant and looks pretty decent to look at. With over 20 million key-strokes lifetime one could be assured of i longevity unless you tap hard and incessantly and dig a hole into it. Circle C50 combo comes at an MRP of Rs. 799 and with 3 years warranty.]]>

Corsair unveils Vengeance K70 Fully Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with backlit keys

Lakshmi Rajan — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:14:40 +0000

Ask an avid gamer and he would vouch for his favourite mechanical gaming keyboard than the standard and common rubber domed under keys regular keyboard we all use. Corsair, high-performance PC gaming peripherals maker has added Vengeance K70 to its list of mechanical gaming keyboard under Vengeance series. Essentially an upgrade its its existing Vengeance K60 and positioned below the high-end Corsaid K95 keyboard, K70 makes a perfect choice for avid gamers under tight budget. The Corsair Vengeance K70 is built on rugged, brushed, aluminum chassis and uses Cherry MX Red mechanical switches, but each key is now individually backlit. The back lighting can be adjusted to four levels of intensity and can be independently enabled or disabled. Other features include 20-key rollover, a 1000Hz reporting rate, contoured, textured keycaps for WASD keys, dedicated easy access multimedia controls to allow users to play, stop, pause, skip tracks and adjust volume, a detachable wrist rest and an extra USB connector. ]]>