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News Release from: Venture Development Corp
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 17 March 2006
Creativity is key to keyboard success
A study predicts that the market for keyboards used with portable and handheld devices will grow almost 7% up to 2008.
Keyboards used for portable and handheld devices will grow almost 7% up to 2008, according to a study recently published by VDC Foldable keyboards for PDAs currently dominate this category, but VDC expects an increasing number of other form factors to emerge in the coming years
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 17 Dec 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Keyboards for portable and handheld applications currently represent only 17% of total North American consumption of aftermarket keyboards, but as demand rises in this segment, we are likely to see an increase in keyboards of various form factors for these applications.
Several factors are driving growth in this segment.
Mobile and handheld devices are increasing in popularity.
In the past couple years, devices such as pocket PCs and PDAs have become widely used.
For many users, e-mailing is the most extensively used function.
Current input devices are not satisfactory.
As the trend toward miniaturisation continues for these devices, some important data entry features such as a full size QWERTY keyboard have been sacrificed.
This leaves the user with ineffective keypads or minuscule QWERTY keyboards that greatly reduce typing speed.
Also, the proliferation of Bluetooth wireless technology gives vendors of auxiliary keyboards for mobile and handheld devices another point of competitive advantage in product marketing.
However, a couple important issues are hindering widespread adoption of these keyboards, including price and sturdiness.
Retail price tags on foldable keyboards for PDAs currently range from $60-150.
For many users, this cost is simply unjustifiable.
"Flimsiness" is still a major complaint of foldable keyboards.
As these devices will be carried around and used extensively, they need to employ a more durable design.
According to Shan shan Chu, an Industry Analyst at VDC: "A key advantage of portable and handheld devices is the possibility of mobile communications".
"However, as these devices become smaller, users are forced to compromise between their mobility and effectiveness as a datacommunications device".
"Consumers desperately need a convenient, effective, and integrated data entry mechanism for these devices".
"We expect that over the next couple years, there will be a significant increase in the number of vendors who will try to address this issue with a variety of creative products".
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