Design flaw w/ easy fix: Shift key misplaced

[WinTakeAll]

Here’s my #1 needed fix for the Redfly: Move the right Shift key to its correct location immediately to the right of the '/' and '?' key.

The current location is a major pain: As a touch-typist I keep pressing the Up-arrow key and all the time when I meant to type an uppercase letter using the right Shift key. As I type on I mess up my text now typing on the wrong line.

As far as I'm concerned this flaw jeopardizes the entire point of the Redfly which is to make it easier to type up an email or a memo on the go. (Sure, some people may not think this is a big deal, say a slow two-finger typist who doesn't know better than to actually look at the keyboard while typing. But believe me: for anyone who knows how to type it’s a disaster to see a keyboard where any of the main keys (A-Z, Space, Shifts, Return, Backspace) are not where they're supposed to be.
Fortunately the fix is easy: Just let the right Shift keytop and the Up-arrow keytop trade places, and for symmetry also let the Down-arrow and Right-arrow keytops trade places.

As an added benefit the important Up- and Down-arrow and Page keys (used all the time for scrolling) become more accessible at the very corner of the keyboard.

Celio could roll this out in production with a small firmware update with a new internal keymap. Existing customers updating to new firmware could actually easily swap the keytops themselves: they snap off and on easily. So just write in the release notes for the new firmware that a keytop swap is part of the upgrade if done to an older Redfly with the right Shift key in the wrong location.

Here’s a pic of the change:

 

[JohnH59]

I also have a lot of problems with the right shift key. The more I use it, the better I get. But, just as soon as I'm back on my laptop or desktop and then go back to the Redfly, I mess up on the right shift.

It's certainly not a deal breaker for me, but I would like to see a better right shift key. I would actually like to trade mine in instead of having to map the keys.

 

[ckj]

Yeah, I've been using a REDFLY for months and I still miss the shift key about half the time. We’ve been working on some key-mapping options.

WinTakeAll, I just sent you a PM and email through the WMexperts system with some ideas. Post here if you don’t receive those messages.

 

[Ebag333]

I don't really have a problem with the left shift key. *shrug*

The problem is if you move it then you'll be annoyed when you go to hit the up arrow. It'd be very awkward positioning.

Now the Redfly setup key...THAT one I hit all the time.

 

[JohnH59]

The more I use my Redfly the more I keep hitting the up arrow key when trying to hit the right shift key. This really is annoying. It throws me off by quite a bit. I may not notice for a little while and then when I do, I have to correct all text that is mixed in with other text. Other than the right shift key, I really like the Redfly. I use it daily.

If I had the choice, I would rather not have an up arrow instead of having the problem I have. At least I could use the mouse to navigate.

 

[ckj]

JohnH59,

I just sent you a PM with an idea. Let me know if you didn't get it.

 

[Bujin#IM]

Honestly, I never noticed this as an issue. I'm a touch typist, but I guess I'm just used to having the Shift key on the far right. The only key I ever have an issue with is the apostrophe - I always hit the "up" key.

 

[Gabey8]

One thing that's helpful to me, in getting used to the placement of the right shift key, is the fact that the Eee PC 701 has precisely the same keyboard layout with respect to the arrow and right shift keys. (LITERALLY "precisely the same, in fact: see my thread about finding a keyboard membrane for the Redfly.)

It does take some practice to get used to the placement of the right shift key, but it can be done.

 

[snovvman#CB]

I completely agree with the original poster. Good job on describing the issue. For those who know how to properly type on a QWERTY keyboard, this is likely to be an issue. I find myself either having to stretch my little finger to hit the shift, or forcing myself to hit the other shift key. Neither is ideal. A "patch" of sorts would be great.

And yes, if you peck with two or four fingers, or are self-taught in some way where that is not a factor, this may not affect you.