Palm Announces Ultra-Thin Keyboard

Palm Inc. has just announced the Palm Ultra-Thin Keyboard, a full-size, collapsible touch-typeable keyboard. It remains rigid when in use and then folds into a compact stainless steel package.

Designed and manufactured by Think Outside, it is one of smallest touch typeable foldable keyboards available and is 30% lighter and half the thickness of the previous Palm Portable Keyboard.

The compact case unfolds to a standard QWERTY keyboard, with 18mm key spacing and 3mm key travel. In addition, the Palm Ultra-Thin Keyboard is rigid enough when open to use on a lap or other uneven surface, maintaining the familiar feel of a desktop without limiting usage to a desktop.

It uses the Palm Universal Connector and will work with a variety of handhelds from Palm Inc.

"In designing the new Ultra-Thin Keyboard, we addressed our customers' two most pressing requests: make it smaller without sacrificing touch typeability or quality and allow it to be used on the lap," said Bob Olodort, Think Outside's chief executive officer and the designer of the new keyboard.

The Palm Ultra-Thin Keyboard will sell $99 when it becomes available in limited quantities in late November in the U.S. Volume worldwide availability is expected in early 2003.