Voice input has made interfacing with modern devices a whole lot easier. Problem is, it’s still far from perfect, so while it works well for short commands and queries, it can be frustrating to use when composing long paragraphs, like we do when writing emails. So, yeah, we still need a keyboard. Specifically, we need a portable keyboard and few we’ve seen come in a more compact size than Tap.
Unlike conventional keyboards, it doesn’t come with multiple rows of keys. Instead, it’s a strap that wears around all five fingers on one hand similar to the top of a fingerless glove, with built-in sensors detecting individual finger movements, which the onboard processor then translates into individual characters.
The Tap can be worn on either the left or right hand, functioning the same way in either situation. Once worn, three taps of the thumb switches the device on (three taps of the ring finger switches it off), at which point it can be paired with any Bluetooth device. From there, you simply tap your fingers on anything (the coffee table, the sofa armrest, your lap – anywhere) to start registering characters onscreen. A single charge of the keyboard is only good for four hours of use, though, so you might want to have a power bank on hand if you plan to use this for a whole day.
As for the actual typing, vowels are individually assigned to each of the five fingers, while various finger combinations produce all the other characters (letters, numbers, punctuations, and special characters), with a training app called TapGenius available to help you get the hang of things. It comes in three sizes: small, medium, and large.
Slated to come out in the fourth quarter, the Tap is priced at $119.