Outlier Technologies has launched a Kickstarter campaign to further the development of TREWGrip, a patent-pending mobile QWERTY rear-type device that allows users to type with both hands while sitting, standing or walking. The full, standard QWERTY key layout is split and rotated so that the hands gripping TREWGrip can also touch-type wherever they are working. The first version of TREWGrip is a mobile dock, which connects wirelessly to virtually any Bluetooth-enabled mobile device or computer. TREWGrip also features an optional gyroscope that allows users to control on-screen mouse movement by simply tilting and turning the device.
TREWGrip Mobile Dock
The purpose of the TREWGrip Kickstarter campaign is to support the next phase of product development and initial production set for the first quarter of 2014. To learn more about TREWGrip and the Kickstarter campaign, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/trewgrip/trewgrip-mobile-qwerty-the-next-evolution-in-typin.
“TREWGrip is unlike any technology available today, and was inspired by a real-world problem,” said Mark Parker, president of Outlier Technologies and inventor of TREWGrip. “Modern smartphones and tablets are amazing technologies providing us capabilities that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Unfortunately, they are not great for data entry, especially creating and editing documents or completing detailed work tasks. Despite everyone’s best efforts to use two thumbs or hunt-and-peck on touchscreens, mobile devices and their owners must become immobile to accomplish real work, defeating the purpose of the modern technology. TREWGrip solves this challenge.”
TREWGrip was introduced to the public at the Cincy Typing Challenge, an open typing competition at Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) in July 2013. After an initial qualifying round where the public was invited to test their typing speed on typewriters and keyboards, the top eight fastest typists were given a TREWGrip mobile dock and access to typing tutorials to acclimate to rear-typing. After five days with the device, the finalists gathered at CMC to compete head-to-head on TREWGrip. The winner, who had qualified for the Finals by typing 137 words per minute on a standard keyboard, typed 115 words per minute on TREWGrip to claim the $5,000 grand prize.
Parker added, “The typing contest proved to be a fun and challenging setting to introduce a new rear-typing technology. While we had no idea what the outcome would be, the results provided numerous validations of TREWGrip. Perhaps most importantly, after only 8-10 hours of training, the average user was able to transfer his typing competencies from a traditional keyboard to TREWGrip.”
For more information and to be part of the next evolution in typing, visit the Kickstarter campaign page at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/trewgrip/trewgrip-mobile-qwerty-the-next-evolution-in-typin.
About TREWGrip
TREWGrip, a spinoff of Outlier Technologies, is a patent-pending handheld “rear-type” device that has tactile keyboard keys for typing, but on the backside. The standard QWERTY key layout is split and rotated so the hands gripping TREWGrip can also do multi-finger text entry. By maintaining the QWERTY key layout, typists can quickly transfer competencies from a traditional keyboard to TREWGrip without having to learn an entirely new skill. TREWGrip also provides visual cues on the front, which helps users with varying levels of typing expertise easily locate the typing keys on the back using simple hand-eye coordination. For more details, please visit trewgrip.com.
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