Alpha Grip AG-5

[Jokerswild]

Alpha Grip AG-5

"By trying the Alpha Grip you are pioneering a new technology that has the potential to become the solution of choice for desk-free data input. Just as the first mechanical typewriter is the ancestor of today’s wireless keyboards, word processors and printers, the AG-5 may well turn out to be the first in a long line of high speed, handheld computing and communication devices."



The AG-5 came in a brown shipping box sitting on it’s plastic base with a clear plastic piece covering the top of it. Included in the box are the controller, 10’ usb cable, 2 stickers, base, and Quick Start users guide.



All the key’s needed to replace your standard keyboard and mouse are on the AG-5 although the configuration of them is quite different from the standard qwerty keyboard, as you can see in the pics below the stickers on the front let you know what toggle switches on the back relate to your finger placement on the back.




Upon trying the AG-5 for the first time I feel the AG-5 is a bit small for my large hands and holding the AG-5 while trying to type is not easy. The AG-5 is made of a slick plastic and I feel that rubber gripping on the sides of the AG-5 would go a long ways in helping to relieve fatigue that developed in my hands after about 15 minutes of use. My wife tried the Ag-5 as well as my daughter and my wife felt as I do that the AG-5 would be more comfortable were it wider. My daughter ( who is 10 ) tried the AG-5 and it fit her hands quite well as the pic below shows.




The toggle key’s on the back of the AG-5 seem a little too sensitive as I find myself typing letters that I don’t intend to. Although this might be because I feel the need to exert pressure to the sides of the AG-5 to hold it firmly enough to use.


While surfing the web I find myself wishing there was a thumb wheel to scroll down pages rather than using the left click along with the track ball. I’m not a big fan of track balls but for a device like the AG-5 the trackball works well. When using the trackball and left and right click buttons I find myself holding the AG-5 more upright than when typing and this part of the AG-5 is more comfortable than when typing.
I also played some games with the AG-5, Battlefield 1942 < yes I still play this old game, and I played some non action games such as Bejeweled 2 and Hoyle Casino. While Bejeweled 2 and Hoyle Casino only require the trackball and click buttons to play Battlefield 1942 requires quite a few of the key’s to be used such as the famous W, A, S and D keys along with the trackball and click buttons. The WASD buttons are all used by the left hand as with a qwerty keyboard but the layout is different so there is somewhat of a learning curve that will take some time but I was able to play the game and I feel with more practice it would come more naturally.


In conclusion I feel the AG-5 is a good idea that needs some more refinement in the comfort area and would be a good device for someone that was unable to use a standard keyboard and mouse such as someone laid up in bed where having the AG-5 would be an improvement over having to juggle a keyboard and mouse.


Cons: Slick and not comfortable to grip. Requires learning a new keyboard arrangement.


Pros: Everything you need for typing, surfing the web and gaming in one device.

[stinger608]

Cool article Joker!!

Yea, I am not sure I would even want to attempt to use that device replacing keyboard and mouse

[Yellowhello]

Hmm, seems really sketchy. Nope, not for me.

[halutzparilla]

that device looks so odd and looks like a flash back of old contraption of a 1990's Family Computer Console...

[Stormcrow]

That thing scares me, I make enough typos as it is!

[Jokerswild]

I received this reply from the President of Alpha Grip Michael Willner.


Hi Gordon, Thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough review of the AlphaGrip. I’d like to address some of the points you raise:

1.You mention that the configuration is “quite different from the standard qwerty keyboard…” -- That’s true – your hands are in a vertical position (which, btw, is more ergonomic than the horizontal hand position on a keyboard) and you are pressing keys on the back of the device. You can’t see the keys you are hitting, so, in effect, you are learning to touch type by default. You can’t hunt and peck on an AlphaGrip. On the plus side, there is a 70% finger/character correlation to a Qwerty keyboard so you can seamlessly switch from touch typing on a keyboard to an AlphaGrip, and back again.

2.You say that the AG-5 is a bit small for your large hands. -- The AG-5 is sized for small-to-medium sized hands. We expect our AG-6 to be about 10% larger than the AG-5. In the meantime, a number of AlphaGrip users, including myself, have modified our AlphaGrips to accommodate our particular hand sizes. Here is a link to the Modifications page on our website, Making the AlphaGrip keyboard more Ergonomic -- the AlphaGrip Handheld USB Keyboard and Trackball, and on the AlphaGrip wiki: AlphaGrip / Comfortable Computing.

3.You say that “holding the AG-5 while trying to type is not easy.” -- As I mentioned, when you try to use an AlphaGrip you are learning to touch type by default, which is not an easy task, but certainly less difficult than learning to touch type on a keyboard, which takes several months to learn and usually requires formal training. With an AlphaGrip, by comparison, you can teach yourself to touch type relatively quickly – it just takes some time – 30-60 hours - to achieve typing speeds of 40-60 wpm. So, yes it is not easy to type with an AlphaGrip the first week or so, but after awhile you begin to develop muscle memory in your hands and fingers, and it becomes much easier. Here’s a link to a college student describing his learning experience: Later impressions. - alphagrip | Google Groups (here’s a link to the muscle memory post he mentions: WPM - alphagrip | Google Groups).

4.You suggest rubber gripping for the sides. -- That’s a good idea. The slight addition to weight is outweighed by the benefit of holding the AlphaGrip more easily.

5.You say your hands became fatigued after 15 minutes. I think this has more to do with the fact that you were using muscles you hadn’t used much before. This too should go away after a week or two.

6.You write that “the toggle keys on the back of the AG-5 seem a little too sensitive…” -- No doubt they are sensitive. As you become more proficient, however, the sensitivity becomes a positive because it lets you type faster. After a week or two, your hands and fingers become accustomed to the device and you make fewer unintended key presses.

7.You mention that you would like a scroll wheel “rather than using the left click along with the track ball.” We intend to add a scroll wheel to the AG-6. In the meantime, as an alternative, you can simultaneously press a green shift key and the “l” key to scroll down or the “c” key to scroll up.

8.You mention that when playing games, while the WASD buttons are all used by the left hand on the AG-5, the layout is different than QWERTY, which takes some getting used to. -- If the game lets you remap keys so you can put the most common commands on the AlphaGrip’s “home row”, you would minimize the finger movement thereby increasing your gaming speed. I did this with Quake and it worked very well. It takes less time to gain proficiency playing a game with an AlphaGrip than it takes to learn to touch type on it, and the better you get at playing the game with your AlphaGrip, the easier it will be to learn to touch type. Here’s what a reviewer has said about playing games with an AG-5: AlphaGrip AG-5 handheld keyboard and mouse: Page 4.

9.You conclude that the AlphaGrip is a good device for someone unable to use a standard keyboard and mouse. While this is true, there are also some people who prefer to use an AG-5 because they believe being able to lean back in a chair, or in a recliner, or to stand or walk while using a computer, is either more comfortable or more practical than using a standard keyboard and mouse. Thanks again for writing an excellent “first impression” review of the AlphaGrip.

Best regards, Mike

[gvblake22]

WOW, that thing is insane looking! I've never imagined a full keyboard and mouse in a single handheld controller. They need to drop the old school hot pink and green though, definitely makes it look like a 1980's Pizza Hut kid's toy and will never be taken seriously.

[Jokerswild]

Well I have to say you really need to be dedicated to learning this controller. I don't have the patience needed.

[polobunny]

I liked the review and the answer from President of Alpha Grip. He is right, there's just something really cool about kicking back and not having a keyboard and a mouse.
I might consider the AG-6 once it gets out, since I have fairly large hands.
The device looks funky! :P

[qazwsx]

i bet if you took the time and really mastered the thing, you could type alot more quickly than with a standard keyboard.