From: AC Brown (acb_at_acbrown.com)
Date: Mon Jul 17 2000 - 15:47:56 EDT
Date: 2000 Jul 17
To: <thinkpad_at_cs.utk.edu>
From: AC Brown <acb_at_acbrown.com>
Subj: T20 Evaluation: Keyboard
There are have been a number of questions on this board concerning the
new IBM A20 and T20 computers, especially compared to previous models.
I'm a long time Thinkpad user (750C, 755CD, 560, and 570), and I've had
experience with Toshiba, Compaq, and Powerbook notebooks. I recently
acquired a new T20 (2647-84U, Windows 2000), so I thought I'd post my
impressions after almost three weeks of use. I plan several postings on
the various aspects of the T20, especially compared with my previous
Thinkpads.
KEYBOARD
Layout: The T20 keyboard layout is identical to previous Thinkpads. I
consider this layout the best of any notebook computer and is one of
the reasons I remain a Thinkpad loyalist.
Feel: The keyboard feel, while good, initially did not seem up to the
standard of the 570. The touch was a bit stiffer with less of the
positive detent of the 570 and most other previous TPs. I felt I made
more mistakes when typing rapidly on the T20 keyboard. However, either
the keyboard is getting less stiff with use or I'm getting accustomed to
its feel as my accuracy seems to be improving.
Trackpoint: The Trackpoint joystick is the same as the 570, including
the left and right buttons and the customizable center button, which
can be used as either a web browser scroller or a magnifying glass or
can be disabled.
Extra keys: There are five extra keys. One is the power off-on switch,
which is now located on the keyboard rather on the side of the computer.
This switch also serves a reset button when held down for several
seconds, an improvement over the 570's recessed switch activated by
poking a bent paper clip through a hole in the case. Three of the extra
buttons control the sound volume: increase, decrease, and mute.
Pressing any of the sound buttons displays briefly a bar segment graph
on the screen similar to the volume level display on a television set.
The keys work well enough, but I don't find them better than the
thumbwheel volume control on the TP 560 though they are superior to the
Fn-PgUp/PgDn on the 570.
The final extra key is labeled "Thinkpad"; when pressed, it brings up a
Thinkpad help display and optionally connects to IBM's support web site
for the user's particular model. This is convenient but could as well
have been accomplished by shortcuts on the Windows desktop. I'll
discuss the documentation and support in a later posting.
Fn key commands: Using the Fn key in combination with the regular F
keys permits blanking the screen (Fn-F3), selecting the display
(internal, external, or both, Fn-F7), suspending (Fn-F4), and
hibernating (Fn-F12). The Fn-F combinations are the same as on the 570,
except that battery status (Fn-F2) and CPU speed (Fn-F11) are no longer
present. Fn-Home/End adjusts the display brightness, again displayed as
a bar segment graph on the screen, rather than the slider brightness
control on the 570. Also, Fn-PgUp toggles the keyboard light.
In sum, in my opinion the T20 keyboard is well designed and consistent
with previous Thinkpads. Initially I was disappointed with the keyboard
feel, but several weeks of use has either improved the feel or improved
my skills. So overall, I'm satisfied with the T20 keyboard.
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