New device attempts to improve upon iPad keyboard

Even if you love the iPad, you probably wouldn’t want to write a novel using its on-screen virtual keyboard. You’re probably not thrilled to type up a lengthy email with it, for that matter. Steve Isaac felt the same way. The Seattle-based software designer loved the iPad when it was released, but wasn’t impressed with its touch-screen keyboard. Though it was miles ahead of what he’d seen on past tablets, he felt it still wasn’t great. And wireless keyboards working via Bluetooth seemed too bulky. So Isaac got to work on a way to make the iPad easier to type on: The result is a stretchy silicone keyboard called the TouchFire that sits atop the tablet’s on-screen keyboard when the device is turned on its side. Isaac isn’t unique in coming up with this type of device, but his invention has garnered an intense amount of support through Kickstarter—a website where entrepreneurs and artists solicit funding for their projects. In Isaac’s case, he turned to the site to raise money to turn his prototype into a real device, offering the first run of TouchFires to Kickstarter backers. His effort raised $201,400 by the time it ended last week. That was more than 20 times the $10,000 that he and his business partner had hoped to snag via the site. They are now deciding on a manufacturer to make the device, and Isaac says they’re likely to ship the first-made TouchFires to donors in January. After that, they hope to make the devices available for sale as soon as possible. Read the full story by The Associated Press here.