TouchStream LP: First Impressions

So a TouchStream arrived for me and I picked it up this morning, ordered from FingerWorks’ UK distributor, the Back Shop. I don’t suffer from any RSI, but have become concerned at the quality of the keyboard I use at work. Similarly my workstations at home, particularly the laptop, could certainly benefit from something more ergonomic in the keyboard department.

So at work I have unplugged the standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse, and will exclusively use the TouchStream LP. It’s a little funny at first. The keystrokes I’m having most difficulty learning (or is that re-learning) are the right-thumb enter key and the letter A. For some reason, I’m just not extending my fingers enough to get the keys.

I’m inclined to remap CAPS LOCK, simply because there’s no feedback on the screen or keyboard, and it’s all too easy to stroke it with a little finger (pinky). The other thing which is fazing me still is the spacebar — I’m still using my left thumb to space (I used them fairly equally, having come from a touch-typing background) whereas the left half of the spacebar is backspace!

Those gripes aside I seem to have moments of lucidity with the keyboard, possibly owing to my pretty good finger control from practicing piano pieces in tables in trains, and I reckon that I’ll be fairly proficient in a week or two’s time.