About the size of a standard mobile, the i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard connects to your computer or phone and uses infrared and lasers to project a life-size image of a keyboard onto any flat surface. Its optical recognition mechanism enables the user to tap on the projected key images, producing real typing sounds.
The virtual keyboard disappears when not in use and comes complete with an elegant leather pouch, which might make you feel a bit better about the £104 price tag.
The downside is that the battery will only run for about two hours, enough for most commuters but awkward for the secret agent on the move. The plus points are greater usability for those who find it difficult to navigate the fiddly keys of a PDA or smartphone, the keyboard’s negligible weight and the Bluetooth facility, which means that you don’t have to mess around with wires (so passé).
That said, the keyboard does depend on your being able to find a flat surface on which to project the image, which probably means this is one gadget that scores more highly for novelty than practicability. But it will make you feel like a crime scene investigator as you answer the latest email from your FD about compliance with international accounting standards.
