If you want a compact, portable Bluetooth keyboard, why make it any bigger or heavier than it has to be? That's the thinking behind the Fusion Keyboard 2.0, which places a multi-touch trackpad beneath its touch-sensitive keys.
As you might have guessed from its name, the Fusion Keyboard 2.0 isn't the first of its kind.
Its lineage began back in 2015, with the unveiling of the Moky keyboard. Made by a Korean startup of the same name, that device used infrared optical sensors to bring trackpad functionality to a section of its keys. It paved the way for the first version of the Fusion Keyboard, which swapped the optical sensors for capacitive ones.
That brings us to the Fusion Keyboard 2.0, made by the renamed Mokibo company.
Like its immediate predecessor, it has capacitive sensors in a section of keys in the middle of the keyboard. At 76% of the total keyboard area, however, that section is considerably larger (and reportedly more responsive) than that of the previous model.
Users type just like they would on any other keyboard. For trackpad tasks like swiping, scrolling and clicking, they simply slide and press their fingers on the trackpad-area keys. They can even perform multi-touch functions, such as the good ol' two-fingered pinch-to-zoom.
Importantly, the keyboard automatically switches to trackpad mode as soon as it detects any trackpad-type movements, and switches back to typing mode when regular keystrokes resume. No manual switchovers are necessary.
The Fusion Keyboard 2.0 is compatible with common operating systems such as macOS, iOS, Windows and Android, plus it incorporates a protective cover which folds back to serve as a kickstand for a linked tablet or smartphone. As an added bonus, it can be paired with up to three devices at once, switching between them via a two-key keypress.
One 2-hour charge of the device's lithium battery is claimed to be good for up to 60 hours of use.
Should you be interested in getting one for yourself, the 2.0 is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. It's being offered in three versions – a Universal-size model (US$89 pledge/$139 retail), an iPad Pro 11-inch model ($99 pledge/$159 retail) and an iPad Pro 12.9-inch model ($105 pledge/$169 retail). They range in weight from a claimed 340 to 650 grams (12 to 23 oz).
Assuming everything goes according to plan, the Fusion Keyboard 2.0 should ship later this month. You can see it in action, in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter
