Hands-on Review: Tap Strap 2 Wearable Keyboard And Mouse
I never thought I would have to learn a new way of typing after I replaced my flip phone. But I’m here to write this article using the mouse and keyboard Tap Strap 2. The tap strap tries to remove clunky peripheral hardware; instead, a set of elegant haptic rings is used by the user for navigation and typing.
Learning to control Tap Strap 2 requires patience, but once you get it, that is an entertaining experience. However, it supports iOS AirMouse movements which make it an iPad accessory of the high tech. But I’m left wondering who would adopt the tap strap in place of a QWERTY key after few days together with an iPad, PC and Apple TV.
Design
I felt futuristic to slide the tap strap 2 on my fingers. The unit of 0.5-ounce is made up of five haptic bolts of chrome made of rubber-like plastic that is safe to skin. Shoelace-like cord connects the adjustment rings, weaving the fingers of the user together.
The Tap Strap 2 comes in two sizes; even when adjusted correctly, the large version felt a bit too large for my fingers. For those with small hands, I would recommend the small tap strap 2.
While the pointing, ring, index and rosy loops are equal plain, where most of the magic occurs is the bulkier thumbring. The outer side has a sensor with an flat side, which is designed to navigate the surfaces like the mouse. It is surrounded by a power button.
Tap strap 2 working
It works with any device, including smartphones and computers enabled in Bluetooth. But its compatibility with the iPad is the most comprehensive. Some iOS movements, such as swipe navigation, that do not support normal computer mice, operate with Tap strap.
You can also take the Apple TV, Amazon fire TV and smart satellite TV with the Tap Strap 2. The software also supports AR / VR inputs powered by gesture.
How to type?
You tap one or more finger on a tough surface with the tap strap 2 instead of clicking on the keys on your keyboard.
Each alphabet letter, 0-9 and common punctuation signs have a “map” in the Tap Strap 2. For instance, a single thumb tap type A. Tap the index at the same time and produce the letter S. pinky fingers.
The fingertips are prescribed in quantity and combination, but if you want to adapt the Tap Strap to an alternative language, you can create a custom TapMap.
It’s tougher than a QWERTY keyboard, but Tap provides several resources to teach you how to use it. The Tap Academy app provides a method for teaching the tap strap map to remind me of my 6th grading lesson.
The more lessons I worked, the more fun I had to type Tap Strap 2. The way to type with combinations of tapping seemed surprisingly gratifying. I became confident about my tapping skills after three days of practice and proved to be my party trick at the office.
When I used the Tap strap for time, I tried to find out who could be interested. For someone who writes and writes like me all day long, it certainly isn’t helpful. To increase your words per minute, use the Tap Strap, but not more easily than using a keyboard. It is not for those in their fingers who have limited dexterity.
There are, however, situations where tap strap 2 is a practical tool. Only because it requires only one hand to operate, it provides an accessible type method. It is generally a two-hand task to type a QWERTY keyboard, but it doesn’t work for everyone.
Also, the Tap strap was appreciated by dedicated iPad users. The weight and size make it easier to portably present via Airplay than by a Bluetooth and AirMouse keyboards.
Tap Strap 2 AirMouse gestures: Could be comfortable
Air Gesticks support when using devices like your iPad or iPhone are new to Tap Strap 2. You may use the straps rings to reproduce the action as if you are touching the screen when you have an assist touch enabled on your iOS device and connected the tap strap 2.
When I saw a trained user demo of the Tap strap 2, the right finger swipes and index taps were working. But even after a few days of working with my technique, I could get the AirMouse to work just half the time I wanted. Although the hands-free iPad functionality is quite clean, I wish it wasn’t as cute as that.
pricing
The wearable keyboard and mouse Tap Strap 2 costs $199 and was launched on 8 Oct 2019. There is nothing like the Tap Strap 2, but the original tap Strap, which debuted in early 2018, was on the market as of that writing.
Final Words
The tap strap 2 is more a start to talk than a practical alternative to the QWERTY keyboard. It looks great and is fun, but I find this kind of technology ready to be used by the masses hard to believe. Particularly at a price of $200.
So long as you can afford it, chosen consumers will make use for the mobile keyboard and mouse Tap Strap 2. I can see, for example, that in upcoming Tap Strap designs, wearables are combined, gaining momentum. But I’m going to stick my usual mouse and keyboard for now.
