| Many companies are adding touchscreen to their | | | | blindly, hoping to hit the right key. |
| handheld electronics. This iPhone-driven fad in the | | | | Custom Keypads Are Tough: The constant |
| world of consumer electronics has many | | | | barrage of fingertips or styluses takes a toll on |
| manufacturers considering whether it's time to do | | | | touchscreens over time. They get scratched up |
| the same. However once you get past the | | | | and that can interfere with both the image and |
| gee-whiz factor, custom keypads made from | | | | the interface. Molded keypads can take years of |
| silicone have a lot of advantages over | | | | abuse and even if the surfaces wear over time, |
| touchscreens. | | | | they are still just as functional as the day they |
| Fingerprints: Have you ever used a touchscreen? | | | | were manufactured. |
| Even if your hands are clean the screen is soon | | | | Touchscreens are Expensive: Cost of |
| full of greasy fingerprints. You have to keep | | | | manufacture directly affects the final cost of the |
| wiping off the screen so you can see what you | | | | product. Custom keypads are one of the most |
| are doing. If keypads pick up a little oil from your | | | | cost-effective choices for a variety of |
| fingers, that doesn't affect your ability to use the | | | | applications. Touchscreens are still very expensive |
| device. | | | | and that means your product is going to be of |
| No Click: Lack of feedback means that it is harder | | | | interest to a limited segment of the buying |
| to tell when you have pressed a button correctly | | | | population. It's possible for to completely price |
| on a touchscreen. With no tactile feedback you | | | | yourself out of the market if you aren't careful. |
| have to watch the screen for some kind of visual | | | | Touchscreen Repairs - Expensive and Difficult: Not |
| signal. This is only a slight problem with something | | | | only are touchscreens expensive to manufacture |
| like surfing the web on a PDA but will substantially | | | | but when they inevitably break down repairs are |
| slow down texting on a cell phone. Custom | | | | equally expensive. They require specialized |
| keypads not only give a satisfying click but can be | | | | knowledge to fix and that is inconvenient to your |
| manufactured to give different levels of | | | | customers. |
| feedback, from soft to firm. | | | | Certainly touchscreens have their advantages but |
| Can't Tell Where The Buttons Are: As devices | | | | when looking at the entire picture, it is clear that |
| get smaller so do their interfaces and that can be | | | | for most applications custom silicone keypads are |
| frustrating for the users. When buttons are | | | | a better choice. Their traditional design, tactile |
| smaller than fingers, they rely on being able to | | | | feedback, and cost effective manufacture and |
| feel the keys on custom keypads to know where | | | | repair make them ideal choices for most |
| their fingers are. You can't do that on a | | | | electronic devices. |
| touchscreen so sometimes you are stabbing | | | | |