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Frequently Asked Questions



How do I enter the Ultimate Typing Championship?

Entering the Ultimate Typing Championship is easy. On the competition's home page, www.ultimatetypingchampionship.com, simply click on the "Compete" button. After filling out the required registration information, you are ready to play. TOP

How many times can I enter and compete in the contest?

Once you register to participate in the Ultimate Typing Championship, you can take the typing test and "compete" as many times as you'd like. TOP

What is the deadline for competing in the Ultimate Typing Championship?

The deadline to compete in the Ultimate Typing Championship online competition is midnight on December 31, 2009. Anyone who has entered the competition before that time and date is eligible to become one of six semi-finalists and compete in the semi-final round on January 9, 2010. TOP

Is there an age restriction in order to compete in the Ultimate Typing Championship?

Yes. Individuals who want to participate in the Ultimate Typing Championship must be at least 18-years-old at the time that they register for the competition. TOP

Is there a location requirement in order to participate in the Ultimate Typing Championship?

Yes. In order to enter the Ultimate Typing Championship, an individual must be a legal resident of the United States at the time that they register for the competition. TOP

How is my typing speed determined?

An online application created specifically for the Ultimate Typing Championship will be used to determine an individual's typing speed. The application tracks and measures an individual's typing speed in words-per-minute (WPM) as they type through a random paragraph of text. Once completed, it will indicate to the competitor what their WPM typing speed is and how that speed performs against other competitors.

For the purposes of WPM measurement, a word is standardized to five characters or keystrokes. So, for example, the word "tiger" counts as one word, but "rhinoceros" counts as two. The phrase "let's talk" would also be considered as two words, because the space key counts as a keystroke. TOP

What if I don't live in the United States or am not old enough to compete in the Ultimate Typing Championship? Can I still use the Ultimate online typing application developed for the competition just to practice my typing?

Absolutely. If you prefer not to participate in the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) or you do not meet the necessary registration criteria, you can still practice your typing on the same online application used for the competition. To do this, you have two options: 1) From the UTC website (www.ultimatetypingchampionship.com), click on the "Practice" button, which links you directly into a practice round within the TyprX typing application, or 2) you can visit the TyprX website directly (www.typrx.com) and click on the "Practice Alone" button. TOP

Are there any restrictions on the type of keyboard that I use to participate in the Ultimate Typing Championship?

For the general online and semi-final rounds of the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC), individuals can use any keyboard they please. During the final UTC event at the South by Southwest Conference, each finalist will be required to type on a Das Keyboard Model S Professional keyboard. (Finalists will receive a free keyboard from Das Keyboard to practice on prior to the final event at SXSW.) TOP

How many individuals will be selected to compete in the semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship?

Six individuals will be selected to compete in the semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC). In order to participate as a semi-finalist, individuals must agree that if they end up being selected as one of two finalists in the UTC, they will travel to the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, TX to participate in the SXSW "Block Party" event, happening on March 14, 2010. (Das Keyboard will cover the costs of air fare and a two-night hotel stay for each finalist.) TOP

How will the semi-finalists be determined following the general online competition?

The six individuals who compete in the semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) will be chosen based on their typing speeds during the general online competition. The individuals who log the six fastest typing speeds before the midnight 12/31/2009 deadline will move on to the semi-final round. Additionally, in order to participate as a semi-finalist, individuals must agree that if they end up being selected as one of two finalists in the UTC, they will travel to the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, TX to participate in the SXSW "Block Party" event, happening on March 14, 2010. (Das Keyboard will cover the costs of air fare and a two-night hotel stay for each finalist.) TOP

Will my typing score be available online so that I can see how I've performed against other individuals?

An individual's fastest typing times will be viewable by them when they are logged into the typing application created for the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC). The fastest overall scores in the competition will be viewable daily on the UTC website, www.ultimatetypingchampionship.com. TOP

On what date and time will the semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship take place?

The semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship will take place on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. Central. TOP

How will I know if I'm selected as a semi-finalist to compete in the semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship?

Individuals will be notified by email on January 4, 2010 that they've been selected as a semi-finalist in the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC). Once notified, they will have 48 hours to accept and confirm that they will participate in the semi-final round of the competition. If an individual fails to respond within 48 hours from when email notifications go out, another semi-finalist - the next fastest typist - will be selected.

Additionally, in order to participate as a semi-finalist, individuals must agree that if they end up being selected as one of two finalists in the UTC, they will travel to the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, TX to participate in the SXSW "Block Party" event, happening on March 14, 2010. (Das Keyboard will cover the costs of air fare and a two-night hotel stay for each finalist.)

Das Keyboard, who is sponsoring the Ultimate Typing Championship, intends to conduct a phone conference with the six semi-finalists prior to the semi-final round to address any additional questions. Date and time for this conference call is TBD. TOP

How will the two finalists for the Ultimate Typing Championship be determined following the semi-final round of the online competition?

The semi-final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) happens on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. Central and will consist of three online typing races. Each online race will be conducted one after the other, and will include all six semi-finalists pitted against one another at the same time. The races will utilize the same online typing application used during the general UTC online competition.

The three online races will challenge competitors with typing tests that vary in length of time. The first race will be a short race and last 1-2 minutes; the second race will last 4-6 minutes; and the third and longest race will last approximately 10-12 minutes.

Competitors will receive points based on where they place in each race as determined by their words-per-minute (WPM) typing speed. The two players with the most points at the end of the three online typing races will be selected as the UTC finalists. Each finalist must be willing to travel to the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas March 13-15, 2010 to compete in the SXSW "Block Party" event on March 14. (Das Keyboard will cover the costs of air fare and a two-night hotel stay for each finalist.) TOP

What about ties? What if my typing speed is the same as another competitor?

Any ties between participants in both the general and semi-final rounds will be broken by conducting additional typing races as needed until a clear winner can been determined. (For what it's worth, the online application used to determine an individual's typing speed is capable of tracking and storing up to six digits after the decimal point, which will help us determine a more precise typing speed for each competitor.) TOP

How will the final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship be conducted?

The final round of the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) will take place during the SXSW "Block Party" event on March 14, 2010. The two UTC finalists will compete against each other during a single typing test of unspecified length. The final typing test will utilize the same online application used during the general UTC online competition. The finalist logging the fastest word-per-minute (WPM) typing speed during the final typing test will be declared the official winner of the Ultimate Typing Championship. TOP

What does the winner of the Ultimate Typing Championship receive?

The winner of the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) will receive $2,000. TOP

Are there consolation prizes for the runner-up and semi-finalists?

Yes. The runner-up in the Ultimate Typing Championship contest will receive $500. The 3rd place finisher, determined during the semi-final round, will receive a Das Keyboard Model S of his or her choice. Individuals placing 4th, 5th and 6th place in the competition will each receive a free purchase of up to $50 in the Das Keyboard Zazzle store TOP

If I become a finalist in the Ultimate Typing Championship, what dates will I need to be available to travel to Austin, Texas to participate in the SXSW "Block Party" event?

As a finalist in the Ultimate Typing Championship, you will need to be available for travel to Austin, Texas between the dates of March 13-15, 2010. TOP

What happens if I become a finalist in the Ultimate Typing Championship but cannot come to the South by Southwest Conference?

Each finalist must be willing to travel to the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas to compete in the SXSW "Block Party" event on March 14, 2010. If for any reason you are unable to attend the final UTC event after being declared a finalist, you will be disqualified and we will select the next fastest typist from the semi-final round to compete. (Das Keyboard will cover the costs of air fare and a two-night hotel stay in Austin, Texas for each finalist.) TOP

If I'm a finalist in the Ultimate Typing Championship, will I have to take care of my travel arrangements to get to Austin, Texas to participate in the SXSW "Block Party" event?

Das Keyboard will handle reserving and paying for round-trip airline tickets and a two-night hotel stay in Austin, Texas for each finalist in the Ultimate Typing Championship. Das Keyboard also will provide each finalist with a free pass to attend the SXSW Interactive Festival. Any travel arrangements or expenses beyond this are the responsibility of the individual named as a UTC finalist. TOP

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