Coolest Keyboard Ever?

[SillyShadow]

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That is probably the coolest keyboard I've ever seen even though it's just a bunch of flashy, customizable lights. I'm sure I could wow everyone with something so colorful, but $200 is steep. I primarily use a laptop anyway, but I just...can't...stop...wanting. :s

Is anyone else mesmerized by this thing?

[altoid]

The black one is fun - me likey.

[darkeldar88]

Thats pretty cool. I like the idea of having your keys light up when you press them. Though the price is pretty high for something that really is ..just a keyboard.

[Ytterbium]

It was ok.. However nothing beats the mighty Model M.

*grabs one ready to beat a disagreer*

[sombragris]

It was ok.. However nothing beats the mighty Model M.

*grabs one ready to beat a disagreer*

Certainly. That's why I paid a premium for its current-day equivalent (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.).

[Visum]

It's so beautiful.......

[Synapse]

It certainly is interesting, but yes, the price is ridiculously steep. I would rather pay the 130 for one of these (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.). Blank keyboard for the win.

[Ytterbium]

Certainly. That's why I paid a premium for its current-day equivalent (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.).
Same here... Got two of those.

;)

[WaeV]

Das keyboard looks awesome. And IBM clicky response, too!

[SillyShadow]

I'll take pretty lights over clickiness any day, but I respect your appreciation for boring, practical, affordable keyboards. ;)

[Alexander]

Behold the Optimus Maximus, only $1500

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"Each key is a stand-alone display that shows the function currently assigned to it. "

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[El Castor]

I think the coolest device is the laser keyboard. The keyboard is projected on a surface. Unfortunately reviews were not that good about this toys for geek and mainly made for PDAs.

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[zibber]

I browsed that site for hours, thanks. Thanks especially from my employer ;)

(Seriously, a Black Night pluche whose limbs you can tear off? Classic.)

[Jonas A]

I think my Maltron dual-handed keyboard is quite cool. I have one with swedish/finnish layout. To see how it looks, google for "Maltron keyboard".

The pros are:
- the most ergonomic keyboard I have encountered, lovely to write on.
- Quality Cherry MX keys. Not "clicky though". Easy to depress.
- Dual layout, Qwerty and Maltron (optimised, something like Dvorak).
- Keys arranged so that it hard to press the "wrong key" by mistake.

The cons are:
- Not optimised for writing code (programming)
- Quite expensive (GBP 375), from the Swedish dealer it was SEK5036 (VAT incl.).

I also own a Happy Hacking keyborad (Lite2). It is a nice concept, but I don't like the keys, my fingers get tired by pressing down the keys. Maybe their slightly more expensive "professional" model is better (it has other keys).

[Rudy]

This is the greatest: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Naturally the one I'm using. Mechanical key switches (complete with clicky noises), and completely blank keys. Using the DVORAK layout, of course, so that no one else can use it. Well, that's not actually the reason for using DVORAK, just a nice benefit.





rudyhenkel added to this post, 1 minutes and 21 seconds later...

It certainly is interesting, but yes, the price is ridiculously steep. I would rather pay the 130 for one of these (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.). Blank keyboard for the win.

I missed that you had already mentioned this. I'm using that exact model. I fortunately pre-ordered it for $70, though.

[Ytterbium]

(...)I also own a Happy Hacking keyborad (Lite2). It is a nice concept, but I don't like the keys, my fingers get tired by pressing down the keys. Maybe their slightly more expensive "professional" model is better (it has other keys).Where did you get that one? I checked their webshop and they only ship to the US.

[WaeV]

How long does it take to get used to dvorak? Do you have trouble switching to qwerty at others' PCs?

[Rudy]

Well, I never had very good QWERTY form. It comes from being self-taught from a very early age. As a result, I was still pretty fast, but my hands were all over the place, and I looked at the keyboard a lot.

When I decided to switch to DVORAK, I was very careful about learning proper fingering at the same time. It took me about two months of practice (I forced myself to type at least two hours a day, most of which was for work anyway,) to get up to my former speed with QWERTY, which was only about 70 wpm. That was last August, and I'm slowly but steadily improving.

I don't have much trouble with QWERTY computers, but I cannot touch type on them at all anymore (because touch typing has become completely linked in my mind with DVORAK.) With my eyes on the keyboard, I can get up to 50 wpm or so, which is enough for the rare occasion on which I have to use QWERTY.

[endless]

so much un-necessary stuff...lights!?
the optimax...why would you need that?

I'd say that the HappyHacker keyboard is probably the nicest I've ever seen, by a long, long way.

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[Mathnerdkid]

It sounds cool, but a big con for me is the Windows-only compatibility. Also, I think that it might distract/annoy me after the novelty has worn off.

[Storm]

Why not just take a cheap keyboard and paint it? Then you could get the blank feature that you want without shelling out hard-earned money.
(referring to the blank keyboards here, not the lighted up one)

I've always wanted an ergonomic keyboard on a laptop. But I don't think they sell those.
Has anyone tried the ergonomic keyboards? Are they actually easier on your hands and wrists?
What about those keyboards that have the letters arranged more favorably so that you can type really really fast? I'd want one of those, but it'd be a bit hard to relearn how to type.

[WaeV]

The IBM style clicking is also a plus.

DVORAK setup? You can do that without buying a new keyboard. On windows you go to Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages > Details and then add Dvorak and delete regular US. (Deleting ensures the switch, I had a problem where it swapped at seemingly random times.)

You may have to swap keys though. Use a spare keyboard I guess.

[Terian]

Amateurs.
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[SillyShadow]

I'm sure there are some creative things you could do with the lights. If you're a gamer, for instance, you could only color the keys of the controls to make new games a little easier. There are probably several other helpful things you could do, but yeah, it still is basically a toy.

[AnotherNormal]

Color code vowels and consonants :)

[nautilus]

i love the keyboard on my MacBook. the keys are so 'clicky' and it makes you want to type more.

i hate the keyboards at most public libraries and the like, as i find them to be extremely loud and obnoxious (especially when the user is a fast typer). i'm not trying to sound elitist, but dell, ms, etc. should really make better keyboards that don't make a racket when being typed on.

[Rudy]

i'm not trying to sound elitist

This is one place where you don't need to apologize for being elitist ;)

[4sakentears]

I like noisy keyboards, mainly because I learned to type using... mechanical typewriters (and enjoyed the sound); always type when listening to music (and, therefore, keyboard noise is my only feedback); and sometimes I type while not looking at the screen (e.g. talking to someone while taking notes, again, noise is my only feedback).