ISO: The Perfect Keyboard

Yesterday, in a fit of head-cold-induced dizziness, I splashed a large cup of hot tea across my (relatively) new Microsoft ergonomic keyboard. It is dead, and I’m looking into a replacement. I bought my last keyboard when I got a new computer in November, and I really didn’t fully check out the keyboard options. Here are two I’m considering:

Microsoft Wireless Optical



Logisys Office Pro Illuminated (not ergonomic, but cool looking):



And check this one out – blank keys for the Uber Geek who needs no silly labels to know what key to punch.



My question: has anyone found a keyboard they really like? (Ergonomic and internet navigation keys are important – wireless is nice but not necessary).

Don't give up hope on the keyboard you spilled tea into. Take a hair dryer to it and it will probably continue to work once it is dried out (unless you put sugar in your tea). I've got a couple of the light up keyboards that you showed. They are fine. I only use them on location when I am sitting in darkness trying to work. Otherwise I've found the Logitech keyboards (of which there are a few different ones to choose from) to be very nice. The Logitech Media Keyboard Eliteis my personal fave.

stevez wrote:Don't give up hope on the keyboard you spilled tea into. Take a hair dryer to it and it will probably continue to work once it is dried out (unless you put sugar in your tea).

I did do the hair dryer thing immediately, and then let the keyboard sit upright to drain any last drops out. As of yesterday afternoon, it was still dead, but I will give it another shot today.

That Logitech keyboard looks sweet -- if indeed I need another board, it's in the running.

Thanks,

Hammond

How bout this fancy keyboard: each key is an individual LCD monitor:

http://artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

I like the split layout of the Microsoft ergo, but hate, hate, hate that they changed the insert/delete/home/end/pageup/pagedown key layout. If you've got a lot of 'finger memory' it will frustrate the heck out of you.

Aside from switching to Dvorak, which I'm just not willing to reprogram my reflexes for, the best thing they could do to improve keyboard ergonomics, in my opinion, is to move the modifier keys (windows, alt, control, shift, fn, command, apple, puree, whip, beat, etc. -- hey, at least I made a food reference in this thread) to where my left thumb could use them without pain. I've usually tuck my left thumb under to press Alt, and after long sessions doing the all-to-frequent repetitive tasks (such as image manipulation, web updates, etc.), it can get quite painful.

My favorite keyboard ever was the old Apple Extended II ADB, and that Das Keyboard deal (surely that should be Das Keyböard) resembles it so strongly that I wouldn't mind trying it out.

FWIW, I've also heard that a run, without any detergent, through the dishwasher, followed by air drying (no heat), can be successful. (In fact, a Google search for +dishwasher +keyboard serves up more than 400,000 pages, and one success is reported at boingboing.) If the keyboard's a wash* anyway, might be worth trying.

* Thank you and try the veal.

Seth Zurer wrote:How bout this fancy keyboard: each key is an individual LCD monitor:

http://artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

Nice, but it's only a designer's dream. It doesn't actually exist.

Call me a purist, but I don't like those internet navigation buttons on keyboards. It's just as easy to just hit alt+h for home and alt+left for back, etc.

My keyboard of choice is a Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite.

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The best part is: it's cheap. $20 or so if you shop around, which means you don't have to worry so much about mucking it up. Just buy a couple and replace them every year or so.

For what it's worth, your keyboard will probably work if you wipe it with a damp cloth and let the whole thing dry for a few days. But I'd just replace it anyways.

Dave, I've read that cleaning your keyboard is best done by running through the dishwasher and letting it dry for several days. Don't give up the ghost....just let it sit for a few days. Drag out the old keyboard that came with your 'puter and sweat it out.

I like the Logitech products. The wireless is nice.....I hate cords!

stevez wrote:Nice, but it's only a designer's dream. It doesn't actually exist.

Not yet anyway - production to occur in 2006.

http://artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/answers/

Seth Zurer wrote:

stevez wrote:Nice, but it's only a designer's dream. It doesn't actually exist.

Not yet anyway - production to occur in 2006.

http://artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/answers/

That was cool Seth.

Only answer missing:

It will be expensive.

dees_1 wrote:Dave, I've read that cleaning your keyboard is best done by running through the dishwasher and letting it dry for several days. Don't give up the ghost....just let it sit for a few days. Drag out the old keyboard that came with your 'puter and sweat it out.

I like the Logitech products. The wireless is nice.....I hate cords!

Yes, I am waiting a few days to make sure all the tea (herbal with no sugar or cream, fortunately) dries out...then I'll give it another shot.

I have been researching the dishwasher option as a last resort.

However, I am tempted by all the cool keyboards I'm finding...and wireless would be very good...

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:However, I am tempted by all the cool keyboards I'm finding...and wireless would be very good...

David,

How fast do you type? I've found in the past that I "out-type" the wireless keyboards I've used. As I'm typing there'll be a slight, but noticable and annoying, lag before the letters appear on-screen.

I'd say if you're under 60wpm or so, you probably will never notice it, however.

gleam wrote:

David Hammond wrote:However, I am tempted by all the cool keyboards I'm finding...and wireless would be very good...

David,

How fast do you type? I've found in the past that I "out-type" the wireless keyboards I've used. As I'm typing there'll be a slight, but noticable and annoying, lag before the letters appear on-screen.

I'd say if you're under 60wpm or so, you probably will never notice it, however.

Ed, that is excellent intel. I'm the fastest typist I know (of), so maybe wireless is not for me.

Hammond

For what it's worth, I think bluetooth keyboards don't experience this particular problem, or at least not as much as traditional wireless keyboards.

If you're considering wireless, either get it somewhere with a good return policy or try one out in a store. It can also suck when the batteries die mid-sentence.

my fave:
focus 2001 keyboard, serial connection, tactile keys, made in taiwan, circa 1993:
http://www.focus.com.tw/2001.htm



modeled after the IBM clicky typewriters. i gave my last one away when i moved to Chicago

TonyC wrote:modeled after the IBM clicky typewriters. i gave my last one away when i moved to Chicago

The IBM Model "M". I have two; one with 12 PFKeys and one with 24 (And of course each with a dedicated ATTN key for my 3270 emulation sessions).

Excellent tactile response and built so strong they can serve extra duty for home defense, driving tent stakes, emergency cricket bat, . . .

I haven't found the perfect keyboard -- I'm OK with my old-fashioned clicky IBM -- but I hated the wireless one I had briefly. It kept running out of juice. Maybe a good choice for executives who rarely use a keyboard and like to put it in their laps with their feet on the desk, but for somebody spending eight hours-plus at the keyboard, it was useless.

Kman wrote:

TonyC wrote:modeled after the IBM clicky typewriters. i gave my last one away when i moved to Chicago

The IBM Model "M". I have two; one with 12 PFKeys and one with 24 (And of course each with a dedicated ATTN key for my 3270 emulation sessions).

Excellent tactile response and built so strong they can serve extra duty for home defense, driving tent stakes, emergency cricket bat, . . .

I love those, but I simply can't have one at home. I've been known to wake people up in the next room with the racket that I'll crank out from it when I'm clacking at full speed.

I almost wish I could get the same tactile feedback without the noise.

LAZ wrote:I haven't found the perfect keyboard -- I'm OK with my old-fashioned clicky IBM -- but I hated the wireless one I had briefly. It kept running out of juice. Maybe a good choice for executives who rarely use a keyboard and like to put it in their laps with their feet on the desk, but for somebody spending eight hours-plus at the keyboard, it was useless.

That is very good to know. I'm at my keyboard all day long.

Hammond

LAZ wrote:Maybe a good choice for executives who rarely use a keyboard and like to put it in their laps with their feet on the desk, but for somebody spending eight hours-plus at the keyboard, it was useless.

This is probably a case of epistemic justification...or perhaps bad batteries.

Pete wrote:I love those, but I simply can't have one at home. I've been known to wake people up in the next room with the racket that I'll crank out from it when I'm clacking at full speed.

I almost wish I could get the same tactile feedback without the noise.

I find that turning up the stereo drowns out the clicky noise.

LAZ wrote:Maybe a good choice for executives who rarely use a keyboard and like to put it in their laps with their feet on the desk, but for somebody spending eight hours-plus at the keyboard, it was useless.

stevez wrote:This is probably a case of epistemic justification...or perhaps bad batteries.

If it matters, my justification is entirely a posteriori. I referred only to personal experience with a specific keyboard ("the wireless one I had briefly"). I frequently spend eight-hours plus at the keyboard and the wireless one would not function continuously with that kind of use. When I replaced it, I gave it away to someone whose light use is just as I described.

FWIW, it was new, out of the box and I had no reason to believe it was defective, so although I did not so state, it would be rational to make a priori assumptions about wireless keyboards in general from my experience.

Why the challenge? Do you seek to debate rationalism vs. empiricism?

stevez wrote:The Logitech Media Keyboard Eliteis my personal fave.

Hammond,

I have an earlier version of the wireless logitech Steve linked to, which I have been quite happy with. I type fairly fast, never a problem with lag time, batteries seem to last a very long time, months, and the bells and whistles, of which I only use about 20%, work flawlessly.

I was a bit of a high tech luddite, in that I hung on to my old metal cased clackity clack keyboard for way too long, but I'm very happy with my wireless mouse and keyboard.

Next time out I think I go laser mouse.

Enjoy,
Gary

LAZ wrote:Why the challenge? Do you seek to debate rationalism vs. empiricism?

No debate. I simply want to inject a dose of reality here.

G Wiv wrote:Next time out I think I go laser mouse.

Enjoy,
Gary

On the subject of mice, my all-time favorite is the Microsoft Trackball Optical. The thumb action is much faster than moving the whole device around the desk, and it has five programmable buttons, all of which I used for repetitive tasks (the outboard left and right I have programmed for cut and paste, which accelerates editing immensely).

stevez wrote:The Logitech Media Keyboard Eliteis my personal fave.

G Wiv wrote:the wireless logitech Steve linked to

Gary, am I missing something? The photo of this keyboard clearly shows a cord.

stevez wrote:I simply want to inject a dose of reality here.

Stevez, the wireless keyboard I had -- brand and model I don't recall -- may well have been an exceptional piece of crap. But I take exception to your implication that I'm delusional.

I begin to suspect that wireless vs. wired belongs with Mac vs. PC, Bluetooth vs. WiFi, and other such political disputes....

LAZ,

Good catch on GWiv's pic of the wired wireless keyboard -- I was wondering about that.

I've been hearing a lot on both sides of the wireless keyboard issue -- and no less an esteemed voice than Ed Fisher concurs that there are problems with the wireless versions.

I think Stevez's jocular reference to "epistemic justification" and "dose of reality" were not intended to impugn anyone. We should probably let that go, please.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:Good catch on GWiv's pic of the wired wireless keyboard -- I was wondering about that.

The model I posted about and linked to is a wired keyboard.

For what it's worth, my problems with wireless keyboards are specific to the lag I've experienced. The battery life has always been pretty decent when I've used 'em, and I spend about 14 hours a day at a keyboard (between home and work). If you do get a wireless keyboard, also invest in some high-quality rechargables and a good recharging station.