Keyboards?

[l0rca]

I'm looking for a keyboard I can buy online. I have a laptop, but I don't like the idea of typing over top the crumby dusty mess under the keys.

Anybody know of some good quality keyboards? Something easy to clean out, maybe wireless, and somewhat compact? Err.

[Rob Lister]

Buy something from microsoft. Nobody every got fired for buying microsoft.

:)

[a_unique_person]

I use the Microsoft Natural, (The curved one). If you can touch type, it's much more friendly on the wrists and tendons. If you can't touch type, you should learn, it doesn't take long, and the payback in faster typing rate is huge.

[Ducky]

Does your laptop have bluetooth? I've found that is handy for keyboards. I use the apple bluetooth keyboard with my macbook pro. I do like the microsoft natural one though.

[ReligionStudent]

If you want easy to clean there are various special flat ones, some of which are available over at think geek www.thinkgeek.com. There are lots of weird, neat computer things there. However, if you see somthing you like, look around and price search first, think geek is sometimes over priced, to get all that money they know their target audience is willing to spend.

[Ducky]

If you want easy to clean there are various special flat ones, some of which are available over at think geek www.thinkgeek.com. There are lots of weird, neat computer things there. However, if you see somthing you like, look around and price search first, think geek is sometimes over priced, to get all that money they know their target audience is willing to spend.

I like this one:


http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/8193/

[l0rca]

I ended up going out today and buying a Logitech wireless one, so I can type in my lap (which actually means a lot, since it's difficult to reach up to my laptop -- I have a high desk and a disproportionate chair). There's a bunch of cool features on the keyboard too, and it's much easier to clean than my laptop keys. I need to get some black electrical tape, though. There's some "zoom" option near the keys, and my pinky keeps landing on it, zooming the text and all sort of stupid ****.

[Soapy Sam]

If you aim to be there a lot- do yourself a favour and buy a good office chair.
You'll thank me for this one day.

[rockoon]

I like this one:


http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/8193/

I'm thinking that this one wont work well for gaming, or any other application that requires multiple neighboring keys being pressed simultaneously.

[Reed]

The Happy Hacker keyboard might appeal: http://pfuca-store.stores.yahoo.net/haphackeyser.html

I prefer the IBM Model M keyboard. The most durable keyboard that was ever manufactured. Many have been in use for decades.

[alfaniner]

I prefer the IBM Model M keyboard. The most durable keyboard that was ever manufactured. Many have been in use for decades.

Is that the one that makes the distinct "clackety-clack" sound that you hear whenever someone on TV or in a commercial is typing?

[Reed]

Is that the one that makes the distinct "clackety-clack" sound that you hear whenever someone on TV or in a commercial is typing?

Yep that's it, though it didn't occur to me that they were used as props.

More details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_Keyboard

[Rat]

I'm thinking that this one wont work well for gaming, or any other application that requires multiple neighboring keys being pressed simultaneously.
Whereas I'm thinking of my boss, who bought one (or something very like it) a couple of years ago. He played with it a lot, showed it to everyone as a worthy gadget, then put it away and never actually used it. It's a nice idea, but a horrible reality. Fun to play with for a while, though; set it on the edge of the desk (so it projects on the floor) and see if you can guess where the imaginary keys are that are invisibly floating in space in front of the desk.

[richardm]

Buy something from microsoft. Nobody every got fired for buying microsoft.

:)

Heh. I have two microsoft keyboards; one is an "Internet Keyboard" which is nice to type on, and is my main work keyboard so it gets a lot of use and it's still in good shape. One of the control keys has started sticking occasionally though (the key cap comes up but the keyboard still registers it as down - quite annoying when it happens, probably the victim of some coffee). This is after about six years of steady use, and I'd rate it as pretty good overall.

The other one is a Wireless Comfort Keyboard and that's a different story. The keys are a bit vague, sometimes missing altogether if you're typing at speed. Regularly used keys for games are not registering terribly well. I've had that about a year and am not much impressed.

There's also the "One man's meat is another man's poison" aspect. I used to have a Model M keyboard and loved it. People dropping in hated it - usually they couldn't believe the effort required to hit the keys. I should think that in an office it could be quite unpopular too - they're noisy creatures, I seem to recall (Lovely, lovely noise :D ). Okay when people were used to offices full of mechanical typewriters, but perhaps not so much now.

So I suppose "Try before you buy" would be a good maxim, if at all possible.

[bjornart]

I'm thinking of turning my keyboard into one of these: http://www.daskeyboard.com/

Idealy I'd have the matte black keyboard with markings only visible under UV light, since it's not likely I'll ever be able to remember where various symbol keys are. Then I could just switch on a small UV bulb when I needed to do something besides touch-typing ordinary text.