QotD: Keyboard
Posted January 12th, 2005 @ 01:39pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Question: What kind of keyboard do you use for your computer? How do you like it?
My Answer: Ever since Apple went to the plastic USB ones, I've used the cleanest, newest version of those available. When the white ones with edges came out (I think they debuted with an eMac revision), I held off and clung to my black-keyed one, but I've since adjusted.
Carey has my 12" PowerBook, and I liked the keys on that just fine.
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Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 3:19pm #
The TouchStream MacNTouch is by far the best keyboard for the mobile powerbook'in experience. Granted I had to spend a couple weeks re-learning to type, but the experience with gestures and chording is truly the ONLY "never take your hands off the keyboard" experience.
The price is high ($259), and many of my friends have not been able to handle the nature of zero-force (no tactile feedback) keyboards -- but if you can get over the learning curve, it truly is an unparalleled experience. HIGHLY recommended. With newer powerbooks, some assembly required, older powerbooks (tibooks), it just snaps in place of your old keyboard. (BTW: it is USB, not ADB so one of your ports is dissolved, but it's a small price to pay for what it does for the Mac OS X experience).
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 3:55pm #
Although I've never felt the urge to try one, I do know people that use the TouchStream keyboards, and they are just as enthusiastic about them (if not even more) than Mark. One friend of mine bought the keyboard to address his RSI problems, and says that through his injury he stumbled onto to something great that he would have otherwise never tried.
For myself, I've always tended towards the Macally keyboards for my desktop Macs. My 12" Powerbook is the first Powerbook that I've owned that came with a keyboard I like.
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 4:06pm #
I use a Matias Tactile Pro keyboard. It's designed specifically for the Mac and has microswitches so you it clicks as you type. Possibly the best keyboard I've ever used.
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 4:19pm #
Since Steve's return with the first iMac, what I have missed most is a POWER button on the keyboard. When my apple keyboard succumbed to Pepsi Syndrome, I bought Macally keyboards that kept this feature, or whatever was handy at the local CompUSA.
White, Clear, Black, or backlit, I like the look and feel of the Apple keyboards better in most cases, but I really like having the power switch on the keyboard.
And as a surf in the dark sort, I wish all Apple keyboards were backlit, but that would have to wear out a bluetooth keyboard pretty fast. My next keyboard will be bluetooth, but I am mainly concerned about being able to keep its necessary batteries charged (dockable?)
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 7:05pm #
I absolutely love my MacAlly IceKey - It's like having PowerBook keys for your desktop.
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 8:09pm #
15" PowerBook with an iSkin. Only thing I don't like about it is internally it's an ADB keyboard so it's impossible to swap the capslock and control key like the standard external USB keyboards. There are hacks, like uControl, that override the key behavior, the caps lock LED behavior isn't overridden.
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 9:25pm #
I'm gonna have to second the Tactile Pro recommendation. I have yet to run across anyone who has one that doesn't think it's the best keyboard they ever owned. If I had a desktop I'd be typing this on one.
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 9:54pm #
I have a Tactile Pro at home and work. I've bought two others for coworkers and all of us our very happy.
I do think I liked the older ADB Apple Keyboard a little better, but this is the best modern keyboard out there IMO.
Posted 12 Jan 2005 at 10:22pm #
I have a Logitech bluetooth keyboard that came with my MX-900 bluetooth mouse. I can't say that I love it, especially compared with the Apple keyboards which are peerless IMHO, but I'm also not about to go out and replace it when it works perfectly fine. In fact, it's actually surpassed my expectations of it in some ways (some of the doofy bonus buttons at the top actually work, like the volume control or the "Pause/Play" button).
Posted 13 Jan 2005 at 2:31am #
Kensington Slim Type keyboard. i absolutely love this thing. shallow keys like a laptop, nice, crisp keystrokes. i swear going from my apple original g4 keyboard to this upped my WPM by like 20%
...and it matches apple's white and chrome thing pretty well, though the only other thing i have like that is my iPod.
i'd have to say i like this MORE that the current apple keyboards, but it has a few arrangement flaws. (placement of the delete, home page up and down keys are not standard and kind of strange, and the command key is normal width instead of doulble [to be useful on a PC] but it's not a big deal after a minute or two of use.)
http://www.kensington.com/html/5463.html
this is one of the best keyboards i've ever used in any situation. i'm a fan. 🙂
Posted 13 Jan 2005 at 4:03am #
On this G4 Cube I still use a Saratoga II (hooked up with an iMate).
For the other Macs, I have the dark USB Version. Cube has a Kensington Orbit too, but the other button would propably require an imate driver 😀
BTW,Saratoga II is for me the Extended ADB Keyboard II 😉
Posted 13 Jan 2005 at 5:03am #
I have a Kinesis Advantage, and I'd never exchange it for anything else (except an Advantage Pro of course ;).
Posted 13 Jan 2005 at 6:23am #
I love my Logitech Elite Keyboard mostly for the simplicity of it as well as the volume knob and track forward/back buttons.
Posted 13 Jan 2005 at 9:00am #
I'm a fairly new Mac user, so I ahve the clear/black key keyboard that came with my G4. I think it's one of the best keyboards I've ever used though. perfect amount of clickiness in the keys. As for Mouse, I have a Wacom 6x9 tablet with mouse. quite nice.
Posted 13 Jan 2005 at 9:54am #
At work, I use a Microsoft split (ergonomic) keyboard with my PowerBook, via a USB-PS/2 adapter. The split keyboard really helps my wrists, and since this is the one with the inverted T arrow keys (not the one with the goofy diamond-shaped arrow key arrangement) it suits me fine.
At home I use my iMac's standard keyboard. I liked my Cube's keyboard better, but I sold that with the Cube. Earlier USB keyboards (but not the earliest) had a little space between F4 and F5, and again between F8 and F9... the newer ones don't so I can't always feel my way to the right keys anymore. 🙁
Elsewhere I use my PowerBook's internal keyboard. LOVE that keyboard!
With my Old World Macs, I use an Apple Extended II keyboard or an Apple Design keyboard. The Extended was the best of the ADB keyboards, and the Design is OK - I like it better than the Extended only because of its more compact design.
With my Plusses I use a Mac 128 or a Mac Plus keyboard. I really like the original Mac 128 keyboard.
Posted 16 Jan 2005 at 12:21am #
I use my iBook's internal keyboard most of the time.
On the PC (which lives in the cupboard except when something bad happens to the iBook) I use a Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro - one of their USB ones (now discontinued) with 2x USB ports on the back.
I also have a set of the Apple BT Keyboard & Mouse, which because my bluetooth dongle is flakey (works fine once it's on and working, but it's getting it to go in the first place that's hard, and it stops when you unplug it, so not exactly convenient for an iBook), are currently in their boxes. Once my mac mini arrives they will be attached to that.
I've had the Apple BT keyboard for about 9 months now and the batteries are still going fine.