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Friday 11 July 2003

Looking for a new keyboard [lurks]

After just a couple of days of using a laptop keyboard in the office, I've come to realise how much they own. I type faster on it, it's quieter, it doesn't make my fingers sore after typing on it for hours either. The reason for that is the very low travel for each keypress and no onus on that clickity type effect which seems to be a selling point for some unfathomable reason on many PC keyboards.
Now, I need an external keyboard for the laptop. Because I want the keyboard closer to me. I want a full sized keyboard too, not one of the cut-down laptop sized ones. Oh and my left hand getting roasted by the heat coming off the left wrist-rest thanks to a 1.3GHz CPU under there somewhere is getting annoying too.
Shinji pointed out a Packard Bell that dixons do that sounds kind of like it. An ultraslim keyboard if you feel like going over there to look it up. Unfortunately it was PS2 only and a Belkin PS2 to USB adaptor runs for around £30 which is about the cost of the damn keyboard!
So the search is on. Anyone seen anything like it or have an opinion on the idea of having a laptop style keyboard for their desktop?

17 comments:

  1. I've found the Dell slim ones to be very good, they're full size and have a very nice soft feel to them. They come in black as well, so will most likely match your keyboard. You can pick them up off Dell's U.K site for about a tenner, which is loads less than what Dixons charge for the big old packard bell ones.
    I don't know which one Shinji is refering to, but I just couldn't find a good quality, slim keyboard in the shops, not for realistic money anyhow.
    I picked up another good one at the TCR comp fair for £3 the other month as well, bargain.

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  2. Yo, scan do a Coolermaster Alloy Keyboard for 30quid that looks kinda neat and in the style of a lappy keyboard.

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  3. That looks quite cool. The question is... does anyone have it other than Scam?

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  4. OC.co.uk do em, and cheaper too. www.coolermaster.com.hk
    Quite fancy one meself :)

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  5. Nice. Dabs just refunded me on the duff Radeon but now I'm not playing Planetside, not sure I can be arsed buying a new graphics card. Seems a waste to buy one thing from oc.co.uk - hmm, I bet they wont let me deliver to work like Dabs do...Actually they will, so I've put in an order for the keyboard. The graphics card can wait when/if I play some game that chugs again by which point there may be something better for the price. :)

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  6. Well I'm a key-whore and I absolutely demand meh favourite at work and at home. The best keyboard I have discovered over 5 years of trying is a bog standard Compaq pc keyboard - straight no feckin frills. It's a full keyboard but low travel and just sweet. I blagged one off work once I realised that nothing I tried in any store would compare. Low profile, fast, sweet. Sorted!

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  7. I know the keyboard you're talking about so I really think you don't grasp what low travel means. :)

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  8. Gosh how you guys manage without an illuminated keyboard? hehe. I've only found black ones in UK but I'm sussing how much to ship the silver ones from US.....

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  9. I got the Coolermaster alloy keyboard thing. I'd say, it's reservedly the Best Thing Evar. It's exactly the sort of thing you want. It's slim, it's basically a laptop keyboard but full size and it's got a nice brushed ally case. There are just a few niggles which may or may not make it the BTE for you.First off, the USB cable isn't that long. That's a feature for my laptop but it'd be shagged for my desktop - I'd need an extension. Can you buy such a thing? You'd probably have to use a hub? Next, it's a US layout keyboard. I found I got used to it quickly but the \ key near space, small return key and other things jumbled up might annoy you. Lastly, and this really is minor, it has pretty small rubber feet which don't do that much of a good job of cushioning typing noise. Much less of an issue when you get used to it and just type with as much for as necessary.On the whole though, I'd recommend it if you could solve the USB cable length problem. It looks the absolute nuts and typing on it is lovely.

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  10. USB extension cables are no problem, Maplin sell them. Dad uses one for his USB pendrive thingy.
    I've been looking at this lot, who appear to do a similar product to the one Lurks bought, but also (allegedly) make UK keyboard layout versions. Buggered if I can find anyone selling them though.

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  11. Looks good. No euro distributor mentioned. I'll have a chat with them tomorrow at work.

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  12. Got an e-mail back off Zippy - their keyboards will apparently be available from Dixons group stores from 25th July onwards, rebranded as Packard Bells. w00t!

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  13. Spoke to Zippy myself, here's the deal;

    We have distributors as followings:

    1. Dixon's - WK713, EL610, RF711
    2. Argos- WK9000+IT01
    3. Maplin- WK711, WK712, EL610, WK9000

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  14. Yeah, I got that off the website, as I recall, but couldn't find any of the products mentioned on the relevant websites. Anyone else have better luck?

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  15. On the off chance that anyone is still interested in this blog - just found a Zippy EL715 in Maplins for £25. It's UK layout, 104 key, and it lights up! Perfect for those late night gaming/IRC sessions. Pictures will be forthcoming.
    The only thing that might put some people off is that they've compacted the layout. The numpad is still seperate, but the arrow keys and the Ins/Hom/Del/End/PgUp/PgDn block have been bolted on to the main block of keys, to the right of return. More intensive testing required, but from the quick first impression of typing this blog, looks like a winner.

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  16. Any news of the zippy keyboards in UK or Europe? I'm looking to buy the WK-8500, but can't find it anywhere.

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  17. My new Logitech Ultra-X showed up today. It's a full sized laptop keyboard with a standard full size layout with full size keys. The action, as Lurks notes above is very nice. I'll be able to ease up on banging the keys which should be good for the old digits.Although finished in platic rather than aluminium it's surprisingly weighty with good non slip feet. There's a few media keys to launch your favorite apps, play & pause etc, but no volume controls.So far, tying is noticeably better, I seem to have got used to it with under half an hour's usage. Gaming will take a little longer I think, as by it's nature I tend to stab at the keys more, reaching ctrl with my left little finger seems a little more cramped. I did a highly scientific test of putting my fingers on WSAD+Ctrl & lifing my hand onto my old keyboard & the layout seems the same. Must be due to the lower profile. Speaking of which it's very slim so you'll be chucking the wrist rest if you get one of these.I picked it pretty much on a whim really, I'd have used it for work if it was no good for gaming, but It's a keeper for me at home. I may even get another for work. Yes, it's also nice & cheap in good old keyboard traditions, oc.co.uk have it for around 18 earth pounds. Elitebastards have a review if you want pics etc. Proper UK layout with a long USB lead too. A minor dissapointment for me is that there's no USB ports to make it act as a hub. Otherwise fab.

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