In Search of Compact Keyboard That Doesn't Suck? 93
dlaur asks: "I am a right-handed programmer who doesn't use the numeric keypad. While some may appreciate it, I find that it forces me to place my mouse too far away and I would prefer a more compact keyboard. I depend upon easy access to the navigation keys (arrows/ins/del/home/end/pgup/pgdn) while programming, and I find that, while compact keyboard layouts do eliminate the numeric keypad, they also cram the navigation keys into unnatural places. Does anyone manufacture a 'standard layout' keyboard sans keypad? Tip for entrepreneurs: I'll pay a lot for one."
Logitech dinovo laser (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Logitech dinovo laser (Score:4, Informative)
I've got the dinovo for a while too (with the MX900/bluetooth), and been very happy with the keyboard especially. I hardly use the keypad (the screen would be nice if only it worked under linux, and the integrated calculator is ok, but a bit limited) The MX900 mouse is a bit heavy and doesn't always recharge properly - I'll probably buy a wired mouse soon.
But the keyboard is top notch. Feels like it's very good quality (for the price, it better be). I prefer the soft/shallow keys of this keyboard, over the typewriter heavy/deep/IBM keys, so that's something you might want to consider. And it's bluetooth, so I can use it with my laptop too, and probably even with my Nokia 770 (haven't tried this yet though)
Real LAZER BEAM keyboard (Score:2)
Many choices (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Many choices (Score:2)
Works like a charm and they're not that expensive. The only upgrade would be if they did a buckling spring version but that's probably too much to hope for.
Re:Many choices (Score:2)
But you can get the "Lil Big Board" for $80 with a buckling spring (ie: mechanical keyswitch).
http://www.datadesktech.com/desktop_lbb_start.htm
Re:Many choices (Score:2)
However, my problem is that I DID use the numpad and want to use it again. It's really hard to play any Civilization games without it. Anyone know where I can get a really thin, practical USB numpad?
Re:Many choices (Score:1)
Re:Many choices (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Many choices (Score:2)
Re:Many choices (Score:1)
Re:Many choices (Score:1)
That's got function keys, arrow keys, and it's $20 from outpost.com. Happy Hacker is far more expensive.
http://shop2.outpost.com/product/3632305#detailed [outpost.com]
Take a look at the rest of their keyboards. They've got a big selection of all types, including several other mini keyboards. http://www.btc.com.tw/english/2-7-keyboard.htm [btc.com.tw]
How about a true 3 button USB mouse? (Score:1)
I quite like my Logitech Mouseman Traveler M-BJ79, but it doesn't seem to be available any more (except in Russia?), and I need another (full size) mouse at work.
thanks...
Re:How about a true 3 button USB mouse? (Score:1)
Re:Many choices (Score:3, Insightful)
Also, the Apple PowerBook keyboard was obviously designed by Happy Hacking-using crackbabies.
Re:Many choices (Score:2)
Only mine is braned by Fujitsu Siemens - go figure.
I has the advantage of being very adjustable and has reduced my RSI problems a lot. The weird enter key takes a bit of getting used to, I was used to an "L" shaped one, but the cursors are sensible, the only weird thing is getting used to the slightly odd home/end/insert/delete/pgup/pgdown positioning but they are separeate keys on the right and reasonably easy to get used to.
well (Score:2)
Just switch to left handed mousing! (Score:3, Interesting)
I did this about six months ago, and havent looked back since. Typical setups put too many common functions on the RHS. Having the arrow keys, pgUp, pgDown, numeric keypad, del and mouse all in a small area is crazy. Switching the mouse to the LHS (and reversing the buttons) is the way to go. It allows you to use the mouse and the keyboard at the same time.
Just takes about a week to get used to it...
Re:Just switch to left handed mousing! (Score:3, Insightful)
Oddly enough, I've done this for about six years, without swapping the buttons. I'm aware of the sense of symmetry in muscle memory, but I never felt the need. It's also easier for other people to use my machine, and vice versa.
Re:Just switch to left handed mousing! (Score:2)
Re:Just switch to left handed mousing! (Score:2)
Yeah try it. (Score:3, Insightful)
I switched some years back when I got a bit of RSI on right hand. So it's not for the same reason, but there's no real disadvantage.
Now I can use the mouse with both hands, but left hand is more for normal desktop mousing, right hand is for games - FPS etc
Some of my colleagues thought I was left handed...
Oh yeah, I suggest you don't change the mouse button settings, that way you can use most people's mouse configs with either hand.
Re:Yeah try it. (Score:2)
I'm right-handed and I have had my mouse on the left for several years now. At this point, I find it far more comfortable and flexible to use -- I even prefer doing Photoshop-like fine detail work with my left hand now.
Actually, at a recent occupational safety meeting at work about RSI, I found that a large percentage (10%-25% IIRC) of my coworkers have done the same thing.
Re:Just switch to left handed mousing! (Score:2)
IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:5, Informative)
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:2)
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:1)
I bought mine off eBay, but they can also be found sometimes at clickykeyboards.com [clickykeyboards.com], for something of a premium price (~$85).
They are not quiet.
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:1)
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:2)
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:2)
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:1)
Re:IBM Model M Space Saver (Score:2)
Other keyboards that use mechanical keyswitchs are the SmartBoard, a split keyboard, and a "Lil Big Board", a reduced number of keys keyboard. Both available at datadesktech.com for around $80. Both use mechanical keyswitches that are less noisy than the IBM ones. The Smartboard keyswitches are additionally lower force and to me feel a lot better.
But the biggest difference come from going to a keyswitch keyboard inste
IBM Trackpoint SpaceSaver (Score:3, Informative)
Don't forego the numeric keyboard altogether (Score:1)
Re:Don't forego the numeric keyboard altogether (Score:2)
And yet somehow, as a person who writes software that does maths all day, and having spent several years studying maths at university before that, I find the keypad useful for nothing other than gaming.
I do wish we'd had this discussion a couple of weeks ago, though. My old keyboard was dying, and no-one seems to supply a straightforward 102- or even 105-key box at my local PC store any more. I settled on a nice-looking Advent aluminium job, since the keys feel quite nice to type on and it's easy on the e
Put your mouse below the keyboard (Score:2)
Speaking of Keyboards (Score:2)
Does anyone know of a buckling spring design that has exactly the same feel of the model M without the loud sound. I would dealy love to get rid of the dome keyboard I am using now.
Re:Speaking of Keyboards (Score:2)
Personally, I don't think the Model:M is that loud-- but maybe I'm ust used to it.
Re:Speaking of Keyboards (Score:1)
Yeah, that's what I thought. I'd been using my M at work for a few months and decided to try something new, so I was bringing it back home. Well, on my way out one of my coworkers said "thank god you're getting rid of that damn thing, it was so loud." No time like the present, Dumbass.
Re:Speaking of Keyboards (Score:2)
Darwin Keyboards makes the Smartboard, available through Datadesktech.com. It features a lighter mechanical keyswitch than the IBM keyboards, a split key layout, and wider keys for your pinky fingers. Very nice to type on, although I do not like the split keyboards in general. But these are the best keyswitchs available bar none.
Datadesktech.com also sells the "lil big board" for $80, a mechanical keyswitch keyboard that is downsi
If your num-pad offends you... (Score:1)
Easy, more room for gimpish mousing and it just looks better.
ThinkGeek (Score:2)
Re:ThinkGeek (Score:2)
Re:ThinkGeek (Score:1, Funny)
Re:ThinkGeek (Score:2)
Try a laptop! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Try a laptop! (Score:2)
Re:Try a laptop! (Score:1)
Re:Try a laptop! (Score:2)
And you're BOTH right! As he said, Thinkpads have the best keyboard ever. It took me a week to get used to it when I was forced to use a Thinkpad as a loaner and I was forced to use that "awful eraserhead" pointer", as I described it. After I got good at it that awful eraserhead right under my index finger and the three mousebuttons always under my thumbs became so fast and natural that I refused to go back to my own computer and bought myself a Thinkpad.
With the mouse and t
Logitech diNovo (Score:1, Redundant)
Images courtesy of Google [google.com]
Logitech DiNovo (Score:1)
Or as most would have it, paperweight.
Comes in two varieties, the desktop version (for $270) or the laptop wireless version with USB dongle (for $120). I'm seriously considering getting one for myself, but they seem to have no idea where the enter exactly is and the left shift button is mangled, so I'm not sure I'm going to mispress a few keys. Seeing the wear on my current keyboard I'm pressing the enter button in the middle so I'd regularl
Try a TypeMatrix (Score:1)
The only drawback I've found are the insert, home, end, page up and page down keys as they are function shifted from the F8 through F12 keys. Hardly a problem, I just remapped them.
TypeMatrix [typematrix.com]
Jo
grab a hacksaw? (Score:1)
Related Question (Score:2)
Re:Related Question (Score:2)
Deck Keyboards [deckkeyboards.com] use a microswitch with gold contacts. They're USB, and available with or without a numeric keypad (or you can also get their separate numeric keypad). All the keys are individually lighted, and the company sells different parts so you can mod them.
The company is part of TG3 (the company that makes the keyboards used in police cars), so you know their boards can take a real beating.
Convert a laptop keyboard (Score:1)
This is an interesting question... (Score:2)
My wife recently asked me about getting her a smaller keyboard - basically, she wants a full set of keys (number pad and all - she knows 10 keying, and uses it all the time), just a smaller keyboard, to help save space and to fit her hands better as they are smaller than average. If they made a keyboard where all the
Re:This is an interesting question... (Score:1)
I am also looking for a wireless keyboard for an HTPC-type application. Ideally, it would be small (no keypad needed), with a built in mouse pointing system (no separate mouse). It would also be nice if there was a separate wireless remote control-like controller included (for times where you just want to point-n-click, no typing needed). I don't hold out much hope finding that, either...
Microsoft makes one for MCE stuff, but it might work for other HTPCs. It's gotten decent reviews.
Small kdb/screen; `media' kdb; alternate approach (Score:2)
For both your needs and the OP, there are a number of `media keyboards' seemingly designed for living room use th
Compact Keyboard (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Compact Keyboard (Score:1)
Left-handed (Score:2)
I've been using my mouse left handed for close to 9 years now, and other than bugging the shit out of people who sit down to use my computer (which can be a tremendous advantage itself), it works out great.
Tip for entrepreneurs: I'll pay a lot for this too (Score:2)
Re:Tip for entrepreneurs: I'll pay a lot for this (Score:2)
It's essentially a tablet pc without the pc. Crappy resolution, but it works wirelessly. The biggest problem though: it's about the same heft and thickness as a normal tablet pc.
What I'd like is one that works wirelessly, 1280x1024 or greater res., has a detachable keybord/touchpad, and is at least as light and thin as a good laptop. Of course, it would probably cost as much as a real laptop as the lcd alone is more than half the price.
Re:Cherry ... (Score:1)
FrogPad (Score:1)
Keyboard Modifier (Score:1)
Evil Reach (Score:2)
Your "preference" is good ergonomics — reaching over, the way most mouse users do, helps screw up your wrist.
But yeah, it is stupid that the standard keyboard contains a numeric keypad. Only useful for people who have to enter a lot of numbers. Which I'm sure there are, but 95% of us don't.
I use a Goldtouch [keyovation.com] keyboard. Which not only uses less space, but is split down the middle to allow you to posit
Learn vi! (Score:2)
HJKL to the rescue - you will never look back (and you will never get those random escape-[ strings inserted into your document that you sometimes get with arrow keys in an xterm either).
Re:Learn vi! (Score:2)
Of course, if you're really clever, you can do everything in Vi and the command line and not use your GUI at all. But I prefer not to spend half my life learning obscure commands and keystroke sequences.
Re:Learn vi! (Score:5, Funny)
How very nice for you.
Too bad this thread is about keyboards that lack arrow keys - not going mouse-free. Please save your comment so that it can be recycled in a future slashdot posting that is actually on topic.
Re:Learn vi! (Score:1)
Re:Learn vi! (Score:1)
The story is clearly about getting a smaller keyboard that still has arrow keys because he wants the mouse closer to the main part of the keyboard. It does not say one thing about eliminating the need for a mouse. Thus your random response about eliminating the need for a mouse is clearly off-topic in general and absolutely off-topic as a reply to my post. C
Use a left-handed keyboard (Score:1)
The only problem is I never found one with the exact layout that I like (wide backspace, tall enter with a backslash nestled up to it.)
Unicomp (Score:2)
navigation keys? (Score:1)
or do you mean the ever more popular w-asd setup?
use a playstation keyboard (Score:2, Informative)
If you're brave, try a kinesis keyboard (Score:2)
Consider also a Mouse Bridge (Score:2)
I may still look at a narrower keyboard, but in the meantime I have a logitech media keyboard that cost me about $30 and has excellent feel.
And I bought a Mouse Bridge [yahoo.com]. The link is jsut an example, do a search on google to find others. It's a small platform which sits over the
Dvortyboards 2030 in qwerty or dvorak layout (Score:1)
Logitech PS2 (game console) keyboard (Score:1)