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Hardware

Affordable, Compact Keyboards? 56

Posted by Cliff from the quantity-not-quality dept.
green pizza asks: "I'm in charge of building a lab of internet kiosk-style PCs for my local library. We have already settled on locally built Mini-PCs and will be netbooting the machines into a simplified Linux environment based heavily on JWZ's experiences in this area. We're cramped for space and luckily have been donated plenty of 15" LCDs. The only remaining issue has been keyboards. A supply of generic $5 keyboards would almost work, but we're already short on table space. I would really like to use low profile keyboards, as we have no need for a numeric keypad, F-keys, or media/shortcut keys. The Happy Hacking Keyboard series is almost perfect, but its build quality is overkill and the price is way beyond the $25 or so we'd like to spend. Anyone know of a bargain Google/Froogle is overlooking?"
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Affordable, Compact Keyboards? More

Affordable, Compact Keyboards?

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  • SIIG low-profile keyboards (Score:4, Informative)

    by kriston ( 7886 ) on Saturday October 09, 2004 @08:14PM (#10482519) Homepage Journal
    I have a collection of SIIG Minitouch Plus low-profile keyboards. They are slightly more than $25 but are the perfect form-factor. They have a full-sized CAPSLOCK key suitable for use as a CTRL key.

    Kris

  • They exist (Score:5, Informative)

    by etymxris ( 121288 ) * on Saturday October 09, 2004 @08:15PM (#10482523)
    Go here [newegg.com], then search for all keyboards with "notebook" layout. I'd link to the search directly, but deep linking like that doesn't work on newegg.
  • Apple's USB keyboards are quite small and include a USB hub. See if you can pick up a bunch from a school getting rid of some old ones, or eBay.
    • I second this. I bought an Apple keyboard because I wanted a reasonable quality full size keyboard and was trying to save a couple of inches of desk space. I'm very happy with it.

      My next keyboard is probably going to be a tactile pro [matias.ca] or a Unicomp Type M [pckeyboard.com], but that really doesn't answer your question.
      • The 101 or 104? If you're buying the 101, go buy a pre-1993 IBM Model M. I haven't actually tried the Unicomp, but I DO own the Lexmark (1993 to 1996) Model M, and don't like it at all. I LOVE my 1991 IBM Model M. GREAT feel. Oh, and because it was missing a few keys, it was $1. The Lexmark one was $4, and the PS/2 connector was bent, but at least the keys were useful...

        Oh, and these keyswitches last 20+ years.
  • i just picked up one of these [kensington.com] (Well technically i got the mac version). They are very nice. it's basically like a laptop keyboard for a desktop. my only complaint is it isn't USB RF wireless. if it was, i would say it's perfect. but other than that it's a slim compact keyboard for around $30-35 on froogle.

  • Notebook Keyboards !=duarble (Score:4, Informative)

    by quantumraptor ( 818569 ) <quantumraptor@gmai l . c om> on Saturday October 09, 2004 @08:30PM (#10482602)
    I administered a setup like this for a library in the New york area, and our initial keyboards, IBM notebook keyboard/touchpads broke within one month of their first use. We replaced them with IBM Clickity-Clickity Model M keyboards, and they have lasted ever since (about 4 years).

  • A possibility you might not think of (Score:3, Informative)

    by melquiades ( 314628 ) on Saturday October 09, 2004 @08:52PM (#10482737) Homepage
    I used a Logitech keyboard for the Playstation [logitech.com] at work for a while. The keys feel pretty nice, but the layout is kind of wonky. It's not expensive, IIRC.
  • Here's [newegg.com] an inexpensive one.
  • I bought my Happy Hacking keyboard for less than $25.00 off eBay. The HH Lite 2 is the cheaper model, and I've seen them go for under $19.00. BTW, it simply the best keyboard I've ever owned.

  • You may want to rethink this. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by syukton ( 256348 ) on Saturday October 09, 2004 @09:12PM (#10482853)
    No need for a numeric keypad or fkeys? Never pressed F5 to refresh eh? F2 to open a new location in a browser? heh. Sounds like you need more tables instead of crappy keyboards. Keep in mind that a lot of people are comfortable with a certain kind of keyboard, and giving them laptop-like keyboards with small keys that are hard to type on may just deter their usage and make your whole computer lab project a giant waste of money.
  • You know your situation better (since I don't at all, other than what you wrote in your Ask Slashdot submission), but I wonder ... do you really want to be space-limited to small keyboards?

    You're starting out with a space crunch that makes you ask the question, Yes, but the space added by full size keyboards (unless they're really huge ones! :) ) won't be that great; if there's a way you could rearrange your seating to fit full-size keyboards, then you'll be better able to fit replacements when they're nec
  • No other keyboards are worthy of even being called a keyboard.

    It is that simple.
    • That doesn't fulfill small. Unfortunately, the SpaceSaver (84-key Model M - numpad chopped off) doesn't fulfill cheap, as they are literally worth their weight in gold due to their rarity. If Unicomp only made a Customizer 84 and 87...
      • Die now.

        The Model M is the perfect keyboard for all typing and self defense purposes.

        To speak ill of the Model M isn't allowed.
        • Whoa... I'm not speaking ill of the Model M when I'm recommending a made-by-IBM variant of the Model M.

          I have a Model M on my desk, with the PS/2 cable (w00t!). You better believe that I worship the M.

          The only problems with the SpaceSaver are that it is smaller, and therefore lighter, and that to make it smaller, IBM took off the numpad. The size and weight aren't always bad things, though - it means that it whips through the air easier, so you could throw it further than a Model M. As for no numpad, ther
  • Don't get something that looks cool because you'll develop a theft problem. I'd recommend the worst looking but toughest keyboard you can find. Anything that people thing would go for a lot at a pawn shop avoid.

  • Old people (30yrs) == fat fingers. (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Don't do it just cause you think they're cool!

    We did it for a conference series for medical workers, and there was much complaining... I got chewed out for this! The mini-keyboards have too little throw, reduced sized keys and don't last. Go full sized. After the age of 35-40, vision decays. Waists expand. Asses sag. Fingers stop flying with kung-fu accuracy. The brain becomes full and no longer presents a blank sheet of paper with each new concept. Soon, Decay sets in.
    You stop going out, and go to the

  • Is $15 to high? (Score:3, Informative)

    by mpemba ( 681495 ) on Saturday October 09, 2004 @11:09PM (#10483437)
    These are little and fifteen. mini keyboard [alldifference.com].
  • The happy keyboard [yahoo.com] features no Win button (understandable) and a relocated Ctrl key (reminds me of an IBM mainframe terminal I used long ago)... but why the lack of the Caps Lock?
    • Linux/Unix are case sensitive. Commands tend to be in lowercase. Conf files are often case sensitive. CapsLock is generally extraneous.

      That's not an end-luser keyboard.
    • " The happy keyboard features no Win button (understandable) and a relocated Ctrl key (reminds me of an IBM mainframe terminal I used long ago)... but why the lack of the Caps Lock?"

      Not reading the article is one thing, but this is new: Apparently you didn't read the page to which you linked! Do I sense a new slashdot cliché?

      Referring back to the very page you linked, I quote: "** Caps Lock and Windows keys available by using mode setting [yahoo.com]"

  • http://frogpad.com/ I have one, and it's great.

  • Lite On Laptop-style Keyboard (Score:3, Informative)

    by egarrido16 ( 473166 ) <sp322@nOsPaM.ericgarrido.com> on Sunday October 10, 2004 @05:06AM (#10484728) Homepage Journal
    I bought this notbook-style USB keyboard [newegg.com] a few weeks ago and have been very happy with it.

    This thing is so tiny and thin that cute girls were actually looking at me when I whipped it out of my bag.

    The keyboard is pretty good and what I'd expect from a 12" Dell laptop (it's actually substantially better than the keyboard on my Dell Inspiron 2100, a 12" laptop). That said, the keys are small and the backspace key is tiny (read: sucks), but the keyboard still might suit your needs.

  • Add more table space? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by dtfinch ( 661405 ) * on Sunday October 10, 2004 @05:10AM (#10484748) Journal
    Compact keyboards might work, but I myself have trouble working with any keyboard that deviates even the slightest bit from "standard". Very slow, lots of mistakes and profanity. And I have a feeling I'm not the only person who dislikes small keyboards. I can't imagine giving people less space than is needed for a standard keyboard and a mouse pad anyways.

  • BTC Mini Keyboard (Score:4, Informative)

    by ManxStef ( 469602 ) on Sunday October 10, 2004 @10:36AM (#10485808) Homepage
    http://www.btc.com.tw/english/2-7-06keyboard.htm#5 100c [btc.com.tw]
    http://www.btc.com.tw/english/2-7-06keyboard.htm#9 118 [btc.com.tw]
    http://www.btc.com.tw/english/2-7-07keyboard.htm#6 100 [btc.com.tw]

    I got one of these (the 9118) bundled with my Gigabyte TA-1 [giga-byte.com] and it suits it perfectly, fitting nicely with the form-factor of the machine. I think all these models are very similar, with perhaps the 5100c suiting you best; they've got a reasonable action for the price and are available in both USB (with an upstream port built-in -- handy if you wish to allow pendrive access) and straight PS/2.

    If you're buying a few of them you might want to fire an e-mail to BTC's US distributor [btc.com.tw] (or ring them) and see what they can do for you -- many resellers put a high markup on these purely 'cause they're small (~USD30), but with a bit of hunting you can probably get them for closer to USD5.

  • don't cheap out on the keyboard (Score:3, Informative)

    by Lehk228 ( 705449 ) on Sunday October 10, 2004 @11:41AM (#10486095) Journal
    almost any machine you buy nowadays comes with a keyboard that is between shitty and complete shit. If you want to have good keyboards you will have to pay a good amount of money for them, or score some old dirty ones and clean them. as mentioned before the IBM model M's are great, and you can get other buckling spring keyboards from Unicomp [pckeyboard.com] I would recommend either the Customizer 140 [yahoo.com] which goes for $60 or the Endura Pro [yahoo.com] which goes for $100 and has a laptop style "nipple" pointer. if you want to spend $150 you can get the on-The-Ball [yahoo.com] which has a trackball in the upper right corner, make sure if you get that one that you select the buckling spring model not the quiet touch model.

    Disclaimer, I in no way work for Unicomp or PCKeyboards.com
  • I realize that it's important to use space efficiently no matter how much you have, but how much horizontal space are you really going to save by going to compact keyboards? I'm thinking... six inches at most.

    If these kiosks are THAT cramped for space, I can't imagine them being very pleasant to use, even with a few inches of space freed up by your compact keyboards. Most people aren't going to want to rub shoulders and elbows with total strangers in order to do a little web surfing.

    (Perhaps I'm missing

    • Exactly. Mod the Parent up.

      If space is such a big issue, they need more desks, not smaller keyboards.

      But comfortability isn't the ONLY reason. I can only speak for myself here, but the only time I go to the library is when I'm doing some kind of research. I don't go there to surf the web. I, as well as MOST Americans at this point, can do that at home. And research requires that I have desk space to write and set books on.

      -Grym

  • I have three keyboards sitting in front of me, two IBM Model M's on my desktop and Laptop dock that get a LOT of heavy pounding (i show no mercy towards my keyboards) and one Logitech Wireless on my HTPC.
    Needless to say the Logitech is a piece of thin plastic and can't take much abuse.

    If you have a public environment, space shouldn't be as big as issue as longevity of components. And as a plus, you won't have people taking a five-finger discount on your keyboards because the model M's look like junk.
    • Unfortunately, I realized one issue with the Model M - people can EASILY take a five-finger discount on the keys of most Model Ms. The answer is to epoxy the keys onto the stems, or get newer keys that have an integrated stem. The keyboards that come with integrated stem keys aren't great compared to most Model Ms, though.
  • I have been pretty happy with directrons selection of compact keyboards. They stopped carrying the WK801 'Zippy' and replaced it with a slightly cheaper (quality) version. These run $15 iirc, and I'd wager you could swing a small discount in volume.

    You'll be hard pressed to find low profile keyboards that will last any amount of time for too cheap. IMO if it has to stand up to the publics abuse - you're gunna have to shell out the minimum for quality.

    You may also want to look into whether there are oth
  • I've used the Crystal Visions compact keyboards in the past. They are small, have a decent layout, and seem reasonably durable. I don't know what the current price is but you can check them out at http://www.crystalvisions.com/compactkeyboards.htm .
  • I plan on getting one of these [tigerdirect.com] soon. Bonus they are waterproof. It's just a tad over the $25 you specified, less then $30.
  • I got one of those tiny USB glowing keyboards that retail for $60 on ebay for $18. Works just fine too.

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