Best non-gaming keyboard: vista machine...

[DualMonitors]

in building my new machine with Vista Ultimate, i found my Logitech keyboard/mouse MX duo combo is now considered "legacy" devices and no longer supported with any Vista drivers, i.e., none of the extra buttons work so it is just like the plainest of plain keyboards.

so, with that in mind, i'm going to spring for a great keyboard which will hopefully last another 2-5 years.

the microsoft 8000 looks great, but the microsoft 7000 (a slightly scaled down version of the 8000, but essentially the same) got very lukewarm ratings from some of the sites. some say it slides easily, etc.

may i please ask for suggestions? i'd like the best, practical, super duper keyboard for non gamers. bells and whistles are great, but i do hope that they are useful bells and whistles, and not just buttons for the sake of buttons. some useless specifically labeled buttons are downright annoying if one would never ever use them!

on the other hand, sometimes, having volume control, mute, etc can be very handy. the phone rings, just a quick tap with a finger right on the keyboard will mute.

thx in advance. looking forward to hearing which keyboards are now considered "the best" for non gamers.

oh, the reason i'm concentrating on the keyboard rather than the mice is that i use a Wacom Tablet, so the mouse will likely be used very very infrequently, virtually never. I find that i have an uncomfortable condition with my hand when i use the mouse for extended periods due partially to the way i hold it, so i switched to the Wacom Tablet, and like it.

thx in advance.

 

[kamal007]

i have the dinovo keyboard...small sleek..more like a lappy kinda keyboard...have some extra controls for winamp and few others..great!!

 

[DualMonitors]

is the di novo Vista compatible?

many older models are not fully Vista compatible and they don't seem like they are going to come out with Vista drivers for those...

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: DualMonitors
is the di novo Vista compatible?

many older models are not fully Vista compatible and they don't seem like they are going to come out with Vista drivers for those...

logitech should have all the vista drivers available.

The dinovu is logitech's cream of the crop exec. wireless keyboard and mouse. They come in different flavors, from bluetooth, to lazer G5 mouse. However, i honestly dont think the heafty pricetag is worth it.


I highly recomend the G15 from logitech. Its a game keyboard however! let me set the things straight, all the best computer equiptment (non industrial) is designed for gaming. The best high resolution mouse is a gaming mouse. The best video cards are ment for gaming, testing a computer benchmark always has a gaming performance test involved.

Anyhow, the G15 keys are very soft and they feel good when you type on them. The keyboard is backlight with blue LED's so you can see in the dark, and it has a nice custom LCD pannel.

Another keyboard i also recomend which is also gaming is the razor tarantula. I have yet to feel keys as nice as this keyboard. The buttons were great, and the keyboard looks beautiful. However it is also a very expensive keyboard. These are all wired.

If your going wireless, i wouldnt recomend logitech. I would go with a microsoft brand, because i have had far less problems with microsoft keyboards. My logitech MX5000 kept locking up when my cell phone rang near it. So i would watch out for bluetooth keyboards and mouse due to that reason.

 

[DualMonitors]

i'm looking at the razor tarantula now...

may i ask if anyone knows how to "program" the Vista Aero's "Switch between windows" function? that is the function that you can see all the windows which are minimized in the taskbar and open windows and see all of them standing up at an angle.

i'd like to program that function on my programmable button at the side of my Wacom tablet, that would be just like those programmable buttons on the sides of the Razor Tarantula, but i can't figure out how to program the "windows" key that is between the control and the alt buttons, so i can't program that function. i think that "windows" key is some special key that cannot be programmed...maybe i'm mistaken, please, if anyone knows, please do tell!

where would be the best place to get the razor tarantula please? oh, btw, between the razor tarantula and the G15 logitech, which would you choose, please?

thx!

 

[DualMonitors]

how about the G15 logitech versus the Microsoft 7000? the microsoft 8000 is too expensive. thx.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: DualMonitors
i'm looking at the razor tarantula now...

may i ask if anyone knows how to "program" the Vista Aero's "Switch between windows" function? that is the function that you can see all the windows which are minimized in the taskbar and open windows and see all of them standing up at an angle.

i'd like to program that function on my programmable button at the side of my Wacom tablet, that would be just like those programmable buttons on the sides of the Razor Tarantula, but i can't figure out how to program the "windows" key that is between the control and the alt buttons, so i can't program that function. i think that "windows" key is some special key that cannot be programmed...maybe i'm mistaken, please, if anyone knows, please do tell!

where would be the best place to get the razor tarantula please? oh, btw, between the razor tarantula and the G15 logitech, which would you choose, please?

thx!

I personally search around using froogle, and then resellerraitings.com to check vendor.

I currently own a G15. I have the razor at work. My co workers make fun of me because its such a large keyboard. However, they keep asking me if they can use my computer because the keys feel very springy and soft.

The Logitech G15 has a nice LCD screen that can be moded. This is the main reason why i use this at home. There are mods you can download so it can display MBM settings and weather! no im not kidding either. There are current projects on trying to impliment a stock ticker even on it!

www.g15mods.com <--- i concider you going though that forum to see if there are any mods out that would fit your need.

If a lot of typing is involved, i highly recomend one of these two keys as my fingers never get cramped. If you need a second areo task bar, the logitech G15 screen works pretty darn well.

the razor isnt as bling bling in lights and feature as the g15, however, i still have yet to feel a keyboard as nice as it!

 

[mgutz]

i'm picky about keyboards since i frickin type all day (.NET developer). after trying MS 4000, several Logitechs, BTC, Kensington the winner is the $15 MS Comfort Curve 2000 keyboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823109026

keys are in the right place! nice balance between feedback, travel and noise. almost laptop like feel with more feedback. i spent a few hundreds of dollars on keyboards this year (i buy in pairs one for work and home) and this is the one i settled on. i wish it was better quality. i've broken the enter key typing messages to teammates in Frozen Throne game. it's not as sturdy as the Natural Keyboard Pro it replaced. (i have two new ones unopened in my closet just in case). it's liquid resistant as well. i spilled a fair amount of water on it and no problems. you can't beat this keyboard on price alone and the feel is second to none. if they would just remove the number pad which i never use, this would be the perfect keyboard. anyway, i'm sure lots of people will think i'm crazy but believe it this $15 keyboard is a gem.

btw, i use the wireless version of it for my main box:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826105035

the mouse in the combo sucks as most MS mice do, i paired it with the logitech G7. i use the logitech MX518 with the wired keyboard on my other computer.