What is wrong with keyboard manufacturers

[Red Squirrel]

i got one thanks to dell black friday. is the space bar ridiculously stiff? iit has a feel that is totally different from the other keys, many spots on the space bar button are just not usable. it wasn't a problem with my previous ms kb which was a multimedia natural pro ms kb. any spot on that kb's space would have the button depress as smoothly as any other while this one seems to have some serious design issues. esp the front edge and near the sides it just jams.

I actually heard the same thing about the space bar in reviews and what not, but I have not noticed it on mine, don't know if it might have to do with my typing technique, or I just got lucky or something. The only thing that sucks is I don't think the keys come off so it's harder to clean. My 135PSI air compressor + vacuum usually helps a bit.

 

[0roo0roo]

Sounds like you might have gotten a damaged keyboard?

i hope you are right. waiting for dell to get back to me on this. seems the kb quality controls gone a bit down hill, also have a letter key that fails to register with regular pressure, gotta mash it. arg

 

[0roo0roo]

I actually heard the same thing about the space bar in reviews and what not, but I have not noticed it on mine, don't know if it might have to do with my typing technique, or I just got lucky or something. The only thing that sucks is I don't think the keys come off so it's harder to clean. My 135PSI air compressor + vacuum usually helps a bit.

if its not simply my faulty unit its a strange design. it seems it only goes down somewhat smoothly pressed on the bottom half.

 

[QueBert]

Razer Tarantula > *

Not exactly cheap but worth every penny. I love how you can make it auto switch profiles when you open triggers programs. So when I open Photoshop it automatically switches to my PS profile that has all my PS macros. Having that + on board memory for profiles = t3h wins. Only thing it doesn't have is a pause button for the music controls, which is stupid.

 

[0roo0roo]

ok felt up a store display model, still stiff but not as stiff as mine, guess i have a dud. but still three are issues with this design that are a step back from previous models. the flat keys instead of the indented type keys just feels less secure. the multimedia/extra keys are all identically shaped which is simply poor design, and the kb is wider because they went with the usual horizontal home/delete key cluster. sometimes changing stuff just to change it is not so good.

they should have stuck closer to this old design

which despite being less wide still manages to include a bigger delete and enter key.

 

[Phanuel]

ok felt up a store display model, still stiff but not as stiff as mine, guess i have a dud. but still three are issues with this design that are a step back from previous models. the flat keys instead of the indented type keys just feels less secure. the multimedia/extra keys are all identically shaped which is simply poor design, and the kb is wider because they went with the usual horizontal home/delete key cluster. sometimes changing stuff just to change it is not so good.

they should have stuck closer to this old design

which despite being less wide still manages to include a bigger delete and enter key.

I wish they still made that keyboard. I have the white one, and it's un-killable (going on 6 years with 1-2 full key tear down cleanings a year). I just want it in black (like that one) so dirty keys don't show up as fast. AND without the dual function F keys that screw up a lot of things and require the F-Lock key to be turned on every time I restart the computer.

 

[RallyMaster]

I've owned three of the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 keyboards and I will have to say that all of them had a relatively stiff space bar. The buttons also get harder to press the more you use the keyboard. My WASD keys were especially stiff due to FPS gaming and it's very weird to use the ergonomic boards when trying to play competitively. I recently went to the Logitech Illuminated keyboard which was on sale at Staples on Black Friday for $30. I might be getting a slight bit of carpal tunnel back but it's a much more refined keyboard with a much better key feel than the Natural Ergonomic ever had.

 

[sticks435]

I too have a very stiff space bar on the MS Ergo 4000 I got from Dell. The left side of the bar works fine, but the right side is real bad. I too had the white/blue old style, and the space bar finally gave out. Ironic isn't it. I do have another one, since my dad owned one at the same time and didn't like it. I might throw that one on my home comp, and bring the Ergo 4000 into work. Wonder if I should hit Dell up on a replacement first.

PS to the guy about having to turn F-LOCK on every-time. I noticed with the 4000 that I don't have to. Difference is I wasn't running Intellitype with the old one, so wonder if that software turns it on at windows start. Might be something to look into.

 

[0roo0roo]

i do have a new issue though, sometimes it seems the delete key likes to delete entire words at a time. still tracking down the circumstances, its done it doing atot replies before, but oddly its not doing it just now.

and yea i have the white/black natural multimedia(oem was black/white which i think looked superior oddly enough), and did last for years without issue. the old one worked fine for fps wasd. this one slightly less so i think because the keys are less dish shaped, it still works but i find it works better if you actually install the front raising bar thing that comes with it otherwise it does feel odd. plus it makes it easier to hit the space bar on the front where its easiest to depress. the space still makes a racket with each depress where all the other keys are pretty silent which is annoying. thunk thunk thunk

with the old one i could get away with hitting the space bar with my index fingers at times, this one definitely doesn't like that at all

i'd go with logitech but they don't seem to build splitty kb

but yes f-lock finally fixed, it seems for every kb ms makes they always manage to make mistakes. just how it is

 

[0roo0roo]

I wish they still made that keyboard. I have the white one, and it's un-killable (going on 6 years with 1-2 full key tear down cleanings a year). I just want it in black (like that one) so dirty keys don't show up as fast. AND without the dual function F keys that screw up a lot of things and require the F-Lock key to be turned on every time I restart the computer.

this is the one

the oem model had a superior color scheme oddly enough. its aged better in my opinion. baby blue not so hot these days. the only other difference was that the retail had a usb hub. sadly the newer 4000 has no hub for retail.

the letter key label print quality was better as well. it was like they were slightly stamped into the key. whereas on the 4000 theres a shiny decal nature to the prints. though its hard to say, it could be an extra layer of protection against wear who knows.

 

[deanx0r]

I could never get used to those Microsoft's 'natural' keyboard. They just feel awkward and just have a huge footprint on the desk. I also gave a try to those ultra thin Logitech illuminated keyboard which feel more or less like like a laptop keyboard, they all felt as if there was some kind of glue under each key. My overall experience with them was pretty disappointing.

I recently acquired the ABS M1 keyboard, the cheapest mechanical keyboard I could find. There are no fancy multimedia functions or buttons on it, it's a straight forward keyboard that is just obnoxiously loud. They keys are extremely smooth and the tactile feedback you get on it is rewarding pleasure. I couldn't be happier with it.

You don't know what you are missing if you haven't experienced a solid mechanical keyboard.

 

[Anubis]

I have the perfect keyboard you are looking for. It's the logitech ultra X. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126022

I got this keyboard a few months ago off newegg for 17 bucks. It's a slim profile keyboard that is similar to a laptop. It has 6 low profile small function keys that I use for basic stuff (mute, volume, play/pause).

i prob would have gone with that if it was not discontinued. but i went with an iHome one that was similar and itll work for now. its a bit flimsy tho and ill brob break. i mean it flexes in the middle with very little key pressure.

really pissed that BenQ stopped making keyboards

 

[Phanuel]

this is the one

the oem model had a superior color scheme oddly enough. its aged better in my opinion. baby blue not so hot these days. the only other difference was that the retail had a usb hub. sadly the newer 4000 has no hub for retail.

the letter key label print quality was better as well. it was like they were slightly stamped into the key. whereas on the 4000 theres a shiny decal nature to the prints. though its hard to say, it could be an extra layer of protection against wear who knows.

That's the keyboard next to me, yeah. The color scheme is awful, but I have yet to kill the 3 versions of that keyboard I have and the ergonomics of it are something I'm just used to these days. The bigger Alt key and its adjusted placement made it a better alternate function key in games and easier on my thumb. The numbers at the top ending at 6 for the left hand meant I had a nice reference for where 6 was. I just can't stand the slightly off-white color scheme anymore or the constant F Lock key on boot up so I don't spam Help or Undo while working in Excel.

I ended up getting a Logitech Wave to replace it since I wanted a USB native keyboard (for no real good reason) and a black keyboard to match everything else. It's just not the same, but I'll adapt I guess. Nothing lasts forever.

 

[guy93]

http://ronnyeo.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/g152.jpg

^ Win

 

[Anubis]

that falls into the "useless media/macro buttons that no one wants" category

 

[Tsavo]

I've owned three of the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 keyboards and I will have to say that all of them had a relatively stiff space bar. The buttons also get harder to press the more you use the keyboard. My WASD keys were especially stiff due to FPS gaming and it's very weird to use the ergonomic boards when trying to play competitively. I recently went to the Logitech Illuminated keyboard which was on sale at Staples on Black Friday for $30. I might be getting a slight bit of carpal tunnel back but it's a much more refined keyboard with a much better key feel than the Natural Ergonomic ever had.

Strange. I'm on my second 4k and the spacebar is perfect, same as with my first 4k that I killed by spilling brew into it. My first 4k's key presses got a bit easier with use, too.

 

[0roo0roo]

really? try pushing the top corners of the bar and tell me it doesn't feel ridiculously stiff. my previous splitty kb from ms didn't do that so its not inherent to design. its simply a part of this design. i've exchanged my 4000 once and got the same stiffness back. it basically forces you to conform to a certain way of pushing the bar from the front.

 

[0roo0roo]

and also kb seems to have more keys that wont register while wasd keys are being used. gah

 

[Chapbass]

http://olalindberg.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/080122_kb_adv-blk720x471.jpg

Dont think I'll ever go back to a normal keyboard again

Just to actually contribute to this thread, the cheap Dynex keyboard at best buy has a great feel to it for a straight keyboard. It has a few small media keys on either side, which depending on your needs might make the board too long for you (zing!), but I love the feel to it.

 

[MrPickins]

I use one of these. Simple and functional.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823109026

 

[ronopp]

how about this...back light for night surfing or gaming...

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16823175103

 

[Rottie]

my favorite key board is this

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16823110004

 

[skulkingghost]

http://olalindberg.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/080122_kb_adv-blk720x471.jpg

Dont think I'll ever go back to a normal keyboard again

Just to actually contribute to this thread, the cheap Dynex keyboard at best buy has a great feel to it for a straight keyboard. It has a few small media keys on either side, which depending on your needs might make the board too long for you (zing!), but I love the feel to it.

I love that keyboard, I have always wanted one but $300 was out of my price range, I would pay $120 max for a keyboard, but it looks FANTASTIC.

 

[biostud]

microsoft has some without too much extra on

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/m...ctlist.aspx?type=Keyboard&AdditionalType=Sets

 

[Tremulant]

I've used a Logitech Elite Keyboard for the last 5 years. I've wanted a new keyboard for awhile now, but I haven't been able to find anything as good as the logitech. (The only multimedia keys I use are play/pause, stop, back, and forward)

At work I have the Dell Multimedia keyboard, and I haven't had any problems with it. I've thought of getting one myself, but the replacement is that super-thin laptop key one and I don't like it as much as the old multimedia keyboard.