Why no keyboards with arrow/numpad on left hand side?

[I4AT]

The only keyboards I've seen with this design are marketed towards "left handed" people and usually cost about $100 for a basic keyboard with no frills.

Is there a reason the arrow keys and numberpad are still located on the right side of the keyboard? If you ask me it makes more sense to put them on the left for easier access while using the mouse...

Are there no reasonably priced keyboards with said design?

 

[CP5670]

I can see some value in this too. I am right handed but always use the numpad in FPSs. There is enough room on my desk to push the keyboard to the side when I play games (and avoid cramping up my arms), but it would be more convenient to have the numpad on the other side.

There was one Logitech keyboard that had the numpad separate from the rest of the keyboard (it was called dinovo or something IIRC), although the arrows were still on the right and I don't know if it's available anymore. I probably wouldn't give up my G15's features for just that in any case.

 

[Zepper]

A4Tech makes a couple of left-pad kbds aimed at righties, but the only one you can get here is the wireless one and mine didn't last very long. They have an inexpensive, wired one too, but the US distributor doesn't import it...
. I found another, but it is hard to find one to buy and the few places that seemed to actually have one to sell were overpriced. It looks good to me at least partly because of the kbd layout - it is in the OTK (One True Keyboard, i.e. the original IBM AT) pattern. The thing I hate about it is the keytop colors - I really detest black keys with light legends. I seldom look at the keys, but when I do, I want to be able to lock in on the one I want quickly. I think they call it the Mouse-friendly kbd and one of the colors it comes in is a ricey purple. Here is the mfr's site: http://www.evoluent.com/ -if you find any in a reasonable color at a reasonable price, let me know. I found one place that has it at $36, but shipping is over $11. to here. Next closest is $50... +sh and they don't actually have it. I found it on eBay for $60. shipped - not worth that to me. I found a place in Arizona that sells it for $52. shipped. Both can be found with a Google or Froogle search.

Right now I'm using a Cherry mini keyboard (G84-4100PPAUS) that I got used off eBay and it's excellent and does mostly what I need - the trackball is right close to the right side. Eventually I'll get a separate number pad and put it to the left of the kbd.

I found a review that isn't quite a blatant ad for the thing in case you're interested:
http://www.overclockersclub.co...views/evolu_mous_kbrd/

.bh.

 

[AllGamer]

you can buy those numpads single that connects to USB

there is a set of Logitech Keyb / Numb pad that can be relocated to the left, or used single

 

[Zepper]

Logitechs generally have mushy, membrane kbd feel and their separate keypad is way expensive - and I don't see any combo pack. All I see is the diNovo combo at an MSRP of $200. - ridiculous and I prefer a trackball anyway. Their prices aren't reasonable either - at least to me... Their separate keypad that works only IR with notebooks (have to get IR receiver on top of that for desktops) and it MSRPs at $40...

I found a product that operates either as a stand-alone calculator or a USB number pad to go with my mini kbd:
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-97...lculator/dp/B0002C7WSO , and I have ordered one for less than $15. shipped. Take that, Logitech!

.bh.

 

[I4AT]

The evoluent keyboard looks alright, but well out of my price range, and still leaves the arrow keys on the wrong side. Ideally I'd like a keyboard that just reversed the standard setup, put the arrow keys and numpad on the left and cost $20 like any other basic keyboard, but I'm pretty sure those don't exist.

I play a lot of strategy games, and it's so much easier to use the arrows to navigate rather than having to scroll the mouse from side to side, but that leaves me reaching in next to my mouse hand which isn't a very comfy position. I've also got a mini keyboard with the arrow keys squeezed into the bottom right corner which makes it even worse. It'd also be nice to have the numpad on the left for Blender 3D use.

Since I have a mini kb I suppose I could use a USB attachment, but I'd only go through the trouble of buying one if it had a standard full size keyboard layout. Most of the ones I've seen are either numpad only, or have everything squeezed into one block of keys.

 

[I4AT]

These would fit the bill nicely:
Comfort 32 key number pad
waterproof version
but they of course carry a ridiculous pricetag of anywhere from $30-50

I also forgot I bought this Saitek Pro Gamer Command Unit that would probably work once I set up some macros for it, although that's not a very elegant solution.

 

[Zepper]

What serendipity! I was in Staples today doing my periodic cruise and found a combo USB keypad and calculator supposedly for notebook computers. Even better than the Canon I ordered off eBay. I just added some to my FS/T listing - click the link in my sig below if interested.

.bh.