Macworld Forums: Keyboards buying guide - Macworld Forums

Post your comments for Keyboards buying guide here

MacMall has the Logitech diNovo Wireless Keyboard - Mac Edition for $39.99 http://www.macmall.c...388~pdp.fcacdef

I'm a fan of the Microsoft split keyboard (Microsoft 4000, which has a USB cable, but bizarrely is no longer generally available in Canada and the Microsoft 7000 Wireless Desktop [uses a USB wireless dongle and includes a right-hand-only mouse]).

Thanks for the heads up, butisitart. It's $116 on Amazon! I just bought one from MacMall for about $52 including shipping and tax.

Anyone know of a bluetooth extended keyboard with number pad? I don't have a spare usb port for the dinovo wireless reciever...

The Celesta looks like a really nice keyboard, and I would get one, but... its not wireless! Even if it was RF based I'd go for it. I'm just so over wires on my desktop at this point that I can't really go back. Too bad, because its slick looking, almost Apple like, not overdone with a gazillion buttons, etc.

The Kinesis Freestyle Solo is probably the best ergo keyboard I've ever used. And I've used a lot of them! It takes a lot of cumulative stress away from keyboarding. Highly recommended though it will take a week or so of getting used to it.

butisitart, on 20 November 2009 - 09:27 AM, said:

Yes, great deal. I just bought a second for myself earlier this week

This is a timely article since I am having random disconnection issues with my current keyboard/mouse on a Power Mac G4 MDD.

However, the keyboards you have reviewed are all very pricey. Are there any good Mac keyboard available that are less expensive than these?

anamika, on 20 November 2009 - 12:59 PM, said:

P.S. I'm looking for a wired keyboard with built-in numeric keypad.

I'd go with the Matias TactilePro keyboard which is built round microswitches like the original Apple Extended Keyboard or the one that shipped with the very first IBM PC keyboard. It's immensely tough and incredibly accurate for when you need to bash in large amounts of text.

The version 2 has just been discontinued, but a new version 3 is due RSN.

It's designed for Macs so it has all the Apple symbols on it, and it has the various non-English accented characters written in tiny letters on the main keys. Volume and eject are present as is a numeric keyboard and two unpowered USB sockets.

Downsides? Okay, if you're not used to this type of keyboard it might seem to be insensitive compared to the very light touch needed for modern Apple keyboards. The Expose and Dashboard keys aren't labelled as such, but they're mapped to the usual locations.

But the one thing that might stop it being considered open-plan office or shared space friendly is that it ain't silent. All those heavy duty keys and switches make one hell of a racket if you're not the person actually using the computer. You won't find it in any libraries that's for sure.

Oh and it weighs a lot. Which might be seen as a downside, or as an upside as you'll be able to beat off attackers with a keyboard - AND IT WILL STILL WORK!

diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition
I loved mine on my iMac, but it quit working after 4 months. The keys would repeat 3-40 times, even the delete key. And it would hesitate 2-5 seconds before doing anything. Turning it off then on would fix the problem for a short while. Using it on my Macbook elicited the same problem. Email to Logitech was unanswered but I finally talked with a Logitech person who seemed aware of the problem and within 3-5 minutes sent an emailed UPS return slip. He told me it would be at least a month before a new diNovo keyboard would be available as it would be from a new manufacturing run. It has been a month so I'm hopeful it will show up soon as the original iMac keyboard is driving me nuts.

Pros
Wonderful tactile key feel. The small footprint is just what I needed.

Cons
The touch pad cannot be disabled! An errant finger brush and the cursor jumps! A touch typist might catch it in time but I'm not one. Totally aggravating! I may try taping it over when it arrives.

Roger
Houston

RogerV, on 21 November 2009 - 10:23 AM, said:

It sounds like you're talking about the diNovo *Edge* Mac Edition, not the diNovo Mac Edition. FWIW you can disable the touchpad. From our review of the Edge:

You can also disable the touchpad completely by pressing the left mouse button and the Fn (function, not to be confused with F1, F2, etc.) key together; this also disables the other touch-sensitive controls...

rcgregory, on 20 November 2009 - 11:22 AM, said:

I have A Logitech S530Mac which I like quite a bit.

S530Mac on Amazon

I've been using a Goldtouch adjustable keyboard for about two years now. Unlike the Kinesis Freestyle Solo, it uses an adjustable, lockable ball joint between the two halves of the keyboard that enable me to customize both the angle of separation and the degree of tenting to suit my preferences, without the need for an additional, fixed platform. Other than that, the keyboard layout, key type, and price are about the same as the Solo. The Goldtouch is well made and sturdy, though It does take some time to get accustomed to using it.

I bought mine at Macworld Expo two years ago, so I was able to try it out before buying one. I might not have risked the expense otherwise.

Of course, if you need an ergonomic keyboard, it's a good idea, in my opinion, to look into other ergonomic improvements to your work station as well. Most important, of course, is a good chair that can be moved on as many axes as possible, with adjustable arm wrests. I have a keyboard tray on an adjustable arm that swings out from under my desk and enables me to raise the keyboard to a comfortable elevation. My NEC 24" monitor is attached by a VESA mount to a swing arm that allows me to move the monitor to the best viewing position - and to swing it out of the way when I need the desk space. None of these adaptations came cheap, but I consider them an investment in my future and in my health - I'm not getting any younger. ;-)