Xah Lee, 2011-06-18
Several keyboard updates.
Completely rewritten: Keyboard Ghosting ＆ N-key Rollover: How Many Keys Your Keyboard Can Take?.
For those who love the Happy Hacking Keyboard (Happy Hacking Keyboard review), there's good news. There's a competitor, called “KBC Poker keyboard”, from Taiwan.
According to keyboard geek reviewers, her tongue got stuck in her braces due to the weight of this keyboard.
“KBC Poker keyboard”
“KBC Poker keyboard” img src
Note the dark engraved key labels on this preview model. This means the labels won't rub out. This is much more expensive than your Microsoft or Logitech mass-marketed keyboards.
According to previews, this keyboard is available in any of mechanical switch of Cherry MX {Blue, Brows, Black, Red} versions. Note that HHKB also uses mechanical key switch — Topre key switch. It is supposedly even better than Cherry switches.
Happy Hacking (HHKB) vs KeyBoard Cheer (KBC) Poker.
Here's a forum in China about this keyboard: bbs.kbc-china.com.
It's funny. The name KBC stand for: “the Key Board to Cheer you up”. Nice counter to Happy Hacking.
For those who love full-sized keyboard with mechanical switches (e.g. Das and many others) , there's Ducky keyboard, again from Taiwan. (Cherry Brown switch, Cherry Blue for the numerical keypad keys. Model DK9008) The company site is duckykeyboard.com.
This keyboard seems to feature full n-key rollover. (See: Keyboard Ghosting ＆ N-key Rollover: How Many Keys Your Keyboard Can Take?.)
Also, note the black-on-black key labels. Seems the buyer can choose the label or key colors.
For those who love Kinesis Contoured Keyboard or otherwise ergonomic keyboard with mechanical switches, there's Truly Ergonomic keyboard. (pics at Fancy Ergonomic Keyboards) There's rumor that this keyboard never went into production, and the company address is fake. So, be careful and do your own research before you put your money in for a pre-order. See this thread: Source www.overclock.net. According to Truly Ergonomic's website: «We are currently estimating the pre-order delivery date for July 2011.». That's next month. We shall soon see.
I would consider this the best key layout, ever.
“Smartboard” amazon Source www.datadesktech.com
If this keyboard is well-built, i think it is then better than Kinesis Contoured Keyboard and “Truly Ergonomic Keyboard”. On par with Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000.
According to reviewers at Amazon, the company Datadesk Tech seems to be around as early as 1990s, and the company seems to be one-man running in basement.
UTRON. Source deskthority.net
«元日本電気特別顧問森田正典氏が考案したM型キーボード('83年～)。左に母音、右に子音を配置しキー配置の覚えやすさと、左右交互打鍵と複数文字列を単打鍵で入力できる複合キーにより、高速な日本語入力を実現したという。文豪などに搭載されたほか、PC-8801/9801用、Windows用が発売された» Source pc.watch.impress.co.jp
“PLUM keyboard” 〔www.plum.bz〕
“Marquardt Mini-Ergo” (1992) Source keyboardporn.com
