forum.datacad.com

Hello:

I was doing a search for any new PS/2 or USB keyboards that have the second set of Function keys on the left -- and I am coming up empty...but I did find this interesting looking unit:



NewEgg is out of stock on it at the moment, but if more people were to request notification of when it is in stock (there is no obligation!), then maybe it'll get restocked and someone can give it a try? It might be great for us right-handed DataCAD'ers! And the mouse looks to be symetrical, so it could be usable by left handers -- or by anybody who needs to switch hands once in a while to relieve a little stress.

I've been looking for just such a keyboard for a while, but the only left handed keypad ones I could find were huge, old school blah with no extra features, and were really expensive. I even tried to make my own, but I couldn't keep the key wire paths from shorting out when moving the numpad. The positive reviews compare with logitech and MS, and I've used A4 stuff before in the past, and while it's not quite as good plastic as Logitech's, it seemed to function well. I think I'm going to give it a try. Thanks Neil

Neil

Going back to your original quest. Check this site:

http://www.monu-cad.com/keyboard.htm

As an "old timer" who believes that God and IBM had a good reason to put the function keys on the left - and that the folks at Microtecture made a great decision by linking menus to Function keys, I a keep my eyes open for "correct" keyboards.

This was typed on a 12 year old Keytronics keyboard.

Hello Philip:

That's a rare find -- though it seems to be an 'AT' keyboard? (Ya' gotta' use one of those clunky AT-->PS/2 adapters!) And $159 bucks plus shipping! Yowsa! You really have to want one of these suckers...and I know of several people who do want them, so thanks.

Have a lookie:



~$110 at http://www.computerhq.com/Adesso_EagleT ... 79655.html

Dave

We use these keyboards at the office and we just bought several more of them. But I didn't order them and I don't know where we got them from or how much we paid. But I will try to remember to check on it Monday.

Greetings,

Keep your eyes open for this keyboard, with displays in each key and the extra function keys on the left! Wow.


Click on image to see and learn more about it.

The displays are context sensitive...so each key shows what it's function is at that particular moment!

All I can say is wow

Wow! Not sure which one I like best ... Dave's or Neil's.

I too have been looking for more tools as it related to HID's. Take a look at the Nostromo N52, I got it last night for $37, I'm liking it today. 104 programmable keys w/ 4 shift states....

[url=http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=2071&pcount=&Product_Id=157024//url]

Hi Steve,

Steve Baldwin wrote:Wow! Not sure which one I like best ... Dave's or Neil's.

Well, the one that Dave linked to is for sale now; the one that I posted is said to be out "in 2006", and it will cost "as much as a good cell phone", whatever that means. But if and when it comes out, and if the price is reasonable, then it will be a stunner!

Artemy Lebedev, the designer of the Optimus Keyboard which Neil posted about, may have a bumpy road to the final release of his product.

The patent for his product is still pending, but his new product might not even get patented, because there is already a patent on a keyboard with integrated displays.

A guy called Elkin Acevedo apparently had the same idea as Lebedev a few years ago, because he already received his patent on this technique in 1998. The abstract of the patent describes a keyboard almost exactly like the Optimus Keyboard.

If the Optimus keyboard functions as described in this patent, Lebedev won't get his patent and can't sell his product in the United States, without permission (and of course a payed license) of Elkin Acevedo.

Not only the patent can be a problem, but Lebedev will also have to compete with another manufacturer, who is releasing its product at the end of this year.

United Keys is working on a keyboard with integrated displays, but is going to sell the product earlier than Lebedev can. United Keys is planning to have their keyboard in stores at the end of the year and offers almost the same functionality as the Optimus Keyboard. The keyboard from UK will also be freely programmable with an open API.

Dave

Hi David,

That's too bad; the United Keys unit doesn't look nearly as good, and it has B&W displays only, on some of the keys:

David A. Giesselman wrote:If the Optimus keyboard functions as described in this patent, Lebedev won't get his patent and can't sell his product in the United States, without permission (and of course a payed license) of Elkin Acevedo.

Hmmm, like Neil said thats a bummer. The optimus looks much nicer. I guess maybe we'll have to find them on ol' Ebay or internet to get them in the States. The united keys looks like it should be hooked up to a Apple II IMHO

I have been using Gateway 2000 (Anykey) programable keyboards for some time, I have found them at "Thrift Stores" for usually under $3.

They are often on eBay for under $25, think I'll go look now.

John