Gizmodo
Speed Link has rolled out a another of its super-thin aluminum USB keyboards, and this one is jet black with LED-illuminated keys. Those flat keys resemble those on a laptop, and as you can see in that pic above, the thing's cross section is improbably thin. Looks neat. But looks aren't everything.
Although this is one fine-looking keyboard, we're a bit wary of what the company calls the "compact" arrangement of the keys, a seemingly unnecessary characteristic for a keyboard that probably won't be taken on the road. And what's with that tiny spacebar, not quite as small as the one we saw on that Onkyo aluminum keyboard last week, but still not big enough?
There's a row of hotkeys across the top, but unfortunately there is no calculator button which seems to be one of the more useful hotkeys in our office. And then there's the exorbitant price, clipping you for $97 for being so style conscious. As if aluminum is a precious metal. Don't they make soda cans out of it?
Product Page (German) [Speed Link, via Randomly Accessed]
Comments
what's the advantage to this? Other than style?
I hate typing on a flat notebook keyboard - I though that's why people bought extra keyboards to plug in - 'cause those notebooks are an ergonomic disaster...
Guess I just don't get it...
(btw- this may be a double post, now. I'm luvin' Gizmodo & Jalopnik, but the Gawker corporate comment system is still sucktastic! sigh...)
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I have to agree there.
I use an external keyboard and mouse with my laptop whenever I can.
This is a little more cramped than it needs to be.
Retiree, I've seen that a couple of times today as well.
How about that:
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Surprsingly often times things made out of aluminum ARE more than things made out of other metals like steel, stainless steel, tin, nickel, etc. I'm not sure if it's the cost of it, or just that it's hard to work with or what. Though when thinking about a soda can you gotta realize that aluminum is so thin, there's really not too much metal there.
I'm using an external keyboard with my laptop, but it's also flat - I just like them better.
This one sucks for being so cramped, but get a plus for the backlit (altough lighting the buttons icon would be enough).
I have this keyboard which is similar, and it sucks. I love the laptop keyboard style but the keys are all wiggily and the spacebar is way too short, and left justified. I think I definitely type faster when the keys are closer together, and not all clackity clackity. If this thing felt like my dell laptop keyboard it would be worth it, but I have my doubts.
Keebler:
Aluminum like steel is a commodity so market prices may have some impact on the price of this keyboard. And Aluminum is always more expensive than plastic. However, as you thought the real driver is that Aluminum is much harder to work with than plastic and that is what drives a lot of the price.
I have a speedlink medusa headphone set that kicks major ass.
If this KB is as good as that I would consider it.
I hate all keyboards. :(
I wonder if the keys are etched on the inside or the face. I've got a Saitek with backlit keys, and at least 3 of those keys have the letters scraped off, bad design for a decent keyboard unfortunately. They were nice enough to mail me replacements, but I won't go back for more once these are worn down.
I have white Kensington keyboard layed almost exactly like this. I found I can actually type faster once I got used to the layout. I don't have to press as hard as a regular keyboard.
What sucks from what I can see is there are no USB ports. USB ports on keyboards should be standard.
Maybe it's advanced because the 'z' and 'y' keys are switched.
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