Comments on: Lazerwood wooden keyboard

By: Emily Bond

Emily Bond — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 01:38:00 +0000

I believe that – I find those things incredibly uncomfortable to use. How it could be ergonomic to have either have your wrists twisted 45 degrees in, or else your elbows out like a chicken? (They also seem to be designed for way bigger hands than mine, but that’s the least of their problems.)

If the Magic Mouse is what Apple calls that one-button hockey puck… holy design fail, Batman!

By: Emily Bond

Emily Bond — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 01:29:00 +0000

Yeah, IBM-Lenovo has great laptop keyboards – better than most desktops’ (omg is my parents’ one awful), never mind other laptops’. I actually went to stores specifically to test the keyboards even though I planned to order online because they usually suck so bad, back when I got it, and that was one of the deciding factors in what brand I picked. The newer IBM home models are IdeaPad rather than ThinkPad, but I think they have the same keyboards.

Plus when I busted the catch bit under a single key cap trying to clean under it, they sent a whole new replacement keyboard free. (It turns out to be customer-replaceable.) Their customer service is incredible… as long as you’re under warranty.

The new keyboard cover thing that comes with the Windows Surface tablet is surprisingly nice, too, as it turns out. And I usually hate those really flat, soft laptop keyboards.

As for these key stickers, it strikes me they would actually be very useful for people who want to type Dvorak. I don’t think they’re particularly attractive, though.

By: Charlie B

Charlie B — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:02:00 +0000

Having used a great many Apple keyboards, I prefer not to.

By: Paul Renault

Paul Renault — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:34:00 +0000

Well, if it’s for sale, wouldn’t it also be SKUmorphic?

By: Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:57:00 +0000

Try a ThinkPad keyboard.

By: townandgownie

townandgownie — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:36:00 +0000

In your (it seems not so humble) opinion.

By: Eric Rucker

Eric Rucker — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:30:00 +0000

The interesting thing is, the ergonomic issues when using the Mac have to do with, if I’m laying down with the machine on my chest, my wrists are against the sharp edge of the machine (due to it being a 15.4″ 16:10 machine), whereas on a 15″ 4:3 machine, or a 14.1″ 16:10 machine, they aren’t.

By: Eric Rucker

Eric Rucker — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:25:00 +0000

@boingboing-66bd939ad7010829ab65a6aaf28c9a96:disqus Nope. bhtooefr.

By: Itsumishi

Itsumishi — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 22:57:00 +0000

I was doing a fair chunk of coding for a while, and after a lifetime of being a complete nerd my wrists were starting to really get painful. I switched to one ergonomic keyboard and things got a little better for a few weeks, but then rapidly got much, much worse. I'd put down the initial relief to the fact that I was simply changing positions, and the much much worse to the keyboard. I then switched to a less curvy, flatter design, but still with a distinct curve. Things got much better after that.

By: Itsumishi

Itsumishi — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 22:48:00 +0000

7bit?

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:36:00 +0000

I have a feeling it was to do with the fact it was designed around certain ‘ideal’ conditions that are met only by the most rigorous ergonomic typists. i.e. if you’re just an average person at an average desk they won’t do you any favours.

But this is a vague memory, I like to leave that as a caveat just in case I dreamt it – which is ALWAYS a possibility.

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:33:00 +0000

I’m sure they had a couple of those at the Library when I was at uni – I loved the satisfying clunk. Was more like using a typewriter than a keyboard.

Probably not to my taste, but I certainly enjoyed using it!

By: Eddie Ruminski

Eddie Ruminski — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:26:00 +0000

I’ll have to dig around for the info on the spit board ergonomics you mentioned, very interesting. Though I am just going by personal comfort experience (I use a Mac keyboard at work still, and other keyboards at home)

But as for the magic mouse – agreed, I can hear arthritis knocking at the door every time I even so much as look at it.

By: Eric Rucker

Eric Rucker — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:24:00 +0000

See, I’m just a total keyboard snob (although, Apple doesn’t come anywhere near the best laptop keyboards).

My main keyboard is an IBM Model F 122-key terminal keyboard, adapted to USB. It weighs over twice as much as my Mac, and feels amazing to type on.

By: princessalex

princessalex — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:23:00 +0000

You mean like this one?

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Ah, now ergonomics is something else entirely – but that wasn’t the point – and also not an issue for 95% of computer users (no more than the 54 other ergonomic factors involved, anyway). Also, more importantly, I’m sure I read recently how those ‘ergonomic’ keyboards (the split ones that slope away from you) are actually terrible for your wrists and the design is based on a misconception [citation needed].

Now if you were talking about the Magic Mouse it would be a very different conversation :) I moved to a trackball after an accident ensured that eventually I would get arthritis in my right wrist – and using anything else makes it feel imminent.

By: Andrew Pautz

Andrew Pautz — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:16:00 +0000

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/19/handcrafted-scrabble-keyboard-could-stand-to-be-commercialized/

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Apologies, that came across a bit as one of those ‘Apple make terrible products, it’s all marketing’ comments that you tend to find elsewhere on the internet.

The desktop keyboard is definitely nicer to use than the notebook one, although compared to the 2 non-Apple laptops I have access to the keyboard is astounding.

By: Eddie Ruminski

Eddie Ruminski — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:11:00 +0000

Yeah, if he had used an Apple keyboard then his post would have also included the screams of pain coming from his wrists from using one of the most unergonomic keyboards around ;)

By: Eric Rucker

Eric Rucker — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Says someone who doesn’t realize that this post is being typed on an Apple keyboard. (MacBook Pro 10,1, so not one of the desktop boards. I bought it for the screen, not the keyboard.)

By: DewiMorgan

DewiMorgan — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This is so very, very Apple-owner.

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Says someone that’s clearly never used an Apple keyboard.

By: Crashproof

Crashproof — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This just seems tacky, whereas an actual wooden keyboard seems… well, somewhere in a range between silly and kind of maybe classy.

I want one made of Scrabble tiles. Genuine, used, well-worn Scrabble tiles.

By: DewiMorgan

DewiMorgan — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:59:00 +0000

I’m wondering if they’ll do a version with some laser-cut stitching as a border…

By: bumblebeeeeeee

bumblebeeeeeee — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000

price seems fair for the work gone in to them. Most things we buy are as non-essential as these. It’s for people to decide if they want it or not.

By: Volker

Volker — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:54:00 +0000

Old typewriters are often a steel typing mechanism mounted on a wooden base plate, so I do claim that this is a design element that was functional in the original design. Of course the keys themselves were not wood, but it does have the smell of a Skeuomorph.

By: bumblebeeeeeee

bumblebeeeeeee — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:46:00 +0000

It’s good they say that. I would think the skill required is beyond most people. You gotta be used to working with nibble fingers.

By: SedanChair

SedanChair — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:44:00 +0000

$40

Very economical, almost as cost-effective as…not buying them

By: vonbobo

vonbobo — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:36:00 +0000

My thought too… it’s going to look like garbage.

Kudos to the website for full disclosure though…

“This mod takes some nimble fingers and patience but the results are stunning.
Please Note: Care should be taken to get the keys properly positioned before pressing the wood pieces in place. If you’re careful, removal is possible without damage to the keyboard.
Difficulty Level: Advanced”

I wonder if a jig would help with the process? I’m impressed if the finished result in the product photos were really done by hand and eye alone?

By: bumblebeeeeeee

bumblebeeeeeee — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:08:00 +0000

good luck sticking them all on straight and neat.