I'd like a new keyboard

[andrewducker]

And I'd like it to have volume control on it.

And not to have Power/Sleep/etc. keys getting in the way pointlessly.

And not to be too loud on keypresses.

Any suggestions?

Comments

[autopope.livejournal.com]

Buy a Mac?

[matgb]

*shoots Charlie with an RPG*

When I bought the netbook, I also bought a cheap keyboard to go with it, but the shop didn't realise it wasn't a USB keyboard, so when I took it back in, they upgraded it, free, to the cheapest USB keyboard they had, a Microsoft Digital Media 3000.

Would never have considered buying one, but it's bloody good. If it's got power/sleep/etc buttons on it I can't find them, but having got used to it, it's now plugged into a USB hub that I can switch between whatever machine I'm using at the time (Same desk, multiple machines).

I don't know why MS make good peripherals, but they do seem to.

[autopope.livejournal.com]

I don't know why MS make good peripherals, but they do seem to.

Uncharitably, it's because if there's a defect in a physical product, consumer law requires them to repair or replace it, or provide a refund. So it's much cheaper to get it right the first time round.

Consumer law applies no such constraint to software defects, of course ...

[matgb]

Ah, but I'm talking comparitively, it's not like there's lack of competition out there, but somehow MS keyboards are amongst the best I've used.

Caveat: I have never used a Mac keyboard other than the skinny little thing my father's iMac came with, which was too small for me to take seriously.

[andrewducker]

I ordered this, based on your recommendation. It's awesome, except for the Function keys, which aren't laid out in the traditional format, which means I have to hunt for F4 every time I want to close a tab/window.

[matgb]

HEh, see, until I got it I rarely if ever used function keys, I'd occasionally search for f11, but otherwise would use, for example, ctrl+w. But on that one I use them every so often. And now even look for them on the laptop itself.

So I'm guessing you'll get used to it fairly quickly, and good to know it wasn't me being weird on the 'this is really good' reaction.

[andrewducker]

Aaah, I use the keyboard for pretty much everything. How do you close tabs? With the mouse?

[matgb]

No.

Ctrl+w

Like wot I said above. Well, I sometimes use the mouse, but mostly ctrl w.

[andrewducker]

Sorry, yes.

I'll get used to it after a bit, I'm sure. But the editing environments I'm used to all use the F keys a lot. I just wish that they'd pushed the keys together/apart in the standard Function Key grouping, so that I could find them by touch easier.

But other than that, yes, awesome.

[matgb]

Ah, see, actual uses for the function keys in a coding environment. I haven't had effectively useful function keys for anything work based since I stopped using the AS400 at the old job.

And I cannot believe the parent company is still using the AS400, but...

[andrewducker]

For a keyboard? You're as bad as John Coxon.

[guybles.livejournal.com]

Actually, autopope might be on to something: the Apple Wireless Keyboard is an excellent, low-profile keyboard with the additional keys you might be looking for. While it's only officially supported for Mac OS X, various users have had no problem getting it to work with assorted flavours of Windows.

http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/product/MC184LL/A?pqid=QD94T9C2K4CJ4DXFXYKJFUAATPY7XF4DU

http://code.google.com/p/uawks/

[cairmen.livejournal.com]

From practical experience: the Apple Wireless Keyboard is a total pain in the ass to get working with Windows. I tried about 3 different Bluetooth dongles over the course of a year or so, including the recommended one, lost several days on the process, and still got absolutely no joy out of it whatsoever.

The Apple WIRED keyboard, on the other hand, is identical to the wireless one except for its, erm, wire, and works straight out of the box.

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I've got a Saitek Eclipse II. While I bought it because it glowed, it's pretty quiet and doesn't have power or sleep but it has a volume control and is pretty comfy. Other Saitek keyboards are probably pretty quiet as well. Maybe take a trip to a PC World or Maplin - while they're pricey to buy from, they often have keyboards on display out-of-box so you can see how loud they are.

[vereybowring.livejournal.com]

I like Trust wireless desksets myself as I find their keyboards really good to touch type with.
As someone said you should go to maplins, they normally have keyboards on display and you can try the feel of them before you buy.
The Maplins in edinburgh is on Dalry road I believe.

[wolflady26.livejournal.com]

I have a Microsoft Wireless 2000 keyboard. It has a curve to it for ergonomics, and volume up, down, and mute keys as well as some other nifty ones. And no sleep button. Plus, it has the advantage that my wireless phone doesn't prevent it from working, as happened with the Logitech wireless keyboard I had before.

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

Are you the kind of person who remembers to charge peripherals?

[yes] Buy wireless
[no] don't buy a wireless one for gaming, we'll laugh at you when it runs out mid-game.

There's a couple of keyboards specifically marketed as being silent/damn-near silent. Dunno if they're worth the presumed premium.