found the perfect keyboard.... for me!

wagneritewagnerite
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
i've had this Macally icekey for a few month now







nice touch. finally was able to dump the fugly generic pc keyboard i use with FreeBSD. Although i'm keeping that sucker in the closet just in case i have to re-install BSD on my peecee.



this is a great keyboard. i havn't seen one like it at all in the market only 50 bucks too



it works with my all my usb macs and my FreeBSD, winxp pro and red hat



just thought i let you know b/c i had a really hard time finding a keyboard i liked.



you can read more about it <a href="http://www.macally.com/spec/usb/input_device/icekey.html"; target="_blank">here</a>

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    I have that same keyboard. I really like the feel it has. I'm so used to my ibook keyboard but wanted something more full size for using at my desk when I'm at home.
  • Reply 2 of 6
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Isn't keystroke travel a good thing? How much could they reduce it withouut making the keyboard feel stiff? On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate it next to the Apple Pro keyboard?



    Also, I hear the M$ natural touch or whatever they're called are the best feeling keyboards, any comments. Anyone wanna give a ball park comparo of the three?
  • Reply 3 of 6
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    That is an interesting point Matsu but my real like for this keyboard stems from the fact that key travel is very similar to my iBook. I am so used to its keyboard now that when I use some normal PC type keyboards I type all screwy (more screwey than I normally would). I think this keyboard may not be for everyone. I might not have gotten it had I not tried it out at MWNY last year.
  • Reply 4 of 6
    wagneritewagnerite Posts: 174member
    [quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

    <strong>Isn't keystroke travel a good thing? How much could they reduce it withouut making the keyboard feel stiff? On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate it next to the Apple Pro keyboard?



    Also, I hear the M$ natural touch or whatever they're called are the best feeling keyboards, any comments. Anyone wanna give a ball park comparo of the three?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    it has been a few months since i did my keyboard test, but i will try my best.



    I tried all the MS keyboards b/c of the recommendations by friends and UBB's, but I just wasn't satisfied with it. the Key travel is not very different then that of those $10 CompUSA generic keyboards. Which, incidentally, is what i bought before i discovered the ICekey.



    I also tried all the Logitech keyboards that they had on display (BestBuy and compUSA). i like the logictech's a bit better than the MS. the feel was better, but if it wasn't good enough for me to buy as my /dev/kbd0.



    what i was looking for was an exact duplicate of pb1400's keyboard. which, i havn't been able to find at all. i've searched everywhere, Computer fair (pomona, ca), all the major electronic stores (Fry's, BB, Compusa, even pc club and some mom and pop pc stores). i did find a keyboard that was similar to the feel of pb1400, but there were several draw backs. 1. it was one of those micro keyboards. 2. it was wireless. while i have no problem with wireless keyboards, this keyboard cost: (3.) $279. yikes. I rather enjoy a good keyboard, b/c it enhances my typing (100-110 wpm, depending on star alignment) but i can't justify more than 150 bucks.



    btw, the keyboard mentioned in the above paragraph was made by a company i have never heard of before, and the base station looked really shady.



    ICEkey was perfect. i was willing to pay around 100 for it. when i found out it was only 50, yes, i bought two got my dad to switch too



    the key travel is very similar to white ibook, but it's a little bit more "crunchier". ibook's keyboard feels a bit soft. Icekey doesn't feel that way at all. albeit no full sized keyboard feel soft, this is a perfect combo. it has the key travel of an ibook, with the nice feel of pb1400.



    since i was shopping for a keyboard for my desktop computer, which is sittin next to three apple laptops, you might say that im a bit biased toward my keyboard selection. i selected a keyboard that "feels" more like an apple laptop, but is full sized and will work with windoze xp and *nix. not to mention the two usb connectors, one on either side
  • Reply 5 of 6
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    I agree. It's a better more sturdy feel than the iBook's keyboard. I guess it's what a perfect iBook keyboard would feel like.
  • Reply 6 of 6
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    I can't believe anyone would want a keyboard that feels like the Apple laptop keyboards (except for the 12 and 17" PBs). The keyboard's the only thing I don't like about my iBook.
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