Keyboard Recommendations?

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Greetings, first off, keyboard likes are highly personal and subjective and I am quite anal about my requirements. That being said, I am looking for a great keyboard for my powerbook (for when it is connected to an external monitor and used as a desktop). I have looked at:





1) Matias Tactile Pro -- great keyboard, perfect in every way, except louder than hell. I tried typing on it in the store and people turned to see who was abusing a keyboard in the corner. The thing is super clicky loud.

2) Kensington Keyboards -- Great except they have a large return key and a small backspace key. Unacceptable.

3) Apple keyboards -- Please.



So, does anyone know of a great USB (or Bluetooth) keyboard? I need:



1) Large backspace key, small return key (non type-writer style return)

2) Don't want a stupid "my first keyboard" with internet/multimedia keys. (I actually saw a keyboard with a "GO" button. WTF?)

3) Good "feel". I like the feel of the Tactile Pro, but, toned down just a touch and not deafening. The feel of the powerbook keyboard is actually very good, but, for a full keyboard, I prefer a little more feedback as it were.



Would like:



1) Mac keyboard with volume/eject, but, this is not necessary

2) It would be nice to find an actual REAL keyboard with CONTROL in place of CAPS LOCK, but, this can be remedied in software.



I can't find anything in internet searches that really seems to meet my needs. I actually like the Happy Hacker Pro, but, it has the stupid small backspace.



Any suggestions?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    voxappsvoxapps Posts: 236member
    Mechanical key switches are always noisy. Maybe you could find a pad (similar to mousepad material?) that would fit under the Matias keyboard to muffle the sound?



    Another option: get a used ADB keyboard and a Griffin iMate ADB to USB adapter. This would give you two interesting choices: the Apple Extended Keyboard (AKA "the battleship") or the Northgate OmniMac Ultra. The Apple Extended Keyboard has a great feel and is less "clicky". You can get them on eBay for a song, so hold out for one that's in excellent condition. Downside: it is large and usually beige (don't know if they made a "platinum" one).



    The Northgate OmniMac Ultra is rare and awesome (also big and beige). It has clicky Alps key switches, 25(!) function keys, and a solid metal base that contributes to its 5 pound weight. It makes today's keyboards look like toys.



    Back in the day of wood-burning computers, Northgate made the best keyboards (with the possible exception of IBM) and these things are built like tanks. There's a picture of the PC version on a Web site (that I have no connection with) here. The Mac version puts the caps lock key where the control key is in this photo and adds 3 more function keys on the top row. The return key is big, but so is the delete (backspace) key. OmniMacs show up occasionally on eBay. I've got one that I used to use when my kids were small and wanted something to bang on - it just shrugged off their abuse.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    logitech ?



    or get a sun keyboard if they have usb one

    the old ones from sun & ibm were built like

    a tank & hard to destroy
  • Reply 3 of 7
    Preferred solution:

    - get an old Apple Saratoga keyboard and an ADB converter. There was never a better keyboard ... (except maybe the venerable old IBMs with relais technique in there ...)



    Easy solution:

    - get an Apple Wieless keyboard. Work perfect, is not as good as the venerable old Saratoga was ...
  • Reply 4 of 7
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by madmax559

    logitech ?



    or get a sun keyboard if they have usb one

    the old ones from sun & ibm were built like

    a tank & hard to destroy




    havign gone through a logitech recently, i can say the keys just feel cheap. and the biggest problem is logitech's drivers, and they have been stuck at version 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 forever.



    i used to have a macally imediakey, which worked okay, except that if it was on a usb port with a tablet attached to it, the combined power needs of both made sure that one was always d.o.a. at startup. weird, i know. but macally made some great drivers for that keyboard. i believe they have a couple new versions at macally.com



    edit: macally's icekey might be what you're looking for. got good reviews from inside mac games here.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rok

    edit: macally's icekey might be what you're looking for. got good reviews from inside mac games here.



    I have been looking at that particular keyboard. I may try to see if Microcenter has it to try it out.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by madmax559

    or get a sun keyboard if they have usb one

    the old ones from sun & ibm were built like

    a tank & hard to destroy




    I have been thinking about defaulting to the Sun USB keyboard. I may dig around our sparc equipment to see if we have a USB keyboard...



    Thanks for the tips.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rok

    havign gone through a logitech recently, i can say the keys just feel cheap. and the biggest problem is logitech's drivers, and they have been stuck at version 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 forever.



    i used to have a macally imediakey, which worked okay, except that if it was on a usb port with a tablet attached to it, the combined power needs of both made sure that one was always d.o.a. at startup. weird, i know. but macally made some great drivers for that keyboard. i believe they have a couple new versions at macally.com



    edit: macally's icekey might be what you're looking for. got good reviews from inside mac games here.




    Logitech just recently upgraded their drivers to 1.3-something!
  • Reply 7 of 7
    i switched my home keyboards last year to

    apple pro black ones with the usb port on either side

    took some getting used to but they work fine



    to bad apple discontinued them & replaced them with

    the white ones



    another good keybd that has lasted me a while is an old dell

    one without all the fancy buttons etc.

    just a nice simple solid layout
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