A Shape keyboards

[ianxblog]

Hello.

I'm a satisfied user of some A4Tech products. I had the KBS-20Mu, that was the best membrane I ever used. (I killed it by washing it and not waiting to complete dry and then dissassembled it for the volume knob; probably it would still work if I waited enough.)

This keyboard, like some of A4Tech, features the Natural A Shape ergonomic layout. It's basically and diagonal-oriented rows on the keys.
I used it pretty much time and I can tell you guys it was AWESOME. It's probably not like an ergodox, kinesis, etc (However I don't like the idea of the complete rearrangement) but it's pretty damn good!
I could feel my hands being so much better angled and my fingers doing less force to reach the keys. Sure, it required like 2-3 days of getting used to, but damn it was so good.

Im wondering why no brand did something like this on a mechanical keyboard? The keycaps are differently shaped and probably the switches would be differently placed.

Here is some images:

My beloved RIP keyboard:

~





 

[SonOfSonOfSpock]

Unless I'm missing something all they did was use angled key caps. Considering it is the same qwerty layout this looks like nothing more than bad marketing. This is no more ergonomic than any other keyboard.

[jacobolus]

What stops anyone from angling the hands exactly the same way on any other keyboard? [In fact, many people do to that!] Just changing the shapes of the keys without changing their positions is a basically negligible improvement, for the cost of having wacky shaped keys.

[nomaded]

The problem I see is that the left hand is still angled the wrong way. Even with the funny keycaps, you would still hit the 'q', 'a', and 'z' keys with the pinky finger of the left hand.

[alec]

I used to buy A4tech keyboards a lot (come to think of it, they broke a lot). Angled layout started my interest in ergonomic typing.
Angled keycaps was a gimmick of course, completely useless.
After discovering and switching home row position from ASDF JKL; to SDFV NJKL I never looked back. It can be used on any standard keyboard and my wrists thank me

[jakkdl]

I used to buy A4tech keyboards a lot (come to think of it, they broke a lot). Angled layout started my interest in ergonomic typing.
Angled keycaps was a gimmick of course, completely useless.
After discovering and switching home row position from ASDF JKL; to SDFV NJKL I never looked back. It can be used on any standard keyboard and my wrists thank me

As if it weren't far enough to backspace/enter? Pretty interesting though.

[hoggy]

alec,
Feels too cramped for my hands (on a normal board) - but hey, we're all different.  It does feel very different on the wrists, almost as if it encourages you to bend them outwards.

[alec]

alec,
Feels too cramped for my hands (on a normal board) - but hey, we're all different.  It does feel very different on the wrists, almost as if it encourages you to bend them outwards.

Thats the key, elbows wide, wrists straight, no strain.

Enter and Backspace are a *****. Forces you to make less mistakes and use less backspace
For both you need to move the hand from home position, no yoga for the pinkie will save you from that.

[tp4tissue]

hahahahahahah............

[Pacifist]

hahahahahahah............

inb4 egdx

[Findecanor]

Im wondering why no brand did something like this on a mechanical keyboard?

You answered your question with the image you put in the same post: It is patented.

Also, mechanical keyboard manufacturers most often some standard type of keycap. It is basically the same kind of keycap shape on everything - the so called "OEM profile". Both on Cherry MX and Alps. Topre is only a little different.

The keycaps are differently shaped and probably the switches would be differently placed.

I believe the switches are laid out in exactly the same manner as on a regular keyboard. The only difference is the shape of the keycaps.

[ideus]

What is interesting is the way they draw the hands to warrant the idea that just changing the shape of the keys make an otherwise common keyboard an ergonomic one.

[islisis]

never underestimate the consumer appreciation for placebos, even on gh most people will be happy with surface changes to what they are brought up with

[vivalarevolución]

After using the Truly Ergonomic for a bit, I feel there are some benefits to the A-shape, but those do look a tad gimmicky.  It would need more than the A-shape to garner my support.

[Oobly]

After using the Truly Ergonomic for a bit, I feel there are some benefits to the A-shape, but those do look a tad gimmicky.  It would need more than the A-shape to garner my support.

I agree. There is a definite benefit to separating the hands and splaying them, but that's just the first step on the way to a properly ergonomic board, and the A4tech doesn't even do this. IMHO, there is absolutely no reason to consider these boards any more ergonomic than any board with standard caps. In fact, a standard board with contoured profile (like Cherry or DCS) caps may even be MORE ergonomic. They just angled the edges of the caps. Even the MS "ergo" boards do more than this.

[davkol]

Isn't the benefit of TECK rather the "wavy" shape? (apart from columnar layout and hand separation) I don't think it has anything to do with this A4Tech's obscurity.