geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: siouxscout on Wed, 02 May 2012, 13:01:40

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: siouxscout on Wed, 02 May 2012, 13:01:40

Can anyone recommend from personal use a ergonomic keyboard that has a built in point device like point nub that are on laptops or a touch pad in a good location?

I find the only downside to paying for their expensive ergonomic keyboards are you still have to move your hand over to your mouse, where I want to leave my hands in one spot only.
Its only reason really I keep my old laptop with its pointing stick to manage systems remotely or just browse the web. Seems to save a little time too. Even my MX11800's trackball which I use sometimes just so I cut down on hand movement is further then I'd like to move.

Almost to the point that I’m going to bring in my laptop and synergy to control my work desktop.

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: hoggy on Wed, 02 May 2012, 16:28:26

What you want is a trackpoint...

Unicomp's Endurapro has one.
IBM/Lexmark M13 ditto.
Desko have something close to it.

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: Proword on Wed, 02 May 2012, 21:48:22

Maltron has an optional trackball between the hands.

(http://images.gizmag.com/hero/4086_29050520711.jpg)

Joe

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: heuristicist on Thu, 03 May 2012, 15:51:52

I haven't tried it myself but there is the RollerMouse (http://ergo.contour-design.com/) which you could (conceivably) use with any keyboard.

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: hoggy on Thu, 03 May 2012, 16:19:13

Yogitype - good luck find one at a good price... http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?17003-Yogitype-inverted-keyboard-has-anyone-tried-it
[ATTACH=CONFIG]49876[/ATTACH]

The datahand has mouse controls on a 'layer'.

The trackball placement on the alphagrip is excellent.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]49875[/ATTACH]

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: Proword on Thu, 03 May 2012, 19:33:01

Maltron's latest offering is a compact keyboard which has a platform at the front to rest a touchpad of your own choice.

(http://www.maltron.com/images/stories/img_0017_2_250px.jpg)

Further details are on the front page of the Maltron website.

http://www.maltron.com/

Joe

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: incrediblemath on Sun, 13 May 2012, 15:35:51

For many years, I've used a Logitech Trackman next to my Kinesis Advantage, but it's far from ideal. I'm currently trying out an Apple Magic Trackpad, which I've velcro'd to the middle area of the Kinesis. It's more convenient overall, but I miss the precision of the trackball. Also, since the top of the Kinesis is curved, you have to enable the tap-to-click function of the trackpad, which can be rather finicky (actually, tap-to-click is fine, but the three-fingers-to-drag/select can get cumbersome).

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: PCDMaltron on Mon, 14 May 2012, 11:08:37

Quote from: heuristicist;589349

I haven't tried it myself but there is the RollerMouse (http://ergo.contour-design.com/) which you could (conceivably) use with any keyboard.

I personally use a RollerMouse (http://www.enablingtechnology.net/contour-rollermouse-pro-2-649-p.asp). At first, I was unsure how it worked from the images on screen. I trialed a unit and have not stopped using it since! I can assure you I'm not sales pitching, but, I absolutely love it!

When I go back to using a standard mouse and keyboard, although in reality its only an extra second or so, it just seems to take a long time to pause typing with both hands, move my right hand to the mouse and then back again. With the roller mouse, I can quickly move down to the bottom of the keyboard (according to the manual you are not supposed to reach down and use your thumbs), navigate with both hands and then move quickly back up.

This might only be aesthetics, but, it feels more naturally than swinging my arm out to the mouse. I also like the single buttons for copy and paste. On my Roller model, I have an inbuilt mouse scroll button and a large silver left and right click button. There is a third button in the middle, a double click button, which I just cannot get my brain to adjust to and use.

I could use this button to double click by clicking once but I find it more logically and naturally to simply press the roller bar down twice and hear two clicking noises. Thinking of a single click button for a double click just doesn't come naturally to me.

I've only ever used a standard mouse before and never a roller ball (the one normally on the side which you move with your thumb) so cannot compare it to much else. All in all though, I highly recommend it!

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: Icarium on Mon, 14 May 2012, 15:30:16

My rollermouse does not have a middle mouse button. Huge dealbreaker.

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: Forsaken on Mon, 14 May 2012, 16:16:24

Quote from: Proword;588689

Maltron has an optional trackball between the hands.

Show Image

(http://images.gizmag.com/hero/4086_29050520711.jpg)

Joe

I'm going to make my kinesis like that one of these days....

Just need to quit being lazy.

Title: Ergonomic Keyboard/Pointing Device
Post by: Proword on Tue, 15 May 2012, 20:39:33

Why stop at just one pointing device?  ;-)

(http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j245/saxeharp/general4/twotracks.jpg)

Joe