Author Topic: Gateway AnyKey Keyboard (Read 4517 times)

SusanNM2007 · « **on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 14:07:06 »

Trying to locate a very special Christmas gift for a friend. Can anyone advise me how to find this"old Gateway 2000 AnyKey programmable keyboard? I've checked Amazon, Craigslist, and E-Bay. I stumbled upon a wonderful story on Gateway AnyKey - Wikipedia. "A personal appeal from Wikipedia author Karthik Nadar. But unfortunately he considers this keyboard extinct. Can anyone offer some advice?

whiskerBox · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 14:58:19 »

Bummer I just chop shoped one of those for the keycaps a couple weeks ago and pitched the rest of it

Pylon · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 15:25:40 »

I unfortunately did pretty much the same thing as whiskerBox, except about 6 months ago. I tried to sell it whole but no one would bite, so I sold the keycaps and took apart the rest. I have a few parts for the keyboard if you want them (case, controller, membrane, cable), but I gave the backplate away and chopped up the rubber dome sheet for other projects.

SusanNM2007 · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 15:34:56 »

whiskerbox is there any other ways you can think of that I can locate that keyboard. I've never joined anything like this before so i'm quite confused.

SusanNM2007 · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 15:37:22 »

Do you think he can build it if he starts looking for the other pieces? What are keycaps, backplate, and rubber dome sheet for other projects?

Pylon · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 15:37:58 »

If you sift through Craigslist and local thrift stores, there's a slight chance you'll find one. They also do occasionally pop up on Ebay. There usually were always a few up there, but there aren't any now.

Pylon · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 15:42:02 »

There might also be other programmable keyboards available if you ask around other members.

whiskerBox · « **Reply #7 on:** Sat, 03 December 2011, 16:24:55 »

I found the one I got at a goodwill

Pylon · « **Reply #8 on:** Sun, 04 December 2011, 17:13:47 »

Quote from: SusanNM2007;463550

Do you think he can build it if he starts looking for the other pieces? What are keycaps, backplate, and rubber dome sheet for other projects?

Not that easily, unfortunately. The backplate is pretty custom (though I might be able to get it back). The rubber dome sheet is crucial and unfortunately I cut mines up to use for a few projects (I still have ~90% of it so if it's okay if the keyboard is missing a few keys), and that part is very, very custom for the Anykey. Keycaps is somewhat easier - it takes standard Cherry MX keycaps, but there's some special caps on it that are hard to find, and the larger keys are nonstandard (I still have them and the spacebar if you want those, but the other caps I sold to kbdfr). If you hit up wasdkeyboard.com you can buy custom printed keycaps from him. I still have most of the key sliders. I'm missing a bunch of screws though.

Overall it's a lot easier and cheaper if you wait for an Anykey to pop up on Ebay.

EDIT: Well, lookey here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GATEWAY-2000-ANYKEY-PROGRAMMABLE-KEYBOARD-PS-2-/290641702470?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item43ab986e46

It's somewhat overpriced though.

t13 · « **Reply #9 on:** Sun, 04 December 2011, 19:18:25 »

There's this ad on the Phoenix Craigslist, listing one for $10.

News:

Author Topic: Gateway AnyKey Keyboard (Read 4517 times)