Is there an acceptable rubber dome keyboard out there?

[Rajagra]

Japanese ads are crazy.  There is so much crap going on, I have no idea what the're trying to sell me.  Is it for a keyboard or kitty litter.
 
Seriously, WTF, why is there a cat in the ad?

Maybe they're selling a kitteh wrist rest?

[itlnstln]

Maybe they're selling a kitteh wrist rest?
 

It looks soft, but I think it's a little too tall for my taste.  At least it keeps itself clean.

[o2dazone]

No...

We don't help you save money, we just make you feel less bad about it.

haha

[clickclack]

Anyone who writes "KEYOBARD" and "KYBORD" in one and the same listing is not to be trusted...

I have had a few of those, and they are not too good (feeling wise) most other IBM rubber domes feel better.

I was a fan of the Logitech Internet Navigator Keyboard...I had a few of those two, again not to good rubber dome wise (not the worst but...) .

I've owned two Microsoft membrane switch keyboards as well. I liked the feel of their ergonomic keyboard, but hated the ergonomic split keyboard design. It seemed to age ok for the short time that I had it. The Microsoft Digital Media Keyboard I had ended up like my Logitech Internet Navigator in only two months. That one did not age well at all.

I have had a couple of those too, again I didn't find them that great, but I believe some came with a faux leather and foam wrist wrest and that was kinda nice.

...It wouldn't take much to make a "pseudo-Topre" with some rubber domes and springs and some good engineering.  You'd have to bottom out to register the key but you'd save mucho bucks.

I have had a few rubber dome boards that feel a bit like mechanical ones that dont need to bottom out. Some rubber domes have a different "snap" (for lack of a better term) to them. Some only require a partial hit and they will smack down on the membrane and return. But more interestingly I have a few keyboards that actually have either a spring and foam, rubber dome and foam, or spring and rubber dome and foam (sheesh) and at the bottom of the contacts is a metalic film (like mylar) that activates before the switch is bottomed out. Some of them kinda feel linear others feel very much like similar to black ALPS.

[sggsix]

From my experience, the HHKB Lite-2 is the only rubber dome keyswitch board that I feel is bearable to use.  

I do not know the logistics of most keyswitches.  I just know how they feel.  Thus, I do not know what is different about the rubber domes on the HHKB Lite-2 compared to other rubber domes.  However, as far as feelings go, it feels more sturdy and responsive than most rubber domes.  The keys never stick either.


By the way, I discovered geekhack's arcade, and I'm coming for all your top scores!!! So beware!

Another thing I was curious about is how our rankings change and when promotions occur regarding being a "junior member", "senior member", or "enlightened (as I think i've seen xsphat is)".  ))

[hyperlinked]

I have had a few of those, and they are not too good (feeling wise) most other IBM rubber domes feel better.

The early editions may have been better than what came out later. I had two of the early edition Logitech Internet Navigators. I used one at my work and I liked it enough to buy one for myself at home. I eventually moved onto other keyboards, but several years later after having struck out on many keyboards in a row, I went online to find something that worked in the past and got myself a new Internet Navigator. I don't know if it was me or if it was the keyboard, but it just didn't seem the same and in only a few months it went from ok to lousy after daily feedings of cracker bits and breadcrumbs.

I have had a couple of those too, again I didn't find them that great, but I believe some came with a faux leather and foam wrist wrest and that was kinda nice.

The faux leather wrist rest was the nicest part of the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard. The zoom stick in the middle was also pretty handy. If it were possible to saw the thing in half and reposition it, I'd have kept that keyboard.

[InSanCen]

You call this dirt cheap?

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-IBM-RAPID-ACCESS-KB-9930-MULTIMEDIA-KYBORD-PS2-EBR_W0QQitemZ250400452132QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item3a4d07ae24&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

But I got one like new for a dollar from a yard sale. Can't complain for that price.

no, but this is... Much more typical of pricing for these things.
http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-KB-9930_W0QQitemZ270438239492QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef7600d04&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

[elbowglue]

Sorry to revive a dead thread: we got one of these at work and of all the rubber domes in the office, it's probably got the best springback.  It's not that bad, it would be my choice of rubber dome if I had to use one.

Logitech Deluxe 250

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126013&cm_re=logitech_keyboard_250-_-23-126-013-_-Product

[msiegel]

Sorry to revive a dead thread: we got one of these at work and of all the rubber domes in the office, it's probably got the best springback.  It's not that bad, it would be my choice of rubber dome if I had to use one.

Logitech Deluxe 250

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126013&cm_re=logitech_keyboard_250-_-23-126-013-_-Product

"Pros: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890!@#$%^&*()-=_+
..."

XD

[timw4mail]

The windows key is kind of annoying. It has a weird indent on it.

Umm...are people really this clueless?

[hyperlinked]

Umm...are people really this clueless?

Actually... I am. Yeah, what's up with the indent on the Windows key? I've owned enough keyboards, but my Filco is the first keyboard I've owned that had the indent on the Windows key.

I assume that someone decided to do that as a way of providing tactile feedback, but is there a story here that I don't know about?

[Rajagra]

Actually... I am. Yeah, what's up with the indent on the Windows key? I've owned enough keyboards, but my Filco is the first keyboard I've owned that had the indent on the Windows key.

I assume that someone decided to do that as a way of providing tactile feedback, but is there a story here that I don't know about?

It was Microsoft "demonstrating their concern for their customers" by imposing some quite obscene (IMO) demands on hardware manufacturers.

Or as they say:

The Hardware Start Button, an update to the Windows Key for keyboards, is designed to be an attractive and discoverable actuator for launching the new Start menu and search experiences in the Windows*Vista family of operating systems. The Hardware Start Button creates and deepens affinity between physical hardware and the Windows*Vista user experience while complementing the brand platforms and product design languages of hardware manufacturers.

...followed by 23 pages of precise technical specs for how manufacturers must create those Windows keys. Yes, "must". They use that word a lot.

[FourOhFour]

...followed by 23 pages of precise technical specs for how manufacturers must create those Windows keys. Yes, "must". They use that word a lot.

To which I would respond with creating a button with a drawing of a door on it. But I guess keyboard makers think that would be confusing...

[timw4mail]

To which I would respond with creating a button with a drawing of a door on it. But I guess keyboard makers think that would be confusing...

I looked through it, the specs are very picky. It's like you have to do this our way, or don't do it at all. Makes me wonder why more manufacturers just don't do it.

[hyperlinked]

It was Microsoft "demonstrating their concern for their customers" by imposing some quite obscene (IMO) demands on hardware manufacturers.

Or as they say:

...is designed to be an attractive and discoverable actuator for launching the new Start menu and search experiences in the Windows*Vista family of operating systems. The Hardware Start Button creates and deepens affinity between physical hardware and the Windows*Vista user experience while complementing the brand platforms and product design languages of hardware manufacturers.

That is about the funniest thing I've read in a while. Does Ripster have a Lego scene for this? Was someone trying to channel Steve Jobs in Redmond with a $2/hr medium?

[xyzzy]

Makes me wonder why more manufacturers just don't do it.

Thankfully I haven't seen many keyboards with the Hero Hardware Start Button.

[timw4mail]

I can see why hardware manufacturers don't want to pay for the color logos, at any rate.

[JBert]

Sorry to revive a dead thread: we got one of these at work and of all the rubber domes in the office, it's probably got the best springback.  It's not that bad, it would be my choice of rubber dome if I had to use one.

Logitech Deluxe 250

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126013&cm_re=logitech_keyboard_250-_-23-126-013-_-Product

You sure? I have seen some older Logitechs; they don't age well.

[elbowglue]

You sure? I have seen some older Logitechs; they don't age well.

Well, all I can comment is on this board in it's pretty new condition.  My place of work is full of keyboards, the staff is typing about 25% of the day, all of the keyboards in the place are usually dell or lenovo branded rubber dome boards (except for my keyboards that I bought in myself).  The majority of the staff "love" the replacement logitech Deluxe 250 rubber dome board they brought in to replace one of broken keyboards with.  

I tried to type on it myself, it springs back pretty decently, but is nowhere as good as my dell At101w, chicony KB5181, brown cherry Cherry MX8100.  

But as far as rubber domes go, non-technical and techincal people alike (the staff and myself) think this one works quite well.

It's the least smelly of the ****, let me put it that way.

[hyperlinked]

The majority of the staff "love" the replacement logitech Deluxe 250 rubber dome board they brought in to replace one of broken keyboards with.

I had one really good Logitech rubber dome keyboard. It was an old Logitech Internet Navigator. It eventually wore out and I moved onto other keyboards and eventually bought a new one some years later that never seemed as nice as what I remembered. Well, it was fine for a week, but it wore out stupid fast.

My Kensington Comfortype is rubber dome that held up well and my Matias Optimizer has been ok with age. Both have other problems though that have nothing to do with their switch type.

[patrickgeekhack]

You sure? I have seen some older Logitechs; they don't age well.

It's true that some rubber dome keyboards don't age very well. That being said, all rubber dome keyboards are not made equal and when new, some are better than others. And some people don't know anything than rubber dome keyboads. So when they do get one that works well, they are very happy. Ignorance is bliss...sometimes.

[willhs]

The Keytronic Ergo technology boards have the same weighting as Topres, and though I have not tried a topre, I can attest to the awesomeness of this board.  I got the "Designer" model, but if you simply search newegg or amazon for "Keytronic ergo" you will find boards that use the same membrane for $14.

[rdh]

The Keytronic Ergo technology boards have the same weighting as Topres,

Well, similar but not identical weighting:



The original Das Keyboard was a rebadged Key Tronic of this type (but with blank key tops, and without the "Designer" case):

[sixty]

I had the chance to try one of those Keytronic Ergo boards the other day.. and what can I say... It was actually pretty enjoyable! By now its already stored away in storage again, but I had it in use for a day to give it a fair chance, and it really wasn't bad. I guess over time they will become worse, but in the semi-new state it was really enjoyable to type on. I will post up a review sometime later.

[itlnstln]

Better study up on female anatomy you Geekhackers.

I was getting a deeper understanding of this very thing just last night. When doing so, it's good to approach the topic from various angles and get all the positions on the issue.

[itlnstln]

Sorry. I need pics to understand these things.

Here you go: http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Physiology-Dummies-Donna-Siegfried/dp/0764554220/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256571813&sr=8-1

[williamjoseph]

as to the original question to the thread......   trojans.  nuff said.

[itlnstln]

as to the original question to the thread...... trojans. nuff said.

The thread title clearly said acceptable.  Try again.

[itlnstln]

Jesus, ripster, you have a Lego pic for everything.

[itlnstln]

I didn't know God looks like King Tut.  Maybe ol' Tut's spending some Purgatory time doing data entry.

[microsoft windows]

Did your mother let you talk like that in the house?

A Rubber Dome Keyboard?  Well, You're Forgiven My Son!

Show Image

If anyone is offended it's all ItlnStln's fault.

I like the Lego keyboard's QERY layout.

[ch_123]

Model Ms were more expensive back then than they are now. That's IBM pricing for you.

Out of curiosity, what layout is it that you require?

[vils]

This one I suppose, used in both Sweden and Finland.

[ch_123]

There are Finnish Topres from that retailer (whose name I cant remember). At €190 a pop, it's not exactly impulse buy material.

[vils]

There are Finnish Topres from that retailer (whose name I cant remember). At €190 a pop, it's not exactly impulse buy material.

Sounds interesting, any clues on where?

[ch_123]

Here

[microsoft windows]

There are also some international Model M's out there which you can customize to meet your needs.