Best Keyboard to buy?

I hear you.

Let me just throw one thing out there and I’ll leave you alone. When I read “chiclet keyboard”, my skin crawled. I’m not sure what your definition of that is, but I’ve used what I would call “chiclet” keyboards, and they suck (IMO). I would not call this keyboard a “chiclet” keyboard, or if it actually does qualify as that, it’s unlike any I have ever used before.

Good luck! I’m sure others will have different suggestions.

I have found with these keyboards that when you have to hold down multiple keys down for various functions in Photoshop or Indesign is that the keys tend key sink too far into the aluminium housing and don’t connect. When you have big hands I find this irritates my fingers… a bit like the apple mice with the tiny pea scroller.

All I can say is, you should try one. What you described doesn’t happen with this keyboard. It truly is unlike anything I’ve ever used.

The keys are well-spaced. With that said, someone with large fingers might prefer keys with more concave in the tops. But you don’t know until you try.

I know I’m being persistent here, but it’s hard to describe how much I like this keyboard. Up until this, I preferred keyboards with serious springs under the keys so you could mash them down and really get feedback. I grew up on teletypes and typewriters, so banging on keys is second nature. When I first looked at this keyboard, I thought “No way”. I thought.wrong.

OK, this time I swear I’ll leave you alone. :smile: I hate it when someone gets a bone and won’t let go, and it’s even worse when it’s me!!

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I have a Code keyboard (Cherry MX Clear) which I like. I had a Matais Tactile Pro which was nice, but its particularly loud.

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I've been using the K750 Wireless Solar Keyboard for Mac - Logitech for years and really like it. I do enjoy it being wireless. The same USB smart connector supports multiple devices.

I have never experienced anything like this with the Logitech. The keys are always solid, and have just the right amount resistance to press. Never had a stuck key.

I also have the Logitech keyboard. But, it does not have a light telling the user that “CAPS LOCK” is on. Thanks to whoever wrote to this forum about their macro for sending a banner to the screen when caps lock is engaged. Unbelievably, I was able to add a sound when caps lock is engaged. Now the only complaint I had about the Logitech is solved. In fact that little macro made KM worth it for me as it is the only thing I have had work with KM.

nfotx

Wow, no caps lock indicator? What a huge engineering blunder!

And cool solution! There’s nothing worse than a little imperfection that becomes huge, and nothing better than being able to solve it! (Well, I guess that’s hyperbole, but you know what I mean. It’s cool!)

You could also use the “Speak Text” action and have it say something geeky like “Caps lock has been engaged!”. That would be funny - well, perhaps not for long… never mind. :stuck_out_tongue:

3 posts were split to a new topic: How to Show a Caps Lock Indicator

It's not a trigger.

I moved my posts to a new topic:

Yeah, I know, like 2 seconds before I posted my reply! :slight_smile: You can either move my post, delete it, or whatever. The important thing is you got it working.

JmichaelTX,

I have attached the macro where I added the sound. Truthfully, I really don’t remember how I did it but there it is down in the 3rd action. Sometimes when I simply move my keyboard to another spot on my desk I’ll hit the caps lock and it is my croaking frog sound that let’s me know it is own. This answers the question of how I end up typing a long sentence in all caps when I made no attempt at locking the caps. The sound does it for me. I would have missed the banner. The amount of accidental “caps locks” is huge in my world. That’s why i said this one macro made KM worth it.

Is the TX for Texas?

nfotx . . . Texas born and raised

Screen Shot 2016-06-06 at 9.19.09 AM.png

Thanks, but it looks like the attachment didn't make it.
See How to Post/Upload Your Macro to the Forum

Perhaps it would be best to post your macro in a new topic in the "macro" category so everyone can easily find it.

Yep. Same here -- born and bred in Texas

Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely!

When I posted that, I thought I'd get a bunch of "right ons". Thanks you for not letting me feel so alone! :slight_smile:

If you don’t use CapsLock and hit it by mistake, you can disable it in System Preferences>Keyboard:Modifiers Key. You can set it to another modifier key (Control, Option, or Command) or set it to No Action. Try setting it to Control for a while and you might like it. It is a lot easier to press that button instead of the small key in the corner.

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Me too, been coding >30 years, the Apple keyboard Dan and Mitchell like is the best. I have 4 of them.

Here is a quick review of my current keyboard for your consideration.

A long time ago I was having wrist pain and thought it was due to using a straight keyboard so I switched to using ergonomic keyboards. The pain ended up being from how I slept on it but once I got used to using the ergo keyboards, it is annoying to go back. I agree that the Apple keyboard mentioned above is nice. I have used one, and the extended 10-keypad version, many times and I really wish Apple would make an ergonomic model of it. I have even submitted feedback at http://www.apple.com/feedback/ asking [begging and pleading] for an ergonomic version.

I think I tried almost every ergo keyboard out there. For a long time, I used the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. Although I loved it, my wife wasn’t a fan. My desk was in the family room behind the couch and the loud key clicks were very annoying while she was watching TV.

When they released the Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard (for Business), I immediately ordered one. There are a few issues with it but overall it is a great keyboard. Very quiet and comfortable. The battery life is great. The keyboard uses 2 AAA and lasts 8-12 months. The 10-key pad has a button battery and is listed as lasting something like 5 years!

Some items of note

  • The “Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop” package is the keyboard, 10-key pad, and mouse. The “Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard for Business” package does not include the mouse
  • I’ve read that the USB dongle for the Desktop package is larger, probably to hold the 2nd receiver to communicate with the mouse. The dongle in the Business package is extremely small. About 1/4" sticks out of the USB port. It is a private pair at the factory which means you can’t just use Bluetooth to pair it to a computer. It must use that dongle.
  • As with almost every [ergonomic] keyboard out there, it is for Windows. The Alt/Option and Windows/Command keys are swapped on the left side and a PC Application key replaces the right Command key. However, using the Keyboard Preference pane, you can swap the key functions back and use Karabiner to send Command for the PC Application key.
  • The F-keys are dual function (F-## or Media control) like the Apple keyboards but instead of the soft Fn key, this keyboard has a physical switch in the corner.
  • Some of the Media control keys don’t work on the Mac. Again, this is a Windows keyboard that normally needs a special driver to receive these keys to do Windows-specific functions. I tried Karabiner and ControllerMate to capture them but due to how they are seen, it was not possible. So now I just keep it in F-Key mode and use Karabiner to send the dual function I want when I press+hold the F-key.

I hope this helps.

I really like Microsoft’s keyboards. Their media keyboards work great with KM for assigning hardware keys to macros. (It lets me avoid installing MS’s keyboard app entirely.)