For behind the scenes pictures, stories and special contests, follow us on Facebook!
Subscribe:

Tag Archives: Keyboards

With The USB Typewriter, The Obsolete Is New Again

By David Ponce on 11/01/12 • Leave a comment!

Here’s another oldie, but still good even a couple of years later. We don’t know if this means we’ve been infected with the hipster virus, but we’re sort of digging the above USB Typewriter. Maybe it’s because writing is what we do for a living and old-timey typewriters represent a nostalgic link to writing’s not so distant low-tech past. But we wouldn’t mind typing out these articles from a USB Typewriter, which serves as a fully functional keyboard to your PC, Mac or even tablet but with all the clickety click and carriage return bells from the last century. You can even type with ink on paper, while simultaneously typing on your digital device.

Jack Zelkyn sells these from his Etsy shop and can offer you either a DIY conversion kit for around $80, if you want to use your own typewriter. But if you don’t have one, or can’t be bothered to, you know, do anything yourself, and have the cash to spare, Jack will send you a fully assembled setup starting at $699.

Check out the link at the bottom for more.

[ Product Page ]

Lenovo Multimedia Keyboard with Remote Reviewed. Verdict: Decent Upgrade for the Price

By Ian Chiu on 11/17/11 • Leave a comment!

Lenovo recently updated their paddle HTPC keyboard and the changes aren’t subtle. It already had a hit on their hands with the first generation of this very hand-friendly Multimedia Remote Keyboard and trackball. The tiny trackball has been replaced with an optical sensor that first made waves on the Raon Everun a few years back. The very responsive sensor also doubles as left click mouse button for very relaxed use. The nano dongle and the key layout are mostly unchanged. Most of the device has also been upgraded from slippery gloss finish to a more gripping rubber texture, only the keys remain glossy.

Other improvements include automatic backlighting and raised bumps on the keys for tactile navigation. The mouse buttons have been widened for larger hands to operate without adjusting their grip. The nano USB dongle can be stored in the battery compartment for travel which may be the only time you ever open it. The very strong wireless connection boasts a battery sipping 3 months of life. Other similar keyboards suffer from weak signals but the Lenovo Remote shows no sign of losing connection at even extreme ‘same room’ distances. Check out the full review at Everything USB if you are interested in how the remote fared after extended use.

[Lenovo Enhanced HTPC Remote with Keyboard Review @ Everything USB]

Logitech’s Bluetooth Tablet Keyboard Is A Slick Alternative To Apple’s Own

By Andrew Liszewski on 07/12/11 • 3 Comments

Logitech Tablet Keyboard for iPad (Image courtesy Logitech)
By Andrew Liszewski

Until a few minutes ago I had never considered using something other than Apple’s own sleek, wireless Bluetooth keyboard with my iOS devices. But Logitech’s wireless Tablet Keyboard immediately caught my eye. Its design looks like it borrows a lot from Apple’s keyboard, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. From the bulge at the top which houses its 4xAAA batteries, to its low-profile Chiclet-style keys. It’s even got a set of double-duty media playback/number keys along the top row, and the included carrying case not only protects it when stashed away, but also serves as an adjustable stand for your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

It’s even just a touch smaller than Apple’s keyboard, except when it comes to price. Logitech is asking $79.99 for theirs, which is $10 more than Apple’s. (There’s also a separate version available for Android 3.0+ tablets, though I can’t seem to discern a difference between the two.)

[ Logitech Tablet Keyboard for iPad ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

Cideko Air Keyboard Chatting Is Targeted At Skypers And Those Who Like Awkward Product Names

By Andrew Liszewski on 07/11/11 • 1 Comment

Cideko Air Keyboard Chatting (Image courtesy CompuExpert)
By Andrew Liszewski

It’s not particularly thin, doesn’t have a full size keyboard, costs $99.99 and has a limited battery life of just 10 hours. But CompuExpert still feels they can sway consumers looking for a wireless keyboard for their living room HTPC with their new Cideko Air Keyboard Chatting. That is as long as said consumer is really into Skype or chatting online. That’s because the newest addition to their wireless keyboard lineup features a built in-microphone and a headphone jack, so you don’t have to shout across the room when talking with others.

It also foregoes a trackpad, or other tactile cursor navigation solution, for 3D motion controls. So you’ll have to wave it around in the air like a Wiimote if you don’t already have a wireless mouse by your side. (FYI, We strongly recommend having a wireless mouse by your side.) Available now from Amazon, Newegg and presumably other retailers who already carry CompuExpert’s products.

[ Cideko Air Keyboard Chatting ]

OhGizmo! Review – Verbatim Wireless Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard

By Andrew Liszewski on 05/20/11 • 1 Comment

Verbatim Wireless Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard (Image property OhGizmo!)
By Andrew Liszewski

The reason I hear most often from people who don’t have or want a touchscreen based smartphone is that they can’t get used to typing out messages with just an on-screen keyboard. They prefer the tactile feedback of a real keyboard or a thumbpad, which I can understand. On the iPhone, where my typing never really goes longer than the 140 character limit of a tweet, I never have any issues. But on the iPad, which I occasionally use as a laptop replacement for taking notes, the on-screen keyboard can get a little annoying. So much so that I usually always bring along Apple’s own wireless keyboard for long typing sessions, which unfortunately really isn’t designed for traveling.

But the only way you can make a full-sized keyboard travel-friendly is to introduce some sort of folding mechanism, and that’s exactly what Verbatim has done with their new Wireless Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard. It folds in half making it easier to transport, and while it doesn’t necessarily get small enough to carry in your pocket, it’s certainly compact enough to stash away in a bag or briefcase. But does it work as well as the keyboard permanently fused to your laptop or tethered to your PC? Check out our full review after the jump to find out.

… Continue Reading

itablet Bluetooth Thumb Keyboard Sports A Rear-Facing Touchpad

By Andrew Liszewski on 05/05/11 • 1 Comment

itablet Thumb Keyboard (Image courtesy AHX Global)
By Andrew Liszewski

The rise of HTPCs and touchscreen devices lacking a physical keyboard has created a real market for external wireless keyboards. Designed for use with everything from Windows, Android and Apple tablets to tucked away computers connected to a big-screen display to even gaming consoles, the itablet features a compact keyboard layout primarily designed to be used with your two thumbs.

And if the device you happen to be using it with also features a cursor-driven UI, on the back of the itablet you’ll find a rear-facing touchpad. Logistically it would probably take some time for me to get used to using a reverse touchpad, but by placing it on the back the itablet does end up with a smaller overall footprint which makes it smaller to hold and easier to travel with. It’s available now in black or white with US & UK keyboard layouts for ~$132 (£79.99), with other commonly used keyboard layouts becoming available in Q3 of this year.

[ itablet ]

Review – Razer Anansi MMO Gaming Keyboard

By Chris Scott Barr on 04/13/11 • Leave a comment!

This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

Razer is well-known in the world of PC gaming, mostly for their keyboard and mouse offerings. You can’t hardly have a conversation about such peripherals without the company’s name being brought up. Well today we’re going to take a look at their latest keyboard offering, the Anansi. This particular keyboard is aimed specifically at the MMO player.

Features

At first glance, you’re going to see two of the features that set the Anansi apart from most other keyboards. These would be the five function keys on the left-hand side of the keyboard, and seven more just below the spacebar. You’ll also see the backlit keys, which by default, cycle through the color spectrum. What really makes this device stand out is that you’re not limited to customizing the 12 extra function keys. Rather, every single key is mappable. Also, it has a “gaming mode” which disables the Windows key. A handy feature for anyone that’s had the misfortune of hitting that button by accident during a raid.
Strangely enough, there were no audio jacks or USB ports on this keyboard. I don’t often use them myself, but if you have a short headset, it’s much easier to just jack into the keyboard instead of finding an extension cable.

… Continue Reading

Hawking Technology’s Mini Touchpad/Keyboard Combo Device

By Andrew Liszewski on 10/12/10 • 1 Comment

Hawking Technology’s Mini Touchpad/Keyboard Combo Device (Image courtesy FCC)
By Andrew Liszewski

We usually shy away from writing about devices that won’t be available for purchase in the near future, but we have to admit we’re intrigued by Hawking Technology’s wireless keyboard/touchpad combo that just made its way through the FCC. The company is better known for its networking gear, but based on this keyboard design we’d like to encourage them to branch out even more. Instead of individual keys the device has a large multi-touch capable surface that works as a keyboard or as a touchpad supporting up to 2 finger gestures. At 3.7 inches on its longest side it’s also conveniently compact and thin from the looks of it, though it forgoes Bluetooth for a 2.4GHz wireless connection to your PC via a USB dongle making this version unfortunately not compatible with keyboard-lacking smartphones.

[ wireless goodness - Hawking Technology’s RMTP mouse combines touchpad and a keyboard ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

Germ Genie Provides ‘Always On’ Germ Protection For Public Keyboards

By Andrew Liszewski on 10/05/10 • 1 Comment

Germ Genie (Image courtesy Gizmag)
By Andrew Liszewski

I’m often disgusted at the appearance of my keyboards, and I’m the only one who uses them. So I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to deal with them in a multi-user environment like a hospital, which is probably the worst case scenario. According to Falcon Innovations, an average multi-user keyboard has 3,295 microbes per square inch, but thankfully their scare tactics don’t come without a solution.

Their Germ Genie is another germ killing keyboard sanitizer that uses UV light, but instead of having to remember to place it in some sanitizing box every night, it sits above the keyboard providing ‘always on’ protection. And of course by ‘always on’ I mean ‘only when someone isn’t typing’ since UV light can be harmful to skin, so the Germ Genie includes a motion sensor to turn off the light whenever someone’s actually using the keyboard. It retails for about $220, but the company seems keen on selling then en masse to large facilities, so I suspect it gets cheaper the more you buy.

[ Germ Genie ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

Copyright © 2013 OhGizmo!