“ThinkPads are well known for the quality of their keyboards. This has long been a strength of the ThinkPad brand, but when we say how good ThinkPad keyboards are we almost always implicitly mean ‘relative to the keyboards on other laptops’. That might not be the case for everyone though, because the ThinkPad Full-Size UltraNav USB Keyboard is currently available for sale and it is a testament to how attached people have become to these keyboards.”
The keyboard is indeed great and the trackpoint is a killer feature. Don’t move your hands away from the keyboard for simple mouse action. Btw. it works better than any trackpad I know of as well.
However, what is the aformentioned trackpad for on a keyboard? It kinda fails of serving the same features as the trackpoint. And it is in your way while typing.
They should have a model without trackpad, which would even save some manifacturing costs and make it more affordable.
They should have a model without trackpad, which would even save some manifacturing costs and make it more affordable.
Totally agreed. For me, that’s the deal-breaker with the x200 and x300.
Yeah, I dislike touchpads a LOT.
Gimme a mouse tit or gimme death!
Meant to reply to Ford…
Awesome.
However, note the f*ing switched function key and ctrl key. I’ll never get used to that (currently working on an otherwise satisfactory Thinkpad R500).
I also question the idea of using a trackpad on a desktop keyboard, at least in that position… quite silly (if they wanted to include it, they could ‘ve put it somewhere above or next to the numpad)
If they make a wireless version I’d have one for the living room.
And absolutely adore them. There is a bit more flex in them then in the more recent thinkpads but not so much as it gets distracting. I am a trackpoint addict. It has been over a decade since I have voluntarily used a mouse on any of my computers. (I used a trackball before I went to the trackpoint.) It is nice to be able to work and mouse around while never lifting my hands from the keyboard.
In my experience with a T60, the right edge of the trackpad makes an excellent scrolling device to complement the trackpoint. It’s even better in Linux where the scroll wheel scrolls what’s under the cursor, not what’s currently active.
The Ctrl and Fn being the way they are was certainly very irritating for the first few weeks, but it’s quite possible to get used to it.
F12 and delete being next to each other has never bothered me. I really like the placement of delete. Some keyboards place it near the return key, which is much more dangerous IMO.
One thing that’s quite annoying in a few games, though, is that the F keys aren’t aligned with the number keys. F2 is above 1 etc.
I often ask myself: What is the Fn key good for on this particular keyboard configuration? On laptops, it’s used to get the num block from within the alphanumerical section. But this keyboard *has* a num block, and cursor keys. So what functionality does it create? Do they address typical laptop issues (LCD/CRT, VOL++/– etc)? It’s a honest question…
That’s understandable. Better than many laptop keyboards, the IBM layout leaves the 2×3 matrix above toe “cursor T” intact, so you can lay your right hand with it’s first three fingers (the thumb doesn’t count) on it and address all functions of this block. “Modern” laptops often like to disassemble this 2×3 block and make a vertikal line “home, pg up, pg dn, end” so navigation is more complicated.
By the way, on http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ultranav_keyboard_04… I notice that there are two attitional keys (grey) in the “cursor T”. Can anyone explain what they are? My ThinkPad (586 class) doesn’t have them. I cannot identify them through magnification.
Exactly, I share your opinion. Some hours ago, I sat on a HP laptop where the del key was in the upper right.
On regular keyboards – I’m looking at a fine Sun Type 6 USB keyboard right now – this is the case. Nevertheless, the function keys on the TP keyboard are grouped, so you can easily hit the correct key without needing to look or count. (I even have a Siemens-Fujitsu laptop where I intendedly placed a sticker above the function keys, … white … grey … white, to group them visually.)
ESC above PF1 is a thing one surely can get used to.
Finally, I share the opinion that the glidepad is a real annoying thing where it is.
According to the topic “It’s good”, I don’t know if it’s good (because that’s primarily a matter of mechanical feelings), but it *looks* good.
My guess is that it was left there mainly so users of the laptop keyboards wouldn’t have to readjust, which seems like a good enough reason to me. From the pictures I see the keyboard has the same fn combinations as recent thinkpads, so it’s used to control the same laptop functions. Of course, most of them are useless for a desktop.
They are forward/backward buttons for the browser.
Count me among that group – I have a fairly decent Logitech keyboard on my desktop, but I always switch over to my Thinkpad for any extended typing/writing sessions.
I respect people for getting used to the clit… i myself prefer the trackpad on laptops for one simple reason.
Ive had alot of laptops and a quite a few has been Dell C-series (wich has both clit and pad) and if some weight (not much needed) on the back of the screen is applied when the lid is closed, the clit touches the screen. And if you use a laptop for what its made for: Portabillity. Then you should soon see a mark on the screen from the clit on your brand new dell due to this design fault. I always tear them off the first thing i do on new laptops, so this wont happen to me again.
Also: Why god oh why would someone want a laptop keyboard to go with an desktop except for the lightness. Gimme a “Buckling spring” keyboard anyday over a laptop keyboard. (preferably made by IBM in the mid eighties with the metal plate in the back)
I’ve owned one of these for ~6 months now, and while the whole Fn/Ctrl thing did take some getting used to, the overall feel & layout more than makes up for it.
One thing I missed for a while was the (gasp) Windows keys. Even though I run Linux 99% of the time, I’d really gotten used to the concept of the “super” key as a shortcut modifier. I’ve been wondering if I can map the Fn key to this function (it’s not of much use anyway), but the OS doesn’t seem to register it.
Also, I’ve had to modify my typing style a bit to compensate for the fact that hovering your thumb over the space bar also means you’ll eventually click the mouse and either move focus or, even worse, move the typing cursor to somewhere in the middle of the text you’re working on – and keep typing, making for a complete mess. Not much of a nuisance, but worth mentioning.
Still, it’s a wonderful keyboard, and the clit does get a lot of nerdy nods and smiles
OMFG you dont actually like that hatefull cheaply made heap of junk do you ?
BTW the travel keyboards have been around for AGES!!!!!
I have one for the office to complement the dock. and at home so I dont have to get used to inferior keyboards there.
About the old IBM enhanced keyboards , theyre awesome
just their cult status alone put them in the keyboard hall of fame.
That said, Im not convinced theyre the perfect device for gaming, but dont care.
[note]
I used my IBM enhanced to smash my hatefull sun type 6 to bits, the enhanced wasnt harmed.
[/note]
Edited 2009-04-02 07:36 UTC