After some consideration, what do I want? (not an exhaustive list)
- Good tactile feedback
Tactile feedback is great when typing blind (which is really the only way to be efficient). Some keyboards (especially laptop ones) have very much reduced feedback, some desktop keyboards (older ones) are pretty damn hard to press and make me fingers tired. Balance these out.... - Separation between keys, but not too big separation
Keys without gaps between them will make typing much more error prone. Too much separation and it becomes an exercise instead of flow... - The bottom-left corner should be Ctrl
Ctrl is a very frequently used key indeed... So it should be easy to locate, easy to press. When in the original place of bottom-left, one can use the side of the palm to press down and not much thought needed where it is... Moving the Ctrl key away from there is just evil, I tell ya..... - Stand-alone keys for Page Up/Down, Home, End, Insert, Delete
To save space on keyboards (mostly laptop ones, understandably) designers put these keys together with others, and use a Function (Fn) key to activate them... But these are pretty frequently used keys (navigation on page/text lines, copy-paste, ...), why do you have to be slowed down by looking for another key to do that? When I see the same design on desktop keyboard, it feels even worse. Sure, got to have them, there are applications (computerized cash registers come to mind) that needs small keyboard first and foremost, and they use a reduced set of keys. But for every other desktop, get a full set... - Slight inclination
Don't like flat keyboards much, desktop keyboards used with their wee legs can be much more comfortable. - Bonus point: decent sized Enter, numpad, reduced typing noise
Enter is a very frequently used key, just like Space. Why not make it proper size to make it quick and robust to type it?
Numpad just makes it so easy to type numbers (duh), quite underappreciated by some.
Laptop keyboards are awesome if one wants to type silently, in the evenings desktop keyboards can be very annoying...
So basically, at the moment I like something along the lines of the classic keyboard, something like this...
My current desktop keyboard (Asus):
Fn key in the place of Ctrl? Just ridiculous... Have altogether 5 keys that needs Fn (Print Screen, Scroll Lock, System Request, Pause, Break), and there's still space above the numpad to place them... Why??? And during the day I got to get used to this arrangement (Fn and then Ctrl from left to right), then every other keyboard I have has it the opposite way (Ctrl and then Fn). Cue confusion...
Also, Insert & Delete is placed in the top line with the F1-12 function keys, Home/End/PgUp/PgDn in a vertical line... Quite inconvenient.
EeePC 8G:
Small keyboard even for a laptop thus PgUp/Dn with Fn key and no inclination, but still one of my favorite. Keys have reduced tactile feedback but a good balance between feedback and noise so feels good... The key separation is too small for many, but I like it a lot. Not having a "Windows key" on it is a bonus point. :)
Sony Vaio:
I use this sometimes - combined with Chinese Vista weirdness (though that's not the keyboard's fault per se) one of the most tiresome typing experience. Such huge key separation, feels like olympic gymnastics...
Android:
This is in software. When in portrait mode, the one-finger (index) typing is pretty tedious, but in landscape mode the two finger (thumbs) typing is one of the fastest I can do on any keyboards (mostly until I have to correct a typo). With predictive text it can be even faster, but can also break the flow - I usually turn prediction off.
Non-alphabetic keys are on two alternative keyboard settings (accessed by the "12#" key, plus another one), though there are some on speed-button (hold the "12#", shortcut appears and then release over the desired key), though maybe I'd have chosen different subset of keys for that.
Weird thing is that the touchscreen seems to be less sensitive to my left thumb than to the right one - which is not really the screens problem, but the way I'm "thumbing". I don't feel the difference, but would help to figure it out.
Now look at some of the weird keyboards that I haven't used but would be interesting for one thing or another...
Optimus Maximus:
Keyboard for about $1300? Well, when every key is a reconfigurable little screen, the costs add up... The idea is great - a completely adaptable keyboard (e.g. show the capital versions of letters when pressing Shift, or define custom labels for the keys used in your favorite game). The execution, however, seems to be not as good. Reviewers say that it is quite uncomfortable... I'll probably use my one grand for something else (though one can by the keyboard key-by-key too :)
Laser-projected virtual keyboard:
Connected through Bluetooth, mostly aimed at PDAs and smartphones, this is a special one... Project the keyboard on any flat surface, monitor the reflection and there you have your "key-press". Never tried it, but wanted to do for years... I guess it would fail my requirements with zero feedback, slow typing, and small number of keys, but can see advantages sometimes: zero noise, completely portable, and just plan cool....
Rubber-body:
This one I actually tried in the store a little bit (just on its own, not connected to computer, though), and it's surprisingly okay. The idea is, that one doesn't need much to make a key, just an enclosed pressure sensor, the enclosure can be anything - e.g. rubber. The tactile feedback is quite good (and not too springy:). The key separation can be a bit tricky, but I guess there are so many things that the mind have to get used to about the whole board, that it's manageable.
Also, one can just fold up the board when finished, no problems with cleaning (did you know, that keyboards are dirtier than the inside of most toilets? I can totally believe that...)
Anyway.... after typing this much about the things I used to type, should change from meta-work (née procrastination) into real work mode... But I keep my eye out for better boards, if you have any advice, would love to hear it....
