Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thinkpad keyboard for the desktop, November 5, 2004
Simply put, the keyboards IBM puts in its Thinkpad line of notebooks are the best keyboards I've ever used. The keyboard here is just a large-model Thinkpad keyboard done up for the desktop with USB (with a built-in two-port USB hub). As such, it's perfect. I've wanted one of these since I first laid fingertips on a Thinkpad keyboard in 1997.
I'm a 100 word-per-minute touch typist who's seen a lot of keyboards -- I learned to type on a manual typewriter in the early 1970s and spent summers in college earning money as a keypunch operator on teletype-like keyboards. Before this keyboard, I was always on the lookout for a better keyboard.
The throw of the keys on this keyboard is a lot less than that of a standard desktop keyboard. And although the keys feel somewhat "clicky" (good for feedback), they're also relatively quiet (good for neighbors and family). The key layout is just like on the Thinkpad. I use the windows key a lot, but you can rebind one of the ALT keys in your operating system.
The keyboard extends a long way below the keys, just like the bigger Thinkpad's keyboards. I find this provides perfect palm rests for me.
I would've gotten this just for the keyboard. But there's also a trackpoint built in. And my fingers want to use it due to long experience on IBM notebooks. Of all the notebook pointer technologies, this is the only one that works for me. It works better than other company's implementations of track pointers (like on a Toshiba my wife had). Trackpoints don't bounce on planes or trains like the touchpads. Applying "belt and suspenders" caution, IBM also included a touchpad and two sets of mouse buttons (one high and one low); the pair closest to the keyboard are very convenient for dealing with the endless series of dialog boxes in modern applications.
All told, this keyboard helps my typing speed and accuracy. And even though I'm a speedy typist, my typing and mousing is still the bottleneck in most of the work I do on a computer.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you like your laptop keyboard, you'll like this product, January 13, 2004
I bought this keyboard when I was trying to replace my MS Natural Elite keyboard with something that included a pointing device. I liked this keyboard enough that I didn't return it, but I'm back using my Microsoft Natural Elite because I've gotten so used to the keyboard layout.Unlike some other combination keyboard/pointing devices, this one works very well. They keyboard feel is quite good, with a very short, sharp throw on each key, and a well positioned and easy to use pointing device. The only problem with this keyboard is that it is laid out like a laptop keyboard, which means that some keys are too small and oddly located. In all, its a good choice if you want a keyboard on your desktop that matches the keyboard on your laptop
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Keyboard, July 16, 2006
Well built and sturdy while also sleek and lightweight, this device is a joy for anyone who flourishes typing with laptop keyboards. It didn't take much thought for me to buy second one of these keyboards for my large rolling laptop case, and the travel version (31P9490, identical to this model, except minus the number pad) for my carry-around bag.
Key action is fast, uniform, and comfortable. Its professional and attractive design is a refreshing change from the glut of overly-buttoned contraptions around these days. For those with space saving issues, the USB ports and option to do away with a mouse with TrackPoint are definite plusses.
I have only two caveats, neither of which are really critical. First, although this is a full size board for the character and numeric keys, the layout and size of the lesser-used keys (insert, delete, home, end, page up/down, cursors, etc) are a tad eccentric and will feel small and misplaced to an experienced touch typist. In particular, if you normally use Ctrl key shortcuts by touch, you'll find yourself often hitting either the cursor keys on the right or the function-shift on the left -- which I'm still not completely used to yet.
Second, if you place the keyboard on a slick desktop (my own is on a metal shelf), the board will slide about considerably -- which I remedied with a couple of rubber grip stick-on buttons from the local hardware store.
But overall, I must wholeheartedly concur with all the previous postive reviews. If you conceive yourself a discriminating typist who uses only the best, you won't be disappointed here.
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