Customer Reviews

Japanese English USB Wired Black Computer Keyboard (Black Background with White Letters or Characters) - SimplyPlugo Bilingual Keyboard

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So yeah, this is a bilingual keyboard. It works. I kind of wish it had katakana on the keys too, but I knew that before I ordered. Other reviewer didn't set something up right I guess, since some quick googling told me how to configure Windows to accept Japanese input properly.

I asked for this as a present because I wanted to be able to input hiragana characters directly, and the photo indicated that I could do that. So, I plugged it in and...it acted just like an English language keyboard. For example, the @ sign is a separate key on the Japanese keyboard, not above the 2 as on an English keyboard. But if I typed Shift-2, I got @ instead of ", which appears above the 2 on the Japanese keyboard. There was no manual or instructions in the box. I emailed the company for help, but days later still have not received a response. That is why I did not give this a 5 star rating.

However, after a few days of searching the web, I have gotten the keyboard to work. I do not guarantee this solution, nor do I know if all steps are necessary. But i am posting this for someone who might be interested in this product.

First, go into the Control Panel and the Device Manager. If the keyboard is listed as a standard keyboard, right click to get to Properties. Under Driver, click on Update. Click on Browse My Computer, then Let Me Pick From a List. Unclick Show Compatible Devices and click on Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109 Key).

Second, go into the Control panel and Change Keyboard. Add the Japanese keyboard and Microsoft IME. Also, make sure the Language Bar is not hidden.

When typing in Microsoft Work (that is when I use the Japanese keyboard), you can use Alt-Shift to toggle from English to Japanese and Ctrl-Shift to toggle from Japanese keyboard to Microsoft IME. You want to be in Microsoft IME. You should see a small CAPS/KANA. (If you do not see it,click on the JP and then Show the Language Bar). Click on KANA. Now you should be able to input hiragana characters directly. If you want to type katakana, you can input the hiragana and then hit the button to the left of the space key. If you want to switch to katakana, type the first character while holding down the button to the left of the space key and the button 2 over to the right of the space key. To go back to hiragana, hit the button 2 over to the right of the space key. To use kanji, type the hiragana and then hit the space bar while the characters are underlined.

I am just a beginner Japanese learner and am just starting to use this keyboard, so there may be other features that I have not discovered yet.

This keyboard would be perfect if the letters shown were the letters printed. The company has tried to solve the problem but were unable to do so. I kept this keyboard because I like some of the features. I just keep notes on where to find some of the missing letters or symbols.