Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

by Microsoft

• Cutting-edge design and improved performance for maximium productivity
• E-mail and Internet hot keys
• Compatible with Windows 2000 SP4 or higher, Mac OS 10.2x-10.4x

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 20 x 11 x 3 inches ; 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000A6PPOK
• Item model number: B2M-00012
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,817 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #5 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Computer Accessories > Input Devices
  • #5 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Computer Accessories > Keyboards
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

Style: Retail

From the Manufacturer

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

Advanced ergonomic design

Industry-Leading Ergonomic Design

Given the time you spend with your hands on a keyboard, investing in the newest addition to Microsoft's best-selling line of ergonomic keyboards can pay dividends in greater comfort. According to some studies, ergonomic keyboard designs, such as the Microsoft Natural line, have been associated with significant reduction of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Rest your wrists against the plush palm rest in a relaxed, natural angle with this keyboard's curved key bed, ergonomic arc, and reversed slope. Apart from comfort and support, enjoy quick, customizable way to reach files, folders, and web pages with handy hot keys. For close-in tasks, use the Zoom Slider, located in the middle of the keyboard, to zoom in and out with the touch of a finger.

Key Features

1. Zoom - Get a closer look quickly and accurately with the intuitive Zoom Slider.

2. Customizable Hot Keys - Perform common tasks, like opening documents and replying to email messages, with the touch of a button.

3. Improved Number Pad - Quickly reach for commonly used symbols, such as equal sign, parentheses, and "Backspace." They are now located just above the number pad.

4. Ergonomic Design - Type in total comfort-ergonomic design encourages natural wrist and arm alignment so you can work without discomfort.

Product Details

• Device Stage - Quickly and easily access common tasks, including product information, registration, settings, and more for popular devices such as cell phones, cameras, printers, and mouse, keyboard, and webcam products.
• Taskbar Favorites - Easily access programs in the taskbar with convenient keyboard hot keys. The keys automatically adapt to the new location of applications that have been rearranged by dragging.
• Email and Internet Hot Keys - Touch a button to quickly access your email application and the Internet.
• Multimedia Keys - Quickly and easily access and control all of your media from your keyboard.
• Lockable F Key - Lock your F keys to avoid engaging them unintentionally.
• Integrated Palm Rest - Get better support with this plush, integrated palm rest.
• Cutting-Edge Design - Whether you're at work or play, improve your performance with cutting-edge Microsoft design.

System Requirements

• Computer/Operating System
  Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (excluding Windows XP 64-bit)
• Hard Drive
  100 MB
• Other
  USB Port

Product Description

Place your hands and arms naturally and comfortably with the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. The improved split design encourages a more natural hand, wrist, and forearm position and its new curved key layout makes keys easier to reach. The Zoom Slider lets you zoom in for close-ups of Web pages, images, and more — with just the touch of a finger. And 5 customizable "My Favorites" keys give you instant access to the folders, files, and Web pages you use most.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

762 of 777 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Overall Keyboard to Date October 18, 2005

By Charles Chen

Style Name:Retail|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a software developer, I am literally attached to my keyboard. On a typical day, I'll spend anywhere between 5-8 hours typing, so it's of critical importance that the keyboard I use is comfortable. As most programmers and typists can attest, the Microsoft Ergo series of keyboards is the best keyboard for prolonged use.

Having used the Ergo keyboards in some form or another for the past 4 years (most recently, the Wireless Elite set), I must say that this keyboard is a step above.

To begin with, the construction is very solid. There is far less flex in the plastic and the keyboard as a whole compared to my Wireless Elite. The wrist pad is made of a nicely textured faux leather material with a tiny bit of padding. It feels rather durable (not to mention comfortable). It's a good addition as one of my main gripes with the MS ergo keyboards was that it was hard to fit one of those gel wrist rests around the curved base of the keyboard.

Compared to previous MS keyboards that I've owned, the keys on this keyboard are very well damped in terms of the sound the produce. It's very muted, even with my hard strokes. One thing that will take some adjusting to is the increased curvature (along two different planes) between where your pinky and index fingers rest (A,F and J,;). Whereas the older keyboards have a relatively flat incline, this keyboard has a slight curve (concave). In addition, there is also a very subtle curve across the keyboard as well (a horizontal curvature), which seems a more natural fit for the shape of hands. Also of note is the fact that some of the keys have changed shape. Whereas previously, MS had kept the striking surface consistent across the different keys (even at the edge), this keyboard has several keys along the ridge that have different striking surfaces.

Interestingly, this keyboard also features the return of the front riser (available on the older versions of the MS ergo keyboards). Actually, in recent months, I've been doing exactly this, but with my own ad hoc methods :) This is a much better solution. The riser is easily removable for those that prefer the standard configurations.

Note that this keyboard is *USB only*, which means that it may be incompatible with some older motherboards. Not a problem for me as I'm using it with a newer laptop. The keyboard does come with software for the programmable keys and extra functions, but it's plug and play right out of the box with WinXP.

I also appreciate the new forward and back buttons for use with web browsing (work with no drivers). The zoom slider in the middle of the keyboard, however, seems inapproriately used. It would have been much more useful as a scroll slider instead.

Sizewise, it takes up slightly more surface space than my wireless elite, but is much, much thinner.

My only complaints are that the space key is a little bit stiff out of the box (maybe it'll loosen up a bit after usage), the distance from Ctrl to the number keys seems to have increased a bit (on the scale of millimeters, this is important for those of us hitting Ctrl+F5 quite often ;-), the Delete key is now the same size as the other keys in the cluster (which some people may prefer, but I need to adjust to due to the extra large delete key on the Wireless Elite set), the Enter key is slightly smaller (by 3-5mm), and the key response is not as "soft" as say the ones I recently sampled on the MS bluetooth keyboard, but still very comfortable.

Overall, a very high quality keyboard. If you can wait, there is sure to be a wireless version coming soon. But anyone that spends a significant amount of type working with computers will be able to appreciate the new layout after 1-2 days of adjustment to the new curvature. I'm very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend this keyboard to my fellow programmers :)

UPDATE: In the past few days, I've had an inquiry into whether I'm still satisfied with the keyboard. The answer is a big, bold *YES*. As I was telling a colleague, this keyboard simply rocks. I can type hours on end without pain. My "seat of the pants" impression is that I also type _faster_ with this keyboard. As I pointed out above, I think that most people will have to go through a period of adjustment to really feel comfortable and fall in love with this keyboard, even if you're coming from a previous Microsoft Ergo series keyboard.

128 of 132 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this keyboard! September 6, 2006

By Neilisa VINE™ VOICE

Style Name:Retail

I'm one of the many who have been typing for years; from college where I earned money as a typist, to secretarial work, and now as a software engineer and a part-time writer, so needless to say that my keyboard is basically a constant companion.

From years of typing I've come to learn my likes and dislikes of keyboards. I was one of those who ordered the very first Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard as soon as it came out, and I fell in love with it. After seven years, my faithful keyboard finally gave up the ghost and so I was forced to purchase another.

I was at first lured to purchase a different brand name ergonomic keyboard because it was cheaper, and boy did I regret that decision. Some of the keys were moved from their standard positions, the ENTER key was much larger, which meant the SHIFT key was smaller and the back slash key was moved to the last row. The spacing between the number keys was wider so I had to readjust my reach, and, to make things worse, the keys kept sticking. The whole layout was not to my taste.

In contrast, this keyboard is perfectly suited to me. The keys tap much softer which means my fingers don't absorb as much shock when I'm typing. I type over a 100 wpm and when your fingers fly over the board, they tend to tap harder. The keys are also laid out exactly how you would expect them to like any other keyboard. The shortcuts are my favorites where some are pre-set with others that you can set yourself.

Basically, I have no complaints. I'm very happy with my purchase.

130 of 137 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very happy with the keyboard October 28, 2005

By Greg Broiles

Style Name:Retail

I just picked this up this afternoon and have been very pleased with it so far. I used it to replace a Microsoft Natural Elite keyboard. The wrist/palm rests feel very nice, and I like the fact that the keys are quiet - I'm trying to train myself to take notes while on the phone using the computer instead of using a pad of paper, and I find that loud typing while I'm talking on the phone can interfere with my hearing the other person, and with their perception of my attention. The software does seem relatively Spartan but to be honest I'm not a big user of customization features, so it doesn't impact my use of the device. In the past, I haven't even bothered to install keyboard driver software. The zoom feature works nicely in Firefox, I don't use IE much.

So, for my use - standard typing for many hours/day, minimal use of special features - it's a great keyboard. I'm glad it's got the older-style cursor key/insert-delete-scroll key setup, rather than the setup used on the Natural Elite, that I never did really become accustomed to.

Chances are pretty good I'll buy another one to use at home this weekend - I am really happy with this, enough so that I'm ready to give up the old ergo keyboard I've got at home that doesn't have the negative tilt but does have the arrow-key configuration that I prefer.

I realize that split keyboards are interesting to a minority of the population (and everyone should use what works best for them) - but if you're one of the split keyboard people, I suggest giving this one a try.