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13 Computer keyboards you’ve never seen before

The roll-up keyboard

roll-up keyboard

These keyboards feature 104 keys in a standard QWERTY layout, but with a nifty twist of being the most portable keyboard seen to date. Simply roll the unit up when you’re done with it! A great tool for laptop users who miss their full-sized KB when on the road, or LAN party warriors looking to lighten their load.

The virtual laser keyboard

virtual laser keyboard

The I-Tech Virtual Keyboard uses a light projection of a full-sized computer keyboard on almost any surface. Used with PDA’s and Smart Phones, the Virtual Keyboard provides a practical way to do e-mail, word processing and spreadsheet tasks, enabling users to leave laptops and computers at home.

The wrist keyboard

wrist keyboard

Completely sealed, it can operate in the rain and other harsh environments. A curved back provides a secure and comfortable placement on the wrist. The keyboard layout is optimized to provide alphanumeric entry. Carefully positioned arrow keys ease menu-oriented tasks. The WristPC keyboard comes with an optional wrist strap to provide the capability of attaching it to your wrist.

The frogpad

frogpad

The FrogPad mobile keypad with its innovative 20 full-size key layout optimized around the most frequently used characters sets a new standard in information access with superior portability and ergonomics, global adaptability, rapid learning and ease of use. Its unique patented keystroke algorithms enable it to be used in either a right or left-handed mode and with any international language set.

Maltron 3D Ergonomic Keyboard

Maltron 3D Ergonomic Keyboard

These fully ergonomic two handed keyboards fit the shape of hands and the different lengths of fingers to reduce movement and tension.

The Orbitouch Keyboard

Orbitouch Keyboard

The orbiTouch Keyless ergonomic Keyboard creates a keystroke when you slide the two domes into one of their eight respective positions. You type the different characters by sliding the domes to create letters and numbers. The orbiTouch Keyless ergonomic Keyboard also has an integrated mouse, so moving the domes gives you full mouse and keyboard capability!

The Tidy Tippist

Tidy Tippist

The marriage of eating and tipping: the decorative tablecloth, made of felt, contains a textile keyboard. The electronic is woven into a fabric, which finds itself between layers of water resistant felt as sandwich material. The soft felt surface makes it a pleasure for fingers to tip a cozy keyboard.

The SafeType keyboard

SafeType keyboard

This well thought at keyboard will allow you to type in a relaxed position, saving you the pain. All that despite its futurist look. The supplementary keypad allows the user to position the 10-key numeric pad with arrow keys anywhere that is most usable and comfortable. It can be on the left or the right, or even in your lap. We are constantly amazed by the tremendous variation in challenges and how people find solutions for their own problems.

The Twiddler 2

Twiddler 2

The Twiddler2 is a pocket-sized mouse pointer plus a full-function keyboard in a single unit that fits neatly in either right or left hand. The Twiddler2 plugs into both keyboard and mouse PS/2 ports (USB port with the PS/2 to USB Adapter) on any computer that accepts standard PS/2 mouse and keyboard (or USB input). Combining major innovations in pointer and keyboard technology, the twiddler is designed to bring renewed enjoyment to current computer users and to attract newcomers to the world of personal computing.

The datahand keyboard

datahand keyboard

The DataHand ergonomic keyboard offers a total of 132 keys (more than even extended flat keyboards) through the use of five key switches clustered around the tips of each of the fingers. With four modes, shifted by the thumbs, hand movement is no longer required to perform keyboard work. Hand support results in the elimination of the major source of muscular-skeletal stress in hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, backs, and necks.

Optimus Keyboard

Optimus Keyboard

Each and every key on the Optimus Keyboard is a stand-alone display that shows you exactly what it is controlling at the very moment.

Das Keyboard

Das Keyboard

Where is the letters? Das keyboard believe with no keys to look at when typing, your brain will adapt and memorize the key position thus increasing typing speed.

AlphaGrip

AlphaGrip

Claimbled to the most comfortable computing device. It is a gaming pad, a keyboard also comes with a mouse trackball.

via our-picks, artlebetdev, das keyboard

Posted by hongkiat in Hardware & Gadget, at 02.15.07

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Comments

  1. kew

    February 16th, 2007 at 10:27 am

    I like the DAS keyboard… hahahaha

    comment

  2. horbs

    February 17th, 2007 at 7:10 am

    I have seen 7 of these keyboards before.

    comment

  3. Ingozi

    February 17th, 2007 at 8:06 am

    I have the roll up keyboard. Actually I bought it at a Radio Shack in Hawaii about 4 1/2 years ago. It is very handy but it does have it’s other side.
    1. you definitely need a level flat surface
    2. you better have a PS2 mouse port.

    I suppose it would be easy to correct these oversights but so far the manufacturer hasn’t.

    comment

  4. Crazy Keyboards at CruftBucket

    February 17th, 2007 at 1:50 pm

    [...] are some very strange ideas for keyboards. My favourite would have to be the Optimus. Bookmark to: Published February 17th, 2007 in [...]

    comment

  5. hagar

    February 18th, 2007 at 6:35 am

    missionary position forme

    comment

  6. MetroMan

    February 18th, 2007 at 11:02 pm

    You can always use a PS2 to USB converter.

    comment

  7. Blog Mirrors » Thirteen Computer Keyboards You’ve (Probably) Never Seen

    February 18th, 2007 at 11:02 pm

    [...] Computer Keyboards You’ve (Probably) Never Seen The folks over at Hongkiat.com posted a great roundup of wacky keyboards that you’ve probably never [...]

    comment

  8. Jan

    February 18th, 2007 at 11:07 pm

    I have used a Kinesis keyboard for years. It’s like the Maltron above, but without the number pad in the middle, and costs far less.

    Takes about 5 minutes to get used to the form, but is incredibly comfortable, even for someone with chronic pain problems like myself.

    But it’s for TOUCH TYPISTS ONLY. My hunt-and-peck friends go bonkers when they try to use it.

    comment

  9. Bla

    February 19th, 2007 at 12:03 am

    I have both the das (i am typing on it now) and the projection keyboard. The optimus keyboard looks cool.

    comment

  10. GoPingYourself.com » Blog Archive » Thirteen Computer Keyboards You”ve (Probably) Never Seen

    February 19th, 2007 at 2:36 am

    [...] folks over at Hongkiat.com posted a great roundup of wacky keyboards that you””ve probably never [...]

    comment

  11. dinolog-internet takipçisi

    February 19th, 2007 at 4:40 am

    [...] Şuradaki adreste 13 adet ilginç -muhtemelen şimdiye kadar hiç görmediğiniz- klavye tasarımları bulunuyor. Örneğin resmini gördüğünüz klavye normal qwerty bir klavye ancak katlanabiliyor. [...]

    comment

  12. Steve

    February 19th, 2007 at 4:49 pm

    I’m typing this on a Kinesis. Seriously board for serious board users. See Jan’s post above: it’s programmable, and cheaper than the Maltron.

    comment

  13. thejart

    February 19th, 2007 at 11:26 pm

    the optimus?!? isn’t that vaporware?

    comment

  14. Richard Querin

    February 19th, 2007 at 11:30 pm

    i’n usinv the das kryboarf righy now amd it wprks greay.

    ;)

    comment

  15. Keilitz » Blog Archive

    February 20th, 2007 at 12:47 am

    [...] Hong Kiat from Malaysia (Happy New Year!) has blogged a list of 13 Computer keyboards you’ve never seen before, with pictures. Actually, I’ve seen several of them, and you may have too, but it’s a [...]

    comment

  16. 13 Computer keyboards you probably don’t have - rekkerd.org - royalty-free samples, free VST plug-ins, and audio software news

    February 20th, 2007 at 1:24 am

    [...] blog post rounds up 13 weird/out of the ordinary-type of keyboards like a Roll-up keyboard and the I-Tech [...]

    comment

  17. Trip Hop Clan » Blog Archive » 13 Crazy Keyboards

    February 20th, 2007 at 1:25 am

    [...] And we’ve all seen a few…even if the article says we haven’t [...]

    comment

  18. PROMAGO.de Gadgets » Blog Archive » Die etwas andere Tastaturensammlung…

    February 20th, 2007 at 2:34 am

    [...] antippen? Pustekuchen, richtiges Schreiben wäre einfach nicht möglich. Unsere Kollegen bei Hongkiat.com haben eine Auswahl von Keyboards zusammengetrommelt, die ihr so wahrscheinlich noch nie gesehen [...]

    comment

  19. Adam

    February 20th, 2007 at 2:43 am

    The Optimus Keyboard is a concept, the technology doesn’t exists and no prototypes exist. This is just an idea and the pictures are rendered images. A.

    comment

  20. Chad

    February 20th, 2007 at 4:47 am

    Actually the Optimus Keyboard is not just a concept. Here is the blog covering its current status. http://community.livejournal.com/optimus_project/

    comment

  21. captian RSI

    February 20th, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    kinesis makes great keyboards that actually help with RRI problems…. they’re out there and weird looking too. Everyone in the office is confused by it…and the tech guy hates working on my station ; )

    http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/

    comment

  22. Shankar Ganesh

    February 20th, 2007 at 8:50 pm

    I like the Frogpad and Optimus ones!

    comment

  23. Keyboard shortcut for Photoshop CS2 Toolsbox

    February 20th, 2007 at 10:33 pm

    [...] way of moving around any applications/games quite unachievable unless there is a combination of keyboard and mouse. In Photoshop, to move around quicker that your fellow colleagues or friends, how about [...]

    comment

  24. Astri NabiLa » Blog Archive » Chasing Liberty

    February 20th, 2007 at 11:46 pm

    [...] and found something interesting (well, for me, I’m not sure if it is for you) It’s 13 computer keyboards you’ve never seen before and when to stop blogging. An interesting posts indeed. And and, I got something for you Syaz, [...]

    comment

  25. Richard Appleyard

    February 21st, 2007 at 2:46 am

    There is another entry in the keyboard arena you probably have not seen or heard of before, the EkaPad. EkaTetra, http://www.ekatetra.com , released the production version of this one-handed, 12-key keypad last year. This is unique in that it emulates a standard IBM or Macintosh 107-key keyboard but fits in the palm of your hand. On the desktop, you can dedicate one hand to the mouse full-time, and one hand to the keypad (3 hands are not required like a standard PC setup). But the keypad doesn’t require a flat surface allowing you to stand up, move around, or rest your hand in your lap (great for the modern, coach airplace seat). This is a personal keyboard that you take with you, plugs into pretty much any USB-enabled PC, and can recall stored passwords, keyboard shortcuts and frequently used information.

    comment

  26. Jayson Floyd

    February 21st, 2007 at 3:28 am

    Just Like To Add…Instead Of Buying Das Keyboard…Go Out And Buy A Cheap One And Paint Over The Keys…If Your Smart About It You Wont Ruin The Keyboard And You Will Have Saved A Bunch Of Money…Worked For Me ;)

    comment

  27. eric

    February 21st, 2007 at 5:49 pm

    A great overview but I am missing out one type of keyboards:

    Fabric keyboards !
    http://www.talk2myshirt.com/blog/archives/93

    comment

  28. HAHA

    February 25th, 2007 at 9:44 pm

    I´ve senn 6 of theese keyboards before!

    comment

  29. twe4ked

    April 13th, 2007 at 11:33 am

    yeh, be careful with your titles i have seen 8 of these before.. :D nice collection tho

    comment

  30. roclar.net

    April 16th, 2007 at 7:52 pm

    [...] Gizmodo Referer Link [...]

    comment

  31. satann

    April 27th, 2007 at 8:10 pm

    I have seen 9 of these 13 keyboards before, and am typing on a flexible keyboard right now… still an interesting article though.

    comment

  32. constructicle boy

    June 21st, 2007 at 12:53 am

    well,i have seen one before and i owned one of it.thats the roll up keyboard!

    comment

  33. rudy

    July 5th, 2007 at 10:19 pm

    good!! but i need very unique and very small keyboard included mouse pad on it.

    comment

  34. LASTICKO’S WEBTRASH » Contrary to speculation, I am quite alive, thank you.

    August 29th, 2007 at 2:38 pm

    [...] KeyboardORama (I still say Otimus ftw): 13 Computer keyboards you’ve never seen before [...]

    comment

  35. 13 Computer keyboards you’ve never seen before - Ayiva

    September 25th, 2007 at 9:44 pm

    [...] keyboard seen to date. Simply roll the unit up when you’re done with it! A great tool for laptop users who miss their full-sized KB when on the road, or LAN party warriors looking to lighten their [...]

    comment

  36. 13 Computer keyboards you’ve never seen before | ::: Ayiva :::

    October 17th, 2007 at 2:34 pm

    [...] keyboard seen to date. Simply roll the unit up when you’re done with it! A great tool for laptop users who miss their full-sized KB when on the road, or LAN party warriors looking to lighten their [...]

    comment

  37. Robert Elliot Pahel-Short

    December 1st, 2007 at 10:20 am

    A blog that is similar to this is:

    computer-and-you.blogspot.com/

    comment

  38. Martin

    January 24th, 2008 at 5:04 am

    hehe, I want to say only one word “cool”

    comment

  39. sadhu

    February 15th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    nice, interesting, ………….

    comment

  40. Computer

    February 26th, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    I believe there are still many types of keyboards that you don’t see. They are not featured here. Try looking up in google, yahoo or any other popular search engine. Just choose the right keywords like unique keyboards, weird keyboards, unusual keyboards, and so on.

    comment

  41. Tech Articles

    March 24th, 2008 at 11:53 am

    It’s amazing to have these many choices!

    we have different needs to fulfill so it makes sense that each person should buy the keyboard that can best address safety, style and cost issues.

    I am personally using a split type keyboard to minimized the strain on my wrists and just like the maltron but with fewer keys but just as good if not better since its cheaper…

    comment

  42. zakusilov

    April 25th, 2008 at 5:41 pm

    Ïðîñòî ðåàëüíûå ïàðòíåðñêèå ïðîãðàììû íà êîòîðûõ ÿ èìåþ äîõîä îò ñâîèõ ñàéòîâ.
    Íèêàêèõ ìèëëèîííûõ íåðåàëüíûõ çàðàáîòêîâ, òîëüêî ðåàëüíûå ñïîñîáû çàâèñÿùèå îò
    âîçìîæíîñòåé âàøåãî ñàéòà.+ íåìíîãî ïðîãðàìì äëÿ ðàñêðóòêè âàøåãî ñàéòà. Âñå áåñïëàòíî è áåç ðåãèñòðàöèè.
    http://inetbiz.ho.ua

    comment

  43. British Columbia on Internet » 13 Wackiest Computer Keyboards

    April 29th, 2008 at 7:56 am

    [...] The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage Get more from Google [...]

    comment

  44. Personal Point of view | Have you ever seen this keyboard ?

    May 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    [...] keyboard seen to date. Simply roll the unit up when you’re done with it! A great tool for laptop users who miss their full-sized KB when on the road, or LAN party warriors looking to lighten their [...]

    comment

  45. Ian Cook

    May 17th, 2008 at 9:16 am

    I’ve seen 8/10 of the keyboards shown above and have used 4 of them myself. My favorite is the laser keyboard which i use with my PDA. I buy my keyboards from keyboard specialists, they always have the non standard keyboards. http://www.keyboardspecialists.co.uk

    comment


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