Soft Keyboards

Laptop-like

[fischermx]

I'm only 36 and my fingers joints hurt on the morning and sometimes during the day. I used to play classical guitar and blamed on it, so I stopped and after 6 months of no guitar my fingers joints still hurt.

Like two months ago, I switched my keyboards and bought the new dell multimedia, those with the volume and multimedia control and 8 short cut keys. Prior I had some horrorific white-box generic keyboards. I did this, because I got one like those in recent Dell computer I bought and I liked the keyboard a lot. I thought this keyboard is somehow software. Still my fingers hurt.

I've caught myself many times hitting keys with force, specially the enter on the final of a phrase. I don't know why I do this. Some other times I just get to cheerfull and begin typing like crazy.

But I know, that I do not do that in the laptops keyboard (a Dell laptop too). Somehow, the soft touch of the laptop's keyboard call the soft typing.

Now, after all this I just want to ask if you have seen in retails keyboards for desktops PCs that uses the soft design used in the laptops keyboards. When I search for "soft keyboards" I find software keyboards which is not what I'm looking for.

[kaled]

I don't know about other manufacturers, but IBM/Lenovo do laptop-identical keyboards that include a trackpoint and touchpad. I think they are around $80 but I'm not sure how widely available they are - probably you'd need to find a online supplier. They also do full width versions (with numeric keypad).

Search for IBM ultranav keyboard.

Kaled.

[scintex]

I use the Cooler Master Q Alloy keyboard - it might interest you too

[fischermx]

Thanks!

[physics]

If you want one that's also wireless check out:
Motion Bluetooth Keyboard w/ Trackball [webmasterworld.com]
It's also similar in size to a laptop kb and has a built in trackball/mouse buttons which might help you also (?).

[JRyan]

Logitech ultra X is basically a laptop keyboard you use with a desktop. It has helped me a lot. Very slim, notebook style feel to the keys.