Hybrid rubber dome/mechanical keyboard from Razer- Meet Ornata

One of the things I emphasized is that rubber dome keyboards aren't inherently bad.  Some are great keyboards.  Many members of the famed Microsoft Natural Keyboard family line are rubber dome based.  However, with the return of the mechanical switch popularity and advances in scissor switch designs, the rubber dome keyboard seems to have lost the coolness factor.

If one really like that rubber dome feel, there are 2 paths before.  One is to invest into a Topre type keyboard which is unique, but not quite rubber dome like.  Or one can stick with a good ol' rubber dome board from MS or Dell.  What if neither is a reasonable?  Fear not, now, Razer is introducing a hybrid model, which is a rubber dome switch with simulated mechanical clicky feel.  It might be copying the clicky feel of a Cherry MX blue.  Based on the images published on the web, the Razer Ornata's key switch is most certainly using the rubber dome based technology.  The nib makes contact when someone bottoms out.  A half way press will not register, unlike a Cherry MX or a Topre type.  The mechanical click feel is emulated with a metal catch that is attached to the side of the silo on the plate.  As the plunger descends, the little fingers would activate the metal catch and create the click feel.  Razer is nice enough to provide an animated GIF to illustrate this new hybrid switch.

Rounding out the keyboard is the standard Razer fare such as software controlled LED lighting and other features such as detachable palm rest.  Another trends that I have begun to notice is the half height key caps that look more like a Chiclets key cap than a traditional Cherry MX or IBM Model M kind.  Mechanically, it doesn't make any difference, but perhaps it's for aesthetic reasons as well as conveying to the user that the key travel might be shorter than expected.  That would be subtle, but cool visual cue for a keyboard manufacturers to distinguish the key travel differences among its product lines.  Let's see if this trend catches on.  I think it would, because of the moves toward shorter travels.

Maybe it's marketed as a half-way device between rubber dome based keyboard and fully mechanical keyboard to help the users who prefer the rubber dome way of things, but have a case of click envy.

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite image gallery

Another backlog item that I should posted sometimes ago.  Continuing my oldies, but goodies theme, here's Microsoft's Natural Keyboard Elite image gallery.  Yes, the key caps have yellowed because of UV exposure and age.  Enjoy!

Front view

Left view

Right view

Close-up of the infamous arrow keys cluster

Key cap view

Yup, it's rubber dome key switch 

Key cap back side view

Back side view

Keyboard foot retracted

Keyboard foot extended

PS/2 keyboard interface

IBM KPD8923 Keyboard image gallery

Here is a bit of a blast from the past.  Back when IBM still made servers and PCs, they also sold rubber dome keyboards with integrated TrackPoint.  I got my little paws on an old, well used unit with some missing parts.  Never the less, it was useful for places that didn't have room for a mouse as TrackPoint is built-in.  Enjoy!

front view

Right view

Left view

TrackPoint with 2 buttons

Key cap view

Key cap view, backside

Rubber dome switch

Looks like a PS/2 plug for mouse

PS/2 plugs for keyboard and mouse (TrackPoint in this case)

Backside view (missing a keyboard foot)

Keyboard foot retracted

Keyboard foot extended

Corsair announce a new Gamer focused K70 Rapidfire lines

Corsair is probably one of the few companies that closely identify itself with the PC enthusiasts.  Lately, they have been very focused on the gamer's market.  Corsair can probably say that their K keyboard product line aimed at gamers is quite successful.  Corsair, of course, has closely allied itself with Cherry.  Cherry has faithfully awarded Corsair's alliance with exclusives for years.  However, as Razer's rapid, short stroke switch based keyboard ascends in popularity, Corsair probably walked over to Cherry and said, "I want that."

Long and behold, Corsair has just announced K70 RGB Rapidfire, K70 Rapidfire and K65 RGB Rapidfire.  I will just focus on the K70 RGB since that's the flagship.  However, the rest are just tiers of the existing K keyboard line.  The K70 RGB Rapidfire keybaord itself is basically a RGB K70 keyboard with a new key switch type.  Ah...  See, it's the switch that is interesting.  Cherry has to respond to market pressure one way or another I suppose.  The switch is basically a modified MX red with shorten activation distance.  A typical Cherry MX design has about 2mm stroke distance for activation.  This new one shortens it to 1.2mm.  So, the keys activate faster because it has a shorter distance to travel.  The spring weight is kept around 45g, just like the MX red.  Also, it is a linear spring design.  Therefore, this is basically a short stroke Cherry MX Red.

I am guessing that Kailh must be doing quite well with the short stoke key switches they are selling to different keyboard vendors.  Each month or so, a new keyboard comes out with that particular feature.  Now, I am guessing such key switch design is gaining some popularity in the gaming circle, hence Cherry has no choice but to follow in this case.  It's interesting to think that we are going back to a shorter key stroke distance again because rubber domes and scissor switches tend to have shorter travel distance.  One of Cherry MX's claims to fame is the restoration of longer key stroke distance back to the good old days like the Model M.  I wonder how Cherry feels about that.

In any case.  Now, Cherry has come out with a short stroke mechanical keyboard switch.  Let's see if it shows up elsewhere like Ducky, Cooler Master or other vendors.  Then again, I wonder how long the time exclusive would be until we see another vendor get to use it.  As production cycle begins to shorten for keyboard switches like just about everything else, I wonder if Cherry can keep up with timed exclusives to a single vendor while allowing Kailh or other switch makers scoop up the rest.  Oh wait.  Kailh already did....

The other trend I worry about is the beginning of the short travel distance arms race.  Just watch, somebody is going to come out with a new switch with 1mm activation, and then another one with 0.5mm and finally Apple will just point and laugh at everybody because the virtual keyboard, technically, has no travel distance....

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro Image Gallery

Yes, this is one of the oldies, but a great one.  I thought to give it a thorough cleaning beforehand and then photograph it, but I decided to keep the battle scars, spills and mess left behind after years of use.  It was a great keyboard.  Enjoy!

Front view

Left side view

Right side view

Key cap

Key cap back side view

Rubber dome key switch

Back side view

Keyboard foot at rest, down position

Keyboard foot in up position

USB hub/ports view

Dual USB and PS/2 interface

Microsoft Sculpted Natural keyboard Impression, part 3

The Sculpted Natural Keyboard is the spiritual successor of the popular ergonomic Natural Keyboard line.  Microsoft has scored a homerun when the first iteration was introduced back in 90s.  Now, after so many revisions, different interfaces, layout experiment, we are now here at this juncture.  Even though this is not a mechanical keyboard, I am a fan of the Natural Keyboard family line, I can’t stay away and not trying it out.

Love them or hate them, this keyboard sports the ever present Chiclet style key caps with a scissor switch mechanism.  Therefore, one can easily guess its personality just by knowing this bit of data.  However, the wrinkle in this game is that Microsoft has reshaped the keyboard plane in the image Natural Keyboard.  It features the split hands partition, the tenting, the curvature and a built-in palm rest.  It really is a new interpretation of the Natural Keyboard line and no one will question its heritage.  As a nod to the TKL (ten keyless) design, the number pad is now a separate entity.  One could easily mistaken the pad as a calculator, however.  Therefore the user can now center the keyboard without having to worry about being off center.  Oh, one more thing, did I mention that this is an all wireless setup?  Microsoft has emulated Logitech’s clever nano-receiver design and incorporated it into the product.

Upon first impression and after using it for a while, this is still a chiclet keyboard, albeit a quality one.  So, I think if someone likes Chiclet style keyboards, one should seriously consider this one especially if he or she is looking for an ergonomic type.  Anyway, I want to like the keyboard, but I am getting some wireless transmission type issue when I am using the keyboard in a desktop environment, but no so in a laptop setup.  So, I will investigate further and will keep you posted.

Logitech K400 Image Gallery

Now for something a bit different.  Logitech K400 is a popular HTPC wireless keyboard with an integrated track pad.  This combination is quite attractive because of continence and form factor.  Just make sure you are not going to type a novel on this one.  :)  Anyway, enjoy.

Front view

Left side view, note the media control buttons

Right side view, note the track pad and accompanying buttons

Key cap view, the legend likely pad printed with a protective lacquer

Backside of the key cap

Rubber dome switch

Backside of the keyboard, the battery compartment is on the top

On/Off switch is on the back of top right hand side

Logitech K350 keyboard image gallery

Hey!  It's the Wave Keyboard's younger twin!  Enjoy!

Front side view of the keyboard with the universal nano receiver

Front key cap view, looks like printed legend with protective coating

Back side of the key cap, looks slightly different from the Wave Keyboard

Rubber dome switch, same as the Wave Keyboard

Back side view of the keyboard, almost the same, except for the nano receiver logo