Be nice to your wrists and hands! Don't risk Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! Take this from a medical student that has seen too many people afflicted with various types of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). If you want to learn a bit about CTS, please read the next paragraph, otherwise skip it to get to the review.

If you've never heard of CTS, it is an increasingly common problem that affects the hand and wrists. It is a condition that occurs when the median nerve does not work due to excess pressure as it passes through the wrist through a space that is known as the Carpal Tunnel. Highly repetitive motions in awkward positions such as typing on standard keyboards can cause inflammation of the that also pass through the carpal tunnel and thereby compress the median nerve. As a result, symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and pain in the fingers, forearm, and arm can occur. You may also experience weakness when opposing the thumb (using your thumb to touch the other fingers on the same hand). The current forms of treatment for CTS include braces, anti-inflammatory medication, exercises, and surgery.

Some good resources for more information include:

http://www.orthohelp.com/carpal.htm
http://www.sechrest.com/mmg/reflib/ctd/cts/cts.html

Of course, if you think you may have a problem, see your physician.

Now onto the review:

Ergonomics

Although the shape of the keyboard may seem awkward at first, you will quickly find that it is much more comfortable to type using it. Your forearms and wrists are at a more natural angle, ultimately reducing the amount of stress on your median nerve.

Hot Keys

The keyboard comes with 19 Hotkeys with shortcuts for web surfing (Mail, Internet, Back, Foward, Refresh, etc.) multimedia controls (volume controls, mute, play, forward track, etc), and certain applications (e.g. calculator). I don't use all 19 of them but some are customizable. Those that I make use of, I appreciate their convenience and easy access.

Size

This keyboard is bigger than most due to the sloped design plus the extra row of keys. It's about 20 inches wide x 10 inches deep x 2 inches high. If you have a keyboard drawer, this keyboard may not fit or you may not have enough room for a mousepad so beware.

Setup And Installation

The keyboard uses the relatively new and convenient USB port. Installation was quick and problem free.

Ease of Use

The main concern that most people have with this keyboard is that they're worried it'll take a while to get used to. In my experience, it takes only a few days of use (about 6 hours) to get back to full speed in terms of typing. If you are a touch typer, you will probably make the adjustment pretty quickly since the keys are still in their intuitive locations. If you type with only two fingers, it may take you longer.

Overall, an excellent keyboard that I would highly recommend. More comfortable, more features (that you'll actually use), and a cool accessory for your computer. At only $50, it's a worthwhile investment. Just think about how much time you'll spend typing on your computer (and future ones). Shouldn't you be comfortable while doing it?

I hope you've found this review helpful. If you have, please recommend it to others and check out my other reviews. Thanks.

Philip

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 50