Kinesis Freestyle Solo Ergonomic USB Keyboard - Black
by Kinesis Corporation
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Our Price: $89.00
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Category: Personal Computer
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Kinesis CorporationBrand: Kinesis
Edition: Electronics
Model: KB700PB-US
Color: Black
Publisher: Kinesis Corporation
Studio: Kinesis Corporation
Music Label: Kinesis Corporation
Product features:
- Provides total separation of both keyboard modules
- Sleek, low profile design
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Kinesis Freestyle Solo Ergonomic USB Keyboard - Black
Customer Review: Shoulder pain gone, now replaced with left hand pain
Summary: 4 Stars
I had very high hopes for this keyboard, but I'm not sure it's going to meet my requirements. I'm coming from a very long line of the MS natural keyboards. The biggest issue is Alt/Control and Windows keys are just about impossible to get to. I have to either use my pinky (in major pain after a couple of hours of work) or wrap my thumb way around to get to them. Or I can just move my whole hand, but that would defeat the theory of touch typing. My other complaint is the space bar is just way too wide. With my fingers on the f and j keys, my thumbs only occupy a space around 3/4" wide. Just look at the shiny spot on your keyboards space bar. Where is it and how large is it? So why the wasted realestate on a key that does not have to be that big? This puts the alt and windows keys under the center of my palm, a very hard to reach position. My next problem is the size of the windows, alt and control keys. All are much smaller than I'm used to. The MS natural keys are very large and wide. Super easy to get to. But on this keyboard they are much smaller and their location so far under the palm.... it's just terrible for me. I also do not like the right mouse windows key over on the far left. It's always been on the right side between the control and alt keys... why move it? The space bars are twice the size it needs to be, so there is room for it where it belongs. I'd also like larger shift keys.
Now to the good stuff. I bought this keyboard because of the shoulder pain caused by reaching for the mouse. Having the keyboard so much more compact, puts the mouse in a very nice position. I'm also going to root through my boxes of computer castoffs and find an old trackball I had. There is just a perfect place for it between the two halves. Don't know how it'll work, but it looks promising. I really hardly miss the 10ten pad. I do miss my + and - keys on the keypad for my paint and cad programs, but I'm getting used to it. The arrow keys are surprisingly easy to use and I took right to them. The cut and paste buttons are nice, but I'm so accustomed to the Control A, Control C, Control V, Alt F4 sequence, they are not that useful for me. The delete, backspace and esc keys are all very large and pretty good.But I do question the size of those buttons while making the alt, control and windows keys so small. I use them more than any of the others except the backspace. I also like the clicky sounds of the keys. I'd prefer the original IBM click, and why they don't include it in a keyboard like this is confusing to me. But the sound is welcome.
I have been going back and forth between the MS Natural and the Freestyle and each has it's positive points. Neither is perfect. The size and position of the bottom row on the MS is far superior to the Freestyle. But the Freestyle moves the mouse a good 4" to the left and having the two halves move independant of each other is a great plus. So I'm forced to endure right shoulder pain, or left hand palm/pinky pain. I know MS has a new board, the 6000, so I might have a go at that.
I'm giving it 4 stars to be fair, but I'd really give it 3.5 to be accurate.
The search for the perfect (ie, painless) keyboard goes on.
Description of Kinesis Freestyle Solo Ergonomic USB Keyboard - Black
Provides total separation of both keyboard modules. Up to 8" inches of complete separation of both left and right keying modules. Perfect for individuals requiring greater separation than what is provided by other ergonomic keyboards. Also available is a custom version that offers up 20 inches of separation. Sleek, low profile design Most keyboards including ergonomic models have a 10 degree positive slope from the back edge to the front edge. These designs tend to bend your wrists. The Freestyle Solo has a zero degree slope which minimizes the height, effectively creating negative slope and reducing wrist extension. Narrow foot print for comfortable mousing and keying. At only 15 3/8 inches wide the Freestyle Solo provides for close placement of any pointing device reducing over reach issues. Driverless Hot Keys Driverless hot keys for commonly used mouse actions. (Internet Page Forward and Back, Search, Home, Cut, Copy and Paste). Quiet, low-force key switches The Freestyle Solo utilizes a quiet, tactile, low-force membrane key switch (averaging 45 grams compared to a typical 55 to 65 grams). Rated at 10 million operations the Solo will provide years of comfortable typing. Slide Release Button Each keyboard module incorporates a slide release button that allows the attachment of both the pivot tether and the Incline Accessory. Double wide Delete and Escape keys The Kinesis Solo employs double wide Delete and Escape keys making for an easier target for your fingers to press Pivot Tether? Both modules can be connected together by attaching the included the flexible pivot tether allowing an infinite range of splay. Embedded 10-key Simply press the "Fn" key to toggle between the embedded 10-key and the alphanumeric keys. Kinesis offers an optional low-force keypad for intensive number crunchers.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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