Thinkpads Forum

Current setup:
- External mouse
- External 22 inch wide LCD
- External speakers
- Using the native T60 keyboard

Using this setup the T60 LCD display gets placed in an awkward angle for viewing, thus i'm only using the external 22 inch LCD display. The T60 display remains black. The T60's screen angle is caused by the fact that I'm using the T60 keyboard.

After viewing this excellent video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUlVlfiZBqo , I want to place my T60 in a book holder and align it so I can use both the displays. This setup demands that I get a usb keyboard.

What are your thoughts on a USB keyboard? Do you prefer the Lenovo keyboards? or any other particular brands? Please give me your thoughts on a quality USB keyboard.

I like typing on notebook keyboards but I am using my Thinkpad in docking setups with dualscreen most of the time.

Therefore I was using the IBM-Ultranav and the IBM-Ultranav-Travel-Keyboard for a long time. Although I did not use the Trackpoint or the Touchpad I liked the typing on these keyboards (old Thinkpad quality...). But they are quite expensive: More than 100 Euro when buying in Germany. Unfortunately both keyboards become defective after a while: the travel keyboard during warranty period (1 year) the other one later on. I did not bought a new one for the keyboard that become defective after the warranty period and decided for a Cherry Stream keyboard, which costs only 15 EUR. I suggest to try this keyboard - if you don't like it: 15 EUR ist quite cheap to try....

I also use the Cherry Stream keyboard and I must say it's quite good. Give it a try.

Thanks for the reply guys!

The Cherry Stream keyboard costs ~ 100EURO in Norway (with Norwegian layout). Same price as the IBM Ultranav travel keyboard. The reason is that Cherry is not a very common brand, so just a few stores sell it.

During my search i've checked out:

• Happy_Hacking_Keyboard - [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard ]
• Das_Keyboard - [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Keyboard ]

I must say that the Happy Hacking keyboard looks like a lot of fun. I actually like the idea of an all black keyboard. Uber geek.

I bought an Apple bluetooth keyboard recently (sorry Lenovo - make a portable BT keyboard and we'll talk) and the quality and typing feel is most impressive. They also make a USB version, both are the low-profile laptop-keyboard type.

qviri wrote:I bought an Apple bluetooth keyboard recently (sorry Lenovo - make a portable BT keyboard and we'll talk) and the quality and typing feel is most impressive. They also make a USB version, both are the low-profile laptop-keyboard type.

I'd purchase that in a second if it was produced in black. Doesn't the keyboard get dirty fast?

Kinesis Freestyle keyboard.. "nunchuck" design. Used it for about a year and like it so far.

Cheesy demo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsGeEDQrlzo

I don't have one, but I'd very much like a keyboard from Unicomp.
http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/customizer.html

Apparently they bought the tooling for the Model M from Lexmark, so they should be a good buckling spring clicky feel - comes in USB form too.

propellen wrote:

qviri wrote:I bought an Apple bluetooth keyboard recently (sorry Lenovo - make a portable BT keyboard and we'll talk) and the quality and typing feel is most impressive. They also make a USB version, both are the low-profile laptop-keyboard type.

I'd purchase that in a second if it was produced in black. Doesn't the keyboard get dirty fast?

Perhaps they will change over to black now that their laptops come with black keyboards? I haven't heard anything about that, though.

I've only had it for a week, so I can't really comment on dirtyness, but I wouldn't expect it to be a problem from the feel of the keys.

I'm not sure if the original IBM buckling spring keyboards are being avoided in this thread, but I recently found for free, one built in 1987 and took it home. It's the best keyboard I've ever used. USB connection you ask? I have it going from AT to PS/2 to USB with adapters. I found the AT to PS/2 lying in the lab somewhere (free), and got the PS/2 to USB for $3, and that is all I spent for this legendary keyboard.

Nothing beats this 21 year old keyboard. Except, I'm craving for an IBM Spacesaver II.

We've been given these at work:

Lenovo Enhanced Performance USB Keyboard
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54780

Excellent keyboard, typing feels great, just the right balance between softness and feedback, has all sorts of shortcut keys (some require driver installation), a built-in USB hub and sports the classic IBM/Lenovo look.

I use a Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 USB. You'd have to pry this keyboard out of my cold dead fingers to get it away from me . It's the best I've owned, and it plays VERY well with Thinkpads. For example, on the A31P I am currently connected to, all of the multimedia keys and 'extra' keys are duplicated on the MS keyboard. For example, if I hit the email key, my default email pgm Thunderbird pops up. Same with web/home, search, calculator, volume up/down, mute, (web page)back, forward, etc.

If you're interested in longevity in a keyboard, check out the Cherry G81-3000. Service life for standard keys is more than 50,000,000 actuations. It has a PS/2 connector, but an adapter can be used in order to connect to USB.