mini review: IBM ultranav keyboard (USB) vs. Logitech Alto

[ducky2802]

Hi everyone,

As many users here will attest, it is often nice to have an external keyboard for the Thinkpad when not on the run. Personally, I prefer external keyboards since they (1) keep my thinkpad looking nice and new much longer, and (2), they add flexibility to my desktop real estate.

With that said, I have been using an IBM ultranav keyboard (USB) version, travel sized. It is a wonderful and incredibly light keyboard, slim (at its highest, its only about 3/4"), and provides a good, though not exactly Thinkpad, keyboard feel. The built in ultranav and trackpoint is a very nice touch, especially when you just feel like sinking in the chair to browse the internet. The scissor action keys provide an audible and about as close to a thinkpad feel as any external keyboard Ive used. Also, it comes with two built in USB 1.1 ports, which is just powerful enough to attach flash drives/wireless mice, but the 1.1 speeds really slow data transfers.

Today, I just got a Logitech Alto. It is very heavy compared to the IBM, but it has the coolest feature by integrating a notebook riser to bring the screen up to almost the perfect height as my external monitor. Build construction is terrific, though the rubber used here attracts lots of dust. Also the ledge to hold the notebook in place is pretty useless, as the T60 just skips over that ledge to rest on the middle of the rubber binder. But no matter. The keyboard comes with a 3 port usb 2.0 hub (very nice touch). And the keys...they have this soft gentle push, very quiet, and about the most comfortable "desktop" keyboard I have used. For some reason, I like the laptop style, small pitch keys better, but this desktop style is very comfortable to use.

Overall, unless I experience great problems with the alto, I think I have found a new replacement to my IBM external keyboard! It really is that nice!

[Turbo Audi]

Sounds good, if you are going to sell the Ultra-Nav, I would possibly be interested.

[tomh009]

OK, sounds nice ... but what does it have for navigation? A Trackpoint equivalent? A touchpad? A trackball? Something else?

Right now I have an Ultranav keyboard, and no mouse at all ...

[ducky2802]

it has nothing...I have a logitech wireless mouse attached! I do agree, that on the ultranav keyboard, I really like the built in trackpoint, and it is one of those unique features that makes this little keyboard stand out. On the other hand, it seems as though the Alto is designed to be less "portable" than the ultranav, because the laptop is sitting right on top of the keyboard. So in this respect, it turns my thinkpad into a nice desktop, where I am more accustomed to using a mouse by default. So my ultranav will be my travel companion I guess!