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The Top 25 Coolest (and Most Unconventional) Keyboards (Images)
Keyboards come in all shapes and sizes, from the standard ten dollar gray board to something straight out of a science fiction movie. Here’s a list of some of the coolest and strangest keyboards out there.
- The WristPC Keyboard: This keyboard is designed for “portable and wearable” computer applications, whatever that means.
- The Comfort Keyboard: This one can be split into three separate section, supposedly for added comfort. It also features key reprogramming and a programmable “rest period indicator.”
- Orbitouch keyless keyboard: This one is a little hard to explain. It was designed for people with “repetitive stress injuries” like carpal tunnel. As you can see, there are no keys.
- The Roll-Up Keyboard: This standard 104 key keyboard takes portability to a new level while providing surprisingly good tactile feedback.
- The Optimus Maximus keyboard: Little OLED displays on each key let you customize the layout. Probably the most talked about keyboard ever.
- DataHand Professional II: Another Keyboard focused on ergonomics. Is the normal keyboard really that uncomfortable?
- The Apple Adjustable Keyboard: A pretty creative keyboard considering the 1992 release date. It was designed to minimize carpal tunnel syndrome.
- The Frogpad: A keyboard meant to be used with one hand. Supposedly you could reach 40 words per minute with a days practice.
- The Twiddler 2: This is a one handed, hand held, keyboard. It wins the prize for most uncomfortable keyboard to use.
- The Tablecloth Keyboard: Designed by German designer Tonia Welter. Ideal for those who take every meal in front of the computer.
- The Combimouse Keyboard: This Australian company decided to do the impossible: Combine the keyboard and the mouse!
- The Apple Keyboard: Quite possibly the most beautiful keyboard ever crafted. Comes in wired and wireless varieties.
- The Virtual Laser Keyboard: You’ll definitely turns a few heads with this one. This “keyboard” allows the user to type on almost any flat surface.
- The Washable Waterproof Keyboard: Do you ever get the sudden urge to type underwater? If so, this keyboard is for you!
- The Kinesis Freestyle Solo Keyboard: Basically, the fine people at Kinesis decided to split a keyboard in half and sell if for twice as much. Well Done!
- The SafeType Keyboard: This one is supposedly more comfortable to use than a regular keyboard. However, it’ll probably take a long time getting used to.
- Maltron’s Ergonomic Keyboard: This keyboard fits the shape of the hands to reduce tension. This may take some getting used to.
- The Maltron Executive Keyboard: Are you rediculously rich and want a heavy stainless steel keyboard? Well then this is the keyboard for you!
- Logitech diNovo Edge: This one’s up there with the Apple Keyboard. Sleek, Stylish, and with a touch of practicality..
- Fingerworks Keyboard: Strange Keyboard that originally retailed at $340. The keys are in fact a flat surface, making them awkward to type on.
- The Stealth Computer Keyboard: Made of strong component, this keyboard will function in even the most hazardous areas, or so they say.
- Happy Hacking Keyboard: This one is also a little hard to explain. It is supposedly coated using a special brush made from the hair of virgins and sprinkled with gold dust. And it’ll cost you 525,000 yen.
- ElekTex Fabric Keyboard: Similar to the Roll-Up Keyboard above, but a little more flexible and made of a different material. Good for people always on the go.
- The EZ Reach Keyboard: Another variation of the keyboard. Why do people feel they must repeatedly reinvent the wheel?
- Saitek Eclipse Illuminated Keyboard: This one should turn a few heads at the LAN Parties.
Update: A lot of our readers suggested the following keyboards and we responded. Enjoy.
- Das Keyboard: This keyboard features highly responsive tactile feedback, and the keys are completely blank.
- The AlphaGrip: A controller style hand held USB ‘keyboard’ and trackball. Supposedly the “worlds most comfortable computing experience”
KITT 3000 Specs revealed
Hello Michael ! If you were a child of the 1980s, or are just a fan of very-late-night cable television, then you've most likely seen Michael Knight (played by a pre-Baywatch David Hasselhoff) and his chatty supercar sidekick, KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), do battle with bad guys on the small-screen action-adventure show Knight Rider.
While you may or may not agree with NBC's decision to make KITT a Ford Mustang in the new Knight Rider series, we're pretty sure that you're gonna tune in next February nonetheless if for no other reason then to see what modern technology can do to a talking, crime-fighting car. Well luckily Popular Mechanics has what is reportedly an exclusive spec sheet detailing all of the Knight Industries Three Thousand's many capabilities, including much of the in-vehicle biometric and genetic testing you'd expect, along with such military features as laser weapons, a missile defense system, and even a targeted electromagnetic pulse for frying an enemy's gadgets or pulling off the odd casino heist. One cutting-edge device that has been left out is a breathalyzer-based ignition system, which was allegedly scrapped at the last minute after designers learned that David Hasselhoff would not in fact be getting behind the wheel this time around.
Source: popularmechanics.comHoly Shit: 150-Inch Panasonic Plasma HDTV at CES !!
Bike rearview monitor a little overkill maybe ?
We've seen some bike-centric GPS devices and sound systems in the past, but we've never seen a device that actually encourages you to ride around while staring down at a screen -- which is probably the fatal flaw with the Cerevellum bicycle rearview monitor.
The prototype unit shown here features a 3.5-inch screen and a 4-hour battery life, along with 32MB of storage for workout data and four USB ports for expansion modules. The Cerevellum is expected to cost some $200 when it goes into production, and the company says it's developing GPS and heart-rate monitor modules to ship soon after -- all far better uses of a handlebar mounted screen than a rearview camera that accomplishes nothing a quick look over the shoulder can't get you, we think.
Source: besportierTop 5 Great Looking Concept Cell Phones
We get to see some great phone designs from phone producers every year but most of those phones never see the production line they give us a small glimpse of what the phones will look like in a not so distant future. Here are a few great looking concept phones:
1. Benq-Siemens Snaked:
The Benq Snaked is a creepy looking concept phone which was exclusively designed for ladies. It is an ultimate symbol for fashion loving women to demonstrate an attitude of pride and consciousness towards the female body by supporting body curves and attract through an emotionally visualized body monitor.
2. Nokia Aeon:
Nokia Aeon was presented by Nokia on their website in the Research & Development section. This phone is so slim and great looking; I wish it would hit the stores.
3. Nokia 888 Communicator:
The Nokia 888 communicator has been a rumor for a very long time. It was designed by Tamer Nakisci who won the Nokia Design Award. It has an awesome design and uses liquid batteries, speech recognition, flexible touch screen and touch-sensitive body cover.
4. Retroxis by Dark Label:
This phone was designed by Lim Sze Tat. It is encased in high polished polycarbonate renowned for its lightweight and toughness. It has an invisible OLED display that silently hides away when inactive.
5. Benq-Siemens Black Box:
The Black Box uses a touch screen as its keypad. Depends on the functions you are using, the touch screen change the control layout immediately. This phone design was first spotted on mobil.idnes.cz. Unfortunately it will never see daylight.