Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

blogs.microsoft.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 251 posts

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#111

Post by arvinsim »

dmcginty wrote: post #104
bobajeff wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm interested in the textblade. Was the moment I first heard of it. But I've never spent $100 on a keyboard. I would like at least a good honest review from a programmer I've heard of and respect. I would definitely prefer a hands on at a store before plucking down that kind of cash.

I think $100 would be a reasonable price to pay for a keyboard that you use for many hours every day over several decades. The Textblade seems like something that I'd use in short intervals here or there for a year or two.

I don't think I have encountered any keyboard that would last for several decades.

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#112

Post by WalterBright »

I hate laptop keyboards. The problem is the touch pad in front of it. Inevitably, my palm will brush against it, and the software will assume I'm clicking on something, and something random will happen.

It's not just me, others will sometimes ask me what the hell happened, I was typing away, and the window disappeared (or some other random thing happened), and I say "you brushed against the touchpad".

It's so bad that when I travel, I throw a full size usb keyboard into my luggage and plug it into my laptop.

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#113

Post by zyxley »

rl3 wrote: post #102

As someone who has a weird/non-standard typing technique, that gap in the middle is probably a deal-breaker. My left index finger strikes "Y" while my right index finger strikes "B". Traditional ergonomic keyboards with similar gaps have never been viable for that reason.

Looking at my own typing, my left hand tends to float as far right as N, with the Y/H/B and U/J/N columns changing hand depending the word but my right hand almost universally a bit right of "home row" so my pinkie can hover over delete/enter/shift. I've never been able to comfortably use an ergonomic keyboard with the gap in the middle for the same reason.

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#115

Post by sliverstorm »

codezero wrote: post #13

My biggest gripe with almost all portable keyboards is that they can only be used on a flat, firm surface. If I have a flat, firm surface, I'm not mobile. Unless that MS keyboard locks, I can't sit it on my lap while I'm in the train, or in the back seat of a car. Where are people finding themselves, such that they need a portable keyboard, have a nice, stable flat surface, but also didn't bring their notebook? Shrug…

You could drape this one over your thigh, split keyboard style :)

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#116

Post by paulannesley »

WalterBright wrote: post #112

I hate laptop keyboards. The problem is the touch pad in front of it. Inevitably, my palm will brush against it, and the software will assume I'm clicking on something, and something random will happen. It's not just me, others will sometimes ask me what the hell happened, I was typing away, and the window disappeared (or some other random thing happened), and I say "you brushed against the touchpad". It's so bad tha…

> The problem is the touch pad in front of it. Inevitably, my palm will brush against it, and the software will assume I'm clicking on something, and something random will happen.

Has that ever happened on MacBook? It seems that better hardware and software, Apple has completely eliminated that issue.

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#117

Post by joenathan »

WalterBright wrote: post #112

I hate laptop keyboards. The problem is the touch pad in front of it. Inevitably, my palm will brush against it, and the software will assume I'm clicking on something, and something random will happen. It's not just me, others will sometimes ask me what the hell happened, I was typing away, and the window disappeared (or some other random thing happened), and I say "you brushed against the touchpad". It's so bad tha…

> my palm will brush against it, and the software will assume I'm clicking on something

There should be palm rejection options available, or options to turn off touch pad clicks in the touchpad driver software. Most OEMs use Synaptics, you can download the latest driver software directly from their site, it may give you more options than you currently have available.

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#118

Post by jacobolus »

arvinsim wrote: post #111
dmcginty wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think $100 would be a reasonable price to pay for a keyboard that you use for many hours every day over several decades. The Textblade seems like something that I'd use in short intervals here or there for a year or two.

I don't think I have encountered any keyboard that would last for several decades.

Most keyboards from <1990 that have been treated reasonably well are still be in good working order today (or are at least repairable). It’s only really the last 25 or so years that keyboards have been on a downward cost/quality spiral.

Re: Microsoft's new foldable keyboard

#119

Post by whyenot »

arvinsim wrote: post #111
dmcginty wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think $100 would be a reasonable price to pay for a keyboard that you use for many hours every day over several decades. The Textblade seems like something that I'd use in short intervals here or there for a year or two.

I don't think I have encountered any keyboard that would last for several decades.

IBM's model M keyboard is more than three decades old and built like a tank. Old model M keyboards are still in high demand on places like eBay.
Post reply on HN