good keyboard bleg?

Posted on by Luis Villa

Anyone have any recommendations for good desktop keyboards with integrated pointing devices (preferably a ‘nipple’ aka ‘pointing stick’)? I really like my MS ergo keyboard, but hate having to move my hand to the mouse regularly. There must be a good ergo keyboard with a nipple, but the best I can find right now seems to be this.

(And yes, I know I can learn keyboard shortcuts, and I will, but some of the software I have to deal with doesn’t have good keynav.)

Published by Luis Villa

21 thoughts on “good keyboard bleg?”

  2. The keyboard you linked to (IBM 31P9490 Keyboard for Thinkpad) looks like it’s actually a replacement for a laptop keyboard, I don’t think it’s for desktop use…

  8. I’ve used the slightly similar Lenovo sk-8835 for some years because of the mouse stick; it acts and feels just like the various ThinkPad laptops.

  9. I’m of the opinion that the best thing you can do to make typing easier on your fingers is getting a decent keyboard layout like colemak or dvorak..

    I prefer laptop keyboards myself, the shallower and lighter the key presses, the better.

  10. There aren’t, AFAICT, any ergonomic keyboards with stick. IBM hold a patent on it, but haven’t ever produced any. Most irritating.

    After a couple of months researching this, I bought the model of that with the number pad. It’s a little light feeling to start with, and the keys aren’t as nice as my T41p’s (but slightly nicer than the Z61s), but certainly up there. It does feel like typing a laptop though, and my shoulders aren’t as widely spaced as they were with the (8 year old) MS Natural it replaced, my right shoulder tends to an odd angle if I don’t watch my posture carefully. OTOH, it’s a massive improvement on having to move that arm to the mouse.

  13. I have a MS ergo keyboard (was the only cheap one I could find with a USB-plug) and a Logitech trackball.
    That way, I don”t have to move my hand, too far.

  14. I love my laptop’s keyboard+trackpad+stick combo so much that I bought a Lenovo 31P9490 off ebay. It’s great. No keypad or Windows key but those are both bonuses in my book.

    I think it’s also known as a 41A5161. It’s doesn’t have quite the great feel as my Thinkpad, alas, but it’s close enough.

  16. I used a Rollermouse while programming for a while. It actually works really well, and you can continue to use your prefered keyboard.
    http://www.contourdesign.com/rollermouse/

    However, I’m looking at the website now, turns out they are actually quit expensive.
    I got mine for free from my dad :P

  17. Joe is completely correct. I have one of those at home and it rocks. Slightly lighter than a standard Model M since it doesn’t have the steel backplate, but the buckling spring action is just as good as the originals.

    On the subject of ergonomics: I’ve never been able to type efficiently on an ergo keyboard. But, when I switched to a Model M at work, my hands stopped hurting. I have only speculation about why that would be so, maybe the firmer action reduces the amount of fine muscle twitch you need to do or something? All I know is my hands don’t hurt at the end of the day. Might be worth trying.

  18. Simon: eeeenteresting. You’re right that it is expensive, but might be a good solution.

    ajax, joe: I love a good model M, but (unlike ajax) I do feel that I type more quickly and with less wrist motion on a good ergo keyboard. And moving from back to an ergo keyboard last was *huge* for my back pain.

    Sadly, it doesn’t look like the rollermouse and a MS-style ergo keyboard would be very compatible- you’d still end up moving your wrists and shoulders a lot.

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