Best Keyboard--Natural or Wireless?

[thegreatjeff]

Hello everyone,
I'm looking for a keyboard. The one I have right now is 5 years old and probably the cheapest one you could buy at the time--actually probably the only one you could buy at the time. You know the kind, Win95, no ergonomics or wireless features, etc...
Well now I'm upgrading. I'm getting top-o-the-line stuff...i.e. MS Intellimouse Explorer, which sells for $75. What keyboard would you recommend. I would like one that has, in order of importance:
1. Spiffy buttons on the top like "Play" and "Internet"
2. Ergonomics i.e. MS Natural Keyboard
3. Wireless Features

Anyone know of something like this? I'm thinking the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro is what I'll get. There's an ergonomic wireless keyboard with buttons on top from Logitech but it comes bundled with a mouse, which I don't need, for $50 more than the MS one. Well, whadya think?

 

[Namuna]

Go for the Natural man, if you know how to type.

If you're a 'chatty' type person like me, you'll NOT REGRET getting the Natural.

 

[dalfollo]

i'm a hen pecker so i would be more interested in the wireless...but i can't find one with good tactile feel on the buttons...i hate the soft keys....also there are some keyboards that are usb with additional unpowered usb ports on the kb...

 

[thegreatjeff]

Oh I forgot to say:
If I had to get either Natural or Wireless which one should I get? I think Natural since I use computer at least 3 hours a day and I'm trying to learn how to type...notice the *trying*.

 

[Hawk]

I don't like naturals...but the MS Natural Pro or whatever is pretty cool, 2 USB ports too.

 

[Insane3D]

The MS Natural Pro is the nicest keyboard I have had by far. It is very sturdy and feature rich...it does take some getting used to an ergonomic keyboard though..

 

[BuckNaked]

I vote for the natural keyboard. Once you start using one, there is no going back to the old style.

Dave

 

[thegreatjeff]

It looks like the overall consensus is Natural.

 

[mindiris]

Egronomic/Natural: I use it and love it, and have a hard time going back. It does take up a bit more space however. Careful about the arrow keys too. I absolutely hate the cross config on one of the MS natural keyboards. Inverted T is best.

Wireless: nice, but only if you type to say...your TV monitor, or otherwise type witht the KB in constantly shifting locations. You'll probably need batteries too of course.

Natural + Wireless? Never seen then yet.

 

[KpocAlypse]

I got a logitech wireless Desktop(now called Freedom) PRO...It natual AND wireless. By natural i'm assuming your meaning split?

Logitech's product page

I bought mine referb for about 50 bucks with remote, it going on a year now, without a hitch and same batteries.. Problem is though i know of no place now selling it for that cheap anymore. I accually ditched my USB logitech in favor of the wireless one.

But over all i'd pick natural OVER wireless if i was bugeted limited. (cuz 99 bucks for a keyboard is really expensive)

 

[Zucchini]

wireless = battery waste Not all that useful anyways, you really can't sit back much b4 u have trouble reading your screen, unless you run everything at 30pt type hah. Wireless seems best for tv set net connections or whatever. Side note, don't ever get a cordless mouse, they stink-atleast for games they do(i have the logitech)

 

[Noriaki]

2 years ago I bought an ergonomic keyboard. I love it. I can't even stand typing on normal KBs anymore. When you do those Thursday night (Before the assigment is due) 10 hour coding runs, the key ingredients are lots of Coke (and not pepsi damn it!) and a natural keyboard. Your wrists will hurt when you wake up saturday morning if you use a regular keyboard....(not friday cuz you won't sleep thursday night )

No seriously though, if you are a touch typer a good natural keyboard is one of the best things you can do for your wrists. If you know how to type it will take 5 minutes to get used it. The only problem is starcraft all those fixed hot keys...took me a month to get used to the new layout.
B and V are the build menus, and then each building is hot keyed.
B->P is a little hard to hit quickly on a natural

but you get used to it, now I can't play SC right with a straight KB hehehe


As for Cordless vs natural why choose?

Logitech Cordless Freedom Pro.

Cordless RF attached Natural keybaord. USB or PS/2 interface. It has multimedia buttons and volume control, and 5 customizable buttons. The buttons can launch a program, open a document, go to a website or popup a menu of options (which you can select from with a hotkey or the mouse I think).

This keyboard rocks.

 

[forkd]

I have the logitech wireless/natural keyboard and mouse and they are fine. I bought them before I had a computer desk and the system was on my dining room table, I needed to move them when guests were over and it was great to just throw them into the bedroom. I have changed the batteries in the mouse once and not at all in the keyboard.

When it comes to gaming I am using a USB optical mouse by logitech which is an excellent sniper rifle in itself. I don't believe a ball mouse can game as well as an optical...or at least I cannot game as well with a ball mouse.

 

[airfoil]

I use a MS Internet Keyboard Pro and recommend it.

 

[Zucchini]

forkd,

Well actually the reason the cordless is a bad gaming mouse is that its locked at 50hz refresh, usb mice run at 125hz, corded ps2's can be cranked to 200hz, much smoother.

 

[LuNoTiCK]

I like the natural keyboard pro

 

[overmars]

Do both! Natural AND wireless from Logitech. I forgot the model name, but it probably retails for about $99. It's realy comfy

 

[TechMaster]

I had a "normal"-dirty-cheap Quantum KB for 5 years - afther I couldn't use it anymore (half of the keys got stuck and the other where responding on a random basis - and not, I haven't spilled anything on it....

Anyway, I decided to upgrade and while the MS Natural PRO costed 7 (yes - exactly Seven!!!) times more then any regular KB - I have decided that my wrists worth better .... - and the rest is history - I will never look back!

It took me sevral weeks to adapt - but now I type much faster.

Go with the natural - I strongly reccomend going only for the MS Natural Pro - it is the best "natural" KB!!! - I did my homework on this subject....

if you can - pany no attention to the price (but don't get too crazy...) - KB, screen and maybe your armchair are those few computer related stuff you musn't save some $$ on....get only the best...!

 

[thegreatjeff]

Yeah, I'm definitely not skimping on the chair...Mavis Beacon told me what kind to get, along with teaching me how to type!

 

[cavingjan]

I would get the Logitech one. Of course I don't like any of the ms mice or trackballs. I just wished they bundled the wireless trackball with the keyboard instead of the mouseman.

 

[slpaulson]

I never had a problem switching over to my natural.

 

[mustang659ut]

Natural it the way to go... if you can afford the wireless they are great, but I use natural at work, and can hardly type when I get home, not to mention that my hands go numb... I am on my way to replace it soon...

 

[Wingznut]

Either the Natural or the Internet Pro, depending on which keyboard style you prefer.

Personally, I don't like the Natural stye. Stay away from the Natural Elite.

 

[thegreatjeff]

I ended up getting the Natural Pro at OfficeDepot for $35 after rebates...not bad! I would have preferred wireless but I didn't need another mouse, already have the Intellimouse Explorer. =) (That mouse is marvelous!) Now when I get on my other computer with an older keyboard, I can't stand it!

 

[XRdirtHead]

CORDLESS