10 – Luxeed LED Rainbow Keyboard
Probably the prettiest in the list, the Luxeed LED Rainbow Keyboard’s backlit buttons are actually fairly useful when you have to use your PC at night. It also takes backlighting up a notch by letting your customize the color of each button. The sky’s the limit when it comes to coming up with color patterns on your keyboard.
9 – Roll-up Keyboard
This keyboard’s rubber material is actually useful if your have to being your keyboard with you wherever you go. Roll it up and go. An additional advantage, cleaning is not a problem anymore.
8 – The Wrist keyboard
Gadget review says it looks a lot like the on used by the Predator in the Alien vs. Predator movie. I quite agree. We can fantasize all we want with this keyboard, but that is all it’s ever going to be – a keyboard. It could be useful if it can be used to activate something (a missile perhaps?) in the distance and you need only press a single button (because you can only use one hand with this thing). But to use it as an ordinary keyboard, I think I’ll stick to my old one.
7 – The Frogpad
This one’s really cute. It looks more like a toy than a keyboard – or keypad. It only has 20 buttons, meaning each button has multiple functions. Take for example the O button, which is also the / button, the button, Q button and the 7 button. This O button can also be the ← button and the Insert button. All button operations are done via set of symbol shifting keys. Cool? More like confusing. Obviously each button has ten functions to reduce size. But it’s just hard to use and also time consuming. Creators say that with good training, you will be able to type 40 words per minute. Really, i can do that with the old style keypad with no training.
6 – The Twiddler 2
This one’s also like something out of a sci-fi movie. The Twiddler 2 also used the multi-function button approach and sacrificed utility for size. You insert the twiddler in your hand and press buttons like you’re playing a guitar. Guitar Hero fans will love this one if they ever wish to type words instead of rocking their fingers off. But for us, creator’s say it takes a weekend to learn to type 30 words per minute using the Twiddler 2. I think, why bother.
5 – The Cre8txt keyboard
Of course, everyone’s into mobile phones now. Manufacturers are integrating just about everything into the mobile phone. Pretty soon, it’s going to have a Pez dispenser function as well. But enough about that, this is about the Cre8txt. From the name itself, it just shouts mobile phone. The lay-out itself is made in the 3-letters per button style. This keyboard (or pad?) has reductive input software, even slang to normal English translator. They still lacks speed compared to the old style keyboard. Maybe if we let the fastest texter use this, then it will have a claim to speed.
4 – Toshiba Gaming Keyboard
This one’s more confusing than the Frogpad. Here’s the thing, all gamers know that the regular keyboard is just not good enough for gaming – it’s designed for typing anyway. The solution, the game pad. But Toshiba here refused to leave well enough alone and created the Gaming keyboard. This one’s really good for gaming but nowhere near good enough for typing – what with only 55 buttons. This keyboard’s also the best substitute for a game pad if you are not a First Person Shooter games fan.
3 – Maltron 3D Ergonomic Keyboard
Designed with the best intentions in mind (prevent RSI or repetitive strain injury), the Maltron 3D keyboard is designed to increase ergonomics. However, it is reported that its "ergonomicness" can take some getting-used-to. It is advisable to move button groups to one sude so the hand can rest comfortable while typing. The Maltron 3D also features multimedia buttons which are located near the number pad that rests right in the middles of this keyboard. It’s supposed to be very useful and designed according to human needs it kind of looks a bit strange.
2 – The SafeType keyboard
In all honesty, the first time I saw this keyboard, I thought it was some kind of a weird chair or something. And then I read the article about I found out that it’s a really weird keyboard. However, there’s a perfectly sound explanation for it utterly strange look. The idea is your hands will be comfortable while typing and not suffer from RSI. However, even if this keyboard is designed for comfort, it does not make up for the difficulty one has to go through in order to master this keyboard’s lay out.
1 – Orbitouch keyboard
This one tops the list of the strangest keyboards. Why? In the first place, it doesn’t have buttons. So how do we encode texts using this keyboard? Here’s the strangest part. The Orbitouch creates a keystroke when you rotate the 2 circles or domes into 1 of their 8 positions. Sliding the domes will result in characters respective to their positions. Here’s another cool part, this keyboard has a built-in mouse function so its able to replace both keyboard and mouse. It will probably take a while before you can get used to sliding and fiddling with domes to create characters, but perhaps this keyboard maybe useful to people with disabilities.
