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gmw · 05-06-2013, 09:38 PM

I use the Kinesis Freestyle. I have the first version, I haven't tried the "new" Freestyle 2 on that link, but it looks the same. I use the variation with the VIP3 accessory and palm supports (but I didn't stick the felt pads on, I think they'd just get dirty and messy). I actually bought mine from The Human Solution as they were the only ones that could get the keyboard to me here in Australia without delivery costing more than the keyboard.

I've had the Kinesis for over 18 months. Very flexible. Yes, being in two halves means it can bump around a bit - but that's all the better for ergonomics (there's even a keyboard out there that constantly adjusts itself to force a slight change in configuration - I find this happens naturally with the Kinesis). No sign of trouble. No sign of fading labels - though palm rest is a bit shiny in places now. I like the feel of the keys and I had no trouble adapting to it after years with Microsoft Natural keyboards of various sorts - in fact the main configuration I use with the VIP3 attachment is quite similar, perhaps just a bit wider split. I didn't get a numeric keypad and I did miss that for a while, but it's nice having the mouse closer. Probably my biggest complaint is not having wireless (I've got an odd configuration for my desk which makes keyboard and mouse cables a bit of a bother), but the cable is long I've been managing okay.

I used to really like the Microsoft Natural keyboards, but from the last one I had it seemed to me that the quality has dropped considerably: keys sticking and not always striking.

You may want to look at the Goldtouch keyboard (see on The Human Solution link), I didn't have a lot of faith in their ball locking mechanism and the keys felt wrong to me - but everyone's different.

05-06-2013, 09:38 PM	#6
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I use the Kinesis Freestyle. I have the first version, I haven't tried the "new" Freestyle 2 on that link, but it looks the same. I use the variation with the VIP3 accessory and palm supports (but I didn't stick the felt pads on, I think they'd just get dirty and messy). I actually bought mine from The Human Solution as they were the only ones that could get the keyboard to me here in Australia without delivery costing more than the keyboard. I've had the Kinesis for over 18 months. Very flexible. Yes, being in two halves means it can bump around a bit - but that's all the better for ergonomics (there's even a keyboard out there that constantly adjusts itself to force a slight change in configuration - I find this happens naturally with the Kinesis). No sign of trouble. No sign of fading labels - though palm rest is a bit shiny in places now. I like the feel of the keys and I had no trouble adapting to it after years with Microsoft Natural keyboards of various sorts - in fact the main configuration I use with the VIP3 attachment is quite similar, perhaps just a bit wider split. I didn't get a numeric keypad and I did miss that for a while, but it's nice having the mouse closer. Probably my biggest complaint is not having wireless (I've got an odd configuration for my desk which makes keyboard and mouse cables a bit of a bother), but the cable is long I've been managing okay. I used to really like the Microsoft Natural keyboards, but from the last one I had it seemed to me that the quality has dropped considerably: keys sticking and not always striking. You may want to look at the Goldtouch keyboard (see on The Human Solution link), I didn't have a lot of faith in their ball locking mechanism and the keys felt wrong to me - but everyone's different.