I suppose with all of the new, improved keyboards hitting the market there's a surplus of cast-offs. Similar to the Keyboard Clutch, here's the Recycled Keyboard Notebook ($17). Most of you voted "Geek chic" for the clutch; do you feel the same way about the journal? I think it's a bit of an oxymoron — the keyboard cover is made from recycled material . . . but the paper inside is not.
If you like it, don't miss the Recycled Keyboard Pencil Cup (yes, I'm serious), available in round or square varieties for $12. I'm all for environmental friendliness.
Working with an external mouse and keyboard may be more comfy than using my laptop's on-board keys and trackpad when logging in long hours of work, but when I'm on the go, there's no way I'm toting an extra keyboard along for the ride. Unless of course I use PB Teen's Roll n' Go flexible keyboard ($30), which would safely stow in my travel bag for later use. Made of waterproof silicone, this full-sized, ultra-portable keyboard will plug right into your USB port so you can work away in comfort. What do you think — totally geeky, or geek chic?
Well this is . . . interesting. The Fast Finger Keyboard is a full-size computer keyboard, but instead of the traditional key layout (QWERTY), letters are laid out alphabetically (ABCDEF). The keyboard is marketed toward "hunt and peckers" — computer users who don't know how to type and waste time looking for the right key on the keyboard. Typing was a required class in junior high (in fact, if I remember correctly, they actually called it "keyboarding"), so this has never been an issue for me, but some of my less savvy family members have had typing problems in the past.
Another funny function of the keyboard: preprogrammed keys for common Internet shortcuts like LOL and TTYL. (Also included, my pet peeve shortcut: THX. It's a short word. Type it out. Thanks.)
The keyboard is mainly geared toward children who are just learning computers and switches back to a traditional QWERTY keyboard by flipping a switch. I say: why not just learn the regular keys . . . you're going to have to learn sooner or later! What do you think?
By now you know . . . my guy loves his Droid, I love my iPhone. And I can't resist any opportunity to pit the two gadgets head to head, especially if it means I can defend my iPhone against his Droid superiority complex.
One of my guy's chief complaints about his Droid is that the onscreen keyboard is pretty tricky to use. Retraining your fingers to type on either an onscreen or entirely new keyboard is tricky, especially when you're used to firing off emails and text messages in a hurry. As an iPhone user, I feel like I've mastered the touch keyboard, but I had yet to really get a feel for the Droid's onscreen keyboard.
This weekend, I got my chance. We were driving on a busy road when my guy got an urgent work-related text and asked me to type his responses as he dictated them to me. A few observations: the Droid's onscreen keyboard is not like the iPhone's. Although they're similar in size, I had a tough time finding the letters I wanted, much less punctuation. Thinking it would be easier, I flipped out the keyboard . . . and promptly sent a typo-ridden text that wasn't even halfway typed. Sorry, boyfriend's co-worker. For the rest of the story, read more
Sometimes simple design is better than intricate, and that's why I'm loving these geeky lampshades! Simple and handmade, these shades are crafted from wire and fabric and feature a few geeky designs.
There's the Space Invaders theme at right and also shades featuring the Gmap location pin, shades featuring the F1 and F2 brightness keys on the Apple keyboard, and one featuring the RSS reader icon. Shades can be constructed either as tabletop fixtures or hanging lamps. At $70 each, they're a bit pricey, but I haven't seen anything similar, so if you love them, I say it's worth a splurge.
I've mentioned this keyboard briefly before, but its worth revisiting. The Luxeed U5 Dynamic Pixel LED Keyboard ($150) comes in white or black and lights each key individually with colored LED lights in your choice of color. It also comes with a few preset options (like the full rainbow of keys in the image) and has four customizable preset buttons to allow for easily switching between design choices.
The keyboard doesn't require any software and works with any computer, so plug it in, program your favorite colors, dim the lights, and enjoy!
Yuck! This month's Marie Claire pinpoints the dirtiest things on your desktop, and what were at the top of the list?
Your mouse, at 846 germs per square inch, and your keyboard, at 719.
It's not that shocking considering that these are the two things you constantly have your hands on all day (minus points if you, like me, ever eat at your desk). And if you ever sneeze or cough with your hand over your mouth while sitting at your computer, you can't always get up and wash your hands right away — but the polite move of covering your mouth just became a germ-spreader when you put that hand back on your mouse and keys.
Are you a little bit leery to click and type now? Bust out some baby wipes and use my other gadget cleaning tips and keep your area germ free!
This angsty canine uses music as an outlet for his inner torment. Perhaps this doggie and my favorite little baby synth player should combine forces to form an adorable-avant-garde art-rock duo.
