| A road warrior's keyboard |
| I also ordered the FK204 model, though the Amazon web site lists it as "Item model number: 7051-FDKB." This is meant for a Macintosh, though as another reviewer noted, it will work with a PC, but the key labels are different. I am a Mac user. And, I hacked a Dell Mini 9 to run the MacOS X (Google "hackintosh" to learn how to do this). The problem with the small netbooks is that the cramped keyboards make it difficult to type with any speed at all, and also proximity of my hands to the touch pad often result in the cursor's jumping from the line that I started typing to other parts of the page, making recovery a real pain to deal with. So, as a result, when I am on the road with my little Hackintosh, which is just the right size for travel for me, I have had to limit myself to typing short snippets in e-mail or in other documents. That's why I searched the net for a larger plug-in (USB) keyboard. I own a Matias Tactilepro 2.0 keyboard for Mac at home (I paid $150 for it, but it is worth every penny!), so I trusted the brand name. I placed my order for this portable keyboard on a Monday, and it arrived today, the following Wednesday (BRAVO, Amazon!).
Setting it up is a no-brainer. I agree with reviewers of similar models that it would be great to have little feet to raise the back for a slanted typing profile and also a way to lock it in the open position to permit typing in one's lap. My only bit of consternation was that I could not find the CAPS LOCK key at first. Finally, I noticed it as a Function Key combo with the "/?" key. That's a bit inconvenient, but I do not use CAPS LOCK all that much, so given the facility of typing that I expect this keyboard to bring, I can live with it. Otherwise, the key action is more than acceptable, and the full size is a boon. I also noted the three little round buttons in the upper right for "mute," "volume down," and "volume up," and they work perfectly with my Hackintosh. And, further, it is great to have access to F1 through F15 keys, because the Dell Mini 9 only offers F1-F10 as Function Key combos-YMMV. I am pleased that, folded for travel, the keyboard just fits (heightwise) into my smallish shoulder bag that carries my Hackintosh, my Kindle 2, my 500GB 2.5" Seagate FreeAgent Go backup hard drive, and, of course, my iPhone. If anybody should be interested, the shoulder bag is called "The Organized Traveler's Carry On" (dimensions: 11 1/2" H x 10 1/2" W x 4 3/4" D) at the Hammacher Schlemmer web site.
As Roy and Dale would have said, "Happy trails to all..."
| | Make sure you buy the correct version! |
| I bought the FK204 model, which was intended for use with MAC. (Luckily all of my computers have recognized it as compatible.) I'm not sure how I missed the fact that there are different versions of it and had not selected the one for use with Windows. The differences between this keyboard and one meant for Windows is that there are "option" keys instead of "alt" keys and "num lock" key on the keypad. Also, to active the "caps lock" you have to press the "fn" key with the "?" instead of one simple keystroke like on the Windows version. The instructional booklet that comes with it doesn't have a lot of information that I found helpful. I went to the manufacturer's site for Matias and I couldn't find the information I was looking for - meaning, what are the equivalent keys to the "alt" & "num lock". I found the answers to my questions on other websites where people posted questions and others answered them. This problem was completely an error on my part and has nothing at all to do with the performance of the product.
I do a lot of typing for a living and pretty much spend all of my time either on a desktop PC at work or on my laptop at home. I was looking for a keyboard with a number key pad on the side but not too bulky like a normal sized keyboard that has to stick out of the top of my bag when I carry it around. I am simply in love with this gadget! It is so light that I almost thought the box was empty before I opened it. It is the perfect size to slip into a laptop case and easy enough to attach to my laptop and desktop with the detachable USB cord. When it's folded in half, you slip it into the thin protective sleeve and it's a little bit taller than a paperback book. The keys are sensitive enough that minimal pressure is needed and they are not too loud. I would definately recommend this to someone looking for a portable keyboard.
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