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Ideazon ZBoard Customizable Gaming Keyboard Review
An anonymous user submitted a review of the ZBoard Gaming Keyboard. You really ought to check this one out just to see how nuts it is. It has custom plates with keys that are movable and... well just look at it. I can't decide if its pure genius or just ridiculous.
Took for a while for TFA to load, but it looks really awkward to me. Besides, how many keys and configuration options do you *really* need to play CS/BF2/Whatever it is? LMB, RMB, Space, Ctrl are pretty much sufficient, at least IMHO.
Ridiculous
This is for people that can't even type let alone find asdw and spend more time looking at the keyboard then playing or doing anything else productive with the keyboard...mouse people
"Some things have to be believed to be seen." - Ralph Hodgson
Is this review not two or three years late? I remember selling those ZBoards when I worked computer retail - and that was 2 1/2 - 3 yrs ago.
This thing has been around for a while, and as for your question... the latter is true. Its ridiculous.
People keep trying this custom keyboard stuff, and it never takes hold.
Han shot first.
I could have sworn this thing was over 2 years old. And poorly reviewed at the time of release. I see these things all over my local computer shops, discounted.
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I fear that the keyboard will be rickety. I like the gaming keys, but Internet keys? Come on, have you ever seen anyone really use those?
My favorite keyboards are designed specifically for typing. Gaming works fine with what I have -- as long as the keyboard is heavy, doesn't have pieces to move around, and feels good on the finger. The old Compaq notebook keyboards were some of my favorite "mini" keyboards, but I like a full sized full weight keyboard that is one solid piece.
I don't think this keyboard will be more than a flash in the pan -- easy come easy go. Gamers are used to the keyboard as it is laid out, and I don't think anyone wants to deal with swapping parts out when they want to get a quick game on. I sometimes pop into Action Quake 2 for 10 minutes and pop back out to write an article or an e-mail.
More clutter, more stuff to lose, more stuff to break, more things to wiggle around? I'll pass.
Someone's webhosting career melted...
does it have those stupid alternate functins on all the F-Keys, and if so, are the bloody things turned off by defaut.
Now I kinda like my Micorosft Natural Keyboard wing-ding, it saves my hands a bit, but it pisses me off whenever I'm playing a game and cant figure out whether PrntScrn is working, or whether the F-keys will work when i need them to. GRR!
When the posters fear their moderators, there is tyranny; when the moderators fears the posters, there is liberty.
You don't move much, do you?
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It was either this article or a Beatles-Beatles article!
http://www.networkmirror.com/PQzR_lmSlw378df0/www. tweaknews.net/reviews/zboard/index.html
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
They have keysets for only about ten games, if they even have ten.
If you don't play one of those games, it's just a really expensive (and in some ways inferior) QWERTY.
Logitech has the right idea with the G15 - A high-quality QWERTY keyboard with nifty extra features (namely a bunch of keys that can be assigned to macros, and an LCD display.) Same with Saitek's gaming keyboard - basically a standard keyboard + lots of macro functionality.
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
I know this thing looks stupid, and I would agree with you, but I've owned one for a little over 6 months now (I bought it with Battlefield 2) and I have to say it is fantastic. Not only is the base layout one of the best I've ever used (snappy keys, great look, function buttons are easy to use and reach), but the additional gaming layout (known as crossfire) is great. I know at first it just looks like a keyboard for dumbasses who don't know where the keys are. The first few days it took a bit of getting used to, but the blown-up arrow keys and convenient surrounding buttons make long gaming sessions *much* more comfortable, whereas with standard keyboards I get a tendency to cramp up. And I'm not a noob either. I've been an online gamer since Quake and offline since long before then. And my BF2 stats speak for themselves I was just as skeptical as about 80% of the "rediculous" posts that will probably be posted on these forums, but after having actually used it, I don't think I could ever go back. -DSR
Yep, my friend was in the market test for these. They sucked then too.
Kinda funny story, a kid commented on how flimsy it was. The marketing guy asked him to "test his strength" and he broke it in half.
Taco,
You recently and candidly discussed the supposed "conspiracy" surrounding article submissions. One thing that I felt was left conspicuously unmentioned was what has been coined "Slashvertisements" e.g. enthusiastic submissions that promote underwhelming and uninteresting products. I remember seeing this keyboard in CompUSA (of all mundane places), at least six months ago. The only logical conclusions are: a) the editors don't get out much and have lost touch with what's considered new and exciting tech or b) OSDN is being compensated to provide stealth marketing services. Please provide some insight.
Thank you,
The Slashdot Community.
Entrepreneur : (noun), French for "unemployed"
Things like this just add to the cost of being a hardcore gamer. Lets say you get:
1 /qid=1137519621/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5603418-8999209?_ encoding=UTF8/
(all prices from amazon)
Zboard: 40.84
COD2 keyset: 18.99
BF2 keyset: (unavailable price but probably around 18.99)
COD2 directors edition: 59.99
BF2: 44.99
Fatal1ty mouse: 49.99
total price: $233.79. And that's JUST for mouse + keyboard and games, not to mention new graphics card etc etc.
This is why I think more hardcore gamers will go over to systems like the xbox 360. Get the system, xbox live, and a microphone and you're set - everything else is skill. Back in the days where you could program your own buyscripts for counter-strike, advantages were at no addition cost. Now it's getting expensive... hard to imagine a teen blowing all that money just to play at the top level.
The keyboard itself would be very usefull for games like Warcraft 3 or Battlefield 2 (playing as the commander) where you have many different key combinations. I imagine it would be hard to switch from typing to gaming on the fly though. For games like COD2 though, I can't see how this keyboard would offer an advantage.
Nice to show off at LANS, but unless you a big wallet, I'd stick with your 10 year old IBM keyboard.
Zboard at amazon.com... link appears to be broken
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002H7F3G/sr=1-
The voice of the next generation. "In this tower, in my mind..." Babble - Tower
Err.. What? This thing has been out for a LONG time. I've actually got one. It's okay, but not fantastic. I've got the World of Warcraft keyset, which is okay, but I eventually went back to the default keyset. It's a cute gimic, but the execution dosen't make up for the convenience of having a normal keyboard. The Pad Lock is pretty cool. It changes your numpad to useful windows shortcut keys.
U SE1-X2PHS01 that is increadible! It has cut down my searching for shortcut keys by quite a few minutes.
Where it actually shines is in applications. I have a keyset for Photoshop http://webstore.ideazon.com/product.asp?pf_id=IW0
However, the keys are pretty mushy, it is way to quiet for gaming with surround sound, and the different keysets tend to take a LONG time to get seated correctly so that the keyboard sees them. It's not to bad for speed typing though. (The review says otherwise, but I don't have any problems.) The programable top set of keys is really nice though.
There are also 2 USB ports along the top. I've got my mouse attatched through there, meaning that I've got a longer reach and less cord clutter. I also plug my media card reader in there when I need it.
I actually saw an 'extension' (aka keyset) for this device a while back - snap on keyset for BF2 controls. At the time I thought the keyset was for regular qwerty keyboards, but they are actually for the product being reviewed.
TFA loaded too slowly for me to have a look at (read: short attention span), but it strikes me that this product is a bit redundant. How many CS players suddenly forget which is the flashlight key? How many people in BF2 have to stop and think "How the hell do I crouch??". No-one that has played the game for more than a couple of hours anyway.
In the end, I can only really see this benefiting newbies. Or maybe those that have only played Nethack for less than 100 hours...
If all you have is a grenade, pretty soon every problem looks like a foxhole -- MightyYar
i game a LOT and don't see any necessity in these things. 95% of all games have an options menu which will let you set you preferred key layout. every FPS i have, has the same controls mapped on the keys (numerical keypad, 5 is the center, all keys around it go in that direction, mouse looks and buttons fire, and a few game specific keys thrown in). maybe good for something that is played not as often like Civilization shortcuts, but in an FPS, i never look down, i'm pretty dependant on the little nub on the bottom of my keypad 5 key....and i'm assuming this isn't for a casual gamer (why would they spend the cash?), but a hardcore gamer (why would they need it?). these things were great in the old days with things like the keypad that came with some Atari 2600 games where you couldn't customize squat.
My rating: eh...
I have the WoW and NWN plates, I thought it was a good idea at the time (November 2004) If you play different games which don't let you change the key mappings, maybe it is useful, to spare yourself from memorizing multiple control schemes. It certainly is helpful to look at the board and see the controls if you don't have any key mappings memorized.
The keys don't feel quite right, though, which makes in-game texting wierd, and I certainly don't like the base keyboard for everyday use.
It's all moot for me now, because I do most of my gaming on a Mac these days (WoW, NWN, some CoD, puzzle pirates, and misc. casual games. Nothing latest and greatest.)
More music, fewer hits
Picked it up when Doom 3 came out. It's good for FPS games. The way the keysets attach to the base unit needs some work however. The metal contacts are in the upper right corner of the board and the snap down mechanism is on the right side in the middle. I have to press on the upper right corner of the keyset sometimes to get the software to recognize the board is there, it'll intermittantly lose contact and the software wont recognize it.
Novel idea, poor implimentation, only worth it if you play a lot of FPS games.
Maybe it is a recycled version
They called me mad, and I called them mad, and damn them, they outvoted me. -Nathaniel Lee
Where's the
does it run linux?
To a nail, every person with a hammer looks like a problem.
If you have not used this keyboard you don't know what you are missing. I got sick and tired of pressing the tilda or caps lock key while I was trying to gun down some dude in BF2 or Call of Duty. This keyboard removes those keys from under your fingers giving you just the keys you need. It is a great gaming keyboard. I have had no problems using the keyboard, and I did not even have to use the software that came with the keyboard. I just plugged it in and off I went. If you are tilda and caps lock challenged, this keyboard is a life saver.
When Microsoft released the Strategic Commander I thought I was in heaven, too. Finally we had a left-hand device for Warcraft, Age of Empires, Close Combat and all those other strategy games. The thing was freaking incredible. Three programmable button sets, scrolling and rotation, and comfortable to boot. Yet it didn't catch on. For $69.99 it was a lot of money and there just wasn't a significant base to grab it - the majority said "hell, my keyboard is enough" and that was that.
Heck, Gravis couldn't even make the Firebird the defacto joystick despite the fact that it was, IMHO, the best, most comfortable joystick ever.
The problem is that the price points for these things are insane-high, and they only target hard-core gamers. This is yet-another-flop in the making. Too bad, too. It's a good idea.
Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.
Never forget: 2 + 2 = 5 for extremely large values of 2.
They're being paid to have specific servers Slashdotted. This one just happened to have a review of said keyboard...
My Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro was 5 years old and was quite dirty, so I decided to replace it. I have been gaming for a long time, so I was trying to decide between the Zboard and the Logitech G15. I decided to go with the Zboard because I thought the idea of a customized keyboard for a particular game was a good idea. I picked up the Zboard, plus a Doom3 Keyset and a Battlefield 2 Keyset.
After setting up the software, I tried playing games with it. After about two weeks of using the keyboard exclusively for gaming, I realized that I'm too used to the way WASD is layed out on a typical keyboard. In the end, I'm spending more time making sure I'm hitting the correct key, rather than the one I've been used to for all these years.
I think the Zboard is great for people who are new to computer gaming, maybe console users coming over who are used to joypads. Give them a Zboard so they have easily identifiable keys to use and get used to the idea of a keyboard/mouse combo. However, if you've been PC gaming for a long period of time, you're better off skipping this one and going for a G15. The integrated LCD is beginning to get useful plug ins which can be found at either G15 Forums or G15 Mods.
"TK-421, why aren't you at your post?"
Back in October 2005, Wired Magazine showcased a keyboard called the Optimus Keyboard. This is truely the ultimate keyboard. It uses tiny organic-LED screens on the keys to dynamically change the keys for whatever your using them for. http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/ ZBoards are overprices and you have to pay for each additional key layout. Personally I'm waiting for the Optimus.
At least it explains the people standing rock still at all those Americas Army assault missions. They got no movement keys!
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
A normal keyboard with custom hotkeys set? It's a lot cheaper, and I find, more practical.
Should only have to wait until February 1st, and they promise it will "cost less than a good mobile phone."
I'm with you, but really, I'd go for any keyboard named after a Transformer.
They aren't very durable, their design means if anything is spilled on them they are gone, and you can guess what happened to mine. Honestly, I never used the alternate keysets, as many others have pointed out, most are far too used to the wasd key layout for it to make a difference. However, another problem is that the keys stop feeling very firm after you use the thing for awhile, which makes typing feel all mushy, not very exciting. Somebody also had the brilliant idea of making a good number of the keys on the 'gaming' sets DOMED. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why this is a bad idea. Not only are they ridiculously small, your finger manages to slip off them all the time even if you do manage to remember the completely arbitrary key layout. I replaced it with a microsoft 4000 zero inclination ergonomic keyboard. A fancy title but the thing is comfortable as hell and it is no different to use than a standard 104 key with the caveat that you can't easily access the right hand side of the keyboard while gaming, though it is fairly rare to need to move over there anyway. The whole thing looks absurd until you try it.
It's a fine idea, but the keys feel sorta mushy and the general construction of these things seems kind of cheap.
Buy a Belkin Nostromo N52 or N50.
s ?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=2071&pcount=&Product_Id=1 57024
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.proces
You can program any key layout you want for as many programs as you want and never have to bother with buying additional keyboard sets for the z-board. I picked mine up for $29.99. That's cheaper than any z-board I've seen anywhere plus the added costs of the "custom" inserts for each game you play. Who needs that.
What would Richard Feynman do, if he were here right now? He'd do some math and he'd follow through!
I looked at the ZBoard for all of five minutes once, about two years ago. It always looked and felt chintzy when I was in CompUSA looking at the display model (which was usually set up with something like an EverQuest keyboard module) and hated it because yet again, it not only screwed with the tried-and-true classic keyboard layout, but it was impossible for lefties to use.
For a while, I wanted the Saitek Eclipse - a nice gaming keyboard, backlit keys, not too much extra crap other than a good feel and the sort of look that would go over well in LAN sessions, but then the Logitech G15 was announced. Holy crap. Logitech actually went and did a gaming keyboard -right-. The only thing that bugs me is that the 'Gamer Keys' are on the left side instead of the right (which is really understandable) and that my first one (I'm on a warranty replacement now, and Logitech was amazingly good about it) had problems with the paint coming off the keys.
Logitech's usual decent quality, keys with lighted letters, a hackable LCD, 18 programmable macro keys with three modes and built-in on the fly programming. And best of all, NO FREAKY FUCKING LAYOUT. I despise what Microsoft has done with newer keyboards, screwing up the home/end/pgup/pgdown/etc. cluster, curving the arrow keys, etc. For a left-handed gamer especially, the G15 just rocks.
Note to lefties: For games like Counter-Strike and other FPS titles, I strongly suggest arrow keys with control for ducking, keyp/ins for jump, delete for reload, and end for use. Those keys are a really good layout once you get used to them, unless you mouse with your right hand.
My own pointless vanity vintage computing page
The DX1
You can personalize the arrangement of whatever keys you want to use, when playing a game using this keyboard.
I thought I had first learned about it here on Slashdot a while back, but a simple search didn't turn it up, so, here you go!
I think these kinds of 'gadget' based keyboards have a limited future, if they can ever get something like that Optimus OLED keyboard on the market. Of course, it'll cost more, but can be customized for *any* game and any application.
{ - Generic Guy - }
So you want a programmable keyboard for gaming? One that's ergonomically shaped for your left hand? One that works on PCs and Macs via USB? One that also comes with a mouse-wheel-like device that's also programmable? And has a d-pad positioned correctly (under your thumb), which is itself also programmable?
And costs around $30? And lets you keep your existing keyboard for, you know, typing text?
Then you want a Nostromo N52 from Belkin. Pure gaming heaven.
Between it and my Logitech MX510 mouse, a Mouse Bungee, and LogiGamer, I'm in gaming heaven, and I get to keep my 15-year old IBM Model M keyboard and 15-year old Apple Extended I keyboard for thumping out articles.
Anyway.. I think getting this keyboard and the keysets when you first start playing the game is much better then relearning after you'd already learned the game on a normal keyboard.
Bottom line for me is it's a nice keyboard that has custom keyboard sets for a variety of games.
I too can't wait for the Optimus although it's still vaporware if it ever comes out I will be first in line. This is definately the way to go not some custom hardware you have to change everytime you exit or enter a game. i agree with alot of other people here that this thing is a step backward and hotkeys and keymapping are much easier. On the ridiculous or genius vote, this is definately ridculous.
WTF?
In December 2004, I bought the ZBoard and the key plate for use with World of Warcraft. It was instantly apparent that it was a crappy product for the simple reason that the "special" keys were on the right side of the keyboard. 99% of gamers I know are familiar with wasd and use their left hand to move and use the right hand to control the mouse. Having the extra keys on the right side of the board means you either have to reach over to the right side with your left hand, or take your hand off the mouse to use them.
Another thing that contributed to the suckiness of the board was the fact that there was absolutely no facility to take a screenshot. This was right when WoW was new and I was taking screenshots all the time. There was some sort of hack they provided, I think on their website, that included a "screenshot.exe" type deal that you had to go configure so that when you pressed "custom1" key or something like that, it would take a screenshot. For a device whose selling point is convenience, I found this appalling. In general most of the special keys are just hard-coded existing key combos. E.g. if you can skip to hotkey bank 3 by pressing "Shift 3" then the ZBoard just presses "Shift 3" for you, so if you happen to leave focus in a text entry box and press that key, you'll see a "#". Big deal. I thought it was going to have some kind of API with the game that let you do more interesting things. Alas.
Today that keyboard is serving as a USB hub.
rooooar
I've owned one of these keyboards for 2 years. Great for FPS games, lacking on the other games. Quick trick for people that get one of these baords - ignore installing the software that comes with it, and just slap in the keyboard layouts as you see fit. You'll have less of a headache.
This is far from new.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
the ergodex dx1 input system. http://www.ergodex.com/content.php?id=12
You can put the keys EXACTLY where you want, rather than rely on someone else's layout design. So you also don't need to buy different keysets for different games.
The title was supposed to be Optimus (greater sign) ZBoard. Now it looks like ZBoard makes the Optimus...
have look here. it's a WASD keyboard from Wolf Claw. quite interesting..
SEO Test: TIGI und SEBASTIAN - Online Shop - V
You mods are going to get meta-moderated into oblivion. This post should be labelled as insightful as I'm sure he's speaking of the far superior ESDF layout.
I'm not kidding, either. WASD gives you quick access to maybe 8 keys, 10 if you're stretchy, 4 more if you count number keys and more if you count shift control and alt. ESDF on the other hand gives you access to 11 keys, non stretching, T G and B with minor stretching, an even wider band of numbers, and all the shift keys.
This "fancy gaming keyboard"? A measly 13 keys (as pictured) and that's binding crouch to C and not Ctrl. This is, again, ignoring the number keys.
In none of these layouts am I counting ~ or Tab or function keys. Quite simply? If you want a better gaming keyboard move on from WASD, it's been dead for years.
A count to simplify things: (This includes caps lock, Tab, easily reached number keys, the Tilde[~], function keys, but not the windows key which I'm forced to pop-out during most games.)
WASD: 25 (really caps lock shouldn't count but I'm humouring it, it's lonely)
ESDF: 28 (I stretch to Y and H, but not N which could make this 29)
Idiot "Gam1ng k3yb04rd": 20 (not counting 'goals tab', like I fucking need it spelled out for me)
A little side anecdote on how funny and stupid people are: I have my counter-strike layout on ESDF and every function moved over just one key, and not one of my friends can wrap their heads around it. I tell them, use ESDF! I get blank stares. I say, "Ok, put your fingers on ESDF and then pretend you're still using WASD, everything is in the same relative position." I get blank stares. A game like counter-strike doesn't need all those additional keys, but games like Tribes 2 do. (Certainly WoW and Sims[not THE sims, flight sims] and Mechwarrior games need almost all 101 keys, but those games are for the hardcore.)
this is news? wasn't this keyboard reviewed by pc-gamer a while ago...
I know these keyboards are out there.
These, and the 1600-dpi mice.
And I still consistently kick their asses at MoH online, with my plain-vanilla keyboard and my Logitech Wingman USB mouse (which needs its ball and rollers cleaned, badly).
It's skillz and experience, Chongo. Not some ticky-tack input device.
is located here.
"There are no facts, only interpretations." --Friedrich Nietzsche.
Cost less than a good mobile phone, eh? I spent $200 on my last mobile... It's pretty doggone good. So... $199. You know what? It's open source, comes with an SDK and too amazing for words. Yeah, I'd actually buy that. Maybe that makes me sick, or a sucker, or both... But that's even cooler than the vaporware laser keyboard from a couple years ago.
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
It'll be great for playing Duke Nukem Forever.
Photography, technology, and my dog Scout - http://mattstratton.com
Some thoughts on the Optimus:
.gif files for the LED's to display. Can you say animated keys!
1. I bet you could load
2. Imagine playing a game and then when a weapon that requires charging to fire is ready all the keys in a row start strobing arrows to the "NUKE" key.
3. You could even program a typing tutor to light up a standard key layout to help people learn to type.
Forward movement is for the right mouse button, not W. A and F for strafe, S backward, D reload or whatever else you commonly may need. Shifting right does open up more key options, and is also far more useful than the prehistoric WASD "newb" controls.
No thanks. I'm a leftie and can get by just fine with my right hand on the mouse. Why would you even want to use a mouse with your left hand?
Now I'm going to have to redo all of my WoW keybindings again.
Also: To a nail, every person with a hammer looks like a problem.
I remember seeing these things about 8-10 years ago in high street stores (I bet there are some old dupes for this one... ;-)
In other news, the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard (with backlit keys, macro buttons and a programmable backlit LCD display) finally started shipping today (after being hyped last year) - an update on the Optimus is due out on the 1st of February too.
I very highly recommend the Belkin Speedpad n52 http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process ?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=2071&pcount=&Product_Id=1 57024/
I have both the n52 and the n50 (like all first gen game components its now attached the wife's computer). I cannot recommend this highly enough. After the last LAN party, everyone else was complaining about sort wrists after 4 hours of BF, but the modled shape of the n52 (for the left hand only) fit the bill. All buttons are customizable, but WASD default works well. Thumb sits on 4-way directional arrow keys (for up/down) and within a deft flick to 2 other buttons. I never need to take hand off keyboard/Belkin for any game and just put the keyboard out of the way. Its absolutly made for long gamign sessions.
That's so cool it hurts. It hurts because, for the time being, it's vaporware, and also because when it is released, I won't be able to justify spending what will probably be at least $150 on what amounts to a novelty (and if I did, I'd probably just spill something on it and destroy it).
I have been using ESDF for a long time. One additional benefit is the placement bump or nipple on the F key, so that you can "feel" when you are on the right placement without glancing at the keyboard. It is funny how people just cannot adjust to moving everything to the right, but that is how it is with politics too. That said I do have one of these keyboards, Zboard, and I do really like it. At a local LAN we have extra computers setup for "guests" to play and they can easily sit down and play even if they have never played a specific game.
I thought I was the only one. The other benefit is that it isn't super awkward for those of us who actually know how to type. Are there any benefits to wasd? I cannot believe that it has become defacto standard setup for games.
Another benefit is that you can use 'a' as duck, so it doesn't make your hand cramp trying to use ctrl or shift all day. In bf2 and dod you can use z to go prone. W and R can be used for leaning.. you get the idea. WASD just plain sucks compared to ESDF.
Yep, these have been around for quite a while now. The local EB Games has them in with the clearance stuff for cheap, and they look pretty dusty.
These things truly would be pure genius if only there were keyboard layouts for typists: a keyboard that could swap QWERTY for Dvorak or AZERTY would be a god-send in my household.
I have a zboard keyboard that I primarily use for BF2 and other FPS games. It's great for gaming. I'm able to get to critical keys very easily and my scores have improved quite a bit.
That being said, it sucks horribly for typing (it's mushy and vague feeling). I usually end up removing it after gaming and switching to a decent keyboard. I also HATE the split space bar while using the "normal" keyset. It will frequently jam with the right side of the split spacebar down and I end up with a couple hundred spaces in my documents.
I've tried the Nostromo keyboard but have notice that the driver sucks up too many system resources after a while.
I don't regret buying the Zboard, but don't depend on it for anything but gaming.
Don't anthropomorphize computers, they don't like it.
I've thought about getting something like the Nostromo for ages, but was worried it might be a daft gimmick.
Can you (or other users) share what sort of games you play with it, and what it works well with it (and what doesn't work so well)?
Do you use it as a complete keyboard replacement while playing, or as a suppliment for the main keyboard and just jump to some of the time while gaming?
Follow the links posted in earlier posts.
The Optimus keyboard does that. It uses organic-LEDs to dynamically change the keys to whatever you want. As you change your keyboard type the keys will display their proper asignment. If your using Dvorjak then that will display, Qwerty then qwerty. It even changes for languages and fonts. It doesn't get any cooler. You can even animate the keys. Hopefully it will be out by February so I can get one for my B-day.
Whenever people propose a certain control layout, they always leave out one crucial piece of information. Namely, which of your fingers are you using on ESDF? It makes a big difference whether the finger you leave free is the index or little finger.
Several friends of mine switched to ESDF back in the Action Quake 2 days, which is when I found out they were using their index fingers to strafe right. I thought they were nuts. They and I were all resting our fingers on the exact same keys in spite of our differing setups, which is why I'm always curious where people are resting their fingers when they suggest new control layouts.
I tried using ESDF my way for a while, but as a touch-typist, the little mark on the F key just felt wrong to my middle finger. Nowadays, I prefer a split keyboard, so it wouldn't increase the number of keys I can reach, anyway. My mouse has plenty of buttons to make up for it.
I keep seeing these keyboard replacements, and I don't understand why they have to mess with the keyboard at all. There are a lot better solutions. The key layout of a keyboard, while great for typing, I found a little uncomfortable for playing games. So I went out and bought a Nostromo SpeedPad n52 from Belkin. It works fantastic, it doesn't replace my keyboard, and it's extremely comfortable.
I much prefer a secondary control device to replacing my good old keyboard.
I tried one in the store. Mushy, gooey, keys that are hard to press and give no feedback. Absolutely hopeless for gaming.
I don't know why people insist on making keyboards that are physically painful to use.
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I got confused because I thought I remember reading this before...
Posted by CmdrTaco:
An anonymous reader sent in linkage to a story running on a few places about a new customizable keyboard. It's a bit beyond anything you've probably seen before. Also tom's has more.
is there a way to make this scan?
I believe engadget or joystiq reported that in fact it will not be a 104 key board but instead a 3 key board that is released on febuary first for 'less than a good mobile phone'. 200 USD just sounded too good to be true, and it probably is.
I find ASDF to be much more comfortable. S is back, D is forward. No bunching your hand up or moving your fingers off the keys to move forwards and backwards. I likes it.
ESDF also doesn't buy you much on an ergo keyboard.
I can still kinda read the article.
Gay
The Engadget put something up about this recently, the Optimus ZBoard is being held up with patent issues, according to their post, but the date on that one is Jul 14th 2005.
"Unfortunately, this doesn't look like actualware quite yet as they're still waiting on a patent."
I can't wait for that keyboard to come out, it's that fire!
They are however, coming out with this sweet display-thingy.
I'm fighting The War on Drugs!
1. I've already decided to take that a step further. They will provide an SDK, but I'm betting it isn't very easy to use. My plan is to write a wrapper for their SDK that allows you to treat the entire board as a single image, or each button as an image. Then you can make all kinds of neat effects.
2. Good idea, I'm sure there's more like that as well. Like keys that change according to many other statistics or current events.
3. Learning to type doesn't require learning where the keys are, but how to hit them. The idea is to get the used to NOT looking at the keyboard. Putting the indicators on the keyboard would have the wrong effect.
Now, on the other hand, non-typists... If the computer was using a word-prediction algorithm, it could highlight likely keys. This would be a great aid for non-typists.
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
I tried to switch in the past, but my pinky is just so used to pressing Shift and Ctrl, with ESDF I always miss the crouch button and end up hitting the fucking WIN button, had go go back to WASD in the end
Since I'm the guy who did the review, figured I'd post a few comments. :o)
First off, no, no money switched hands for posting the review. Neither Slashdot or TweakNews works like that, there's no consipiracy there.
Second, yeah, I know the keyboard is an older product (three years old, I believe, but not sure), but older products do come up for review again occasionally, and it's always a good idea to take an older product that's still readily available for a later test drive. Otherwise, you'd never know if problems with the original product have been fixed, new features implemented, whatever. True, some stuff just doesn't merit a second review, and if it's off the market, what's the point?
Feel free to critique the writing, it's my first "official" review for TN, so any comments are welcome. I'm not a professional writer, but I did try to do my best.
I just got one of these for Christmas. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to the layout of the new gaming keys. I only have the basic fps keyset that comes with the keyboard along with the standard keyset. Now that I am getting more used to it I like it a lot. I am not a noob gamer. I have been playing fps games on and offline for a while and am quite used to using the regular keys for playing. But I think the spacing and size of the gaming keys on the zboard help during really hectic moments when you don't have time to hit the key you need. You just mash the general area where they key is and you will most likeyly not hit the wrong key or two keys together. This is particularly true for the weapon keys, they can be hard to find on a regular keyboard during intense action. You run out of ammo and need to switch to pistol or knife, but you hit the wrong key and you die. With zboard you don't hit the wrong key. There are still a couple of keys that I am getting used to, but once I get the feel for where all of the keys are I believe it will be faster and better.
I also like the pad lock key. Normally I stray away from the extra key function things, but they implemented the pad lock features really well. The number pad has windows commands assigned to them that you can use when the pad lock key is on, such as minimize, maximize, view desktop, etc. There is also a function key lock that only works in certain programs like ie or windows explorer that switch to give you forward / back buttons and stuff like that. The cool thing about how they implemented it is that there is a text file configuration that you can edit to make the f-lock keys work in firefox also. And the media buttons at the top of the base work in winamp even though their site says they only work in windows media player. Basically it has very well written drivers and well designed hardware. It can handle up to 10 simultaneous keys pressed while a typical keyboard can handle 4 or 5. And the drivers detect the keyset switch even while in a resource hogging game and cause no problems with game crashes or such. So far I have had no problems what-so-ever.
-- ssoorrrryy,, dduupplleexx sswwiittcchh oonn.. -Quote found on actual fortune cookie.
Where it actually shines is in applications.
I seem to remember writing this ZBoard thing up in a story submission (that didn't get accepted) a few years ago.
A novice AutoCAD user typically has to wander his/her mouse around the (often very deep) screen menus to find and invoke commands. More experienced users just use customized, typed commands and modify the acad.pgp file to suit their own preferences and typical use of the program (customizing keystrokes now is a lot more complicated so as to further confound longtime AutoCAD users).
I remember the old digitizing tablets that took a lot of focus off the screen.