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FDA Approves Self-Sanitizing Keyboard
jfruhlinger writes "Deep down, most people know that the germiest thing they touch all day is the thing they're touching all day: their keyboard. But what, if anything, can be done about it? A couple of former Microsoft hardware guys have launched a keyboard that sterilizes itself via ultraviolet light. While the FDA has signed off on it, tests show that the UV only kills about two-thirds of the germs living in it, and that it still needs to be cleaned by hand."
the UV tolerant bugs evolving on this thing.
It's $900?! Geez.. Why don't I just buy new keyboards every 3 months instead
So is this going to kick into the new phase of products that help create resistances like tricloscan does now? And I'm being lazy, there's already a few hundred studies on the links of this. I'm still waiting for people to get it through their head that either we're filthy dirty creatures, living in a filthy dirty environment. And if you're going to sanitize an area, you need to be 100% sure you're getting everything. Otherwise you're simply kicking into darwin mode, and promoting survival instincts for various 'bugs'.
Om, nomnomnom...
The black ones turn just as gross: Take one apart sometime and have a look inside.
The wife's WoW-playing machine slowly developed some issues with the W and 2 keys on her fancy Saitek keyboard. It was really pretty nasty in there. Some scrubbing bubbles for the external plastic bits, and a bit of Deoxit on the Mylar membrane switches, and she's got people asking her what she changed because her DPS went through the roof.
I take apart my favorite keyboard (an old, heavy, squishy white NMB that I really like the key-feel of, Model M be damned) once every year or two and give everything but the keyswitches a good wash in the dishwasher. It's been a good friend for nearly a decade, despite the occasional spill or cigarette ash or the constant bombardment of smoke residue, and I want to keep it around. (The keycaps were worn smooth long ago...)
So, yeah: I clean keyboards. Time is money, but money can't always buy a keyboard that I actually like. It's more of a functional thing than a spastic reaction to the obvious bacterial flora that obviously must be living on it, but whatever the case cleaning it helps me type in ways that keep me happy.
Kid-proof tablet..
That said I did used to clean the key covers for my old Model M with vodka every once in a while.
I'd rather leave the keyboard alone and just disinfect my insides every so often - although I prefer gin rather than vodka.
#DeleteChrome
"...While the FDA has signed off on it, tests show that the UV only kills about two-thirds of the germs living in it, and that it still needs to be cleaned by hand."
Given that we as human beings are full of germs of some kind (especially on the skin), I wonder whether the germs on these keyboards are germs one should worry about.
Are they dangerous?
My answer: Not really, because no epidemic has ever been reported as having had its genesis from an un-cleaned keyboard. I have a feeling that these keyboards will appeal to clean-freaks mostly.
Er, are these keyboards sperm-resistant? I don't want to know, my, er, friend, does.
is obligatory.
Ahh - My eye!
The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!