Give Your Fingers a Break

If everyday typing or keyboarding were a professional sport, we would be more inclined to pay attention to the keyboard at our finger tips. Does the quality of our keyboard affect or influence our efficiency and performance?

Gamers will spend hundreds of dollars on a keyboard to get the slightest edge over their competitors. Look and feel, layout, spacing, travel, shape, switch timing, macro keys, and key combinations can be the difference between winning and losing.

Many of us don’t view activities like programming, writing emails or reports, blogging, and working with spreadsheets, with the same degree of vigour and ambition. I doubt few of us would even begin to appreciate the technology behind one switching mechanism and the advantage it may have over another.

In the beginning …

We used manual typewriters in my grade nine high school typing class. A black ribbon fed between two spools with every long and forceful keystroke. I recall doing numerous exercises to give our “pinky” fingers an extra strength-building workout.

My grade 10 typing class was much more enjoyable as we moved on to electric machines. No more finger workouts, just focus on the task at hand – typing. My fingers could fly effortlessly across the keyboard.

The differences between manual and electric typewriters are many and quite obvious, even to the untrained eye. My typing speed increased dramatically using the electric machine. Achieving 140 words per minute is one of my more memorable achievements.

Just as notable are the physical and ergonomic benefits of the electric typewriter. By the time I finished high school and went on to college, computers began to appear and became an integral part of how we work. Any frustrations or efficiency issues I had with keyboards at the time seemed to all but disappear.

All was good until the IBM PC, and Compaq computers, among others, entered the workplace. Time to choose between the tactile feel of the PC and the soft mushy feel of the Compaq keyboard. Today’s computers and devices have brought a whole new realm of keyboard technologies along with them.

What Keyboards do I Use?

I use Logitech’s CRAFT keyboard on my home desktop. This is my favourite “third party” keyboard by far, and the flow technology coupled with my MAX Master 2S mouse allows me to switch between three devices on the fly.

When I’m on the road, I use Logitech’s K750 Solar keyboard. I like the look and feel of this keyboard, USB or Bluetooth connectivity, and I never have to worry about batteries. Yes, I could use the keyboard on my client’s machines, but I prefer to work with my own keyboard and mouse, especially as the cold and flu season approaches.

Logitech’s K760 solar keyboard is also a frequent traveller, especially when I’m working with multiple Bluetooth devices. While this keyboard lacks the convenience of the extended layout, the smaller footprint makes it easier to take with me where space is a concern. I have been using this keyboard and the K750 pictured above for quite a few years without issue.

The Brydge 12.3 Pro 128 is the perfect match for my SurfacePro and is almost a twin to my MacBook Pro keyboard. The integrated SSD drive is a welcome added convenience. This keyboard looks great and carries well, although its much thicker than Microsoft’s SurfacePro keyboard offering.

As much as I like the minimalistic design of Microsoft’s SurfacePro keyboard, it is flimsy and tends to bounce if I get too aggressive with my keystrokes. While it’s great for traveling, I prefer something with a more substantial base when I’m working at a desk.

You may be wondering if I’ve ever been pleased with a keyboard that came with the computer. When it comes to laptops, the keyboard is one of the criteria I use in my selection. My 15″ MacBook Pro keyboard is the standard by which all others are measured.

The Republic of Gamers ROG Claymore is my keyboard of choice for gaming though I have very little time to play them. For an added touch of ingenuity, ROG SYNC also has synchronized lighting effects, fan speed control, and CPU temperature monitoring when connected to my ROG laptop.

Does your keyboard matter to you?

We each have our favourites and personal tastes. Some may not even think twice about their keyboard. As for me, I appreciate the experience a quiet, highly responsive, quality keyboard can bring. Of course we must always be mindful of the price we pay for the value we receive.

Whether a performance advantage or efficiency gain exists is subject to opinion. When I consider how many hours my fingers spend typing away at a keyboard, I give them a break and reward them with the best experience I can.

Until Next Time – STAY lean!