keyboard

Want to celebrate the predictable tragedy that your life has become by eating waffles shaped like the very instrument that invisibly shackles you to your desk? Artist Chris Dimino has modified an old typewriter to produce keyboard-shaped waffles, perfect for honing those typing skills before you get to work. The waffle maker is just a one-off, but hopefully some geek-minded, breakfast-loving entrepreneur will get cracking on a retail version soon (make a pirate toaster while you're at it).

(via TreeHugger)

If Microsoft hadn't issued a press release on this new keyboard, we honestly would never have been able to pick it out of its growing crowd. Even then, the company's product nomenclature doesn't make it easy to distinguish one item from the next: The product in question is the "Wireless Laser Desktop 4000," for example, not to be confused with the "Wireless Optical Desktop 4000" or the "Wireless Laser Desktop 6000."

Whatever it's called, the new keyboard-mouse package is part of the wave of Vista hardware continuing to reach the … Read more

As the convergence trend steams ahead, we've seen everything from air-purifying lamps to camera-speaker combos. (We didn't say it was a good trend.)

So logic would dictate that this would be inevitable: the keyboard PC. Cybernet's ZPC-945SL is an all-in-one QWERTY keyboard that includes an Intel Pentium 4 processor, up to 2GB of memory, a hard drive, built-in speakers, a mini-PCI slot and six USB ports, according to Tech Digest. But even though it sits only 1.5 inches high, we're not sure if it would be approved by the ergonomics police.

Lighted keyboards have become increasingly common, ranging from those that can fold away to ones that can withstand military conditions. But those might not be options if you have some kind of Tourette-like reaction to lights under your fingertips.

Enter this alternative from Korean inventor Spike Kwon (gotta love the name), which illuminates the keys with an LED bar situated just above the top row. Though still in the developmental stages, it seems to be farther along than most concept products because it's gotten approval from the World Intellectual Property Organization, according to Gizmowatch. The best part is … Read more

Regular readers of this space know that there's no shortage of lighted and roll-up keyboards. But one that combines both? Now there's a neat trick.

The "USB Illuminated Roll-Up Keyboard" from USB Geek does just that, made from flexible silicone with a "sapphire blue" electroluminescent coating. Resistant to water and dust, it even coming in a choice of two colors--white and pink--for a mere $27, according to Technabob.

We think this is pretty nifty as is, but someone is bound to ask this question (so we will first): When will there be … Read more

Those of us not lucky enough to have an AMEW Digital TSK-VX7 touch keyboard are still left with the dirty keyboard dilemma.

Compressed air works for crumbs, but what about the sticky stuff?

Jamming surface wipes in between keys with your fingernails or a pen does not get all the spilt coffee out, nor does leaving your keyboard upside down for a few minutes. I speak from experience.

The OneClean Keyboard Cleaner from AM Denmark might be just the thing.

The cleaner spray function to me seems negligible but, from the looks of the video, the hard sponge teeth shaped … Read more

If the iPhone ushers the phone industry into a new generation of touch-sensitive buttons, keyboards might be the next to follow the trend. A company called AMEW Digital (we've never heard of it either) is trying to get out in front of that curve with its TSK-VX7 wireless keyboard, which features a full set of touch keys in a compact frame. It's still too big to fit into your pocket at 11 inches by 4.3 inches and about half an inch thick, though it's certainly smaller than any standard keyboard. If you're really looking for … Read more

These are pretty neat. They're stackable stools that look like keyboard keys, and they say "sit" on them, just in case you thought they were for anything else (leapfrog, maybe?) They're available in both black and beige, but sadly no "brushed aluminum" hue to match your MacBook Pro.

Now if they could only make a "delete" edition. It could have a hidden trap door built in so that you can instantly "delete" annoying people from your house simply by making them sit on it.

(Home Rejuvenation Blog via Apartment Therapy.)… Read more

The people over at Eleksen are a sneaky lot. One can never tell when they'll have something new up their sleeves--literally.

The U.K. company specializes in "touch-sensitive interactive textiles," which translates to products such as the roll-up fabric keyboard we mentioned back in November. And now these magicians have surprised us again by flipping over that piece of digital cloth, revealing a second keyboard on the other side.

One surface of the double-sided USB fabric keyboard has a set of QWERTY keys for cell phones and other handheld devices, according to Red Ferret, while Side B … Read more