I started looking into a new keyboard because I was spending so much time on the computer that my wrists began to ache, have a soreness, etc. I ruled out carpal tunnel, but someone recommended a natural keyboard to help alleviate the pain as I type. I received this as a gift and I could not be happier with it. The split design put my hands in a much more comfortable position and it is raised where the wrists rest to provide more support. This particular keyboard has good keys, they aren't too sticky or too sensitive and once you get used to the slight differences in the arrow keys placement etc it is remarkably easy to use. I believe that everyone should have to use such a keyboard to prevent such injuries in the future. I also like the color since it matches with my computer. I highly recommend this keyboard. Fellowes 98915 Antimicrobial Split Design Keyboard (Black)
I was using an aging--ahem--EXTREMELY OLD--MS Natural keyboard before realizing it was time to look for a new keyboard. Oh what a difference. The keys on this Fellowes have such a great feel, and they're QUIET.
One of the other nice things is how compact the board is compared to other split style keyboards. A big annoyance of mine is when the keyboard is too wide and starts to push into the mouse area--making it difficult to maintain good ergonomics.
A little thing that takes some getting used to on this board is the layout of the up-down-right-left arrow keys. I'm slowly getting used to it, and I'm sure it wont be a problem after a week or two of heavy keyboard use.
Not sure how important/effective the Antimicrobial coating is (seems like a gimmick), but I'll report back in a couple of years ;)
All in all--this keyboard seems to be worth the price. Considering how much most of us use our keyboards every day, it's better to pay a bit more and get a solid keyboard that will help prevent rep. stress injuries.
A side note to those who already suffer from carpal, etc--Look into Overcoming Repetitive Motion Injuries the Rossiter Way. It's about these somewhat strange two-person stretches that reverse carpal. Try this before you even consider destructive carpal surgery. The stretches worked like a miracle and keep me out of trouble when used once a week as maintenance.
This keyboard is hyped as being "preferred touch." It is. It is sooooo much more comfortable to type on than the Microsoft split keyboard commonly found in office supply stores. It has a lower profile and smaller footprint, and the black shell goes nicely with my Dell system. It's a winner in my book.
My profession is medical transcription, so a comfortable functional keyboard is vital. I have tried several traditional and ergonomic keyboards in the past, but the Fellowes is by far my favorite. Previous purchases included the wave style keyboard which I felt was not truly ergonomic and a split keyboard which was truly ergonomic, but began to malfunction with short term use. I did purchase another split one because I liked the design, but it too malfunctioned even sooner than the prior keyboard. So I did some further research and gave the Fellowes a try. I had read some reviews complaining of the stiff keys. I find the keys to be perfect for my hard touch. The split design and layout work well for me. My only complaint was the two large Windows hot keys which I had a tendency to inadvertently hit. After trying unsuccessfully to disable them I popped them off and have no complaints with this keyboard. I am hoping it stands the test of time, but at this point based on my previous experience, I have confidence it will. It is designed well ergonomically, has an excellent key touch and response, is smaller than other ergonomic keyboards and slightly less costly. It is not fancy--no padded hand rest etc., but for my needs, it has thus far proven to be an excellent work horse that I am extremely pleased with!
Tried this keyboard & wasn't happy w/ it at all. The keys were very stiff. I tried using it for awhile thinking maybe it was just because it was new, but it didn't matter. Seemed like I had to go back 2 & 3 times because the key didn't get pushed hard enough. Granted I am used to a laptop keyboard (soft touch is all it takes), however, I don't think after typing for a few hours my fingers should be tired! The keyboard also sat too high for me. You can make it lay flat by not using the back "feet" but the curve of the keyboard itself was too much. It also has a substantial rest on the front which cannot be removed as it's attached. This just didn't work for me. I gave the keyboard a "2" because I think the Microban is a great idea. Overall, just not comfortable, and far too stiff for me to use.
After using this great keyboard for 6 months, and becoming totally comfortable using my left index finger for the 'b' key, I had to give it up. My new computer is a Mac and it's not compatible. But all is not lost (I love my Mac keyboard, but that's beside the point) as I've given the split keyboard to my daughter, who is also a medical transcriptionist. Now she is totally in love with it. The ergonomics not only help relieve carpal tunnel, it improves speed and accuracy of typing. I highly recommend it for anybody, whether you are a casual user of the keyboard or type in a professional capacity. - Ergonomic Keyboard - Natural Keyboard - Ergonomic - Carpal Tunnel'
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