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Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro

List Price: $74.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderous keyboard
Review: The keyboard has worked flawlessly for me under both Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

The extended functionality of the volume control, mute, control over media players and CD functions, and even web browsing turned out to be more useful than I had imagined.

Although some people may not like the ergonomic layout, I have been using it for several years and love it. It really helped me with my RSI (back of my hands) that was quite serious over the years. It also helped cure me of bad typing habits, most particularly crossing my index fingers over to the "other side". But if you don't touch type, or nearly touch type, this is not the keyboard for you.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nice Keyboard
Review: I only had this keyboard for a short period of time and I already like. It is very easy to type with and love the design. However, I have one major problem with it - I does not fit on my 'under the desk' keyboard tray. All of the internet buttons including some of the keys that are positioned near the top of the keyboard are covered. Only if I can saw 1" off of the wrist rest, it would fit fine.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally a Worthy Successor to the Original
Review: I've been a fan of the MS Natural Keyboards since they came out, working at Microsoft when they did, I made sure I had as many of them as I could. Turns out my hoarding was appropriate given their next offering, the Natural Keyboard Elite, was such a disappointment. So it was with great pleasure I found, after snapping one up on release day, that the third time's a charm. First off, it retains the split design of its forebears which is so much easier on the wrists. The control buttons across the top are a nice addition, I use the media controls the most when playing songs in Winamp, and poke the larger email button to launch Outlook2k. The Internet browser controls are of less use if you have grown accustomed to navigation using regular keystrokes, they're tougher to get to rather than just a quick F5 etc. The travel between key presses has been lessened, so you don't have to push as far on, say, the ctrl button to activate it as you did in the first version. This tends to produce a little cushier typing experience but it's worth it. They also returned the beloved inverted T arrow controls, instead of the horrid cross of the Elite. This design is preferable when playing games w/out joysticks or mice like a quick round of Mame32 emulated Pac-Man. Should also mention the presence of the two USB ports in the back for mouse/trackball use. The keyboard itself comes w/ a dual USB/PS/2 connector and is physically smaller than the original. Being on computers 10+ hours a day I have this keyboard and the Logitech Marble Trackman FX [see review] on all my machines, work and home. Highly recommended.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Very bad design
Review: I'm a fan of the original Microsoft Natural keyboard and use it at work everyday. This new version seemed to have all the features that I'd love to have on a home keyboard. Unfortunately, the design and build-quality is nowhere near acceptable.

First problem, the extra buttons for controlling internet and Multi-media are a great (though not original) idea. However, the way they are implemented here makes them unusable. All buttons are evenly spaced, small, and blue and are placed with no rhyme nor reason. After 3 weeks with this keyboard, I still couldn't hit the correct button without looking carefully for the small lettering telling me where Volume Up was.

The other great feature idea of this keyboard is that it is a hub for USB devices. The placement of the connectors, however, make it awkward to use. They are located in the center rear of the keyboard and therefore butt-up against my monitor base (which like all monitors I've ever seen is in the center of the viewing area). Due to the fact that the USB connector extends 3 inches by design, you must have a minimum of 4" of space between your keyboard and monitor. Many desks are not big enough for this to happen, especially if you have a now-almost-standard 19" monitor. If Microsoft's hardware designers had done some real-world research they would have moved the USB connectors to one side or at least tunneled into the keyboard so that the connector didn't stick out so far.

The final nail in the coffin for this miserable excuse for a keyboard is that it is unreliable. I used this keyboard on 3 separate computers over a 3 week period and several times on each system, it would simply stop functioning until I rebooted. I replaced the keyboard once and got the same behavior. Others I've spoken with have seen this happen as well. No other keyboard has ever given me this kind of problem on any of my systems so this is just bad design/build quality.

Beware of this garbage. If you want a keyboard with cool extra buttons, try the IBM version which is programmable (the Microsoft one is not). There are lots of ergomomic choices out there, as well. Don't make a mistake and buy the Microsoft Natural Pro.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Buy It.
Review: I really enjoy this keyboard. It did not take me anytime to adjust to the keyboard. The best thing is the hotkeys. You just click the mail button and up it comes. I also find the media (music), my computer and calculator buttons helpful. The other good feature is the back and forward buttons for your browswer built in. All of this and it is also a USB hub adding two ports on your desk! Great!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Keyboard!
Review: This is the best keyboard on the market. I love the "blue buttons" I realy only use the Volume Play/Pause, Prev Track, Next Track, this is awsome with winamp. Another great thing are the USB ports on the back (the keyboard is a USB hub), that is where I have my mouse connected. The only thing that I would change on the keyboard is that the keys should press a bit less like the IBM keyboard or keyboards on some laptops. Another shortcomming is that it is very thick, and it will not fit in the keyboard drawer built into my desk when the legs are put up.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best ergonomic keyboard on the planet.
Review: As I write this review from work I wish I were using Microsoft's Natural Keyboard Pro. I bought two last year and gave one to my aunt; if it were possible to fall in love with a keyboard, then this thing would steal my heart.

The Natural Keyboard Pro is the true successor to the original Natural Keyboard; forget about the Keyboard Elite. This board sports 19 multimedia "hot keys" that launch browsers, refresh web pages, and much more. There are connectors for USB and PS/2 ports; Microsoft recommends plugging the keyboard into both ports although you can use whatever port you want.

Key response is good without feeling mushy and the built-in wrist rest is good for those users who like to relax theirs wrists at the bottom of the keyboard. The IntelliType software that ships with the keyboard is version 1.0; users of America Online will want to download the patch for compatibility with AOL's 5.0 software.

I like Microsoft's latest keyboard. It's a good, sturdy keyboard with cool features that are really useful. Users with small hands might need some time to get used to the board's rather large layout; even still the Natural Keyboard Pro is proof that if Microsoft quit the software business tomorrow they'd have a great future in hardware.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Step ahead - and one back
Review: This is the best keyboard I've seen so far. Its 19 keys allow for easy access to most browser and multimedia functions. The keys could be more programmable for those who do not use their computer for entertainment. The "My Computer" and "Calculator" keys should also feature a Minimize / Maximize function, instead of only the Run / Open function. The keys are not as soft and quiet as the ones on the Natural Keyboard Elite, causing some strane on my wrists which I had not with the Elite version.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ergonomic and useful, do we need more?
Review: 19 hot keys, ergonomic shape and two USB ports on the back. SUPER! When I received it I threw out my old keyboard. BUY NOW!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This is the best Keyboard
Review: This keyboard came with my new Dell computer. It was such a good buy I would of payed any price for it. This keyboard has a nice hand rest so your hands never get tired. The mutimedia keys on the top make it even better you have buttons to browse through the web (for example back,stop...) you can contol the sound so you don't have to take your hands off the keyboard to crank up the volume. You can even change a CD track in the touch of a button. I even set up the Mail button to start up Aol. The only other thing I can say is BUY THIS KEYBOARD.


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