HPdv4000 Keyboard wears out?

Hi, i am thinking to buy HPdv4000 as it,s cool looking with good featurres but only one thing i am highly anxious.Some people mentioned in this forum that they bought this notebook and just after a few months its keyboard started wearing out or became shiny, looking like a real old one.I wil consider it to be realy ugly as once key board wears out it looks so bad.But i did not see anybody who is using this notebook since long and he has replied that it is not the case always.Really i am shaky now about dv4000?
Sure so many people r using HP dv4000.Pls come out and speak about ur key board, is it wearing out also? It wil help me n so many others who want to buy this product.But don,t fprget to mention ur duration n type of use.Of course somebody using it just since few months,and occassionally, his keyboard may be still like new?

 

It doesn't WEAR OUT, the keys just start to get shiny - this is only a cosmetic issue, and it happens to some degree or other with all keyboards. It seems like the micro-matte texture of this HP keyboard is affected more quickly by it... I think it is basically just gathering the oils that your hands naturally produce. I'm going to take some pics after my exams are over next Friday (16th), and compare them with my shiny 3.5 year old Dell notebook keyboard.

This has been mentioned in half a dozen threads by now; do a search.

"wear" DOES NOT EQUAL "wearing out"

"wear" DOES NOT EQUAL "wearing out"

"wear" DOES NOT EQUAL "wearing out"

This is just a cosmetic issue, and it might be a big deal to some (me, not so much; RahulNirmal seems a little upset by it, etc.) but everybody needs to know exactly what we're talking about here in order to have a useful discussion.

 

What about an option for "my keyboard squeaks like a mouse"? My 2 day old nc6230 started doing this with all keys, and it drove me nuts. Probably going to return it and get another one to see if I can get one that doesn't have the issue.

BTW: HP Returns has to be the best customer service I have ever dealt with. Took about 30 seconds on the phone to setup my RMA and get the email with the info :hp: ... now if only they would make a keyboard that didn't drive me nutso

 

That's a lot of Volvos...

That keyboard squeak is really strange. Glad to hear the service folks were nice, though!

 

Poorly constructed poll...unless it's designed to show the Dv4000 in a bad light. There is no option for owners who have had the machine less than a year and have seen not wear, only owners of less than a year who have seen wear. Just not thought out or by design?

 

Has the dv4000 been in production longer than 3 yrs per the poll?

I've only had my dv4k for 2wks and LOVE IT!

As far as keyboards taking on a reflective appearance, I see that in most of my old desktops and laptops. I think it depends largely on usage. I'd be more worried about the keys popping out or not working at all. Shiny keyboard? I can live with it.

r,
eagle

 

I could care less about the keyboard when I'm getting 2500+ on 3dmark05!!

 

The DV4000 hasn't even been out for a year, this model came out sometime early 2005, I think it was Februrary or March.

Yeah, my keyboard's keys started to get shiny looking after about three weeks of regular use. The keyboard still works 100% fine, its just a cosmetic issue that irks me slightly. Nothing to get all riled up about and no reason not to get a DV4000.
My Fujitsu Lifebook P5020D had a greyish white keyboard and for the 5 months I owned it, it never got shiny or worn out looking. Must have been made of a different material.

 

I agree that it's not a make or break issue, but this question sure started a flurry... one guy took the issue from here over to the Cnet notebook forum....

 

Hmmmm... that's kind of dangerous huh?

I hope they don't think that a comment here about the fan running once in a while means that the thing is going to overheat, then melt or explode.

Thanks,
eagle07

 

Well...Cnet's notebook forum is only dangerous if you believe every thing you see there at face value... NotebookReview is sort of the research wing while Cnet sometimes tends toward the Tabloid Op-Ed pages

But hey, I read the comics and sports sections too!

So, was anyone maimed or killed when the HP fan exploded?

 

Dang, now I am a bit ticked off at the DV4000's build quality.

I've noticed as that my touchpad, left mouse button, and the area where your wrists rest when typing also look worn out and shiny looking. Now is this issue isolated to the DV4000 or to all notebooks? I'm guessing its because of the material used in the DV4000 and DV1000. Is this something to get worried about or is it just a cosmetic issue? My notebook still looks older than it really is and that makes me angry.

 

I think it's the material. It's the texture of the plastic - since it's got that micro-bumpy texture, it is just soaking up our finger/palm oils. I don't know what we could use to clean it, but I'm sure that if we could "de-grease" the palm rest it would look like-new again.

 

You think its just sucking up the oil? You don't think that the material itself is wearing out? I'm pretty disapointted by this issue even if it is mainly cosmetic.

 

Well, I just scrubbed the heck out of my palm rest with a dry microfiber cloth and it seems to have taken most of the shininess off of that part of it, so I don't think it is the material wearing away. The keys, I don't know.

 

I've posted two pics of a DV1000, one without any wear, and the other with touchpad and keyboard wear, looks nasty to me. In fact, it might even be a dealkiller for me. I'm really thinking of returning my DV4000 to Costco and getting a 14" notebook, particularily the DV1000 but unfortunately, a simple issue like this maybe a deal killer for me.

 

This doesn't look exactly "simple", but I might give some of these techniques a try over my holiday break.

 

Hey Slappy, if you do try out that technique, could you please tell us how it went? Thanks.

 

But of course! I'll post some pics of my post-exams worn keyboard, certainly. If I feel bold enough/have enough time to try the thorough cleaning, I'll post pics of that, too.

 

Hey Rah, when did you buy you DV4000 at costco and do you know if their still selling them? Or would it be cheaper to just customize it on the website? Thanks.

 

Hi mav,

I just bought the dv4217cl at costco the Saturday after Turkey Day.

Check out the other posts I've made in this HP forum about the other two models they have in warehouses.

Thanks,
eagle07

 

Ya i really admit and feel sorry for it. Just a reult of haste n post-duty fatigue.Anyhow these owners can speak in the thread i think.I wil say it again that even if it is a cosmetic issue it matters to me a lot! After all the world is running for cosmetic beauty. For me cosmetic beauty is not so important in humans( as it is from God) but pretty much important in machines as it can be controlled by men( so HP men should do it).

 

From what I understand, Costco lets you customize them on the HP website and get them for the same price as HPShopping, with the added bonus of the Costco 6 month return policy!

Man, I wish I had a Costco...

 

I wil say even if it is a cosmetic issue it matters to me a lot!Don,t u see rahulnirmal says, "My notebook still looks older than it really is and that makes me angry.(he is right)" His keyboard's keys started to get shiny looking JUST after about three weeks! ( even u think it,s not an issue? ) and his Fujitsu Lifebooknever got shiny or worn out looking. So why it,s only with dv4000?I really love its look but would not be able to love it anymore if just after a few months i get the same problem. And there is still more-- rahulnirmal says, "my touchpad, left mouse button, and the area where your wrists rest when typing also look worn out and shiny looking"
just want to know is it a universal problem with all notebooks of this model or just with few single cases. So is there anyone who can say that his HP dv4000 has no problem like this???
Sorry i may be a bit obsessive but i just can,t go along with this cosmetic problem.
(Pls see posts by rahulnirmal for reference.)

 

Hi, Sorry for the poor n rather wrongly consructed pool. U can consider it cancelled but pls speak out in the thread regarding this issue.thanks

 

Wear/gunk on the keys is a problem all notebooks have to some degee or another. Black keys show it more. My keys are getting shiny, but as posted I will see if the cleaning methods I found help with that or if it really is wear (and not a collection of my skin oils). My old Dell keyboard was also black, and it is very shiny after 3.5 years of use. My dv4000 touchpad and buttons still look fine, and rubbing the palm rest down with a microfiber cloth took away the shininess there - leading me to believe even more that the problem is oil and not wear.

Why the multiple identities?

On a personal note: Pls try 2 rite in english. Typing lik ths mite be slitely fster, but it's hard 2 read n take seriuslee.

You wouldn't talk to a stranger you just met in the slang and inside jokes you use with your friends, would you? All of the folks on this board are strangers to you - talk to us like the intelligent person you are, don't send us text messages.

 

I bought mine from em in late August, uh, the 23rd. Its the older DV4000 model with Intel integrated GMA 900 graphics instead of the ATI Radeon X700 now offered with it. I saw them selling a DV4000 model with the exact same specs as mine except with a slightly faster processor.

I can tell you that this issue will show up in black keyboards much more easily than like white and grey colored ones.

I think my Lifebook never showed this wearing out issue because it was made of a different material. Its case was made of magnesium versus the DV4000s plastic case and it had a light colored keyboard versus the DV4000s black keyboard.

I've looked around the internet and have also seen HP DV1000s and Sony S series notebooks with their keyboards looking worn out and shiny looking after a relatively short time of use.

I think the best thing to do is to buy a keyboard skin to protect it from wear and other things like liquid spills, dirt and food crumbs. I'd really like to know Slappy if that cleaning method you found will work, I have a feeling it won't make the keyboard look like new but instead get rid of all the gunk that accumulates in keyboards over time.

I do hope you're right Slappy about this being just an accumulation of finger oil instead of just regular wear but I have a strong feeling that the plastic used on the DV4000s and DV1000s is of cheap quality. Like I said, my Lifebook's case was made of magnesium and it felt more sturdier as well.

 

As I said earlier in this thread, I have had none of the keyboard problems referenced here. Granted my machine has only been in use since October 10th, but I use it a lot...every day and for hours on end. Has anyone here ever tried Goo Gone on a notebook case?
Rahul, if you can deal with a keyboard skin you're a better man than I...I agree they are a useful product but I'd rather ride bareback anytime... Finally I wonder if there is varying quality in the material used or if it has something to do with the individual chemistry of users bodies, as some folks have oilier skin than others.

 

I've never used a keyboard skin actually but now I'm thinking of getting one as I do tend to eat and drink near my computer as well.

Anybody know where I can get one? I'd perfer to just get one at a store rather than go online.

I do think I have oilier hands than others, maybe that could be it. I also type very very very frequently on my DV4000's keyboard for hours on end as well, its gone through a lot of college essays and whatnot.

Guess this is something I'll have to live with though I'm still not too happy about it.

 

Just to throw in . . . we have HP desktops at work, and the keys on the keyboards have have gotten shiny. I really do believe this is the result of wear. But of course, the functionality remains.

 

We'll see in a few weeks when I give cleanin' a try.

 

I don,t think it wil work, except to decrease the shining a bit. Anyhow we r waiting!

 

Slappy's a busy guy, he may not get it done at all, he's taking his own valuable time to do this procedure and I'm thankful he'll do it at all, what with the hectic life he has. You should be patient.

 

Multiple IDs just by chance.No hiding.Problem of registering only.
I am sorry for that. But i believe the more what counts is that you are able to convey your meaning or not? Being a beginner in typing it, it,s much easier for me( in fact if you belive i type with one finger, if i type with 10, i am more slow!!!just wil learn as soon). As a martter of fact, there is a lot of research going on about changes in english language , and to make the written and spoken english more similar. In the same way i think net wil transform the language as well. Its my guess and sure it wil happen.Don,t uou see the difference between the britian and american english esp the spelling?Which one you prefer?infact if you see the english grammer books, there are people( of English) admitting the spellings of english language to be rather highly unrealistic many times.
And please don,t think i am a casual chatter on net, who just came wandering in the forum to get a differet taste. Infact i don,t chat.
Secondly i admit that it may be due to oils from skin but i don,t think that it can be removed. In my opinion nomatter howmuch u clean, this oil is gradually damaging the material, so it,s the fault in the material which is not resistant to oil/ constant contact.
I will be really sorry to leave a good notebook just because of this issue.

 

Hi aigle,

Please keep in mind that rahurnal appears to be the only one or perhaps two of folks who have posted problems here. It doesn't appear to be a prevalent or common problem.

However, since this notebook has already given you doubt about its quality that could possibly affect your satisfaction now or in the future, it's probably best for you to look at different laptop. The problem may not appear now or 6 months from now, but when and if it ever does, you'd likely be unhappy and regret the purchase.

Just a thought.

Thanks,
eagle07

 

I think most people here who own a DV4000 have the newer model with the ATI X700 GPU and haven't had it for a while to see whether their keyboards, touchpads and the plastic casing have shown wear yet, we'll just have to wait to hear from other users I suppose.

 

i think wearin out of the keyboard is a common notebook problem.. most of the notebooks ive seen from other brands as well have worn out keyboards too.. its just aesthetics tho..

 

So, did you ever do that procedure Slappy?

 

I stareted the thread but infact i finally got toshiba. Now i can say, it,s more comfotable to use an extra ketboard if you use lappy as desktop(l ike me) and then wear out wil be no issue as wel. It,s not costly after all, but if you walk around all the time, then....?

 

Yeah, same here, I returned my HP DV4000 and got a Toshiba M55 and like it a lot better. Now the only thing I'm worried about it is its keyboard getting worn out like the one on my HP. Every letter I type right now is slowly eating away at the textured surface of my keys.....