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    Optional Keyboards

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by bofis, Jan 15, 2006.

  1. bofis

    bofis Newbie

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    Hi, I've been looking into upgrading my aging Dell Lattitude L400, which has served me well all these years, but isn't cutting it as far as processor speeds are concerned. Also I miss having a trackpoint mouse.

    The new X60(s) look great, but I'm a little upset about the new addition of windows keys at sacrifice to space bar and ctrl and alt keys. But moreso I don't like their choice to make the backspace small in favor of a full-sized ~ key. My Dell is a tiny laptop but it manages to have a longer Backspace key.

    How is typing on the IBM X-series keyboards with the smaller backspace? I wish IBM/Lenovo would offer other keyboard layouts as an option you can chose from when configuring your laptop, maybe offer window-key-less ones or possibly even ones with smaller ~ keys and a better backspace. It's a seperate part anyway, and unlike with a desktop where you can buy whatever keyboard feels best, you're trapped with the keyboard that comes with your laptop. IBM has always been known for their keyboards, so having choices would seem to only further continue that.
     
    bofis, Jan 15, 2006
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  2. Andrew Baxter

    Andrew Baxter -

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    configurable keyboards sure would be nice, but unfortunately keyboards are pretty tightly tied to the overall design of a notebook which is what makes them such an important factor -- as you say, unless you use an external keyboard (which is always an option) then you're stuck with the default. So, it would be an very hard and not very cost effective design move by the manufacturers to somehow make a keyboard configurable in terms of key size and layout.

    That said, with the X41 I use I have no problems using the smaller sized backspace key, I use my pinky to strike it of course and the reach is just right and wouldn't benefit a whole lot from having that key larger. I don't think the X60 keyboard is going to be any less usable due to the smaller space bar either -- however nobody has review units of this yet so no definitive answer. Once I get a review unit I'll consider this aspect as part of the review.

    Thanks for the thoughtful post and welcome to the forums!
     
    Andrew Baxter, Jan 15, 2006
    #2
  3. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    Despite it deficiencies, you won't find a better laptop keyboard.
     
    ZaZ, Jan 16, 2006
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  4. dr_st

    dr_st Notebook Deity

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    For 12" laptops, that is. Because the full size 14"/15" keyboard is better, just by being full size and all.
     
    dr_st, Jan 16, 2006
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  5. JiantBrane

    JiantBrane Notebook Evangelist

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    JiantBrane, Jan 16, 2006
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