question about the s series keyboard

how does the s series keyboards compared to a 14" widescreen notebook's keyboard in general? are size comprimised to a point where typing is kind of hard?

 

can anybody answer?

 

The keys on the S seem about the same size as the 14" WS machines. The 14" machines tend to add a row of keys to the right of the enter key which eats up the additional space afforded by the larger screen. On the Sony these extra keys are activated with the Fn and the arrow keys. It's not an issue unless you use the Pg Up, Pg Dn, Home, and End keys alot. The keyboard on the S is very easy to type on.

 

thanks duff!

 

Does the S580 and its siblings have this key arrangement (no dedicated Home/End/Pgup/Pgdown) as well? I haven't seen these machines in person, nor have I found a good enough picture of the keyboard to tell.

 

Yes thats right. All the keys you mentioned are activated via Fn and then the arrow keys. But I actually quite like the general key arrangement. The Ctrl button is on the bottom left and not the Fn button, which I found VERY annoying on other notebooks as I am used to a desktop keybard. Then the Del Button (which I somehow use frequently) is on the most top right hand corner, which also makes it easy to find.

 

I'm a software developer and I do a lot of typing. I'm worried that that navigation key arrangement might be finger-crampingly hard to get used to.

 

Followup: I tried an S570 last night at a nearby Sony Style store, and while I'm annoyed that there aren't dedicated navigation keys it didn't bother me as much as I expected. I think I would adapt fairly quickly. I tried writing different kinds of text, including source code, and confirmed that I do instinctively reach for these navigation keys, but hey, you've got to expect some concessions when you have twenty fewer keys on your keyboard. On the plus side the ctrl and delete keys are easy to find, as Bomfunk said. Every brand is different.

BTW, I also found the S570's keyboard considerably more comfortable than that of the little TX670 sitting next to it. I ony wish the S was a bit lighter ...