Keyboard was invented decades ago, but the birth of computers did not invent the keyboard; the keyboard design was essentially a carryover from the typewriter keyboard, which was invented nearly 150 years ago. From then until today, not a lot has changed with a few attempts to alter the ergonomic, albeit not quite successfully. Case-in-point: Microsoft Natural keyboard. It didn’t go down well with a lot of users; it was a big, clunky piece of hardware that, despite the ergonomic layout, forces your fingers to stretch to access some keys.
Fast forward to today, X-Bows Mechanical Ergonomic Keyboard has done what the 1994 Microsoft Natural keyboard failed to do. It is compact, it offers the endearing experience of clicking mechanical switches and like the Natural keyboard, it has a cross linear design that angles the key columns inwards, thus allowing your wrists to rest at their natural angle. But while it may share part of the concept with the software giant’s past hardware, X-Bows is definitely a hell lot more compact. I mean, seriously, the Microsoft Natural keyboard was monstrous! Trust me. I owned it eons ago and there was never a day that I never regret acquiring it. I Swear.
Anywho, X-Bows is more than a keyboard with angled key columns. The keys are packed as closely as possible and it discourages stretching of digits unnecessarily by relocating the common modifier keys, such as the Back, Enter, Control, and Shift keys, to the center of the keyboard, where it would be a wasted space anyways. In this way, you need not stretch your poor usually weaker pinkie to get to those keys, instead, letting your strong thumb do the, well, thumb work.
To cut long story short, the X-Bows keyboard has a unique, split key-column design that affords you to type more quickly and comfortably for a longer time, and letting you do so with a little bit of Razer Chroma-like eye candy: RGB backlighting that boasts 15 lighting movement effects with controllable brightness, speed, direction, and color. Sweet. Of course, it won’t be as dope as Chroma, but a neat addition nonetheless. Last but not least, the board also features “training wheels” keys that will help you to adjust more smoothly to the unique, ergonomic layout – something which Microsoft’s previous hardware attempt failed to do.
X-Bows Mechanical Ergonomic Keyboard is on Kickstarter where it has raised over $64K in no more than 3 days and the good news is, it will be on the crowdfunding platform through to November 8 where you can secure yourself a unit by backing the campaign. However, do note that only a limited number of keyboards still remain in their early bird price tier at 144 CAD (approximately US$118), after which it will cost 156 CAD (about US$128). Even better is, if everything goes as planned, you could be seeing this awesome hardware at your doorstep sometime in December 2017. Head past the jump to learn a bit more about this product in a pitch video.
Images courtesy of X-Bows.
Submitted via TIP US Page.