TypeMatrix keyboards in the news

   "I'm not an ergonomics expert at all, but one thing that seems true is that different keyboards suit different people. If you're getting repetitive stress injuries (RSI) from typing on one keyboard, another style of keyboard may be one alternative for solving, or at least, minimizing, the problem.
   TypeMatrix of Santa Barbara has just released the second generation of its TypeMatrix keyboard, which takes a much different tack to keyboard functionality than the Microsoft aircraft carrier-sized angled keyboard.
   TypeMatrix is the brainchild of Henry Webber, who started developing the keyboard in 1997. It is substantially smaller than a standard keyboard, and the shift, enter, backspace and space bar keys are huge and located in several places to make them convenient for various typing styles. (I like the CenterEnter and CenterBackspace keys.)
   The keys are aligned in straight rows, not offset. The keyboard is split into left and right sections, but the halves aren't angled. Like a laptop keyboard, it doesn't have a separate numeric keypad.
   The function keys are accessed as a keystroke combination using a separate function key. If you're a cheetah-fingered keyboard aficionado you can also set up TypeMatrix to operate as a Dvorak keyboard.
   My overall impression is that while the keys are bigger, your fingers have to do less stretching. But RSI issues don't have to be the driving force to use the keyboard; its other features suit many users' situations. For hunt-and-peck typists, particularly those with less than stellar eyesight, the big keys and the smaller number of keys make the petual hunt less annoying.
   If you have only a small working space for your computer, or if you travel with a keyboard, you'll appreciate the smaller footprint of the keyboard (and it's much thinner, too). This also means there's more room for your mouse to maneuver.
   The keyboard retails for about $100.
   You can read more about the keyboard on the Web site at www.typematrix.com and see the keyboard layout at http://www.typematrix.com/overview/."

by Dan Logan

Buy the TypeMatrix online!