Hello,
One thing I have noticed from looking at keyboards on new systems from Vizio,
Samsung and Microsoft's new keyboards for Windows 8 is that they all seem to
have "standardized" on this "island style" six-row keyboard layout with some
small degrees of variation. I have included some links to photos, below.
In the photos I have linked to below, compare how the all those keyboards for
new laptops look like the Windows RT tablet keyboard. I've also included a
link to a very large photo of an Apple MacBook Pro keyboard for comparison.
I find it hard to believe that all of these companies which compete so heavily
against each other would unilaterally and individually decide to switch
keyboard layouts, so I suspect that what we are seeing is a change being made
for an ulterior reason. For example, it might be a requirement to use the new
keyboard design/layout in order to pass some sort of certification requirement
for Windows 8.
That's just a guess on my part, though; I don't have any evidence that is the
case. Still, it is such a strange thing to happen all at once that this is the
only scenario I could come up with to account for all of these competitors to
copy the MacBook Pro style keyboard.
Here are the photos:
Hewlett Packard:
<http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/workstations/images/img_gallery-8470w_one.jpg>
Lenovo Blog:
<http://blog.lenovo.com/products/why-you-should-give-in-to-the-new-thinkpad-keyboard>
Microsoft Windows 8 Bluetooth Keyboard:
<http://windowsteamblog.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Blogs-Components-WeblogFiles/00-00-00-53-48-metablogapi/3603.DSC03820_5F00_33E7F4E9.jpg>
Microsoft Windows RT Tablet Keyboard:
<http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/blue-keyboard.jpg>
Samsung Series 7 Slate Keyboard:
<http://www3.pcmag.com/media/images/275975-samsung-series-7-slate-700t1a-keyboard.jpg>
Apple 13" MBP keyboard:
<http://cdn.gottabemobile.com/wp-content/uploads/MacBook-Pro-03.jpg>
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky
At 10:00 AM 8/22/2012, you wrote:
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:57:58 -0400
From: "Rosen, Robert (NIH/NIAMS) [E]" <[email protected]>
Subject: [Thinkpad] Subject: Re: T60 vs t43
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Message-ID:
<[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
I got to try a T430s with lighted keyboard yesterday. While the
separated keys look funny, when you compare it to the previous
keyboard (T400), you see:
? The older keyboard slopes the edges of the key and you
don?t really touch that part, thus the actual
amount of key that the fingers touch appears to be the
same. (see my attempted ASCII
sketch below)
___ ___
___ ___
/ \ / \
/ \ / \
/ \
/ \ | | | |
Old
keyboard New keyboard
? The feel of the keys when typing is similar if not
exactly the same as the older keyboard.
Thus, for a touch typist like me, it appears there will not be a
problem in using the new keyboard. Now does it match my old 855 or
600? No, but then nothing does. But close enough that I can type
just as fast on the newest ones.
So don't give up hope Chris.
(I know Jeffrey is very particular on his keyboard so not sure he
would accept it. :-) )
_________________________________
Robert Rosen
??? Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail
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