microsoft ergonomic keyboard 4000 keys not working

#Microsoft ergonomic keyboard 4000 keys not working pro
#Microsoft ergonomic keyboard 4000 keys not working series

The keyboard is their thinnest ergonomic model yet. For those that prefer a flat keyboard, the tilt plate can be removed, and there are even feet that can raise the back of the keyboard up, if you like. This raises the palm rest and puts the keyboard on a downward slope, similar to the feet on the original Natural Keyboard. The first thing you’ll probably notice out of the box is not the keys, but the “front tilt plate” that comes preinstalled.

#Microsoft ergonomic keyboard 4000 keys not working series

Redundant nomenclature aside, the new keyboard sports a hybrid design that borrows from both the Comfort Curve and the Natural series to deliver a new feel. Microsoft’s first truly new ergonomic keyboard design in many years has been revealed - the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. The Comfort Curve has been featured in a couple of different desktop sets, including the recent Wireless Optical Desktop 5000. (Acer has experimented with a similar design on some of its newer notebooks.) I admit to having shown some curiosity, but I simply couldn’t bear to leave my split keyboard for this Johnny-Come-Lately. The keys are still flat, but there is a slight downward curve towards the middle, and some of the middle keys are elongated. Recently, Microsoft has shown that they’ve done some additional research into the ergonomic keyboard, modifying the standard straight layout with what they call a “Comfort Curve”.

The wireless feature ended up being far more useful than I had anticipated … sometimes it’s nice to be able to just grab the keyboard and toss it aside to give yourself more desk space.

#Microsoft ergonomic keyboard 4000 keys not working pro

Today, I use the Natural Multimedia at work, and the Natural Desktop Pro at home. They also introduced an “F-Lock button, which can convert your F-keys into dedicated keyboard shortcuts for New, Open, Close, etc. It features a wireless version of the Natural Multimedia with slick translucent keys, and while the sound had been reduced somewhat, it was still easy to hear when you were making good contact with the keys. After that, it seemed as if there was no further development into the ergonomic keyboard design, and rumors started to spread that they simply weren’t selling as well as they should.įinally, when Microsoft jumped into wireless technologies, they released a wireless desktop set called the Wireless Optical Desktop Pro. The Natural Multimedia would come later, adding specific keys for commonly used programs, as well as a two-port USB hub, but it retained that wonderful loud “clackity” sound. It was a controversial change, but one I came to embrace.Ī series of refinements came to the line, starting with the slimmer “Elite” model, which many people still swear by to this day, but which also came with a new key configuration for the arrow keys, changing the “inverted T” to a cross layout with smaller keys. Microsoft would change the layout of the 3x2 key grouping that contained the Delete, Insert, Home, etc., to a 2x3 layout of only five keys … removing the Insert key entirely and doubling the size of the Delete key. There were some differences in the key layout, however, that had some people up in arms. You could hear me typing on that thing from across the office. Spending a little more time practicing with the keyboard, and my typing speeds improved even over my previous scores, and the keyboard had a fantastic “aural” response. As with any new keyboard layout, it took some adjustment to get used to it, but I noticed right away that the RSI that I’d developed was gone.

The first of the Natural keyboards, the Natural Pro, was a gift from the almighty himself.

Microsoft was one of the first companies to perform major research into ergonomics, and developed the first of what would become known as a “split” keyboard, branded under the “Natural” moniker. However, since developing some severe RSI in both wrists, I had to move to a more ergonomic keyboard a standard “straight” keyboard would have my wrists in flames in less than 10 minutes. (Geek Cred +2) I hoard keyboards like they’re going out of style, because you never know when a company will stop making the perfect keyboard and leave you out in the cold. I’ve been typing for a very long time, and still have fond memories of my IBM Selectronic (with its very nice “buckling spring” keys), and my old Northgate Omnikey, with those wonderful programmable keys. Let me get this out of the way I’m a keyboard snob.