Buy TypeMatrix 2030 USB - DV (US Dvorak English) keyboardTypeMatrix 2030 USB - DV (US Dvorak English) keyboard Product Description:
- USB Connector
- 5.5 feet cable length
- 3mm key travel
- 55g +-10g key force
- LEDs for NumLock, Caps, Scroll and Dvorak mode
Product Description
With it's small footprint, intuitive layout and true ergonomic design, the TypeMatrix 2030 has become a favorite among typing enthusiasts.
The Matrix Architecture (straight vertical key columns) increases typing accuracy and decreases wrist distortion. Large centered BackSpace and Enter keys move usage of some of the most used keys from the weak pinky to the strong index finger - with less reach. The minimal footprint also means less reaching for the mouse reducing arm and shoulder stress.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful.
Great keyboard!
By Graham Cummins
Summary:From an ergonomics perspective, this is probably the best keyboard currently on the market. The Touchstream Stealth is better if you can get one (they are no longer made) and handle the steep learning curve and fat price tag, but even then this keyboard is faster for plain English text. If you are concerned about RSI or you need every last character per second of typing speed, buy one right away. There are a few nasty issues for Mac, Unix, and machines without PS/2 ports - see below - but they can be worked around.Pros:If you have already learned to use Dvorak, learning the slightly new layout for this keyboard is very easy. The square grid layout really is much easier than traditional staggered layouts, the placement of Enter, Backspace, and Shift is delightful, and Capslock is safely out of your way, so you don't need to disable it in software. The key feel is great. The size is great. The integrated arrows and numberpad are nice and come without the cost of having a huge keyboard that puts your mouse a foot away from your right hand.The ability to switch to Dvorak layout in hardware is really nice if you share your machine. You can even get a Qwerty skin that overlays the keyboard so your Dvorak-challenged friends can use it. Typematrix will tell you that the skin actually makes the keyboard nicer to type on. This is false, but it is one of the least annoying keyboard skins I've used, and typing with the skin on feels just fine. If you want to learn Dvorak (and you should!) you probably want to get this keyboard and the skin. That way you can painlessly switch back to Qwerty if you really have to get that report typed today. Even if you are the only user of your machine, hardware dvorak is really nice. How often have you found out that your keyboard doesn't work like you want in the BIOS, the OS installer, the runlevel 3 shell (in Linux), or the login password windows (on linux and mac), and especially when you move to your friend's computer.Cons:The biggest con is that this isn't a usb keyboard. It's a PS/2 only keyboard that comes with a general purpose USB to PS/2 adapter. The adapters are not perfect, and may generate strange behavior on some systems. I replaced the adapter that came with my keyboard with one I bought separately, and that got rid of several problems (including the fact that Macs can't sleep with the adapter plugged in). I think Typematrix started distributing a better adapter after I bought my keyboard. Even with the best ones, though, there are some issues. I have had keys get stuck on repeat (very infrequently), key chords fail to register as chords, and key timings be slightly delayed. On a PS/2 machine, you could use this keyboard for high-speed games, but you probably can't do that with the USB to PS/2 adapter. Even tiny timing and chording glitches can make a twitch game really frustrating.The placement of escape and control is bad (they are small and shoved all the way in the corners) and there aren't many "expendable" keys with better locations that you can remap to these functions. Unix and VI users (like me) will find this slightly painful. I've actually modified my keyboard with an extension rod that lets me press the control key with my thumb, and this makes using the keyboard in Unix-like systems much much better. Linux users can probably just remap "start" (aka the "left Windows" key) to Control, but Mac users have a worse time, because the "start" key is also Mac "Command", which you need just as badly as Control.The keyboard is a bit Windows-centric. It uses valuable key locations for keys like right-Windows and hot keys bound to alt-Tab, Ctrl-X, Ctrl-V, Ctrl-C. The hot keys can't be remapped. For Mac users this is annoying, but not supper critical. I'm giving this keyboard 5 stars and I use mostly Macs and never touch Windows.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
I love and hate this keyboard.
By Sam
So - if I could - I would rate it a 2.5.Let me start by saying that I purchased 7 of these keyboards and have four of them and I have been using them for around 5 years. Just the number I of the keyboards that I have purchased should tell you how much I love them. (I own a software development company and bought some for staff and extras to have on hand.)There is nothing on the market that comes close to the layout of the typematrix. I can type faster on this than anything I have ever typed on and I love having the enter key in the center of the keyboard. My hands and arms never get tired. There was a version before this keyboard that had the shift key on the bottom row that you could use with the left thumb. It was awesome when used in conjunction with the arrow keys and the home and end keys for highlighting and cutting text. I'm aware of some programs you can use that will hack the windows registry so that you alter what keys are pressed - so that may be something to consider if you purchase this keyboard.Now here is the big, huge drawback! You cannot remove the keys so that you can clean under them. Once something gets underneath any of the keys and you cannot get it out, the keyboard is toast. Unusable. You may get a little more mileage if you can smash the keys to break up whatever is underneath them, but, it still does not operate the same.They make a membrane you can put over it, but I hate it. It ruins the feel of the keyboard and drastically affects the speed you can type at.That being said - this is the swan song of my relationship with this keyboard. I'm on a quest to find it's replacement.The people that developed it are really nice and my experience with their service has been fine.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Works great, but needs some adjustments for Mac OS X users
By Alan Coman
I have used the keyboard at work on Windows and UNIX. It works great.On Mac (at home or on the go), however, one has to use KeyRemap4MacBook to use the cut copy, paste keys. And that assumes that you use the Dvorak hardware switch on TypeMatrix and use American(Qwerty) layout in Mac OS X.I prefer to use the Dvorak layout in Mac OS X and no hardware switch.In order to use the cut, copy, paste keys, you need to use KeyRemap4MacBook and a search for Dvorak inside it. Then check one ofthe two settings:-Make Cut, Copy, Psate, Quit and Undo work on Mac OS X using Dvorak layout in the same position as on qwerty or-Make Cut, Copy, Paste work on TypeMatrix2030 using Dvorak layout.I don't know if Cut/Copy/Paste works using Dvorak - Qwerty when pressing command layout. Please try out and let us know.I hope TypeMatrix realize that they have a great product, but they need better support for Dvorak Mac users. If it were my company, I would have had this available from day 1.Other pros:The hands rest very comfortable. The rectangular design is great.Also having backspace, delete and enter in the middle is a great idea. It works the stronger index finges instead of the weak right pinky.Very portableThe distance to the mouse is negligible. This is a great advantage that is often overlooked in my opinion.Also TM provides skins with different other layouts (might be useful if other people who like worse keyboard layouts need to use your keyboard.Other cons:Price - steep, which puts the keyboard out of reach for many casual users. Too bad, since Dvorak is the best layout out there (I feel some Colemark fans will disagree - but so be it).Suggestions:I think TM should have better support for Mac users and provide the KeyRemap4MacBook directly on their website with the right settings.I would also suggest they add some USB ports on the keyboard (the way the Apple keyboard has) or provide a wireless version.Overall a great product, especially for Windows/UNIX users - works great out the box. It can be tweaked in a few minutes to work perfectly on Mac OS X as well.I highly recommend this product.Note: I have 4 TM keyboards in the house and 1 at work :).
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