Keyboard Recommendations
| In most cases, replacing a keyboard is cheaper or more cost effective than repairing it. This is especially true if the keyboard has an internal malfunction or if one of the keyswitches is defective. Replacement parts for keyboards are almost impossible to procure, and installing any repair part is usually difficult. In addition, many of the keyboards supplied with lower-cost PCs leave much to be desired. They often have a mushy feel, with little or no tactile feedback. A poor keyboard can make using a system a frustrating experience, especially if you are a touch typist. For all these reasons, it is often a good idea to replace an existing keyboard with something better. Perhaps the highest-quality keyboards in the entire computer industry are those made by IBM, or, more accurately today, Unicomp. Unicomp maintains an extensive selection of more than 1,400 Lexmark and IBM keyboard models and continues to develop and sell a wide variety of traditional and customized models, including keyboards that match the school colors of several universities. Unicomp sells keyboards directly via its website at www.pckeyboard.com. My personal favorite is the black EnduraPro 104. Note See the section "Replacement Keyboards" in Chapter 17 of Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 11th Edition on this book's disc for a listing of IBM keyboard and cable part numbers. Some of the classic-design IBM keyboards are available in the retail market under either the IBM or IBM Options brand name. Items under the IBM Options program can be found through the Lenovo Group (www.lenovo.com) or through normal retail channels, such as CompUSA and Computer Discount Warehouse (CDW). These items are also priced much more cheaply than items purchased as spare parts. They include a full warranty and are sold as complete packages, including cables. Table 16.3 lists some of the IBM Options keyboards and part numbers; even though the IBM website no longer offers these models, they can be purchased from various online retailers. Models marked with an * are also available from Unicomp.
Keep in mind, though, that because IBM spun off its keyboard business some years ago, many recent and current IBM-labeled keyboards no longer have the distinct feel, quality, or durability found in the older models. Ironically, one of the best ways to get an "IBM" keyboard is to buy the model with the features you want from Unicomp, most of whose keyboards still use the capacitive buckling spring technology IBM originally made famous. The extremely positive tactile feedback of the IBM/Lexmark/Unicomp design is also a benchmark for the rest of the industry. Although keyboard feel is an issue of personal preference, I have never used a keyboard that feels better than the IBM/Lexmark/Unicomp designs. I now equip every system I use with a Unicomp keyboard, including the many non-IBM systems I use. You can purchase these keyboards directly from Unicomp at very reasonable prices. Many models are available, including some with a built-in trackball or even the revolutionary TrackPoint pointing device. (TrackPoint refers to a small stick mounted between the G, H, and B keys.) This device was first featured on the IBM ThinkPad laptop systems, although the keyboards are now sold for use on other manufacturers' PCs. The technology is being licensed to many other manufacturers, including Toshiba. Other manufacturers of high-quality keyboards that are similar in feel to the IBM/Lexmark/Unicomp units are Alps, Lite-On, NMB Technologies, and the revived Northgate designs sold under the Avant Prime and Avant Stellar names by Creative Vision Technologies. These keyboards have excellent tactile feedback, with a positive click sound. They are my second choice, after a Unicomp unit. |
EAN: 2147483647
Pages: 283