Who can resist a curvy body? (Belkin ErgoBoard Pro)

Member Name: Brown_eyes1984

Product:	Belkin ErgoBoard Pro
Date:	29/10/04 (391 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: funky design, easy to touch type

Disadvantages: didn't work for me on windows 98, needs quite a bit of space, not widely used in companies

When it comes to keyboards I usually just think of them as a necessity. Nothing, fancy, not particularly stylish; in fact I feel keyboards can be quite dull. But the crafty people who made the Belkin ErgoBoard have changed that dull, unappealing look and have gone with a slightly curvier design. But does it work?

*** A little About the ElgoBoard ***

With it's strange name and strange design, the Belkin ElgoBoard is designed especially for people who are frequently on a computer and it is by far one of the best split key design and safest keyboards around.

It is a USB keyboard and requires no drivers in order for it to work making it quick and easy to install.

*** It's Functions ***

What impresses me is that the keyboard has two USB hubs built in at the back of it. This allows you to plug in other components such as a mouse or a data cable maybe.

Another handy function that could be helpful to computer beginners or people who haven't really taken much notice to what the keys on their keyboard actually do, is the control key shortcuts. These let you know which keys work with the control key in programs such as microsoft word or excel and also on websites on the internet. It lets you know by the pictures that are shown both on the control key and the keys that work with it. On the side of the keys it also tells you what they do.

With it's design comes a built on hand and elbow protector. This helps prevent keyboard related injuries and therefore is safer to use than a normal keyboard.

As with a lot of other keyboards, the Ergo Board has power saving keys. These are the Wake, Sleep and Power buttons that turn off your monitor and save energy when pressed.

And last but not least, this keyboard is designed to be quieter than the average keyboard which is great if you are up early or late and you don't want to keep the rest of the house up too.

*** Requirements ***

The keyboard will work with Windows 98, 2000, ME and XP and it doesn't need any drivers in order for it to work.

*** Setting it up ***

Because this is a USB keyboard, it needs to be plugged into a USB port located somewhere on your computer. I have a Packard Bell, Intel Pentium computer and there are two at the front and two at the back.I've found it easier to plug it into the front but if you don't have that option it isn't a problem. If you are having trouble finding your USB port look through the computer handbook and it should tell you where it is.

My advice would be to plug the keyboard in when the computer is off. This is for obvious safety reasons and also the computer can't freeze up when you put the keyboard in. Once you have switched the computer on and it has loaded up, it should say it has found new hardware. It will then take you through a few steps in order for it to recognize the keyboard. This shouldn't take long and it may want you to restart your computer before the new settings will work. If not you should find the keyboard works straight away.


*** Ease of Use ***

If like me, you are used to using a normal box shaped keyboard, you may find the Ergo Boards split key design a little hard to grasp at first.

First of all, it's bigger than the average box shaped keyboard so you have to further to press some of the keys such as the number pad or the arrow keys. Some of the keys are also at an angle so that can be hard to get used to.

I have found it's easier to type faster though as there aren't as many keys on each side as their is with them all together, which means you can designate one hand to each side. I find when the keyboard is all joined together my hands don't know where to go as much as they do with the split key design.

So far I haven't noticed any serious problems with using the keyboard. I got used to the keys after a couple of hours and now I'm typing quite fast. It all depends on how good you are at adjusting to things though. If you are a beginner you won't have anything to compare it to so I feel it will be easier than if you're used to using a different layout and then you are faced with this.


*** My Overall Opinion ***

I do like this keyboard but it does have it's faults. Although it says it is quiet, I find the spacebar makes a lot of noise. The other keys are quiet but the spacebar definitely lets the keyboard down in my opinion. Also, I don't know whether it was just my version, but when I first got the keyboard, I plugged it into my computer while it was on and it didn't seem to work with my version of windows. I had windows 98 on it and according to it's description, it works with windows 98. It said it couldn't find the hardware for it so that left me unable to use it. I now have windows millennium on my computer and it installed it with no problems although I have to stress that I already had the keyboard plugged in when I reinstalled windows and so it might not have worked before because I plugged it in while the computer was on. Personally I think that it didn't work on windows 98 because it recognizes less hardware than millennium does. So my recommendation would be make sure you have a version higher than windows 98 in order for it to definitely work.

The size of the keyboard is also a problem for me. This is because I don't have a proper computer table and it won't fit on with the computer like my other keyboard did. It's shape is also quite awkward because it's wider in some places than it is in others. So because it doesn't fit on my table with the computer I have to have it on my knee. This completely undoes any benefits of the wrist protector as I am having my arms and wrists in an awkward position and they start to ache after a while. So check before you buy that it will fit in the space you will be putting it in.

The last disadvantage I'd say is that if you are a beginner and this is your first keyboard, you will find it difficult adjusting to another one after this. This could be a problem if you work with computers because not very many companies will have one of these keyboards.Of course you could always ask them if you could take your own keyboard in?

However, it isn't all bad. I find the keys are very easy to press. You don't have to bang the keys down in order for them to work as the slightest touch seems to do the trick. I feel the design is quite funky and definitely different from the dull, boring, box ones. I also love the USB hubs at the back as they allow me to plug my mouse in there if it's easier to.

The fact that it is split makes it easier to touch type I think. This is because as I mentioned earlier, the keys are split into two sections (or at lest the letters are) which allows one hand to tackle one side and the other hand to tackle the other side. The fact that you only have to tap the keys also helps speed up typing although I must warn you if you aren't used to the layout you will make a few mistakes in the beginning.

The final thing I am pleased with is the control function keys. I knew what some of the keys did but I have learnt some new commands that I could use to save me some time in the future when typing things up.

So although I'd love to give this keyboard 5 stars out of 5, I feel because of the faults I have mentioned I can only give it 3. I don't hate it and I don't love it, it's just average. I would recommend getting one if you don't work with computers but if you do I can see why this one would put you off.

*** Price and availability ***

I bought mine from Ebay and it cost me ten pounds although it is worth thirty five pounds. I've never seen this keyboard around anywhere else but my recommendation would be to try places such as PC world and other big computer shops. Failing that do what I did and buy online. If you type in Belkin Ergo Board in google I'm sure you'll find somewhere that sells it.

Well I hope this review has helped you decided whether or not to buy.

Aimee xxx

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