Did you know that some experts believe that the use of any keyboard may cause serious injury to ones hands, wrists, arms or even worse the back or the neck - they even say that if you experience pain, numbness or weakness in any of the mentioned body areas whilst using a keyboard then you should seek help from a qualified medical professional. - And to make matters worse the so called experts have given this condition a name: Carpal Syndrome -

Now, how should one react to such a statement?

Or could it all just all be a selling ploy as the often overlooked keyboard is finally getting more attention from all corners of the PC industry - a piece of computer hardware that is no longer dull looking , flat and rectangular like the keyboards of old. - Instead the traditional QWERTY layout has evolved into this sophisticated and advanced peripheral. Hardware equipment that delivers exceptional design as well as ergonomic comfort when in typing action. The features just don't stop there: hot-keys, extra keys, short cuts, multimedia keys, wireless, and USB connector. - Keyboards are simply being designed to accommodate the consumer's lifestyle. These little babies are on demand and whether you're into playing games, browsing the internet, typing letters, doing spreadsheets or reading emails you can now buy a keyboard that is equipped to suit your needs.


I have to confess I am one of those people that eat (crisps & chocolate), drinks and smokes over my keyboard hence you all know what happens to the state of ones keyboard when you do that. Disgusting habit I know , but I do try and catch the cigarette ash before slipping in between the letters but to no avail lol - Don't blame me , blame the Dooyoo member who submitted a 4,000 word review - as I am reading I am all unawares & my cigarette consumes away. OOops! - There goes another snowflake of ash, landed on letter H this time lol. So taking by bad habits into account as well as the poor condition of my Logitech keyboard it was time to up-grade to a new one. I have a cool PC and a very nice VDU flat screen and so I wanted a keyboard that was small in size but had the wow factor. Basically, I was looking for something different to what I was used to , a keyboard that is reasonably priced , had the simple looking UK QWERTY layout but with no multimedia keys that you tend to find on keyboards these days (how annoying) but at the same time I wanted one that had a trendy innovative design to it. Was I asking for a lot here? I think not as word of mouth pointed me to the right direction and that is how I found out about the Saitek Eclipse keyboard - The moment I saw it, I had to have it & so out came the credit card and did the purchase - Amazon purchase @ £34



[Company Name:] - Saitek

[PC Keyboard Model:] - Saitek Eclipse

[Price:] - £25 - £ 35 - Amazon or Ebay.



[Packaging & Installing Keyboard]
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Normally I don't bother talk about the packaging of a product but this time around I feel that it needs mentioning - Having bought keyboards in the past where by the packaging was flimsy & poor hence the contents in the box would sometimes arrive all disorganised and out of place when opening. The installation disc , USB leads and instruction manual all over the place and worse scenario is when you receive damaged goods and your newly purchase product has to be returned. The Saitek keyboard cuts no corners when it comes to delivering it goods - housed in a tough cardboard box you can rest assured the keyboard and its contents have no room for manoeuvre. You can shake the box before opening but you won't hear a thing - all neatly compressed into its interior compartments making sure that whilst in transit the goods arrive safely & in good condition. A well packaged product that speaks volumes on presentation.

I am all in favour for advanced technology but more so when the state-of-the-art technology in use is simple to operate & understand. This is exactly what you will find if you purchase the Saitek Eclipse keyboard - installing the non-wireless peripheral hardware equipment is so easy, so much so that you are up & running in 5 seconds. The plug and play design with USB connector connects into one of your computer USB ports and that's all you have to do. The Add New Hardware wizard will appear and the computer will then automatically install the correct drivers for the keyboard. - Note: No installation CD is needed - A five second process from the moment you take the keyboard out of the box to when you plug it into the computer USB port.- Its remarkably that simple - the quickest hardware installation I have come across.


[Saitek Eclipse - Looks & Design]
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This unique bone-shaped keyboard is exceptionally designed and one that can accommodate the private home or the office - a classic 104 key QWERTY layout featuring a host of technology enhancements. The solid black weighted base with large rubber feet keep the keyboard securely planted and positioned to the desk - unlike the lighter and hollow keyboard models that easily slide out of position. Its unusual and interesting shape (looks like a long and thin bone) is designed to use up as little desk space as possible - an excellent feature for those that have very little room to place the keyboard. The metal looking silver keys cry out quality, perfectly shaped and evenly spaced apart to accommodate any finger size. The silver colour keys compliments the black keyboard base giving it the overall stylish finishing touch. A stand out feature on the QWERTY layout keyboard and one that I quickly noticed is the space bar key - its short and fat as oppose to long and thin. Well cool!

Now comes the best part - The Saitek Eclipse is a backlit keyboard with illuminated blue keys. All of the keyboard characters as well as the edges of the keys glow brightly, all of which are visible in any lighting environment. The Eclipse features TruVu keys that allow the lighting to glow through each laser-etched key - making it possible to read the keys in the dark. This unique illuminated characteristic gives the keyboard a truly stunning look - a sci-fi innovative modern image that plays its purpose wonderfully. - Late night internet surfing, no need to turn the light/lamp on and disturb other family members, you can simply type away in total darkness. Or, as all gamers know that when the lights are switched off you create an atmospheric ambiance to a game, always better and more enjoyable to play. The Saitek Eclipse keyboard will support this mood - so look no further if your one of those gamers that like to play into the early hours of the morning.

Like the majority of keyboard nowadays they all come with angle adjustment feet for maximum comfort as well as the removable & adjustable wrist rest, the Saitek Eclipse is no exception. The wrist rest easily clips on/off and is made of high quality material as is the black solid keyboard base. I don't use the wrist rest, no need and besides was never a fan of this additional part to the keyboard - and this goes for all models. This keyboard model only has 4 small additional keys, located top right corner - useful controls that change you computers audio volume as well as the brightness of the illuminated keys (full brightness/half brightness or off completely) - bar this the Saitek Eclipse has a clean cut layout and that's exactly what I wanted. It does the basics and does them very well - I have no need for all these multimedia extra keys that ram the keyboard fascia, keys that I don't plan to use. However, if you like all of these additional extras and shortcuts on your keyboard then this model is definitely not for you.


[Saitek Eclipse - Features & Performance]
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At first sight it is so evident that this product is quality, the excellent packaging alone showed signs of good things to come but we all know looks can deceive. As I have previously been fooled by looks instead of substance when purchasing other computer hardware peripherals, I wasn't getting carried away this time around even though I did like the keyboard design - a design that most definitely has the WOW factor when you first set your eyes on it. I purchased this keyboard in June 2007, so after 8 months of constant use I can gladly say that this little baby continues to have the WOW factor, not only in looks but also in quality performance.

The countless hours and usage spent on this keyboard has not fazed it one bit - The Saitek Eclipse shows no hint of wear on neither the key characters nor a brightness glow reduction in the illuminated backlit LED feature. Instead the edges of the laser etched characters are fresh looking and the blue glowing light still has a sharp definition when using in the dark. Now, for the important part when using any keyboard & that's the typing action involved. The Eclipse sure does deliver an excellent tactile feedback, an ergonomic key design for silent and comfortable typing action. When keys gets depressed it gives off clunking sound that is not noisy nor does it distract you when taking on the many tasks on your PC - the clickety-click cheap sound that we have become so accustomed to is a feature the Saitek Eclipse have definitely worked on to avoid.

The UK QWERTY layout and keys are simply sleek looking and the keystroke feels great when typing - your typing speed will definitely improve with this keyboard due to its superb design & comfort when using. Working in total darkness really is amazing, no need to reach out and switch the lights on as the TruVu technology takes care of all of this. Initially I had my doubts, but the lighting glow through each laser etched key continues to be just as sharp as the first day I bought it - making it possible to read all the keys in the dark.


Note: Installation for users of Windows 2000/Windows XP & XP64


[A quick recap on the features:]
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~ 104 Key Keyboard With illuminated Keys
~ Laser Etched Key Characters
~ Solid Weighted Base
~ Comfortable Adjustable Wrist Rest
~ TruVu Keys
~ Volume/Bright Buttons To Control The Blue LED Backlighting.


[My Final Verdict - The Saitek Eclipse]
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This stunning looking clean-cut keyboard is a fantastic purchase and well worth the money, so much so that I bought myself another one, that's the impression it's made on me. Its all nicely boxed and put in the loft for when I need it. The Saitek Eclipse is an exceptional keyboard design for home & office use and one that will sure turn heads. And although this hardware PC component works via a USB connector and is not wires-free please don't let this put you off. I`ve used several wire-less keyboards in the past and there is no doubt this feature is enticing but not imperative. You can do a lot worse than the Saitek Eclipse keyboard. - A model well worth considering.

Note: This is the Saitek Eclipse not the Saitek Eclipse II its newer brother - So if you plan to purchase one of these take this into account - Although both models offer the illuminated backlight feature they are completely different in style as well as the features & key layout.



Highly Recommend!!



Thanks .........© Stroody 2008