The Keyless Keyboard

If you have carpal tunnel or RSI you know that finding the perfect keyboard is a necessity. There are a number of really wacky alternative input contraptions, but very few grab your eye quite like the "Orbitouch" from Keybowl. The "Orbitouch" is unique in being one of the only keyless keyboards that allows you type without finger or wrist motion.

After using the "Orbitouch" I honestly think it's particularly appealing for your average geek guy. What guy doesn't want to spend the day typing by placing his hands on two domes and manipulating them to form letters? If they'd just make a silicon version, this keyboard might sell outside the carpal tunnel/RSI market.

Spending a day typing with an "Orbitouch" keyboard, I found it did help me avoid exacerbating some carpal tunnel symptoms. However, it's very slow to use to type anything. If keyboards were cars, then in terms of speed, the "Orbitouch" is a '72 Pinto. With no wheels.

Supposedly, you can get good enough with the "Orbitouch" to type at 40 words per minute. With a few hours of typing I was only able to get to 20 wpm, so I assume it just has a big learning curve. Overall, I like this product. It does get rid of some of the symptoms I experience from typing on a regular keyboard, and it's fun to practice typing with it. The price tag is a bit hefty, so I would only recommend it if you have carpal tunnel/RSI issues or a deep and profound love of big domes.

posted by: TechDiva