In this modern, pixelated world, the computer keyboard has become a real everyday object, something we tend to touch more times than we realise. So why not seek out the best keyboard, one built from the features of lesser keyboards? That’s precisely what the CODE keyboard aims to do.
Designed by keyboard expert Weyman Kwong and developer/blogger Jeff Atwood, the CODE keyboard is a simple, backlit keyboard with big ambitions. In a blog post about the product, Atwood insists that it’s “the first truly great mechanical keyboard in exactly the form it needed to, with every detail just so.” Indeed, it is pretty tricked out. The “ultra-rare” Cherry MX Clear mechanical keyswitches offer the familiar bounce of classic keyboards without the obnoxious sound. They’re built on top of a steel backplate, too, making the 1.1kg device extra sturdy.
What looks more impressive about the CODE keyboard, though, are the modern features. It’s evenly backlit, just like the best laptop keyboards with cleanly designed symbols on all of the keys. There are even icons positioned on the sides of some keys to show off extra functions. Of course, the keys are all completely programmable through a set of DIP switches on the back. Speaking of which, this thing sits on study rubber pads and is perfectly portable with its detachable mini-USB cable.
One thing that the CODE keyboard is not is cheap. At $US150 for either the 104-key or the 87-key model, it’s almost double what you’d pay for most wireless keyboards and three times the price of Apple’s standard keyboard. And mechanical keyboards aren’t for everybody either. If you like the sleek profile of thinner, laptop-style keyboards, for instance, the CODE keyboard is probably not for you. But you have to respect the attention to detail. These guys really love keyboards. [Coding Horror]