Chiclet keyboards, like or horror?

[erixx]

Hi,
just out of my head, I have been looking at laptops and it is harder every day to find ones with human friendly, curved top keyboards, and more and more laptops, ultrabooks and even desktop keyboards get infected by "chiclet" keyboards. Don't know if it's another "only style - no use" Apple patent like their mouses and I don't care.
But would like to know if manufacturers are totally disorientated or it is just me (most likely, but still... haha)

PS: "Chiclet" means a totally square and flat key.

Non chiclet:

 

[brandonwh64]

Are you sure....?

 

[erixx]

LOL, who knows! Who called it chiclet first?

 

[Frederik S]

Horrible typing experience. Also the key spacing is off compared to a normal keyboard making them even slower to type on.

 

[Nordic]

I personally like them, and am using them right now. I will agree on key placement being off, by a little. I often miss the backspace and the number keys above the letters.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Eh idk; we have Macs at work and these types of KBs didn't take long for me to get used to when they dropped and pretty much everyone wanted one too cause they looked cool compared to the bulky old plastic ones and I never heard any usability complaints. Granted, we aren't exactly heavy on text input around here, but still.

 

[Munki]

I like them for the look, but not for typing (Although, I have adjusted)

 

[de.das.dude]

chicklet is crap.

also the makers of the original chicklet gum shoud sue apple for usign the word chicklet. just so that apple gets a taste of their own medicine/

 

[newtekie1]

I don't have a preference either way, so I selected Yes.

 

[Fourstaff]

It works and I don't have any problems with it. Its not the equipment, its the typist. Unless of course you suffer from finger arthritis or some other medical conditions, in which case you are excused.

 

[Binge]

I use this at work...

If I had a notebook/lappy it would also have a neighboring keyboard in the case.

It works and I don't have any problems with it. Its not the equipment, its the typist. Unless of course you suffer from finger arthritis or some other medical conditions, in which case you are excused.

Peripherals are made to suit the person. Even if your statement is true. The OP made this about user preference not if chicklet keys make people a worse typist. Everyone is excused for their preference. Mine is that I wouldn't be caught dead using a non-standard keyboard unless I was disabled. I type faster and more accurately without having to spend free time executing typing exercises to change muscle habit.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

All my generally positive comments notwithstanding...I wouldn't try to game with one.

 

[erixx]

That's for another poll

Can we conclude that a traditional keyboard is better for massive typing, and this chicklet style is more for the sporadic typing, like mails, usernames, passwords, and tweets... ? Some of us have gone to a paid typewriting academy and want some return of investment, and going to a non-blind typing keyboard is nonsense.

 

[Easy Rhino]

they are the same. if someone gives you a tool and you don't use it properly then it is your fault. it is the poor worker who blames his tools. adapt or die.

 

[Binge]

I can agree but we live in an age of options where standards tend to be ignored with products outside of the professional atmosphere. Chiclets often use different spacing than the original rounded concave low profile notebook keys. Both use the same switches, but for the sake of aesthetics a bunch of manuf. are making non-standard layouts with non-standard spacing. Tools vs toys are like apples vs oranges. With all due respect I see the point, but if you were given a lot of options at one point in your toys and then the toys no longer had the option wouldn't it make you disappointed? Nobody NEEDS the standard notebooks available today, and professional mobile computers have standard layouts. I suggest anyone looking for a tool invests their money in standards to reduce time spent on adjusting to non-standard layouts.

 

[Frick]

they are the same. if someone gives you a tool and you don't use it properly then it is your fault. it is the poor worker who blames his tools. adapt or die.

It's still a matter of preference. If you're going to use something extentively why not get something you like?

 

[Widjaja]

Took time getting adjusted to them, like anything which is slightly different from what you are used to.

 

[Easy Rhino]

It's still a matter of preference. If you're going to use something extentively why not get something you like?

of course.

 

[[Ion]]

I don't like them. IMO, the "traditional" Thinkpad keyboards gave a typing experience closest to that of a quality desktop keyboard (obviously not like the Das Keyboard, but I still find them amazing to type on). The chiclet style keyboards, of which I've tried a variety (Apple, Lenovo, and HP) are less pleasant to type on. The keys feel wrong, don't make as satisfying of a depression, and the spacing/layout is wrong.

 

[xBruce88x]

I don't necessarily hate the keys themselves, but I hate the spacing of the keys.

The perfect keyboard for me would be a laptop like (as in slim keys) keyboard that's also mechanical, if such a think is possible. Though I like the laptop key's feel due to the scissor lift/support they have under them, but adding mechanical switches would be awesome if they could be made small enough

 

[AsRock]

It works and I don't have any problems with it. Its not the equipment, its the typist. Unless of course you suffer from finger arthritis or some other medical conditions, in which case you are excused.

Maybe people with large hands too have a easier time with chicklet style layouts ? ( or even fat fingers ).

 

[tacosRcool]

I have no grips for my laptop but my desktop is a Razer Marauder keyboard and I love it!

 

[adulaamin]

Chiclet keyboards are okay but I prefer a traditional one. I think chiclet keyboards just need some getting used to.

 

[Bonzo]

It's still a matter of preference. If you're going to use something extentively why not get something you like?

Actually, when it comes to laptops it's a matter of trade-offs. If everything else on the laptop is great, but it's got a lousy chiclet keyboard, you get the laptop and hope you can retrain your fingers for the inferior keyboard.

 

[micropage7]

wow old thread is back
chiclet is good if you need space between the keys but personally they are the same
one more chiclet looks nice so why many use them