Kinesis Maxim Ergonomic Computer Keyboard - PS/2

• More flexible than "natural-style" keyboards; no adaptation required.
• Select any opening between 0 and 30 degrees.
• Splaying the keyboard modules positions your wrist and hand in a neutral posture greatly reducing ulnar deviation.
• Compatible with virtually any PC system with a USB or PS/2 port.
• Dimensions: 15.1"W x 1"H x 6.5"D without wrist rest

First of all, you're probably wondering whether this keyboard is a good idea. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. I bought it to solve the specific problem of a standard keyboard being too wide. The mouse is located too far to the right with a standard keyboard because of the numeric keypad, and holding my arm up to move the mouse (hours every day) had strained my shoulder.

This Keyboard and a Logitech trackball solved my problem. I can now rest my elbows on the arms of my chair and move my hand easily and comfortably to the trackball without the constant strain on my shoulder.

I did not know whether I would like the angled keyboard, but I do like it. I would not want to go back to my old keyboard now.

Key feel is excellent and there is a quiet "click" as each key is depressed. I had hoped the Kinesis Maxim's key feel would resemble the IBM Selectric, but they are more like the keys in the old ADB Mac keyboards. They are excellent but not that much better than the keys in my standard white Mac keyboard, which also has excellent feel.

I ordered the PS-2 version by mistake. I would have preferred the USB/PS-2 switchable version. This PS-2 version is $20 less, so I decided to try a USB adapter. The first one, a molded adapter with PS-2 in and USB out, did not work. The second one, which had two cables with PS-2 in and a single plug with USB out, did work. I forget the brand, but it was specified as Mac compatible.

After the first adapter did not work, I tested the keyboard to see if it would work with a PeeCee PS-2 input. It worked fine. With the second adapter I was in business.

I could have left the keyboard layout alone and used the Windows key as the Mac Command key, but I used "System Preferences/Keyboard" to make both "Alt" and "Fn" work as the Mac Command Key, because I am used to the Command key being immediately to the left of the space bar. The ability to reassign these keys is built into OS X 10.4 "Tiger." I have read that earlier versions of OS X require a shareware program to reassign the Command key, although I have heard it is not difficult to get used to using the Windows key instead of the Command key.

So buy either version of this keyboard. Both will work with USB on a Mac. They are both less fatiguing than a standard keyboard and allow the mouse or trackpad to be placed closer to the right side of the keys.

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I've used this keyboard for eight years plus, and it's one of the best investments I ever made. There is a lot of flexibility in the way you can divide the two halves of the keyboard and in the way it can be angled vertically. The built-in wrist rests are a great advantage. At first I missed the numeric keypad -not for typing numbers but for typing ASCII codes for special symbols, including accent marks when I type foreign languages. I solved that by making a software switch in Windows from the standard U.S. keyboard to the U.S. International keyboard. There's a learning curve while you get used to the keystroke combinations but they are now second nature to me.

The only con: The wrist pads get grubby after several years, It would be better if the wrist pads were black, not gray, even though the kayboard itself is beige.

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This keyboard was a "work/life balance" saver for me! I'm a career counselor & type resumes and emails to clients all day. I had developed constant pain in my wrists, achy shoulders, sore elbows, even lower back pain. My employer called in an ergonomic specialist, as I wasn't the only one in pain, and she recommended the KINESIS Maxim. I agreed to try it...and never went back! Within the first few days I could tell a difference--less wrist and shoulder pain. I gave it 2 more weeks and by the end of three weeks I was pain-free and loved it so much I bought one for my own home office. That was 5 yrs ago, it's now 2010 and I have no complaints...twice I have gotten up too fast and slammed my desk chair into the wrist-rest, breaking off one of the rests--my bad. But at $12 to replace, not a serious problem. I also did NOT want a built-in number pad: a) I don't need it for the work I do, and b) the reach for the mouse, out past the usual keyboard with a number pad on the right, contributed to my shoulder pain. The Maxim allows my mouse to be much closer in; hence no shoulder pain! I also hate the flat keys of my home laptop and prefer the slightly scooped keys of the Maxim which fits nicely on my desk's pull-out keyboard tray.

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For the price I paid this is a very disappointing item. The two flaps where hands should rest are connected to the keyboard through 4 very fragile tabs. They broke the first time after a few weeks, just with usage, without falling or anything like that. I complained to the tech support and only after a long talk I convinced him to send me a replacement...which obviously broke again, since the concept is completely wrong and the plastic is of really bad quality. Furthermore, as another user wrote, these covers on the flap get dirty really fast, and I also wash my hands all the time. So pretty bad bad design and concept, for the price paid. Wish I could get my money back.

I have been using this keyboard full time since at least 1999. It has adjustable separation and adjustable angling so middle can be higher. Two adjustments for each, or you can use it flat. It has had very high use and has not failed. The mouse close to the keyboard because of no separate numerical keypad is an advantage for relaxed sitting and mousing positions--no reaching, just as someone mentioned. I highly recommend this keyboard to anyone, whether they have had tendonitis or carpel tunnel or not. It is a better hand position than the straight key design and not so cumbersome as some others with angled hand postions. I am pleased to see some laptops coming out with slightly angled keys (HP).