[Figit090]

Let's see your Kinesis ergonomic keyboards!
I want to know who has them on this forum! Post a pic if you can, especially if you've modded your board!

For those unaware, Kinesis is a company that makes really nice ergonomic keyboards. One of their goals is to provide comfort and productivity to input devices. Their designs put flat, staggered-layout keyboards to shame when it comes to comfort and typing speed.

The contoured model (Advantage) features Cherry MX Brown, or Cherry MX Red switches. They're currently working on a new model at the time of this posting , and I'm very excited to get my hands on it!

Here's a few of their models, the Advantage, Freestyle2, and Maxim:



Here's my Classic, I modified mine by adding RGB LEDs to the interior, then I wired that to my tower for full control with a RGB controller. From memory it has about 30-40 LEDs in it.

 

[natas206]

Great thread

Here is my current:




Past:




And here is one of the coolest mods I've seen:

 

[Figit090]

Quote:

Originally Posted by natas206

Great thread

Here is my current:



Past:



And here is one of the coolest mods I've seen:

Nice board, that's cool to see the clear! ...and the white home row keycaps! Are those prototype parts? How did you do the brushed steel effect?

That modded board is a pretty cool design, if a bit cluttered. The palm keys look like they might be a bit in the way but I suppose I shouldn't rest my hands in that location anyway.

 

[natas206]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Figit090

Nice board, that's cool to see the clear! ...and the white home row keycaps! Are those prototype parts? How did you do the brushed steel effect?

Both of the cases are sample units that we never went forward with. I like the brushed steel case the best (I believe the problem with this was maintaining a good consistency; only a few turned out really well).

 

[Figit090]

Quote:

Originally Posted by natas206

Both of the cases are sample units that we never went forward with. I like the brushed steel case the best (I believe the problem with this was maintaining a good consistency; only a few turned out really well).

woah that's awesome! I honestly thought the stainless one was a vinyl applicated print or a dipped plastic. It's probably good you didn't do clear because that seems like an acquired taste, especially if the innards aren't aesthetically pleasing. I have to say the Kinesis contour looks good with it though, and you can't see a whole lot of messy innards so it seems fine. I'd be tempted to paint the PCB's white or black, then light it.

Clear on some devices reminds me of clear toys and cheap bubble blowers, and 1993 or thereabouts peripherals. I have a Datadesk Trackboard and I thought it was neat when I found it but now, not so much. Same with an ugly lighted serial trackball I have.

I would LOVE to see my lighted version utilizing the transparent body though! Got any extra shells??

Also, the stainless steel would be my favorite, and definitely one for delorean owners! If you made that work I'd buy one and I'd bet they'd be popular, but I do see how tooling one would be tricky compared to a molded design.