New Standard Keyboards NSK 535 R Keyboard

We can trace the roots of the modern day keyboard back to 1868, theyear when Christopher Latham Sholes patented the typewriter. The bulky contraptionwould eventually evolve to the QWERTY boards we use today, but thatfirst typewriter used an alphabetic arrangement consisting of two rows.It took just four years for QWERTY to render the alphabetic arrangementobsolete, and only the Dvorak keyboard has given it a run for its money.

Like all old fads, the alphabetical approach is trying to make a comeback, or at least a partial one. New Standard Keyboardssent us their NSK 535 R, a four row keyboard arranged alphabeticallythat targets hunt and peckers, or those otherwise unable to typewithout looking down. Will this new (old?) keyboard deep six thecurrent standard QWERTY arrangement that dominates the desktoplandscape today, or is it just another poseur that will sink intooblivion?

Upon opening the box we find a CD and several pageswith instructions, specifications, FAQ sheet, and the colorful keyboarditself. The CD contains a Microsoft PowerPoint viewer and instructionson how to use the keyboard. There is no installation CD required; justplug it into a USB port and Windows will take care of the rest.

The first thing that caught our eye (besides thecolorful exterior) was the size of the keyboard. Measuring 316mm x128mm x 23.3mm (12.5in x 5in x 1in for those of us in the States), theNSK 535 R is small enough to fit in a laptop carrying bag.  And despitethe portable stature, the keys are noticeably larger than a standardkeyboard; a big plus for anyone with large hands, or those that may owna Jitterbug cell phone.

In addition to typing, we also played some games, whichrequired much less of a learning curve. In fact, other than having toremap the keys inside the game (such as the directional WSADcombination, which are not located in the usual position), we foundgaming to be no different than a standard keyboard; we still got pwnedby mouthy teenagers in CSS regardless of which keyboard we used.

We also had a 10 year old girl give the keyboard a try, since in allfairness, it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Naturally, sheliked the look of the colored keys, and we found them to be a plus forusing this unusual key layout. But alas, in this limited subjectsample, the new layout grew tiresome and she ultimately reverted backto her standard one.

OUR RECOMMENDATION

There's a reason some designs are considered 'tried and true,'and the standard QWERTY keyboard is no exception. For anyone alreadytrained on the QWERTY layout, convincing them to switch to analphabetical arrangement is going to be a tough sell. There's somedebate on whether or not an alternate arrangement could result infaster typing (as claimed by Dvorak proponents), but the question todayis, can an alphabetical arrangement lend itself to better efficiency?

In our opinion, the answer is a definite quite possibly maybe. Ifyou're already trained in QWERTY, we don't see much benefit in startingover again. On the other hand, if you're not already trained in eitherQWERTY or Dvorak, then an alphabetical arrangement could prove to bejust as worthwhile. And if you're a hunt and peck typist, there's abenefit to be had in this arrangement. Of course, if you're fan of thislayout, your keyboard options become greatly limited, as you won't findthe alphabetical arrangement being utilized by the typical big nameperipheral manufacturers.

In the end, it's tough to recommend the NSK 535 R to anyone otherthan the hunt and pecker not already adept at using the QWERTY layout.We love the portability, and the big keys are a boon to those that needthem, but functionally, we don't see a big market for an alphabeticalkeyboard in a QWERTY dominated landscape.

PROS

1. Keyboard size and cable management makes transport easy
2. Large keys a definite plus
3. Colored keys help the learning curve

CONS

1. Non QWERTY layout
2. Sticker on back of keyboard is not very handy
3. Having to use multiple key’s to do standard keyboard tasks