Are you finding that you seem to be forever living behind your keyboard and more often than not a painful experience? If so, you might want to give the Truly Ergonomic Cleave Keyboard a try. While the name best describes it, it’s designed to allow you to maximize your typing experience with less fatigue and strain on your hands and also body posture.
The layout of a standard keyboard descended from the original typewriter, a design created for speed and efficiency that’s more or less remained in place since the 1860s. We’ve seen keyboards given added functionality, become more rounded and even split into two halves in an attempt to be more ergonomic and finger friendly, but with limited success.
The Cleave, designed in Canada offers a uniquely split symmetrical layout that aligns naturally with your hands. It still incorporates all the standard full-sized keys but in an almost columnar layout. It maintains traditional spacing between keys while using 40 per cent less space. As a result, you can cover more real estate on the keyboard without having to reach out, minimizing and potential wrist and shoulder pain.
In addition to the ability to place your forearms, wrists and hands in a neutral position a cushioned palm rest keeps your hands comfortable to further lessen the pressure on your wrist.
Differences from Traditional Keyboards
To maximize the ergonomics, there are some changes from a traditional keyboard. The more common and important function keys like the Backspace, Delete, Shift and Enter are not placed on the perimeter as you might expect, but rather at the centre for quick and easy access and typically where your strongest fingers are.
The individual keys consist of unique optical, infrared mechanical switches, which use infrared light rather than metal or rubber contacts to register the keystroke. This makes the keyboard accurate and effortless while doing away with many of the issues that plague traditional mechanical keyboards.
For many, the feel of the keys is important to them. Different strokes for different folks – if you pardon the pun. The keyboard is offered with three variant key switches for you to choose from at the time of purchase.
Three Key Styles
Tactile Silent keys are silent yet provide feedback from the keys you can feel. Tactile Clicky keys generate a click with each keystroke you can hear in addition to feedback for a more traditional typing experience. The third option are Linear Silent keys where you don’t feel or hear anything. Select the option that best aligns with your typing style.
The keyboard itself has a very durable overall design. The body is composed of aerospace-grade aluminum, allowing it to be strong yet slim and sturdy. It measures 13.6 x 8.8 x 1.25 inches (345 x 225 x 33 mm), and weighs two pounds (950 grams) including the cushioned palm rest.
Other features include white LED backlight control to suit whatever lighting conditions you like to work in. You can create your own cool backlight effects – something you’d love if you’re a gaming enthusiast and you can even select which keys you want backlit.
It features an innovative advanced nanocoating shield to protect the surface from water, dust and even those pesky food crumbs –because who doesn’t like to eat or snack sitting at their keyboard during those lengthy Zoom calls or YouTube video marathons.
Truly Ergonomic Cleave Keyboard is great enhancement for your computer especially if you’re going to be spending more time than ever before in front of a screen. And regardless as to whether it’s because of a lockdown, the cold of winter or you just have more time on our hands, you might as well be able to do your computing in comfort.
Admittedly, it does look a little out of the ordinary, although it will certainly create an interesting topic for conversation. One small item to note is that like most laptop computers, it does not have a separate numeric keypad. But unless you’re a bookkeeper or an accountant, you’d likely never use it anyway.
Truly Ergonomic Cleave Keyboard is available directly from the manufacturer. It retails for C$330.00 but currently available for only $249.99 or 25 per cent off with free shipping to anywhere in North America.
The syndicated edition of the article appears at Troy Media and 32 affiliated syndicated sites.
Greg Gazin, also known as the Gadget Guy and Gadget Greg, is a syndicated veteran tech columnist, communication, leadership and technology speaker, facilitator, blogger, podcaster and author. Reach him @gadgetgreg or at GadgetGuy.ca.
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