Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 for Business - Wired

Im yet another Natural Elite fan saddened by the fact that Microsoft no longer makes it. If they started making it again and added some of the features this one has, Id buy a lifetime supply. I had this for about a week and really, really wanted to keep it. Having a dedicated calculator key was great, but even more useful were the page back and forward buttons and the toggle switch to change magnification. That toggle made my life much easier at work; I wish every keyboard had it. I didnt use the riser for the front of the keyboard, though I would have used it more had I kept it just to see if it made typing more comfortable. The padded wrist rest was nice, and the keyboard itself was easy to clean. And although I dont care much about aesthetics, my colleagues all commented positively on the keyboards appearance. Unfortunately, the negatives outweighed all of that. The biggest problem was that the typing experience just wasnt that good. Ive been using a split keyboard for years -- a Natural Elite, as it happens -- but having the center keys be larger than regular keys threw me off. Maybe it shouldnt matter, but it slowed me down and was very frustrating. Also, as noted by others, it is loud. My office has rather close quarters and everyone hears some noise from others, but my keyboard was far louder than other keyboards. Nobody complained, but I was bothered by the idea that I might be bothering others. Then there were the customizable hotkeys that never worked. I would seem to have them set one day, but they wouldnt work the next, and searching for help online didnt yield any useful advice. And then there was the fact that it came without instructions, not even so much as a slip of paper directing users to a web page for more info. Thats absurd. Even the cheapest electronic items Ive purchased have had a manual of sorts, either printed or online. It makes me wonder whether I got a legitimate product, a knockoff, or a refurbished model. After returning this one, I got a Perixx Periboard-512. Its not a sexy looking and it doesnt come with the awesome extras that the 4000 has, but its a smooth typing experience and I can type a report without everyone on my floor hearing me bang each letter. Ideally, Microsoft will someday resurrect the Natural Elite and add those oh-so-useful extras, but this is okay for now.

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UPDATE : - The space bar never "broke in" and was always inconsistent and a pain. - This keyboard is VERY fragile. I spilled a couple of DROPS of coffee on it (literally dripped out from my cup, not even a real spill), and five keys stopped working. Took it apart and cleaned everything inside but no dice, those keys are just dead now. 40 bucks in the garbage after less than two months of use. Googled around and have seen this is a common enough complaint. I realize electronics are not meant to be waterproof but youd expect a little bit of forgivable leeway.... Comfortable keyboard to use, and a nice layout. I have a few small nitpicks : 1. The space bar does not depress easily at first, but seems to have started to break in. At first I was often missing spaces when typing because the space bar basically felt stuck. 2. Theres only one Window key, on the left. My previous keyboard had one on the right that I was used to using. This is likely a common thing in modern keyboards. 3. I wish the little zoom toggle could be reassigned to scroll. But overall happy with the purchase.

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