what is this, and why does it seem so handy?

[TdC]

http://www.zboard.com/us/

especially with the battlefield keyboard module!

have a look and tell me about it!

gosh I'm soooo tempted to crosspost!!

 

[Jonty]

Hey TdC

It's basically a keyboard designed for gaming. The buttons are arranged in a supposedly benefical way, with cardboard inserts available for your favourite games to indicate what each button does. Whilst this is a complete stab in the dark, I'm guessing in comes with a little bit of software which loads the allows the keys to work as intended in your favourite games.

It also comes with a 'normal' set of keys so you could ditch your existing keyboard for everyday typing. I wouldn't buy one myself, although perhaps I'm just being cynical

More specifics are available at http://www.zboard.com/us/products/products_zboardsystem.htm

Kind Regards

Jonty

P.S. That other fancy keyboard (which I'd sooner have ) may not be available after all as someone else patented the idea years back Products may, however, be on the market by the end of this year or the beginning of the next if the patent doesn't pose too much of a problem.

 

[FuzzyLogic]

If by other fancy one you mean the OLED, oh yes, gimme.




Those Zboard things just confuse me, plus it's $50 for the base then another $20 for each of the fascias. Looks to me like nothing more than an expensive gimmick really (so is the OLED one but that's far far cooler ).

 

[TdC]

it seems the base package gets you a regular keyboard and a generic gaming one that lends itself to FPS. as far as I can tell the BF2 insert is the same with a pretty background and preprogammed key functions like say/teamsay voip squad/voip commander etc.
programming that doesn't seem that much of a pain, and a layout with nice rubbery keys allowing me to scuttle about seems nice. still, my regular keyboard does this just fine.

</undecided>

 

[Jonty]

Seems to cost around £35 for the base plus two fascias, then between £7-10 for each additional fascia (although you can presumably download or make your own configurations for the fascias you have already).

Kind Regards

 

[TdC]

well, as far as I can discover, of the standard and the gaming fascia you get with the base model, the gaming one will suit most games. it seems a good idea to have a kbd specially suited for games since I've been playing lots of bf2 lately. hmm.

</still undecided>

 

[smurkin]

Tbh, for me, battlefield 2 is utter crap BECAUSE I can't format the keys to the configration I have been using for the past 10 years - it lies unused in the pile of dust behind my pc. I'll be buggered if I'm investing in hardware to play it the way I like it . Also, the little turd of a game wont accept my mouse buttons...its ...duuurrr..."that key configuration is alread in use".

Maybe if they ever patch the 201 known faults I might try to play it just so I didn't totally waste my money uke:

 

[.Wilier.]

A friend of mine from ZhG has one and he cant recommend it enough, seems to think if it had an arse, the sun would shine from it.

BTW, Ive never had any rebind problems at all, is that just me?

 

[DaGaffer]

I played around with a Zboard a couple of years ago at E3 (playing SOF2 as I recall). The remapping works OK, but the keyboard itself doesn't actually feel that nice to use; sort of square and uncomfortable. Personally, if I was going to buy a 'gaming' keyboard, I'd take a look at the Wolfclaw, it seems a better compromise. As it is I think I'll stick to my Eluminx, its not an ideal games keyboard but its very pretty

 

[wyrd_fish]

Tbh, for me, battlefield 2 is utter crap BECAUSE I can't format the keys to the configration I have been using for the past 10 years - it lies unused in the pile of dust behind my pc. I'll be buggered if I'm investing in hardware to play it the way I like it . Also, the little turd of a game wont accept my mouse buttons...its ...duuurrr..."that key configuration is alread in use".

Maybe if they ever patch the 201 known faults I might try to play it just so I didn't totally waste my money uke:

i had the same problem

you just have to fiddle with the config files and un assign teh ones you want, then you can assign them in game

 

[smurkin]

ummm..I use ctrl alt to left right strafe - nice big keys, good spacing, can find them in the dark. I tried editing the config, but as far as I can tell, there is no way of binding alt. Apparently the patch will fix this.

 

[wyrd_fish]

that's one crazy set up you've got your self, all the best with it

i use the arrow keys, mainly as i'm too stubbon to use wsad and some of the buttons above (home end etc) weren't avalible, so i had to track them down and un assign them

 

[Jonty]

Hi TdC

Sorry for not posting this earlier, I'm sure you've probably heard of it by now. Basically, Logitech has recently announced their 'G' series of gaming products.

The G15 keyboard features an LCD display which, software-pending, can show your in-game ammo, health, objectives etc. It also shows media information and system stats (e.g. track name and time, CPU speed and RAM usage etc.). The design comes with numerous 'G' keys which can be customised in sets to provide up to 54 unique keys for weapons, inventory items etc. If that wasn't enough every key is backlit, with customisable brightness, and there's an SDK if your favourite games/applications don't support the main LCD out of the box.

Sadly it's wired device, if that's an issue, and I'm not too sure about the design and the usefulness of the LCD, but it's an interesting move by a major player like Logitech.

They've also announced the G5 and G7 mice. Both use the M1000's laser technology, only this time with a 2000 dpi resolution, twice that of the M1000 which is even more than pretty much any optical mouse before it. Both mice even feature two buttons so you can adjust the DPI resolution mid-game according to which m4d sk1llz you're trying to show off. To add to the cool factor, the G5 device comes with a set of 16 minature weights which can be added or removed at various positions within the mouse to ensure you get the perfect setup.

DarkVision Hardware, along with many others, have some pretty shots of the keyboard and mice to go along with the Logitech keyboard and mice press statements. Both are due out around September-October reportedly costing $80 (G15 keyboard), $100 (G7 wireless mouse) and $70 (G5 wired mouse).

G7 Wireless Mouse

G5 Wired Mouse

G15 Keyboard

Kind Regards

 

[Ch3tan]

Man, I am so buying the g7

Anyone want a mx1000? heh.

 

[TdC]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Jonty again.

Thanks Jonts! That's a nice kbd imo, though like you I'm not entirely sure about that LCD with it. heh. other than that it is indeed good to see the big guns aligning towards the gaming niche in more than just mice and stuff.

I've got the m1000 laser mouse, and frankly it rocks though I still have yet to dial it in properly *lazy*

 

[wyrd_fish]

hummm, that keyboard looks increadably gimmicky

 

[Danya]

Looks the the control deck of a space shuttle or something!

 

[Yaka]

kb looks ugly, but not happy bout tyhe mouse, only recently got me saitek eclipse kb and logi 518 mouse so im not too happy about the g5 either

 

[Jonty]

I must admit I'm not too keen on the G15's design, but then again pretty much anything pales after seeing the mockups of the Optimus. Microsoft unveiled a rather intriguing Media Centre keyboard, but other than that I don't think I'll be in a rush to upgrade. As for the mice, the G5 and G7 look very impressive, particularly the customisability and accuracy. It'll be intriguing to see how Microsoft respond as I've long been a fan of their cheap(ish) and cheerful Intellimouse range. I recently

Kind Regards

Jonty

P.S. For those running 64-bit operating systems, note that Belkin don't as yet have any 64-bit drivers. I mention this only because I recently had to put off purchasing a nice Belkin wireless desktop set because of this (Microsoft's alternative naturally worked out of the box, though, and Logitech have x64 drivers too).

 

[TdC]

mockups of the Optimus

it's going to get built!! read the FAQ on the page woot!!

 

[Jonty]

I think someone had patented the idea several years before, though, Teedles Here's hoping it does get built, though, as it is undoubtedly very cool (I shudder to think how many batteries any wireless version would go through ).

Kind Regards

 

[Danya]

How much difference do these fancy mice even make? I recently upgraded from an old logitech optical to an MX510. It's a nice mouse and comfy to use, but really I can't tell much difference in the accuracy and whatnot.

 

[Embattle]

My MX700 is feeling old so I'lll most probably get the G7 to replace it.

 

[wyrd_fish]

I think someone had patented the idea several years before, though, Teedles Here's hoping it does get built, though, as it is undoubtedly very cool (I shudder to think how many batteries any wireless version would go through ).

Kind Regards

when ever / if it gets built, it had better play winamp visualisations

and i can't tell teh diff between fancy mice and bog stadard ones, but mx510s look swanky, and are dead comfey

 

[Jonty]

Hi Danya

I agree that, accuracy-wise, most of us (myself included) probably wouldn't know the difference between a normal optical mouse and, say, a 1000-2000 dpi laser mouse. I recently reviewed a pro-gaming mouse mat and, nice as it was, the claimed improvements in accuracy were hard to detect in all but a few intense gaming situations (say performing 180°-turns in a first-person shooter etc.). Otherwise, nice as it was, I wouldn't have bought one myself

I guess it's more the 'pro-gamers use/endorse this' so it must be good which gets most people (hence the seemingly ubiquitous 'fatal1ty' line of products).

Kind Regards

 

[Jonty]

Crikey, tis the season to release human input devices Rumours about Microsoft's next offerings were leaked a while back and we now have pictures.

Microsoft's next keyboard features a similar design to the previously announced multimedia keyboard, but features a 'natural' design, zoom slider, programmable keys, forward/backward keys in the centre of the keyboard etc.

There's also a laser mouse on the horizon, much akin to Logitech's new offerings in that it features programmable sensitivity and even the ability to program certain sequences and tie them to a button.

Courtesy: Gizmodo and Everything USB

Kind Regards