Product Description

To design a more comfortable keyboard, Microsoft conducted extensive ergonomic and usability research. The result is the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite. Its split, gently sloped shape encourages a natural hand position-so you can type more comfortably.The Natural Keyboard Elite allows you to place your hands, wrists and forearms in a naturally comfortable position. The built-in palm rest provides a comfortable place for your hands when you're not typing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #347 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: N/A
• Brand: Microsoft
• Model: A11-00337
• Released on: 2002-10-28
• Platform: Not Machine Specific
• Format: CD
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 2.20" h x 8.00" w x 18.00" l, 4.00 pounds

Features

• Keyboard features ergonomic design for comfort
• Multimedia controls for easy access to music and video files
• Enhanced F-key commands for customizable shortcuts
• Connects to PC via USB or PS/2 ports
• Attractive white finish

Amazon.com Product Description
Stay comfortable and work longer with the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite. The split, gently sloped shape of this keyboard allows you to type with a more natural hand, wrist, and forearm position. The ergonomic design helps to prevent poor posture and fatigue, so you can work longer at your computer. At the same time, enhanced F-key commands and a multimedia center give you more control over how your system works, enabling you to tailor your keyboard to match your needs.

Natural Keyboard Elite At a Glance: Ergonomic design for extra comfort. Multimedia controls. Enhanced F-key commands. Connects to USB or PS/2 port.

Designed For Comfort
You spend a lot of time with your hands on a keyboard, which is why comfort is key. The Natural Keyboard Elite features a split, gently sloped keyboard design that promotes a more natural hand and arm position. A built-in palm rest prevents fatigue, while adjustable keyboard legs ensure that you can find the typing position that works best for you.

More Control Over Your System
Get one-touch control over the computer functions you use the most with the Natural Keyboard Elite's enhanced F-key commands. Whether you want to enjoy your favorite music, video clips, or media programs, the multimedia controls give you quick and easy access to all the commands. You can even set the perfect sound level with the integrated volume controls.

Easy Connection To Your PC
The Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite connects quickly and easily to your PC through any available USB or PS/2 port. It is backed by a limited three-year warranty.

What's in the Box
The Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite connects quickly and easily to your PC through any available USB or PS/2 port. It is backed by a limited three-year warranty.

Customer Reviews

Keeps your wrists straight
I've been using my Microsoft keyboard for about 4 years now. I'm a fairly wide guy, and when I put my hands together, the arms are pointed in from the shoulders. If I'm using a regular keyboard my wrists have to bend outward from my arms to make my hands line up with the keys. Using the Microsoft keyboard, my wrists are more straight so long use doesn't tire them out. It also is supposed to reduce carpal tunnel syndrome where the tendons would have to bend through a bent wrist to work the fingers. The keyboard has all the regular keys laid out fairly well. It only takes a few minutes getting used to the split board. The cursor moving arrows and special function keys are in groups between the letters and number pad, which works well. One thing that seems strange is that the upper row, the numbers, are split between 6 and 7, instead of between 5 and 6. That's because there are the dashes and such on the right of that row. Seems strange though sometimes. You get used to it pretty quick. The wrist pad extension seems good too.

Good for wrists, not so good for wallet
I bought the very first issue of the Microsoft Natural keyboard when it came out. It lasted at least five years, after a terrible adjustment period of nearly three weeks. The next one lasted about 16 months. It went downhill for two or three keyboards after that. I've had several models, including the Elite and the Pro and the one with 99 buttons all over the place. The letters now wear off in six months unless you apply clear nail polish to the key tops right away and keep it up. You can't wash it in the shower any more, it no longer has good isolation inside. Use Dow Bathroom Bubbles on a microfiber cloth - rinse VERY carefully, holding the board upside down. Let it dry naturally, don't blow water all over with compressed air, the keyboard just isn't as sturdy as it used to be.

Your wrists/arms/hands can get so used to the comfort that it's impossible to buy a laptop because your wrists ACHE within minutes of using the usual flat keyboard. That's the only downside I see. Otherwise, this is the only affordable ergonomic keyboard around. Keep your receipts handy, tape them underneath the board, in case you have to use the warranty.

Problematic Key Configuration
I used an older Microsoft Natural keyboard for over five years, and it was excellent. By comparison, conventional keyboards are an occupational hazard. Unfortunately, I broke it while cleaning it, and I had to buy a new one. I picked up the Elite model without looking too closely ... but soon after I started using it, I was cursing under my breath ... because of the arrangement of the Home/Page Up/Page Dn/End/Delete/Insert and arrow keys. They've lost the inverted-T configuration used with the older Natural keyboard. Also, these keys are now half-sized, and therefore harder to hit. These may seem like minor quibbles to some of you -- but they preclude the possibility of hitting these keys without looking at them. This inability is detrimental to any serious touch-typist. I'm a full time IT professional, and as far as I'm concerned, this keyboard is unusable. (My suspicious mind guesses that Microsoft used this bogus configuration to push us to pay for the upscale Pro model, which has the correct key configuration.)