Product Description

Unlike other keyboards made today, each key on the Tactile Pro 2.0 is built on an individual Matias Mechanical Keyswitch. Based on the Alps Keyswitch, the new Matias Mechanical Keyswitch recreates the tactile feedback and force curve of the original Alps design, ensuring maximum performance, greater comfort, and faster typing speeds. You will feel the difference immediately. The Built-in USB 2.0 Dock lets you sync and charge your iPod, transfer files and download your digital photos at lightning speeds. Ideal for use with USB flash drives, MP3 players, digital cameras and other USB 2.0 devices. It's also much less clutter than a standalone dock or cable.
The Optimize key puts the commands you use most right at your fingertips. Hold down Optimize and you have entire rows of Cut, Copy, and Paste keys, so you'll never miss. Hold down Optimize and the keys under your right hand become arrow keys. Combine with Shift to select individual characters, words and even entire lines. Hold down Optimize and the Number Pad becomes an Arrow Pad. Combine with Shift to select multiple cells in Excel. A dedicated TAB key on the Number Pad lets you speed through forms and spreadsheets, and leaves your other hand free to flip through data being entered from receipts, documents, etc.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50820 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Black/Silver
• Brand: Matias
• Model: 2.0
• Dimensions: 8.00 pounds

Features

• Split-second access to - Arrow Keys, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Equal on Number Pad, Cut, Copy, Paste, Enter, Esc, Delete, Backspace, Erase Word, Select, Select All, Select Word, Move by Word, Web browser Back, Forward, Caps Lock and Num Lock

Customer Reviews

Good feel, but several annoyances
I've always been a big fan of the old Apple Extended II Keyboard and I've been using an Kensington Studioboard at home for several years. I decided to try this keyboard for work and I've been disappointed.

If you like the old-school, noisy keyboards, this one won't disappoint you in that regard. The keys feel nice, have a great tactile response, good travel, etc. It's really a pleasure to type on. The white Mac version has the alternate characters printed on the keycaps which is helpful.

Here are the problems I've found:

1) There are "ghosting" issues when you type too quickly. For example, if I type "ice" too quickly, it adds an extra , onto the end. Typing slowly, this isn't a problem, but it affects me all the time.

(I also verified something I read elsewhere: if you hold the right shift key and type "OP", instead of the P you get odd control characters)

Evidently this is because some keys share the same electrical paths and you only notice it when you type too quickly. People on the net say it was worse on the previous version of this keyboard.

2) The USB connection takes two cables and seems to be "stuffed into" the back. Basically, it seems too large to fit where it is placed. Also, there is only one available USB port on the keyboard so you lose ports rather than gain them.

3) There isn't a Caps Lock light so it's hard to tell if you are TYPING or just typing.

If I had purchased this keyboard on my own dime, I would have returned it. It's really too overpriced for all the flaws it has.

The perfect keyboard for mac old ADB keyboard users
Having cut my typing teeth on a selectric typewriter, this keyboard felt like "coming home."

I pondered a great deal about buying a keyboard and not being able to try it out first. Since I make my living doing medical transcription, I need speed, accuracy, and I depend on the keyboard being able to keep up with my fingers (roughly 120 WPM).

I checked out every review I could find on the web, even one that gave a sound bite of how loud it would be. I needed to be able to type over the sound. I already knew about the double USB 2.0 connection on the keyboard, but what a plus that is when you need to insert a quick data stick or an iPod charge, the connection is right there at your fingertips. So you lose one connection out of the back of your computer, but Matias brings it right out front, where it is far more useful.

If you are a macintosh person, do not hesitate for one second. You can choose the optimizer function or turn it off if you want, so that it works just like the old ADB's. Your F keys will work with your QuickKey assignments, or you can use the ones that mac gives you, take your choice. One great bonus was that it has a little light on the F13 key that tells you if the caps lock is on or off. I can do a quick glance to know that. If the caps lock is on, the light will be on. What a bonus.

I've been so happy with my keyboard, and it is in use all day every day.

One sad thing was that my husband also uses this keyboard but does not touch type. He pounds the keys kind of, in a two finger manner. As a result, one of our keys happened to break a spring (It's the old IBM bent-spring technology that is why it's loud). I called the company and to my delight it was the best customer service ever. And they're out of Toronto also. I gave my husband a stern warning about not pounding on it, because the keyboard is so responsive it's not necessary.

Overall, if you are a mac person, this is the keyboard for you. For you PC users, if you like the touch of the old selectrics go for it. Otherwise you have many other options available.

Probably the best keyboard your money can buy
I have bought 3 keyboards recently to match the premium IBM PS\2 keyboards of 20 years ago and only this keyboard met my expectations.

If you want the best tactile feeling keyboard with spring coils (not rubber dampers) in each keys, then look no further. This keyboard is a gem.

The OEM manufacturers,IBM and Apple in particular, have stopped producing premium keyboards during the 1990s when the PC prices fell below $1000. Those who have used Mac and IBM PS\2 keyboards in the late 80s and early 90s know what a premium keyboard with high quality components feels like.

This keyboard feels and looks very similar to Mac keyboards in the late 80s, which was very similar in quality, but slightly lighter in feel, to the IBM PS\2 keyboards. You will definitely hear the "click" sound, which is louder than the inferior quality keyboards, similar to the old Mac keyboards.

I can't say these keyboards are good value for the money since you can easily purchase a usable keyboard for $20. These cost more than 6 times as much. Certainly, these keyboards are not 6 times as good, but they are certainly better in tactile feel and component quality.

The USB cable is a generous 5 feet long. There is only a single USB input port, which I use for a mouse. Strangely, the USB output requires two USB connections to the computer (one for keyboard and the other for USB 2.0). So if your PC or laptop has only one free USB port, you may need to get a USB hub and an extra cable.