If you type with all fingers in the right spots - this keyboard's for you.
Pros:
Very comfortable, wrists don't get tired as quickly, quiet.
Cons:
You have to type the right way, not good for some games.
The Bottom Line:
Great for typing, easy on your wrists, might not be great for some games.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I've used this keyboard for about a year now - I have one at home, and anohter one at work. I do have to use regular keyboard here and then, so by now my hands have learned to adjust from one to another in the matter of seconds.
I bought this keyboard at the trade show for $25 back when Staples was selling it for $55.
If you're typing with 2 fingers all over the keyboard
I have a friend who types with 2 fingers on each hand, and he randomly hits the keys with left or right hand. Sometimes he'll hit a key all the way on the right with the left hand and vice versa. If you're one of those people, you'll probably hate this thing. As the matter of fact my friend could type about 90 WPM on a regular keyboard and on this one he was barely pusing 20.
Getting used to
If you type the right way, however, it'll probably take you about 5-10 hours of typing to get used to this piece. Once you get it it'll take you a long long time to become comfortable on both split and regular keyboarad. I have to go from keyboard to keyboard a lot (split, regular, sun, full size laptop and mini-laptop) so my hands kindof adjust to keyboard size/shape in a few seconds, but it takes time.
Will you type faster?
Don't think so. Maybe the fact that you're comfortable will make you type a little faster, but for me it's the same 60 WPM on regular or split keyboard.
Keys
The keys fall in very nicely, you practically don't have to apply any pressure to them, and you feel that "click" when you push on the key.
This is not the quietest keyboard I've seen, but it's definitely on the quieter side. If you share the office with someone they'll only hear you typing if they really try to listen.
Wrists don't get tired as quickly
Here's where the ergonomical design comes into play - you wrists REALLY DON'T get tired as quickly as on the regular keyboard. If I'm taking a break from typing I can stop typing, but there's no need for me to take hands off the keyboard. With regular keyboard you have to take your hands off and kindof shake the wrists in the air.
Some people say that if you type a lot (like meny of us do) there's a chance of eventually developing joint condition if wrists are not positioned properly. This keyboard definitely helps, but don't forget the seating posture and a good keyboard tray...
Durability
So far both of my keyboards have had no problem - keys are not getting stuck, not falling in, and they feel like new. Not sure what happens when you spill coffe on it, most keyboards don't handle that very well. My coffe tends to aim for the mouse more often.
Delete-End-Home-etc.. buttons
This is one of the things that you don't use as often, so it'll take extra long to get used to it. I still look at those keys sometimes when I have to use them. Unlike on a regular keyboard where they're positioned 3 across 2 down on this keyboard they're positioned 2 across 3 down. I guess they were trying to save on the width of the keyboard so it would fit the keyboard trays, but it's a lot of pain using those keys.
Function keys
I almost never use function keys, but if you use those a lot - guess what - time to reteach your fingers. Unlike on the regular keyboard where the keys are in groups of 4 on this keyboard there's 2 groups: 1 through 5 and 6 through 12
Not good for some games
You know those games where you keep one hand on the mouse and one hand on the keyboard (i.e. my favorite: Starcraft) - this keyboard might slow you down a little because now if you need to hit a key on the right side of the keyboard with the left hand not only you have to go an extra inch, that key will be tilted more comfortable for the right hand, but less comfortable for the left hand. When I play that game I preffer to play on my laptop where keyboard is about half the size of Microsoft Split piece, but that's minor details.
Great for corner desk
I have a corner desk, and I have computer in the center. So half of my keyboard is sitting on one side of the table, and half on the other (I don't have a keyboard tray). When I type I put one elbow on the left side of the table and one on the right. Thanks to the split design I don't have to split my wrists 45 degrees on each hand.
