Polyglot friendly computer keyboards

[outcast]

I have been searching online and found a few, I was wondering if anyone here has used one or bought one and what they think about it.

Basically a keyboard where each key is some sort of mini-display unit I assume that can change the icon displayed according the keyboard layout you want, which of course means any language layout and writing system you want. Another type is just a screen with the keyboard type displayed customizable.

I am seriously thinking of buying one as one of my rewards for learning Chinese successfully (not yet but getting closer), and Korean to a basic level.

I am a bit of a fan of fancy keyboards myself anyway, so this could kill two birds with one stone: practical and also just space-age looking.

Edit: ...but they do seem very hard to find and EXPENSIVE

[leosmith]

I use this one.

[Alphathon]

The only ones I'm aware of that fit your description are the Optimus keyboards (http://www.artlebedev.com/optimus) but I've never tried them, and as you say they are incredibly expensive. (The only one currently available is the Optimus Popularis at $1500!)

I use this one.

I think they're after a physical keyboard. An android virtual keyboard isn't much use on a computer.

[Cainntear]

There have been rumours that Apple are going to start integrating mini e-ink displays with future keyboards for reconfigurability, but I'm not sure if that's all the keys or just the function keys.

Personally, though, I'm happy with a print-out of the key layout stuck on my wall beside the screen when I'm learning to type on a new layout -- it's better practice than looking at your fingers all the time anyway...

[Saim]

Personally, though, I'm happy with a print-out of the key layout stuck on my wall beside the screen when I'm learning to type on a new layout -- it's better practice than looking at your fingers all the time anyway...

Since I can never be bothered to go and get anything printed I just use the On-screen Keyboard built into Windows (it's in the Control Panel). Am I the only one?

[Stefan]

The seem to be three options:

- Cool Leaf Keyboard (v2)
- Optimus Popularis
- A virtual keyboard

Both of them get bad reviews and I wouldn't manage without buttons since I only write by touch.

A fourth option would be to create a custom layout and have a company like WASD create it for you. This is the first time I stumbled upon them so make sure to do your research. Similar would be to use either custom or bi-lingual keyboard stickers (no idea about quality).

Personally I would consider buying a keyboard with the foreign language and then use muscle memory when I needed it to be in Swedish/English. It might not be the ultimate solution though, especially if you want to jump between several foreign languages.

[DangerDave2010]

Just learn to touch-type all your languages.

I printed the a picture of the keyboard layout and kept it for reference, it took me only a couple of days till I didn't need it any more.

[zenmonkey]

I have been using two kbcovers which gives my a 5 language combo with my original keyboard...

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[outcast]

Thanks for the tips guys. To learn how to type fast I was thinking of getting the covers, though ultimately I would ditch them because I certainly don't want to carry them around. So I would have to memorize the keys (I did do that to a certain extent with French and German at one point).

From the gimmick and gadget standpoint though I would love one of those fancy keyboards, but probably would not even think about buying one until the price gets to a third of quote prices today. I refuse conventional touch screens (and by extension Ipads, etc), they are the keyboards from hell, completely unreliable at least when I type in them and within five minutes I am losing hair from my head.

[zenmonkey]

The covers are soft silicon and roll up or fold. I travel with them all the time, I just drop them in my laptop bag without an issue.