First law of gadget recessionomics: Take something you make, which is great, make it ever so less great, and sell it for ever so less money. That’s how you end up with products like Microsoft’s SideWinder X4 keyboard. The Price $60 MSRP, $46 retail . The Verdict The SideWinder X6 was a marvelous fresh start for Microsoft’s rejuvenated gaming hardware division, designed with a brooding Death Star aesthetic, shit hot jog wheels, and a hot-swappable detachable keyboard that can be hooked up to the left or right side. It’s just $20 pricier MSRP (but retail, $12 ) than the X6, and I’ll tell you straight up, a better deal. The SideWinder X4 is virtually identical at the core—same basic keyboard layout (including the too-long spacebar), chaos-red backlighting, and laptop-esque throw distance for the keys—but it ditches the most lovable aspects of the X6: the jog wheels and the detachable keyboard.

First law of gadget recessionomics: Take something you make, which is great, make it ever so less great, and sell it for ever so less money. That’s how you end up with products like Microsoft’s SideWinder X4 keyboard. The Price $60 MSRP, $46 retail . The Verdict The SideWinder X6 was a marvelous fresh start for Microsoft’s rejuvenated gaming hardware division, designed with a brooding Death Star aesthetic, shit hot jog wheels, and a hot-swappable detachable keyboard that can be hooked up to the left or right side. It’s just $20 pricier MSRP (but retail, $12 ) than the X6, and I’ll tell you straight up, a better deal

Would you believe that Acer is working on a frameless laptop with touchscreen keyboard? As far-fetched as the idea might be, it’s certainly plausible, expected even. The idea, as rumored by DigiTimes , involves doing away with the display’s frame by printing colors directly onto the back of the display’s reinforced glass substrate from Corning (a la Gorilla Glass presumably). Coupled with a touchscreen keyboard, the rumored device should be impossibly thin by traditional laptop comparisons. Keep in mind that we’ve already seen this Frame Zero concept pictured above from Fujitsu and Acer’s arch-rival ASUS has been showing off its dual-display laptop prototype with touchscreen keyboard for months

Learning to play the piano has lingered on my to-do list for a long time. But watching this video of the Clavilux 2000 keyboard generating a spectacular light show in real time, I might have to make it a priority. The Clavilux is a digital keyboard rigged up to a projector, letting the audience see the music they’re hearing. And it really is the music they’re seeing: each stripe of light corresponds directly to a key that is struck, the individual bands representing the velocity and length of each note played. The notes are assigned colors, as well, giving a visual overview of the harmony of the piece. Play a note that’s out of key and its color will contrast with the bigger picture.

It’s becoming startlingly apparent that in the future buttons will be obsolete. Their kind are being systematically eradicated by high-brow designers worldwide, most recent being Kazuo Kawasaki at Mineba, who has created Cool Leaf. It’s basically a mirrored surface with backlit keys and a capacitive coating, creating a beautiful appearance that looks decidedly not-fun to use, particularly that keyboard (stylishly dubbed “Φ-QWERTY”). But, it is practical in some respects, thanks to the whole thing being waterproof and easily cleaned. So these might indeed be the keyboards of the future — for doctors and nurses, anyway.

The clickety-clack of a mechanical keyboard may not be for everyone, but there’s a sizable group that will accept no substitute, and SteelSeries now has yet another model for them to consider in the form of its new 6Gv2 gaming keyboard. Nothing but business here, with the keyboard passing over things like media keys and a USB hub in favor of more performance-oriented features like 18-karat gold-plated mechanical switches, and “anti-ghosting” technology to give gamers every possible advantage. Still no firm word on a ship date, but you can get your pre-order in now for $99.99. SteelSeries debuts 6Gv2 mechanical gaming keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:08:00 EST.

Enough time has passed since the diNovo Edge wireless keyboard debuted that perhaps it’s time for a low(er) priced tribute — a Knickerbockers to Logitech’s Beatles, if you will. To that end, check out the Rapoo 2900: it sports a built-in touchpad, a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and docking charger, and a Bluetooth / USB dongle. It’s a slight little thing (check out the comparison with a full-sized keyboard after the break) and it’ll cost you about $86. The best part? Now you have an excuse to say “Rapoo” over and over again.

Microsoft’s anti-ghosting claims were recently put to the test by the good folks over at Tom’s Guide , and if you’ve been holding off on pulling the trigger to make sure it really lives up to the hype, you can finally cut loose and part ways with your hard-earned Greenbacks — maybe, anyway. For those unaware, Microsoft designed the SideWinder X4 to handle up to 26 key presses at once (it’s a “pro gamer” thing, we’re told), but it also allows for macro recording and profile / mode switching. According to the critics, the X4 is a step backwards in terms of design, particularly when compared to the flagship SideWinder X6 (which can be had for around $40 right now). Essentially, they could only really recommend it for those that actually do have ghosting issues when gaming, though they confess that said crowd is a relatively tiny one.

Both the keyboard and mouse of the Logitech Wireless Desktop MK710 purportedly get a ridiculously hearty three years of battery life. Between that and its concave keyboard: that’s some weird voodoo, Logitech. Like the MK700 , the keyboard is designed to “cradle” your fingertips, which sounds like it would make my hands fall asleep. It’s paired with a sculpted mouse with “hyper-fast” scrolling, and of course the wireless goodness spares you the trouble of all of those extra USB cords lying around.

Microsoft’s Best Buy-exclusive Arc Keyboard still won’t be hitting stores for another couple of weeks (February 21st, to be specific), but we were lucky enough to get our hands on one a little early, and figured we’d share a few impressions with you, the keyboard-using masses. The first thing you’ll notice when seeing the keyboard in person is that it’s smaller than even the press photos suggested — basically the same size as your average 15-inch laptop keyboard, with a glossy bezel just big enough to let you pick it up without pressing a key. It’s also undeniably eye-catching, with an “arc” that actually more closely resembles Apple’s Magic Mouse than Microsoft’s own Arc mouse . Of course, most folks will choose function over form when it comes to a keyboard, and in that respect the Arc Keyboard is a bit of a mixed bag. Gallery: Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on Continue reading Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .