Hardware Review of:
Microsoft Internet keyboard 

On the far right, above the numeric keypad, are three more buttons. The leftmost is titled My Computer, which opens the My Computer window, just like clicking on the My Computer icon. To its right is a Calculator button, which launches the calculator, which I find particularly handy. The rightmost button is labeled Sleep, and it puts the computer into suspended animation — maybe. 

The Internet Keyboard plugs into a standard PS/2 keyboard jack. After you plug in the keyboard, a Setup program loads the drivers that make the extra buttons work. They all function without any fuss, giving you at least partial Internet functionality. An error message told me that one essential file was not loaded after the first time I ran Setup, and asked me to reinstall the keyboard. After that, it has worked flawlessly. You still must use scroll bars or scroll wheels to navigate a Web page. And there’s no Refresh or Reload key to reload pages that failed to download properly. But the F5 key does the same thing. 

The Sleep key turns off parts of my computer, but leaves the power supply running. Pressing any other key wakes it up, although very slowly. After waking up, my computer operated very slowly, as though the CPU were running at half speed. Rebooting the computer restored its customary performance. The actual function of the Sleep key will vary with the computer it’s used on; one with a strong power management capability will go into and out of the sleep mode just fine, while a computer without it may not. You can reconfigure the Sleep button to turn off Windows if you prefer. 

There’s no manual with the keyboard, but an online manual in Help file format provides adequate help. It’s installed when you load the keyboard drivers. 

As you can see from the photo, aside from the special buttons, this is a pretty normal keyboard, although it has a slightly unusual shape. There is a built-in palm rest to support your hands while typing, although I found it too small to give much support. The keys are laid out normally; this is not a special ergonomic keyboard like some of Microsoft’s other keyboards (like the one in my closet). A most pleasant surprise was that the actual touch, or tactile feedback, is the best I’ve found on any keyboard, and my wife shares this opinion. So for normal typing, this is a great keyboard. But it still lets me make mistakes. 

One neat feature has nothing to do with Internet buttons. The keys are labeled with the Control key shortcuts, which can save a lot of time, but are not widely publicized. For example, you can direct most Windows programs to print by pressing Control-P. Control-Z issues the UnDo command, while Control-Y issues the ReDo command (I didn’t know that one). There are many other Control key commands which can save a lot of time when you are typing. 

Are the added Internet function buttons worth the cost of replacing your current keyboard? That’s a personal judgement; I initially had trouble remembering to use the buttons. But after awhile, I found I could browse faster using a combination of the buttons and the mouse. Your reaction may vary. I would expect the Internet Keyboard would appeal to Internet novices. 

If the idea of specialized buttons appeals to you, you may want to consider two other keyboards from Microsoft that take dedicated buttons a step further. An Internet Keyboard Pro adds lots of additional buttons (I count 19), which let you control your CD or DVD drive from the keyboard instead of from software. It includes a Refresh button, along with some programmable hot keys that you can use to perform whatever task you choose. For example, you could program a key to start your word processor or financial program. The Internet Keyboard Pro has a bigger palm rest, which you can remove if you (like me) want to use a softer palm rest. This keyboard connects via a USB port. Local price is $50. 

A step up from the Internet Keyboard Pro is Microsoft’s most elaborate keyboard, the Natural Keyboard Pro. It is one of Microsoft’s ergonomic designs, with a curved layout, which lets your hands assume a more natural position; and a large palm rest that actually provides useful support. Like the Internet Keyboard Pro, the Natural Keyboard Pro sports 19 specialized keys. It also serves as a small USB hub by providing two USB ports to plug additional USB devices into. That would be great for digital cameras, mice, or detachable high-capacity floppy drives (Zip or LS-120). Local price is $70. 

If the idea of specialized button appeals to you, or if you need to replace your keyboard for some other reason, I would recommend you consider one of the above. The Internet Keyboard normally sells for about $20 at most computer stores; which is about the cost of a good standard keyboard. Sure, you can get a cheaper one, but it’s been my painful experience that they don’t last as long. The last cheap keyboard I bought lasted a month. But I really saved a lot of money. . . .