In case you’re not familiar with it, the Fn key is the shifter that enables alternate functions on the rest of the keyboard. One thing Kinesis didn’t change is the way the Fn key operates – like a toggle switch, not a momentary button. Though it’s truly nice to have volume controls on the keyboard now, not everything is rosy in this department. Included media control keys are volume up, down, and mute. At one point I felt so strongly about it that I remapped a seldom-used button to the single function of “mute.” This has made me wish frequently for some basic media control keys on my Freestyle keyboard. By the time I manage to get my media player muted, I’ve usually missed the call. The problem is, my background ambiance becomes a foreground nuisance when the phone rings. While working, I sometimes like a background stream of Internet radio.
Kinesis ergo keyboard mac#
(The Mac version 2, un-released as of this writing, will presumably be white like its predecessor.) Volume keys If aesthetics are an important point, you should also be aware that there is no longer any silver color visible on the keyboard. Is a quarter inch less total thickness going to make a life-changing difference? Probably not, but the desk-hugging design of the Freestyle is just one more thing to like about it – and yes, it does look pretty good as well. Thin keyboards undeniably look fantastic (see: Apple), but there’s an ergonomic benefit here too: The thinner your keyboard, the easier it is to get your hands properly above it, which can help your wrists stay in a more neutral position. In case you haven’t noticed, the trend with keyboards runs toward thinner profiles. The new Freestyle2, shown on the bottom with the black edge, is about 1/4″ thinner overall than the original.