Kinesis Contoured
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This article requires additional photographic illustration |
| Part number | KB500USB-blk (black), KB-500USB-wht (white), KB500USB-blk-LF (Linear Feel), KB-510USB (Pro) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Kinesis Corporation |
| Product family | Kinesis Contoured |
| Layouts | Proprietary 3D shape. QWERTY and Dvorak in hardware |
| Keyswitches | Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Red (LF model only) |
| Interface | USB (two port USB hub included) |
| Weight | 0.96 kg |
| Introduced | 2002 |
| Price | $299, $325 (Linear Feel), $359 (Pro) |
Contents
History
The Advantage is the latest incarnation of Kinesis' Contoured keyboard, first introduced in 1992.
The feature that most sets the Advantage apart from its predecessors is that it has a USB interface (with a two-port USB hub) while previous keyboards had PS/2.
Older, discontinued models are:
- Classic: Has remapping and macros
- Professional: Has remapping and macros. Twice the amount of memory as the Classic
- Essential: No remapping or macros
- Ergo Elan
A new revision is supposed to be released in 2016.
The design is protected by the US Design patent D370669.
Design and features
Physical layout
The alphanumeric keys (together with <Shift> and <Caps Lock>) are separated into two dished key-wells where each column has a different depth to account for different lengths of the fingers. The keys are also slanted. The most-often used non-alphanumeric keys are on the thumbs. There is also a fifth row of keys on the main keyboard in front of the others. In those ways, the layout is quite similar to the Maltron's, but there are some differences. For instance, the pinky columns are not just higher but also offset from the others.
Most keys are cylindrical, except for the home keys which are spherical (and blue). The top row, which includes <Escape>, Function Keys and programming keys do not have Cherry MX switches but simple calculator-style rubber buttons.
It is possible to connect proprietary foot switches and use with the keyboard.
Logical layout
The keyboard can switch between QWERTY and Dvorak in hardware with a special key combination.
Earlier models came with keys that sported both QWERTY and Dvorak legends, but the Advantage has only QWERTY. The keys have different shapes for different rows meaning that you can not move them around to get Dvorak legends without altering the physical layout. Keys with Dvorak legends can be purchased separately from Kinesis.
Aural feedback
The keyboard has a built-in speaker. By default, it will emit a click sound on each key press and a beep when it engages/disengages a locking mode. These audio signals can be switched off with key combinations.
Embedded numpad
There is no separate numeric keypad. Instead there is one embedded in the right key-well that can be activated with the special <Keypad> key. There is an indicator light for this mode.
Configuration and programmability
On the highest level, there are preset modes for "Windows", "Macintosh" and "PC non-windows".
Almost all keys can be remapped using special key combinations.
It is possible to record macros as key sequences mapped to key combinations.
Because all configuration is stored in non-volatile memory inside the keyboard itself it will survive power failure and no special drivers are needed on the host computer.
Variations
The standard Kinesis Advantage MPC USB comes in two colour choices: black (KB500USB-blk) or white (KB500USB-wht). The home keys are always blue.
Kinesis Advantage Pro
The "Pro" model (KB510USB) has a case that is silver in colour and comes with twice the capacity of on-board memory for programming. It also comes bundled with a foot switch and has a DIP-switch for locking the current programming.
Kinesis Advantage LF
This special model (KB500USB-blk-LF), which was introduced in 2011 comes with linear Cherry MX Red switches. The "LF" in the name stands for "Linear Feel". In all other respects it is just like the Advantage MPC USB.
This model is not shown on Kinesis' web page and has to be ordered specially. It is also possible to order only new key wells to retro-fit an older keyboard with these switches.
The LF comes only in black.
Ordering a set of white keycaps is possible, to the price of $39.
Construction
The Cherry MX switches within each key-well are snapped ("plate-mounted") to a plastic frame and soldered to a flexible circuit board. The switches in the thumb clusters are mounted only on circuit boards - which are rigid. The longer keys do not have stabilizers. The circuit board with the controller sits in the middle.
Most of the Cherry-compatible keycaps have the same profile as common third-party Cherry-compatible caps (like Filco/DAS/SS/WASD etc), but there are some notable exceptions. The blue home keys are spherical. The <3> and <8> keys do not have top-row profile, but that of the row under it. The <Windows>/<Command>, <Alt>/<Option> and <Ctrl> keys are unusual in that they are higher than those on the top row
The outermost columns have keys that are all 1.25 unit wide. Only the number row has keys of top-row profile. The others have a profile of a typical home-row key.
Bugs
The controller is reported to have bugs with the Caps Lock state and the Shift keys staying active. The state should normalize by pressing the key.
Kinesis has known about this bug for some time. Unfortunately, the developer of the firmware had gone out of business. This is supposed to be fixed in a new revision of the keyboard scheduled for release in 2016[1].
The keyboard has 6-key rollover over USB (excluding modifiers). If a seventh key gets pressed at the same time as six keys are held down then it will tell the host that those keys are released, and only report new presses.
Trivia
Several keyboards were used as props in the movie Men in black (1997), painted black. Demand resulting from the movie eventually persuaded Kinesis to offer the keyboard in black. In the movie, each keyboard was placed together with a Spaceball 2003, also painted black. The Spaceball's profile being similar to the Kinesis is a coincidence.
See also
- The Maltron company
- Kinesis Corporation
References
<references> [1]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Geekhack — Suggestions for Advantage Keyboard (retrieved 2016-03-27)
External links
- Deskthority — Kinesis Advantage LF special model with Cherry MX Red switch
- Mindprod.com — Kinesis Keyboards : Computer Hardware Buyers’ Glossary
- Wikipedia — Kinesis keyboard
