Laptops are an absolute necessity for the many road warriors and mobile professionals who regularly key on the go. But as any portable computer enthusiast (myself included) will attest, the integrated keyboard often gives rise to comfort and productivity concerns. Can a solution be found in the Goldtouch Go! Travel keyboard?
Size isn't everything
One all too common complaint is size. Some of us are lucky enough to operate on a huge laptop with a very comfortable, almost full size keyboard but others are not so lucky. Anyone with large fingers might find their documents full of mis-typed gibberish unless the utmost care is taken. And now that teeny-tiny netbooks are selling like hot cakes, more size concerns are sure to be aired.
Quite frankly there are some laptops out there that suffer from dull, uninspired keyboard design. We don't just want our devices to be functional and productive, we want them to look good too.
Another frequent bug bear is comfort. Even the larger keyboards can be uncomfortable and sometimes even painful to use. And poor posture often associated with laptop use doesn't help matters either. And it could all end in tears - literally - as tiresome and painful strains and stresses on the poor body take their toll.
Ergonomic science has revolutionized PC peripheral design and ensured that desktop PC users have enjoyed the tactile delights of input devices designed with maximum comfort in mind for decades. So is the finger tapping discomfort of the mobile generation being ignored?
Productivity through Prevention - Everywhere You Work
Thankfully no. Style, functionality and ergonomic comfort all magically come together in the shape of the new Goldtouch Go! Travel. Weighing in at an ever-so-slight 1lb, the split or "tent" QWERTY keyboard benefits from decent size keys and good key travel (about 3.2mm actually, which gives a similar feel to a standard keyboard).
All the keys you'd expect to find are present (including the function keys, windows key and several option keys) in spite of its nimble 13.25 x 6 x 1 inch dimensions. Underneath you'll find anti-slip rubber strips to prevent movement as it straddles your laptop and the various tilt angles will help you find that perfect painless typing position (which in turn helps prevent wrist splay and pronation).
In common with other portable keyboards there's no separate number pad but activating the NumLock key transforms some of the letters on the right hand side into a number pad, all clearly marked of course. No need to worry about compatibility either as both PC and Mac users are covered. The Go! Travel also comes with protective covers to reduce the risk of damage through impact and key loss when traveling.
"Finally an alternative that eradicates improper body positioning in order to type on the built-in laptop keyboard," says Goldtouch CEO Peter Gilbert. "Now you do not have to be a contortionist in order to type on a notebook or netbook."
Complimentary products in the Goldtouch range include the Goldtouch Go Notebook Stand (weighs less than 1lb) and the "Check Point Tested" neoprene case (which means that you shouldn't need to take your laptop out of the bag during the airport security checks). With laptop and accessories all bagged up you're good to Go!