I had to buy a new keyboard last week as my much beloved Microsoft Natural met with a cup of coffee. It had given me a lot of good years, but I was still sad to see it go. I did have a back-up, but they had changed the cursor keys to this insane design that I have no clue how anyone uses them comfortably. So, off I went on a hunt for a new keyboard and decided to go with the Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000.

Why do I keep going for Microsoft hardware? Well, I think their software pretty much sucks, but, oddly enough, they make really good peripheral hardware. I have no clue why they do, but they just seem to.

So, I was a bit nervous about liking this keyboard due to a few new buttons in odd places, and seemingly more real estate for your wrists. In short, I don’t like this keyboard… I freakin’ love it!

I didn’t realize the black wrist areas were padded when I purchased it, but that makes for a much more comfortable experience when typing. I do think the web browser buttons (zoom and the back/forward keys) are a bit of a waste, but oh well. The buttons along the top are a very welcome addition though. Quick access to my mail, five of my websites I use every day, a quick launch for the calculator (HUZZAH!), and my absolute favorite… quick volume control keys! I love my iTunes, but trying to shut it down sometimes when a call comes in is a real pain. Now all I have to do is hit a button, and no more music! Loving that.

The only thing I’m not thrilling to is the space bar. Not sure why, but it is a bit cumbersome for me. I’m sure I’ll get used to it in time though. All of the other keys have really good, smooth action though, and I think are actually letting me type a bit faster with less mistakes.

Overall, I was nervous, but a great purchase, and one I highly recommend!