POOREST KEYBOARDS EVER DESIGNED FOR PC

Keyboards, the primary and most necessary input devices of personal computers have same age that of the Personal computers. Various companies designing the keyboards have tried a lot of possible design for  keyboards, which sometimes have been used as a breeze and some time were the pain in the as*. Unlike today's keyboards with multimedia options and a attractive models the keyboards of past days were very simple and concentrated of serving just as input device only. Those days the keyboards were pretty costly and were too heavy to be moved with ease. The arrangement of keys were not that comfortable those days and keyboard demands too many improvements in these models.

Thus in this post we are giving a list of such keyboards which we can call ugly in today's scenario. As we people today love keyboards with slim design and portable facility, for these below given keyboards we will say "Yukk". Point to be noted these keyboards have been designed by top companies of computer world and were the only option those days to use. What will you do if you will be asked to use these keyboards today ?


1. COMMODORE PET 2001

Manufactured in : 1977

This crappy keyboard was designed by Commodore, which was attached to the first fully assembled computer of this company. For today's generation it will serve as the toys, in those days it was the only keyboard produced by the Commodore. Keyboard was unreliable keys were sat over membrane key switches, thus sometimes users get confused weather they have pressed a key of what.

2. COMMODORE PET 2001-32-N

Manufactured in : 1978

After a year of its old model this new one was in market with black interface. Again the keys were terrible and ugly but the keyboard was upgraded to full stroke and was the result of full improvement in the old one. No backspace key was provided as the user had to hold Shift and the left/right cursor key above the numeric keypad.
With presence of numeric keypad the primary numeric keys were eliminated, making the keyboard a horrible one. The keyboard were also containing the strange keys name as period keys over the numeric keypad.

3. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TI-99/44

Manufactured in : 1979

This keyboard was the one assembled with first home computer with integrated-circuit released by the company. This calculator type looking keyboard was assembled in the computer including a moniter. The keyboard has a major drawback of not supporting lower case letters, thus the user have to use shift key in order to type in lower case. The spacebar was located at a inconvenient position and the most horrific property was the combination of keys Shift + Q which simply exits the program.

4. ATARI 400

Manufactured in : 1979

Like other companies this keyboard also attached with the first personal computer of the company and was carrying the design which was although confusion but was little better. The keyboard looked ugly as it was too flat and having the terrible border around the keys. Reset key was placed in just right of the backspace thus was little uncomfortable to use for fast typing.

5. COMMODORE 64

Manufactured in : 1982

As obvious the Commodore was the leading company to manufacture the computers, this new keyboard known as Commodore 64 was too clumsy. Large number of symbols were provided with 2-3 on each key making it really confusing. For new user it was a nightmare as the anti-ergonomic 2 inch hight of computer made it very hard for the wrists.
The arrangement of keys was poor and mistakes in typing made the cursor to reach at the top of the document as the Home key was placed just right to the Backspace key.

6. TIMEX SINCLAIR 1000

Manufactured in : 1982

The keyboard was having a simple black and white color and the price was comparatively too high $100. Keyboard was tiny and too flat compared to other companies. Shortcut keys were the special features in these keyboards as the user have to press a single key instead of the whole command sometimes. Thus the keyboard also serve as the word processing device as the analysing of command take place in itself.

7. TANDY TRS-80 MICRO COLOR COMPUTER MC-10

Manufactured in : 1983

As it was attached to the color computer the MC-10 keyboard was very very responsive and multitasking. Each of the keys of this keyboard were provided atleast 4 different functions which includes the shift functions and command keys. Keyboard was little uncomfortable int the absence of backspace and left shift key. Control key was provided in this keyboard and single Shift key on the opposite side.

8. IBM PCjr

Manufactured in : 1984

Though manufactured by the IBM the keyboard was not as famous as expected. The keyboard was also somewhere the reason for the flop computer.  The best thing about the keyboard was that it was wireless and the users first time enjoyed the keyboard portability. Single symbol printed on each key and space between keys made the keyboard look simple and comfortable. The keys were made of hard plastic thus provides a stiff platform. But though the keyboard was failure.

SOMETHING EXTRA

LATEST INVISIBLE MOUSE AND KEYBOARD

After looking at those old devices here are some latest design of invisible keyboard and mouse. This are made of crystal free transparent fiber and solid metal base thus they look somewhat invisible on the table.

Thus keyboard and mouse were started to be manufactured commercially in years 1977-78 and their design has been a lot changed all those years. From the creepy flat and black-white model to transparent models the keyboards has served as the most primary input device over all other devices.