Heated keyboard keeps fingers toasty whilst typing

Let's face it, peripheral manufacturers have been beating around this bush for far too long, and it's about time a company finally delivered a device that would actually motivate you to finish up that thesis over the cold winter break. Sure, the G-Gloves and heated mouse did their fair share of warming the hands, but the V8 Tools' WK001 keyboard manages to radiate heat where it matters most. The AC-powered gizmo sports a three-way toggle that keeps the heat off, on low, or on high if you're just begging for palm sweat. Of course, the company doesn't promise that it won't melt after extended usage on the highest setting, but it is purportedly "constructed with upgraded materials and components inside and out" to handle the temps. So while it's going to be a few months 'til Old Man Winter makes his return, $43.59 isn't much to guarantee your readiness for that impending cold snap.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

[shadow @ May 23rd 2007 2:54AM]

so let me get this strait they expect people to pay over $40 for something to put on my keyboard that makes it hot when all i want to do is cool it down that's so stupid!!!

[Paul @ May 23rd 2007 2:54AM]

so for the like whole .2 seconds your fingers touch each keys your fingers will get warmer.real cool

[Darwin @ May 23rd 2007 3:16AM]

Cold air sinks, hot air rises. So your hands don't actually have to be ON the keys to get the warmth. I thought it was pretty ridiculous at first, but then I hearken back to those days of playing FPS games in poorly heated college housing... and wishing there was some way to keep my fingers warm while still being able to frag/get fragged.

[Eriq @ May 23rd 2007 2:56AM]

Why?

[Zenshai @ May 23rd 2007 10:13AM]

I dont know about you, but the colder I am (esp. my feet for some reason) the better I play FPSes, must be something about snap movements thats easier if youre cold.

[Kyle @ May 23rd 2007 3:43AM]

HA! Real gamers don't need heated keyboards, we just redirect the exit airflow from our case!

[hackedbyjoe @ May 23rd 2007 3:45AM]

Hey! I have one of these...its called a laptop. Zing!

[drtekger @ May 23rd 2007 3:46AM]

I can't comment on the Al Gore news, so I have to do on this one: BS!

[Fl4TliN3R @ May 23rd 2007 4:44AM]

First ever heated keyboard, I say last ever heated keyboard. This has to be one of the dumbest things I have ever seen

[AKBlade13 @ May 23rd 2007 6:13AM]

Yeah...wouldn't the keyboard's parts melt or anything close to it, granted I would love to warm up my hands while typing but couldn't we use handwarmers?

AKBlade13

[Al Scagnetti @ May 23rd 2007 7:24AM]

If they offered on in black I'd be all over it. I work in an old government building turned computing facility, and the temperature control is horrible. It can be 95F outside and 65F in my office. I already have a Cozy Toes under the desk and this would definitely help thaw out my fingers.

[Mike @ May 23rd 2007 8:52AM]

Wow, some people here aren't very bright. There are tons of people with circulation problems who have cold hands and feet. My wife is sometimes one of them. The keyboard Radiates heat which means the heat rises from under the keys, it doesn't heat that actual keys. So as long as your hands are over the keyboard, they will be getting heat. Just like when you heat your hands over the fire.

This would be great for someone with those types of problems who types a lot. I'd hope it has some sort of on/off sensor so it will turn itself off if the PC isn't on. Wouldn't want to forget about it and have a warped keyboard because you forgot and left it on High all weekend.

[graham @ May 23rd 2007 9:02AM]

The website says:

Energy efficiency: 20 watts

They don't know what efficiency means obviously. More accurate would be:

Energy wasted per second: 20W

[JohnA @ May 23rd 2007 9:16AM]

Being a broke student in Minneapolis, I keep the heat at around 55 degrees. Cold enough for my frost fingers to no longer work on my touch pad. I can see a use for this keyboard, if I ever used a desktop.

[Greenline @ May 23rd 2007 9:53AM]

I have one of these, it's called a MacBookPro

[Luke @ May 23rd 2007 10:22AM]

To quote Erik multiple times,

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

[Adam @ May 23rd 2007 10:27AM]

Its seems like it would make it pretty easy for someone to spill there Diet Coke and kill themselves by the electricity.

[JiN @ May 23rd 2007 10:42AM]

I've had this for years now and it sits in my closet. The model number is... Commodore Vic-20. Jeez that thing was hot! I guess this new model has a shift key and temperature control.

[Don Holmsten @ May 23rd 2007 11:54AM]

There is a very common condition called Raynaud's Phenomenon that causes the body to cut off circulation to the hands, feet and other parts of the body. You can loose all feeling in your fingers and experience pain. i.e. it's aweful! It's often associated with other diseases (in my case, Rheumatoid Arthritis.) I know that I would love to have a heated keyboard, especially in my chilly office.

[Chris @ May 23rd 2007 1:17PM]

Yes! a heated keyboard for when you need to keep your fingers warm when you're out in the Alaskan wild ice fishing. Brilliant!

[Aluvendale @ May 23rd 2007 1:33PM]

Right on, Al Scagnetti. Although I would NEVER purchase such a device, I do remember the times at my last job where the building was so cold that it hurt to type. Then, I may have made the company buy it FOR me.

It's novelty. . .that's all.

[Crinn @ May 23rd 2007 2:22PM]

Like Don mentioned, I have Raynaud's, which means that I have horrible circulation in my hands and feet. Flare-ups aren't always caused by cold (I've gotten it walking outside into a hot summer day), but I have had my fingers go numb while at the computer, so I could actually see myself using this. It's still a little gimmicky, though.

[Jared @ May 23rd 2007 9:23PM]

This would make sense if the computer user was an Eskimo, in Alaska, in their igloo. Otherwise I don't really see a point.

[JJ @ May 24th 2007 9:18PM]

There is an application that heats piano keys. It's crazy too...

Thermoscore: A New-type Musical Score with Temperature Sensation
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1085907

[PDF] Improvisation Support using Thermoscore-Display
http://research.it.uts.edu.au/creative/interaction/papers/interaction04_34.pdf

[JP @ May 26th 2007 12:06AM]

OOOOOHHHHHH, so then when I am gaming on my PowerBook and the keyboard becomes too hot to touch, this is a "feature". It becomes clear, now I just need to find the off switch so I can save my battery life that is being wasted.

But, if one feels the need for a keyboard warmer, doesn't that really mean one needs to type faster?