Saitek offers up Cyborg Keyboard for the gamer in you

You can't seriously consider snapping up Saitek's Cyborg gaming mouse without picking up the Cyborg Keyboard to match, can ya? If you've managed to elude the already-launched alternatives up until now, this version sports an equally futuristic motif with multi-color backlighting, a touch sensitive, backlit control panel, a dozen programmable hot keys and the ability to morph into Cyborg mode -- which instantly disables the Windows keys and configures the color / brightness of your gaming keys with a single press. Furthermore, the 'board features metal-plated keys in "gaming areas," a pass-through USB socket, audio and microphone ports, an adjustable wrist rest and gold-plated connectors for good measure. Currently, pricing and availability details are nowhere to be found, but hang in there soldier, Saitek should be filling in those holes soon enough.

[Via Uber-Review]

[waiownsyou @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:17PM]

Saitek seriously needs to stop tossing in those plastic wrist rests.... they always hurt more than they help. And I hope this isn't like the Eclipse II where they keys are uber dim and will revert back to blue (if it has more than one color) once your computer is back on...

[WinterTiger @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:25PM]

"Set and forget – persistent key illumination settings ensure colours remain even after a system reboot."
Looks like the settings stick, I'll be upgrading to this from my Eclipse II when it comes out I think.

[Angus Hedger @ Nov 3rd 2007 4:30PM]

I have Eclipse II as well, i love it, but thats one of the things that bugs me, if this doesn't cost to FAR to much, and you can get it in the uk.. here i come!

[Jesse S @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:32PM]

Damn, that thing is UGLY!

[Blackstar @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:25PM]

"We are the BORG. Your keyboard is too ugly to be assimilated."

[Kennyout @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:41PM]

Oh man I was totally thinking of Star Trek looking at the thing...lol

[Richard @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:33PM]

Fugliest keyboard I have ever seen.

[Taryn @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:35PM]

It looks like an oldschool NES accessory.

[Josh L @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:51PM]

Or something Judge Dredd would use.

[bob @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:08PM]

Or like it was ripped out of KITT from Knight Rider.

[LesbianHam @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:56PM]

Looks like something off the wall of a Halo corridor...

[Bard @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:57PM]

James Cameron called: He wants ALL the set props from "Aliens" returned to the studio ASAP...INCLUDING Ripley's keyboard.

[Paul @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:23PM]

Please stop making keyboards with regular keys and move to "scissor key technology", thanks.

[derX @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:04PM]

That thing just looks scary. This is the first time I can recall ever feeling threatened by a computer accessory (besides that USB infrared gun--I mean "USB-powered infrared healing pad", that's effin' scary). That would definitely not make it into my home, though I am sure someone will buy it.

There goes the neighborhood.

[3rdsun @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:26PM]

looks cool, like a star trek keyboard should

[Hello Moto @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:28PM]

I like the idea of metal keys for those that are used a lot, however most decent keyboards have the white letter as 2 color plastic rather then just being printed, so I guess it wouldn't actually do any good after all...

I like a lot of the ideas, but I wish the design was scalled back a TINY bit... we don't need that many neon colors, just a few.

[eh @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:25PM]

This will look great next to a pile of empty beer cans and Nascar paraphernalia

[Mindfield @ Nov 3rd 2007 6:34PM]

It looks nice, but are all of the keys illuminated? I have an Eclipse II and love it. My only problem with this keyboard is the width. It looks a good 6-8 inches wider than the Eclipse II, which would unfortunately make it a dealbreaker for my desk's keyboard drawer.

[Deuz Augustine @ Nov 3rd 2007 6:41PM]

This doesn't look nice. You're all drunk.

[insertAlias @ Nov 4th 2007 3:20AM]

I thought it looked ok...granted, I am drunk...

[holycow @ Nov 3rd 2007 7:12PM]

this would go well with that "transformers" mouse they came up with..

[sevenalive @ Nov 3rd 2007 7:27PM]

Gold-plated connectors for USB and Audio

Why the usb? People please don't buy gold plated digital connecters. If the signal is digital, well its freaking digital!!!!!!!!

Gold does not even help on analog cables (rca, composite, audio, coax), why?
Because they are running through copper wire, gold is not gonna help lol. Its a marketing gimick. Don't take my word for it? Then ask the professionals who use these types of wires. (Source of info came from myself and "The Systm" epsiode 2).

[Hello Moto @ Nov 3rd 2007 9:04PM]

For analog cables gold is helpful because it prevents corrosion of the end. If a cable is ever going to un-plugged and re-plugged then gold plating prevents oxidation and thus increased resistance on the wire. This is why speaker cables don't need them, they are installed and then it’s over. But if you have something like a guitar plug that is removed every day then it can help increase the signal quality. For digital the added resistance doesn’t matter and thus it is worthless, but doesn’t hurt.

P.S. Plating connectors in gold costs pretty much nothing, so you should care that much as it only adds a few cents to the price.

[Wilder.K.Wight @ Nov 3rd 2007 7:53PM]

Wow. I look at my Aluminum iMac's keyboard, and then I look at this typically-overloaded, ugly Saitek offering, and I say to myself "That thing is ridiculously huge."

Gamers ought to consider the aluminum Apple keyboard. The keys have less travel, and the layout makes typing much faster. They're more like buttons than keys.

Of course some people are just not going to even try it, because it's Apple. That's OK. I don't mind having the advantage in online games.

[ZekeSulastin @ Nov 3rd 2007 11:41PM]

You mean the aluminum Apple keyboard that lacks a numeric keypad, something which some of us gamers need in The Real World or in some function heavy games?

Yeah, I'll just stick with my Logitech, thank you very much. Works great for games AND numerical work.

[VV @ Nov 4th 2007 5:19AM]

Try doing some research before posting, lest you look silly. There are two aluminum Apple keyboards, one with keypad and one without.

http://snipurl.com/1t49r

Whoops.

[holycow @ Nov 3rd 2007 8:47PM]

lol just imagine the keyboard and the mouse transforming into robots and fighting each other.. plain awesome-ness!

[bryan OCarr @ Nov 4th 2007 1:43AM]

looking at 78 euros for this one... roughly 100 canadian dollars http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/716/924/-/3515203/Saitek-Cyborg-Keyboard/Product.html?searchtype=genre

[Karl Viklund @ Nov 4th 2007 12:12PM]

Heh. Pretty cool :)

[Brian @ Nov 4th 2007 1:49PM]

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.