Niski-Ki's $155 handmade USB keyboard comes with extra "$" symbols

It only makes sense to go all expensive on the things you look at most often, like your TV, car, or -- in this case -- your keyboard. For only (!!) $155, you too can get a handmade Nishi-Ki USB keyboard. Yours is sure to be the object of typist envy cube farm-wide. Nishi-ki keyboards pack 86 keys and work via USB or PS/2 interfaces. Sorry, Mac users, no Command keys.

[Via BoingBoing]

[rento @ May 31st 2008 4:40AM]

Brilliant!

[gad get @ May 31st 2008 12:43PM]

Just like your avatar?

[Robin @ May 31st 2008 6:41AM]

Holy crap! I wouldn't be able to type on such a thingy !

[Seth A @ May 31st 2008 4:51AM]

Is that painted on? My laptop keyboard that I have used daily for the past 2 years is starting to show signs of paint wearing off, primarily on the space key. I would almost be scared to type with this keyboard excessively. And I have been using a Windows keyboard on a Mac for awhile now. There is no Command key labeled, but you just gotta know what you are doing. ;-)

[Darkroom @ May 31st 2008 6:09AM]

i think it's fair that this keyboard is windows-centric... the apple keyboard is great, i personally wouldn't want to change it up for this. on the other hand, if i had some other dell keyboard, etc., i'd be happy that this is an option.

(even though i think it's way busy and hard to look at, and kinda ugly at the same time, and a bit overpriced - but hey, the option is there for the winusers)

[Aarun @ May 31st 2008 5:06AM]

Is it 'Nishi' or 'Niski'??

[silverblackvoid @ May 31st 2008 5:25AM]

hey can i get one with nes characters?

[j_g_puff @ May 31st 2008 5:59AM]

Unfortunately, all the text on the board is in that tacky-looking asian font. Put it in Tahoma and I'll buy.

[Technex @ May 31st 2008 6:12AM]

That's what I was thinking, I also am wondering how long it lasts.

My Dell keyboard has survived ages on my Inspiron 6400, using it now and for the last two years everyday, still no sign of wear!!!

[Zorque @ May 31st 2008 6:13AM]

That's probably because it's from Asia, considering the company name and general design motif.

[Jamar @ May 31st 2008 8:41PM]

To each their own... I personally wish more keyboards came in a font like that.

[Cheese @ May 31st 2008 7:57AM]

"It only makes sense to go all expensive on the things you look at most often, like your TV, car..."
If this were true...being an engineering student i guess i would need a golden calculator, with a Nishi-ki keypad of course.

[LongshotX @ May 31st 2008 8:04AM]

$= worthless.

[Skullgrl @ May 31st 2008 8:41AM]

I think it's a good idea in theory. I just got a new HP laptop and the keys are chrome-colored, springy and feel great. Homework is a bit less painful (I actually mean that literally because I have chronic pain problems). They make me *want* to type. A nice keyboard for someone like a secretary or any kind of writer/journalist; I could see these being very popular but 155$?!? Ouch. I would pay 100$ maybe a little more but certainly nothing over 150$ (or 150$ for that matter). Plus I'm not exactly into floral prints. silverblackvoid was saying about one with nes characters. I'd like retro gaming consoles/handhelds in pixels and a pixel font.

[Shane @ May 31st 2008 9:36AM]

On the Mac the command key is used as the Windows key.

It works the other way around when using a USB keyboard with a Mac and the Windows key becomes the command key.

That being said, I still wouldn't pay $155 for this. Maybe if it had interchangeable keycaps with different fonts and designs or something but otherwise, no.

[mattclarkie @ May 31st 2008 9:48AM]

Things you look at most often.


Clearly you aren't a touch typist.

[initialxy @ May 31st 2008 10:19AM]

what's that key right of alt below C?

[jtc970 @ May 31st 2008 12:02PM]

Ancient Chinese secret

[E[@_@]3 @ May 31st 2008 12:52PM]

It is "mu-henkan" key which means "no conversion".
The key is used to convert romanized Japanese to Hiragana.

[Jamar @ May 31st 2008 8:35PM]

it's on my laptop and annoys the heck out of me because it makes the space bar so small... but hey, it comes in handy when typing Japanese.

[linuxamp @ May 31st 2008 9:33PM]

Yes, it does appear to be a Japanese layout. If you're comfortable with a US keyboard you're gonna make so many mistakes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_layout#Japanese

[DB @ May 31st 2008 10:22AM]

did anyone else look for the extra $ sign? wow i need to go back to bed...

[gad get @ May 31st 2008 12:45PM]

I did. And I do too.

[ClarkyCat @ May 31st 2008 10:49AM]

"We can't believe it's real!"

Even the site can't comprehend its own pricing strategy.

[Wwhat @ May 31st 2008 10:58AM]

Aimed at wealthy chinese living in the US I'm guessing.

[Jamar @ May 31st 2008 8:40PM]

No, Japanese. Chinese keyboards are exactly the same as US keyboards.

[digitallysick @ May 31st 2008 11:13AM]

if its handmade /painted, then couldn't i request a command key? wtf

[El Taco @ May 31st 2008 11:44AM]

wait...more $ symbols?

I wouldn't be able to figure out which one to use!

[John Sullivan @ May 31st 2008 12:12PM]

I see a Windows-logo key... on all of my other USB keyboards, that's 100% interchangeable with the "open apple" or command key when plugged into G3, G4 and G5 desktops. Did something change with the transition to intel CPUs?

[gad get @ May 31st 2008 12:47PM]

Uh, yeah. The Intel chips don't support the interchangeability of the "Windows" key and "Command" key.

[John Sullivan @ May 31st 2008 12:15PM]

I just realized that nobody has yet mentioned the Optimus Maximus, or even the upcoming Optimus Popularis. How can anybody consider $155 "expensive" on the same site that dedicated so much space to those uber-pricey (albeit cool) ClickityClackBoards?

[gad get @ May 31st 2008 12:48PM]

But those are different than a flower bed on your desk.

[BigD145 @ May 31st 2008 2:43PM]

Considering the time it must take to make each one, I'd say it's worth at least twice what they are asking.

[Joe Anstine @ Jun 1st 2008 1:07PM]

thats actually pretty cool; if i wasn't a poor college student I'd prolly get one

[Russ @ Jun 1st 2008 6:59AM]

Here, take a look at the maker's site (in Japanese, but there are lots of photos):

http://www.m-yokunaru.com/catalog_syousai_html/201_nishiki_keyboad.html

[Troels C @ Jun 1st 2008 1:03PM]

You can argue wether this is a good idea or not, but its the first time I have seen painted keys on a keyboard, since I first came online in 1997.

[Troels C @ Jun 1st 2008 1:05PM]

Point is that to me at least, the idea is original.