Niski-Ki's $155 handmade USB keyboard comes with extra "$" symbols
By Joshua Fruhlinger 
posted May 31st 2008 4:27AM
posted May 31st 2008 4:27AM
[Via BoingBoing]
posted May 31st 2008 4:27AM
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Brilliant!
Just like your avatar?
Holy crap! I wouldn't be able to type on such a thingy !
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. ;-)
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)
Is it 'Nishi' or 'Niski'??
hey can i get one with nes characters?
Unfortunately, all the text on the board is in that tacky-looking asian font. Put it in Tahoma and I'll buy.
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!!!
That's probably because it's from Asia, considering the company name and general design motif.
To each their own... I personally wish more keyboards came in a font like that.
"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.
$= worthless.
I think it's a good idea in theory. I just got a new HP laptop and the keys are chrome-colored, springy and feel great. Homework is a bit less painful (I actually mean that literally because I have chronic pain problems). They make me *want* to type. A nice keyboard for someone like a secretary or any kind of writer/journalist; I could see these being very popular but 155$?!? 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.
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.
Things you look at most often.
Clearly you aren't a touch typist.
what's that key right of alt below C?
Ancient Chinese secret
It is "mu-henkan" key which means "no conversion".
The key is used to convert romanized Japanese to Hiragana.
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.
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
did anyone else look for the extra $ sign? wow i need to go back to bed...
I did. And I do too.
"We can't believe it's real!"
Even the site can't comprehend its own pricing strategy.
Aimed at wealthy chinese living in the US I'm guessing.
No, Japanese. Chinese keyboards are exactly the same as US keyboards.
if its handmade /painted, then couldn't i request a command key? wtf
wait...more $ symbols?
I wouldn't be able to figure out which one to use!
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?
Uh, yeah. The Intel chips don't support the interchangeability of the "Windows" key and "Command" key.
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?
But those are different than a flower bed on your desk.
Considering the time it must take to make each one, I'd say it's worth at least twice what they are asking.
thats actually pretty cool; if i wasn't a poor college student I'd prolly get one
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
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.
Point is that to me at least, the idea is original.