Kazuharu Sakura's leather keyboard: only touch typists need apply

Alright, so we suppose a labeled version could be created upon request, but the beauty of Kazuharu Sakura's handmade leather keyboard is really in its simplicity. Just imagine: your delicate fingertips frolicking endlessly on the soft, supple skin covering the abnormally large Enter / atypically small Space bar, not to mention every key in between. Our knees get weak just thinking about it.

[Rick @ Jun 16th 2008 8:37AM]

Kinky!

[bohsocks @ Jun 16th 2008 9:08AM]

Finally my computer will match my S&M themed apartment!

[tyler @ Jun 16th 2008 9:20AM]

Introducing the next big keyboard to hit the market.. the Optimus Prime.. Rib?

[OneLove @ Jun 16th 2008 12:17PM]

its $50 without label and $300 with label.

[Fubar @ Jun 16th 2008 4:31PM]

fap fap fap aw hell....

[Karl Hackswell @ Jun 16th 2008 8:39AM]

Not sure why but something about this just seems really really wrong.

[stefan @ Jun 16th 2008 8:40AM]

That Enter Key seems just fine to most of us non-north-americans.

I don't fancy the lacking space between the number keys and the small function keys....

[aardvark sandwich @ Jun 16th 2008 8:41AM]

I bet the kkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeys gggggggggget sssstuuuuckkkk............

[Mark @ Jun 16th 2008 6:14PM]

That's why you need to lubricate it when your about to use it.

[XenoX101 @ Jun 16th 2008 8:41AM]

I question the tactile feedback one could get from such a keyboard, I'd say it'd be worse than typing on a laptop

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 16th 2008 8:45AM]

Hey, I bet anything has tactile feedback after you type on one of these.

http://gopaultech.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/virtual-laser-keyboard.jpg

[Richy @ Jun 16th 2008 10:28AM]

Depends what sort of 'tactile feedback' you're after...

The Max Mosely spanky-type is pretty much spot on.

[Andir3.0 @ Jun 16th 2008 8:44AM]

Even with a touch typist, how can you be quite sure the "non character" keys do what you think they do? (Win-Key, Properties, how many function keys [F1-F10 key laptop, or full F1-F12?])

[ddub @ Jun 16th 2008 1:12PM]

Plus there's no dimple or anything on the F and J key. I would find that to be an issue. And one more thing, I assume almost everyone now days is a touch typist? Am I just assuming too much?

[Sean @ Jun 16th 2008 8:48AM]

looks like chocolate

[King Kang @ Jun 16th 2008 8:52AM]

Looks like dead cow.

[stefan @ Jun 16th 2008 9:00AM]

mmmmm cow.... *barf*

[MARSHAK @ Jun 16th 2008 12:51PM]

everyone in this comment + replies has inspired me to go get chocolate milk.

[Jared @ Jun 16th 2008 8:58AM]

I bet that thing's going to be really hard to clean after you've been eating Cheetos while using your 'puter. Even with normal use i can imagine how nasty those keys will get...and fairly quickly too.

[fanguad @ Jun 16th 2008 9:10AM]

That's actually a pretty standard Japanese keyboard layout. The space bar is small because there are several extra keys on the bottom row. IIRC, there's one to switch between input modes and one to switch to ASCII input mode.

[Andrew @ Jun 16th 2008 9:12AM]

WTF?
This is sick, I don't want to be touching a dead cow all day.
Also leather is much more environmentally friendly than plastic.

I'll stick to my vegan plastic KB thanks.

Andrew

[Harry Wagstaff @ Jun 16th 2008 10:23AM]

I'm confused, are you telling us to buy one because it's environmentally friendly or not buy one because you only touch things made of much much older, more compressed and processed dead animal (and plant)?

[Andrew @ Jun 16th 2008 10:31AM]

Err I meant leather is much more un-environmentally friendly than plastic (believe it or not)
Sorry for the confusion Harry!

[Andir3.0 @ Jun 16th 2008 10:48AM]

I can pull all kinds of random crap out my ass too with no proof. Just because you don't like that cows are used as a source of materials/food doesn't mean you can spout stuff and claim truth in it. Leather will decay with time. It will decay much faster than plastic. It doesn't require oil (fish oil possibly) but not petroleum based oils to cure and it doesn't sit in landfills for hundreds of years waiting for the plastic to deteriorate.

[Andrew @ Jun 16th 2008 11:29AM]

@Andir3.0 .
Leather footwear and clothing products are derived from petroleum-based materials (as are many types of plastics) and frequently criticised for being environmentally damaging. Leather tanneries use powerful chemicals to remove every last scrap of flesh including lead, zinc, formaldehyde, dyes and cyanide-based chemicals. On top of this, raising livestock is largely responsible for global warming, widespread pollution, deforestation and land degradation.

Also keep in mind that this mother cow was probably raised on a factory farm, being repeatedly impregnated and halving her baby calves taken away from her until her exhausted body could no longer provide enough milk. She was then sent to slaughter (being skinned alive) and ground up for hamburgers. Finally her skin was used be some idiot Japanese designer who thought it would be COOL to create a leather keyboard.

Even if you aren’t concerned about the planet we live on, given the chance isn’t it best to live life cruelty free? I certainly think so.

[Andir3.0 @ Jun 16th 2008 12:48PM]

Ok, now I know your crazy.

[MARSHAK @ Jun 16th 2008 12:55PM]

hey andrew, I think bohsocks (2nd from the top) would beg to differ on living cruelty free.

[aardvark sandwich @ Jun 16th 2008 9:14AM]

When do we get snake skin keyboards?

[dervheid @ Jun 16th 2008 9:24AM]

How about puppy skin? I see the NYC Cleansing Department appear to have made a start harvesting already!
Maybe they could start growing human skin in the lab, specifically for keyboards, mice etc. could bring a new meaning to 'soft-touch keys'!

[kodabar @ Jun 16th 2008 9:16AM]

Them keys beside the spacebar that diminish its length are entirely normal on a Japanese keyboard and allow them to type in those ridiculous squiggles.

[sully @ Jun 16th 2008 9:22AM]

I'm holding out for real ivory.

[The 3rd Hot Dog @ Jun 16th 2008 9:23AM]

What's with all of the dead cow comments?

That is, I understand what they mean (leather is cow skin) but where are they coming from? Where have they been in the past?

Why do all of my dead cow shoes look so good?

[z0phi3l @ Jun 16th 2008 9:56AM]

Engadget has been invaded by Vegans :(

[John @ Jun 16th 2008 9:57AM]

How uncommon is touch typing at this point? As a college student, I don't think I know a single non-touch typist at this point, including parents, professors, etc.

[XenoX101 @ Jun 16th 2008 10:12AM]

Yet how many people look at their keyboard once in a while because they forgot where a key was? (Not necesserally the alphabet)

[dervheid @ Jun 16th 2008 10:42AM]

Just wait till you get out into the real world sonny.

[nanobis @ Jun 16th 2008 12:35PM]

I think its interesting, but what about the base of the KB its self, Wouldn't that be plastic or some over form of hard materilal

[Yamikotai @ Jun 16th 2008 2:00PM]

Nope, the entire thing's leather. Even the wires.

[BratPAQ @ Jun 16th 2008 1:52PM]

im a toucdh tyupist, i don meed to look at my keyboatf or ythe screen whenb i type,,,,,.

[Laron @ Jun 16th 2008 4:10PM]

The "small space bar" is because its a japanese keyboard; there are 2 extra keys added on the sides of the space bar for something, not sure what.

I've seen space bars the size of shift keys before, damn irritating.

[GR Gear @ Jun 16th 2008 7:11PM]

Wish unique keyboards like this would become more readily available over here in the states. Definitely something I'd be interested in trying, at least.

Unfortunate how little tactile innovation has been made on keyboards.

[S7ORM @ Jun 17th 2008 2:43AM]

So... what are those extra keys near the space bar... caus like, i cant tell cause they are not labeled!

[K3ViN187 @ Jun 17th 2008 2:12PM]

my fingers will stick to the keys in the summer

[alien @ Jun 18th 2008 4:16AM]

They should have just added "keys" using dark grey coloring. then it wouldnt really stand out but you can find them when you need to.

as for the small space bar, all japanese keyboards have them as they have extra keys around the space bar to accomodate for "language specific" functionality