Elecom's new TK-FCP004 ultra-slim keyboard is minimalism at its finest
By Paul Miller 
posted Mar 4th 2009 1:10AM
posted Mar 4th 2009 1:10AM
[Via Akihabara News]
posted Mar 4th 2009 1:10AM
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Huge ass Enter key = Ricockulous = No buy.
I tend to agree with The Dude on this one.
No bluetooth = not minimal enough for me.
Pass
and How is that a bad thing?
How else are you supposed to play frets-on-fire?
and what really bugs me is all those unnecessary keys eating up the space from spacebar. FN key should stay in laptops and what are the other ones again? oh and the right shift is just downright minimal.
other than that, it looks pretty good.
that's quite usual in jp106 keyboard, since japanese language requires hitting enter frequently just as you do hit space.
Keep in mind different countries use different keyboard layouts. This pic may be of the european version or something
I doubt it... European keyboards tend to arrange keys differently and/or have accented characters.
It's also not the british version because their currency symbol is missing.
In other words, this keyboard is likely to be sold in the U.S. but I for one won't be buying.
Minimalist keyboard with over-sized Enter key is just lame.
Why do people always complain about the full-size rendition of the Enter key? I found myself to be very incomfortable with the new versions and obviously I'm not alone, since most of the keyboards in my local electronic store that featured the new format have either vanished from the shelves again or replaced by their classic-format counterparts.
Other than that, I think this is rubbish, at least for my purposes.
1) um, this is a Japanese keyboard. There are several extra function keys specific to entering Japanese language text, these go next to the space bar. (Space bar is not as much needed in japanese.)
2) despite this it looks crap anyway. notice that the vital arrow keys are crunched in with the normal keyboard layout, and doubled up with Home etc. Also a bit of height on a keyboard makes it nicer to type on in my experience...
3) for a minimalist keyboard try here: http://media.funny.co.uk/files/2760.jpg
I know, I know, size doesn't matter but I prefer a bigger spacebar.
That's thin?
http://images.apple.com/keyboard/images/gallery/wired_2_20070807.jpg
http://gallery.techarena.in/data/513/logitech-illuminated-keyboard-3.jpg
Yes we know that Apple makes a thin keyboard.
No we're not going to support the Jobs distortion field project.
did you miss the logitech there as well?
Love that illuminated logitech, hate the price though. Logitech have a smaller ultra thin, non illuminated and much much cheaper
Because thinner is totally better. Last time I checked, those few inches above my keyboard were a HUGE desk commodity with just about every device fighting for it.
Honestly, who the hell cares how thick it is? I want to know about tactile response, key-clack, how many N of force it takes for each key depress...
No no no.... THIS is thin!
http://www.pdahut.com/store/files/main/d_9581.jpg
I sometimes think many of the blog posts on engadget are thinly veiled advertorials.
The title of this article gushes too much.
Seriously, barring an OLED display with touch input, I don't think you can get much thinner than Apple's keyboard. And not to mention Apple's and Logitech's offering in the article is a mistake.
Those who like minimalist setups, or have a large monitor which takes up most of their pc desk like smaller, thinner profile keyboards :)
Looks alot like a full size old-model EEE Pc keyboard to me.... hope there's not as much flex - and wth is with the mini-spacebar? not diggin that. I like this form factor of keyboards though, but needs a touch of refinement. Of course i havent seen/held on in person, but just thinkin out loud
totally, wat happened to the space bar, it got owned, why are the keys so cramped, and the enter key is weird! This is pretty looking junk
The spacebar is not used as much in Japanese culture, so reduced-size space bars are common.
I think I would still prefer to use my Apple Keyboard on my WindowsPC. I get the PGDN/UP/DEL/INS Keys above the Arrow keys like I'm used to.
I hear the new version does away with these along with the number pad though, so I guess I need to stock up on replacements. Damn Steve Jobs and his hatred of buttons!
Coming soon: Macbook Wheel!
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary
Do some research bud. Apple still offers the normal num pad-included keyboard and plans to do so for the foreseeable future.
Um, the Apple keyboard is significantly thinner, cheaper, looks better, and is still available with a numeric keypad.
and has a spacebar
and also a minibar.
Yeah, what the hell is wrong with Engadget? After reading this and the other post about the new, smaller keyboard *OPTION*, I thought Apple had pulled the num pad version. I don't even know where they got this idea from as it isn't stated anywhere else and Apple makes it very clear that it's an option as to which one you want.
Sssssh, don't you know? According to general trend you're supposed to assume that Apple is always a ripoff, even when it's not true. Don't spoil the party.
I don't know, I really dislike typing on a laptop keyboard as apposed to a desktop version. I guess as far as portability, this might be functional, but then again, isn't that what the laptop's keyboard is for?
looks pretty cheap and sh!tty with those poor parting-line gaps and stepped keys...
I hate stepped keys so much. They look and feel cheap as hell.
Agreed -- I had keys like that on a Sony VAIO laptop. Now I don't have that VAIO laptop :)
Yeah, I find them in a lot of Sony laptops. The true chicklet keys are the bomb though.
I don't think Sony uses them anymore. I think all of their newer models are fully isolated.
One thing this has over the Apple or Logitech keyboard is the amazing IME switch (for those of us who type in Japanese).
Actually that's a good question, do the Apple keyboards (built into laptops and on their own) have the language switcher key in Japan? I've never bothered to take a look. I'll be there in a week, I'll look at my mother in law's macbook and see if it has the key.
Why does it take 6 months to release a keyboard??
This is not minimal. This is tacky and grotesque at best.
Gotta say, doesn't look a touch on my logitech Dinovo Edge bluetooth Keyboard.
I got my Logitech Illuminated Keyboard at Bestbuy on sale for 50 bucks so I'll just stick with that. This one - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126043
But if you want cheap, no frills and great quality then get one of these. My new Illuminated keyboard replaced this one - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126022
The UltraX is the OEM keyboard of choice for me and you can't go wrong with it, especially if you have a wife sleeping in the same room as your computer.
I can't do wireless keyboards either so yeah.
"But if you want cheap, no frills and great quality then get one of these. My new Illuminated keyboard replaced this one - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126022"
Or I could just stick to my 1997 Cherry MX 3000, purchased for $2 from my local second-hand store, which likely outdoes this by a very large margin as far as key action goes. Like it outdid my previous $30 Logitech media keyboard. Which, in hindsight, sucked big time.
Why is it that people come up with these stunningly minimalist designs for keyboards, but they actually forget that the important thing is making the keyboard useable, given the most likely people to fork out for a nice keyboard that didn't actually come with their system are going to be those that use them a fair bit!
I can't stand small shift keys, no matter what side they're on, because I tend to use both depending on what side of the keyboard I'm wanting to shift!
Thats a beautiful keyboard. All the Keyboard makers do forket about simple design and apple is just cutting off keys.
a simple wireless keyboard with a numpad. Whats the Problem you damn designers ?
What is that wire thing? I don't like the wire, It is the 21st Century.
What happend to ergonomic I love my logitech wave
I far prefer the apple bluetooth keyboard- better design, and its WIRELESS. it makes this one (the 'Elecom's TK-FCP004') look like vomit from a 2 year olds mouth.
This is the best minimalistic keyboard money can buy:
http://www.fentek-ind.com/bluetooth.htm#kbmbtub
I don't really think there is anything special about this keyboard other than the fact that it is flat, which is the point of course but it doesn't do it for me.