Let's face it -- there's at least an 89.4 percent chance that you'd be utterly embarrassed to let your mother, SO or inner neat-freak inspect your
keyboard. Years of wear and tear have cleared the way for minuscule portions of delicacies, follicles and all manners of foreign objects to make their home just beneath the vowels you smash on a daily basis, and considering that cleaning said keyboard or buying a new one is far too difficult, the
Quirky community has a better solution. The Space Bar ($42
in a 3-pack) is an aluminum keyboard cover that can slip right over 'boards that measure 18-inches wide and 1.5-inches deep; aside from covering things up, it also provides six easily accessible USB 2.0 ports. Too bad there's no
germ-nixing UV light on the underside, but there's always hope for v2.0.
Update: The pricing has since been updated -- it's $42 for
each.
posted January 20th 2010 7:59AM
Remind me again how I access my profile without making a useless comment just to click on my name?
@Sarig
Click on your icon next to the words "Log Out"
@Sarig Click your profile icon in the top right of the screen next to "logout"
Re article: I don't quite get the product. I've never known anyone to cover their keyboard at the end of the day (so why would you need usb ports on it, since you would probably be accessing the computer and wanting the keyboard anyway) but this doesn't seem strong enough to support the weight of a monitor atop it so you can't slide the keyboard under it when you leave for the end of the day.
.....and why is it in a pack of three? I just... don't get the product I'm afraid
@thelongmile
iCrapgadget.
Thanks guys :)
@thelongmile I can kind of get it, if you look at the image of it in front of the iMac - imagine having a heap of pencil holders and other stationary junk on top of the cover and sliding your keyboard out of the way at the end of the day.
Or, alternatively, take advantage of that slidey tray under your desk and add a USB hub.
@Sarig
What I don't get is why somebody would spend $42 on this just to cover up a dirty keyboard when they could spend the same or a little less and get a new keyboard.
@artist The first words out of my mouth after reading this were "Why isn't this in crapgadget?"
This is perfect for people who have a keyboard (the musical one) or small GarageBand effects board. Allows you to keep both in the same place. Very smart.
@thelongmile I would have a use for this. My desk at home is not very deep. By the time I add a monitor and keyboard, there is only a few inches of space left. When I need some real estate to sign checks, etc, I always have to pick up my keyboard and move it. This would let me slide my keyboard forward under my monitor which would be preferable to putting in on the file cabinet next to my desk.
@Sarig
I would love to know how to get my profile pic to show up, EVER. Anyone know why my pic NEVER shows up? I've tried several different pics at different sizes/resolutions.
@Wisenheimer
+1
I too would love to be able to slide my keyboard back, and use that area for writing. Unless you have an L-shaped desk... your keyboard surface and writing surface are usually the same place.
However... I won't be purchasing this thing. But it will prompt me to built something similar. I need my monitor raised up a few inches anyway... and sliding the keyboard back to free up some space is a good bonus too!
@Stereotype I want to see this thing on the tube at 2 a.m. for 3 easy payments of 19.99+S&H. Then and only then would it make sense as an idea.
@Scape3d
64x64 pixels, .jpg and I used firefox as for 3 years of trying on mac osx safari i could not get it to work
Um...ok.
Ok...
How about cleaning off your damn keyboard after you use it?
* Can of air
* Spray Sanitizer
Done.
@LAY Agreed, people are far too lazy. Although, if someone is too stupid to understand how to clean a keyboard maybe they shouldn't be handling compressed air. Soap, water, and towel is they way to go for them.
@LAY
Once a week I put some pretty high-powered UV lights over my desk for an hour.
@LAY
How exactly do you clean dried up semen with the air can?
@(Unverified) i find that a little bit of club soda and baking soda does the trick
@LAY
Hmmmmmm
I thought a Space Bar was where Luke and Obi met Han Solo.
@LAY
Maybe someone one day will make a keyboard that has a vacuum built into it with a debris sensor so that it will clean itself of any dirt,. also the output of the air can be used as a hand warmer in the winter and a cooler/dryer in the summer.
@LAY
Hint hint JoshT
Are you sure it's $42 for a 3-pack? I think it's just for 1....
It'd be cool if this was strong enough to support an average LCD monitor, or an iMac.
it looks like a slim LCD stand for you to store your keyboard under, so you have more space on your desktop when you dont use your keyboard
1) Go ahead and spell out "significant other."
2) A follicle isn't what you think it is.
3) Change "all manners of foreign objects" to "all manner of foreign objects."
4) Watch your sentence length.
5) A repetition of the word "keyboards" is infinitely more melodic than your newfangled contraction.
6) Semicolons are for pros.
@eyerot What is this, the New York Times? No, of course not; Engadget caters to a different crowd.
@dziban303
In general, I find the writing on Engadget to be perfectly fine. It's a blog. I really don't expect much. But Murph's articles are consistently riddled with errors and abuses that impair the flow. So frequently, in fact, that I may take up haranguing him as a new hobby.
@eyerot You missed the unnecessary hyphens he used on the product dimensions. I only point it out because it's a particular peeve of mine.
@dziban303
We all speak English so we are all the same crowd, any adult should be able to spell and write proper sentences. (especially when it's their job!)
Why should blogs get an out ? only text messages manage it.
Crapgadget?
I should point out that the only reason this is on Engadget is that someone over at Gizmodo covered it....
@CrossCheck No, because it looks aluminum and is pictured with an iMac. I think someone iCame
goodness that looks familiar.....
http://www.macessitywebstore.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3
@drewcovi
Those ones are powered too, much better design with the ports on one side and at the rear.
@drewcovi See now THAT is actually really nice, and it wouldn't take up any extra room. The one in the article is definitely a Crapgadget.
@drewcovi Yeah this is a much better design... The space bar makes no mention of supporting a monitor and their picture shows it placed in front of the monitor...
FAIL
Smashing idea... now I won't have to find any space on my desk to put my snacky wackies... they can just go right on there.
Why should anyone buy this when every keyboard comes with a space bar anyway?
Most useless product ever invented?
I use a Z-Board and just replace the keys every six months.
So it's pretty much a hunk of aluminium to cover up your Apple keyboard?
@CJ Well any self-respecting Apple user has to make sure their desktop meets the "hunks of aluminum" quota.
@myopiczeal
To match the walls of the institute that they most likely live/work in.
They obviously went to all that trouble to make it look Apple-y and then they stick a black USB cable on it, what were they thinking! It's white cables or nothing for my desk ; )
I would never, ever, buy that piece-of-junk.
I don't get it...
Crapgadget........
so the iMac doesn't sit on top? What the hell's the point? Just to have another piece of garbage cluttering your desk?