Nov 6 2008I Dare Say Old Bean, Beautiful Keyboard
Well, it's been a little while since we've kicked it oldschool style here on Geekologie, so let's take it back to '79 -- 1879 -- with this steampunkified ergonomic keyboard.
This keyboard was commissioned by a female client and has some elegant, feminine design features such as violet LEDs, an acanthus-leaf pattern etched into the brass, and a soft burgundy wrist pad that is removable for cleaning. It also has a built-in "buttonless" touchpad mouse in the center (tap anywhere to left-click and drag, tap in the top-right corner to right-click). This keyboard is interesting because the typing plane is actually tipped forward rather than back. It looks odd at first, but actually makes for a very comfortable typing position.
Sweet, but where do you put the coal? Plus -- wait a minute -- chicks are into this whole steampunk thing? *donning tophat and monocle* Laaaaadies? No, I'm not Mr. Peanut!
Hit the jump for a bunch more pictures, including what the original keyboard looked like.
The IBM M-15 Ergo Keyboard [datamancer]
Thanks to bangdango, who tried building a steampunk laptop but ended up with tetanus.
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Reader Comments
1. Pew³ - November 6, 2008 2:57 PM
NOT FIRST!
2. Jimmy - November 6, 2008 2:58 PM
I'd tap that
3. Pew³ - November 6, 2008 2:58 PM
PEW PEW PEW!
Old looking stuff sucks!
4. Hunter - November 6, 2008 3:00 PM
It's a good thing that it's still QWERTY, or else I was going to go shotgun my neighbors pet rabbit in the face (if my neighbor had a rabbit).
5. Moose Knuckle - November 6, 2008 3:04 PM
Mmmmm, I like steampunk, it's like candy. 'Course I've eaten alot of candy to the point of being od'd on reeses peanut butter cups, so I'll use a different analogy. It's like a nice, unobstructed panty shot. Mmmmm, panty shots.
pew
6. JaC - November 6, 2008 3:07 PM
Old is the new New.
7. Pew³ - November 6, 2008 3:10 PM
Steam punk is cool. But this doesn't look steam punk to me. It just looks old. And why would you put a track pad on a desktop keyboard?
Maybe that's not a track pad, it's hard to tell with the shadowing. It seems all wrong to me. Wait! This isn't photoshopped is it?!?!?
Pew³
8. I like turtles - November 6, 2008 3:13 PM
i like turtles
9. Moose Knuckle - November 6, 2008 3:13 PM
No, dumbass, they didn't have photoshop back then
10. pew³ - November 6, 2008 3:15 PM
I'm ok with turtles. WTF does it have to do with old keyboards trying to be considered steam punk?
11. LSDiesel - November 6, 2008 3:16 PM
Looks good to me. The circular keys make me want to beleive it wouldn't be all that comfortable to type on though.
@1, Fail.
12. Moose Knuckle - November 6, 2008 3:21 PM
Silly geekologie reader, turtles are for zombies kids...
13. Douche McAllister - November 6, 2008 3:27 PM
I want to make sweet love to it. By sweet love I mean I'm going to type on it with one hand while I search for the finest in steampunk pr0n. Also, what the f*** is up with the spare tire on this thing? It just doesn't make any sense.
14. Daisy - November 6, 2008 3:31 PM
FAKE!!!!
This is an obvious photoshop job. You can tell its fake, the shadows are all wrong.
It kinda looks like the keyboard in the flashback scene in the movie Never Back Down.
15. pew³ - November 6, 2008 3:32 PM
ah! Spare tire! I get it.
Your'e making a reference to the Hummer post that had a spare tire and no wheels.
Is this going to be the new joke now? Every post will have its "never back down" references and "unessessary spare tire" references.
Aren't we just making this the coolest place to hang out or what!?!?
16. Blu - November 6, 2008 3:33 PM
@2
beautiful!
17. Douche McAllister - November 6, 2008 3:35 PM
@15 God I hope not. I'm just trying to beat Daisy at her own f***ing game by using a really dumb statement every time I post. TIRE!
18. pew³ - November 6, 2008 3:36 PM
touche' Douche'
19. Uncle Eccoli - November 6, 2008 3:42 PM
Brass is ugly.
20. Atrides - November 6, 2008 3:49 PM
This is elegant, but there's no steam, and there's definitely no punk.
21. Blu - November 6, 2008 4:06 PM
O, there's a punk, alright.
22. Elmo - November 6, 2008 4:09 PM
I need all this 'steampunk' shit
it's awsome... can you buy it somwhere??
23. Gail - November 6, 2008 4:19 PM
It looks cool, but it also looks more like a "piece of art" than a functional keyboard.
24. finfan - November 6, 2008 4:56 PM
I still want that steampunk shotgun
25. LSDiesel - November 6, 2008 5:41 PM
I told you all, the future is going steampunk.
26. Pat - November 6, 2008 6:58 PM
@7 It's way steampunk (but it does just look old though).
27. Steemo! - November 6, 2008 9:34 PM
Steampunk is stupid. There is no punk anymore. Punk is dead. There's only emo now. Emo is the new punk. Thus, this is not "steampunk", this is STEEMO!
Eat shit!
28. CyberCucina Foods - November 7, 2008 12:04 AM
I guess beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!
29. threetorches - November 7, 2008 12:50 AM
ooooooo,look at me,im so steampunk
i give artimus pyle
morse codes of fortran.
this reeks trustafarian.
30. ShavenLunatic - November 7, 2008 4:08 AM
that's just beautiful
31. MrDonkey - November 7, 2008 4:29 AM
Thinking steampunk objects are somehow beautiful is like thinking tie dye looks nice or that fantasy art is cool.
Steampunk is always ugly and as horribly fake as a Disneyland castle.
32. Simon - November 7, 2008 8:49 AM
@31
1. Tie-dye DOES looks nice
2. Fantasy art IS cool
3. Steampunk objects ARE beautifull
You are on a geek site, remember... everything a little dorky looks great for a geek like me. /8-)
33. Thumperchica - November 7, 2008 8:50 AM
This can't be SteamPunk'd because it's fabled to FUNCTION. We all know SteamPunk'd shit doesn't work.
34. Mindy - November 7, 2008 11:23 AM
I want it! Those Steampunk boys are amazing!