Basically, the patent calls for an underlayer of what’s called “ferrofluid” to be placed under the display of an iPad in the future (yet to be numbered and possibly lettered, of course) along with a series of magnets that allows the fluid to form bulges and necessary hillocks to make you feel like you’re actually touching something besides that flat expanse of screen.

Apple has, reportedly, had similar patents emerge previously, involving piezoelectrics and the like, but none of that made it to production either. It’s a development that bears watching, though, especially considering the number of cases out there that incorporate keyboards in their design.

Personally, I like the idea. Aside from the fact that touch screen keyboarding can be a cramped and difficult affair, adding onto it the uncertainty of whether or not you actually struck a key when you’re trying to type something is just as frustrating in its own right. Sure, there’s usually some visual counter-feedback going on as well, but not always, and for those times when you can’t look and see the visual cue, it’s good to have the click of a keyboard or, failing that, at least the feeling that you actually hit a key stepping in to tell you you haven’t lost your mind and are indeed typing.

Getting that extra shot of control in there to provide a little extra feedback can’t hurt as far as I’m concerned, but what do you guys think? Figure that adding a touch sensitive control to your touch screen keyboard is a smart idea? Or an idea that’s plain old unnecessary? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section below and tell us what you think!

The obvious news from the earnings report was that the Revue sold out. This is obvious because we’ve known for some time now that Logitech was looking to get out of the Google TV market and into other markets. But if you were looking to get a Revue, don’t be too discomfited–word is that Vizio will have a new version coming out to match the Revue’s price in the not too distant future.

Also, the Harmony remote…basically, Logitech knows it’s been procrastinating on getting a new one out the door, so thankfully we’ll be seeing some new versions of this come out pretty soon. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned, frankly, as the Harmony One is an impressive piece of remote. No doubt users will love to see what the newest version can pull off. That and sales have been slumping on the old Harmony–likely because most everyone who wanted one has one by now–and Logitech’s likely looking to stop the hemorrhage of potential buyers by bringing in new models.

Outside of the home theater segment, though, Logitech also reports some solid earnings in the wireless mouse and keyboard segment, especially in regard to their tablet versions. This makes more than a little sense, as Logitech has always done computer peripherals very well in the past, so why not look for it to continue?

The key takeaway here, though, is for the home theater crew who’ll be getting a refreshed Harmony soon. Personally, I look for it to do well, as the Harmony has already shown itself to be a pretty sweet piece of hardware in its own right. Still though, it’ll depend on the specs somewhat, because it’ll have to surpass the original Harmony to get current Harmony users interested in a replacement that may not be necessary.

But what do you guys think? Figure the new Harmony can do well in the market? Or do you figure the Harmony users won’t be too interested in abandoning a perfectly good remote? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section and fill us in!

The Model S may not look like much, but it’s packing a surprising depth of features. For instance, the Model S Professional boasts gold-plated mechanical key switches for conductivity and surety of response, as well as some specific Mac keys that you won’t find on the PC version of the Model S, like Command and Option. Even better, it will also pack in a USB hub with a pair of extra ports (which is extra good as the keyboard itself is a USB keyboard), and an instant sleep capability.

Better yet, if you’re looking to get hands on a good old fashioned mechanical keyboard for your Mac, putting your money down now will get you a 15 percent discount, letting you get in on the fun for $113. They’re set to start selling April 15th, so if you’re interested, you’ll want to get your preorder in as soon as you can.

It’s a little pricey, I’d say, but then Mac stuff often is, and it’s not like you don’t get plenty of extra features on this one. Personally I say more keyboards should come with extra USB ports, especially when they take up a USB port on their own, so why not lend a little extra value by at least making sure you don’t lose a USB port to use them? And gaining an extra in the process, well, that’s even better.

But what do you guys think? I know we’ve got plenty of Mac users out there, so I’ll open it up to you: anyone interested in getting hands on a Model S Professional from Das Keyboard when it comes out? Or do you think you can do better with less on that front? No matter what you think, the comments section is open to you, so head on down and tell us what you think!

Slightly long product name aside, this one is model number K39527US and it will arrive sporting a retail price of $119.99. In short, this is a case and keyboard combo that Kensington is pushing towards the mobile user and frequent traveler. Further details coming from Kensington include how “the keyboard folio case leverages the latest in touch sensitive technology and offers a unique blend of sleek style, versatility and durability.”

In short, this is a Bluetooth style keyboard with goodies such as one-touch iPad function keys and a microfiber material for protecting your iPad. Other features and perks of the KeyLite Ultra Slim Touch Keyboard Folio include the following;

• Ultra slim, lightweight protection with Microfiber material for added protection
• Bluetooth touch sensitive keyboard
• iPad-friendly keyboard layout with one touch iPad function keys
• Smart case enables automatic wake/sleep mode
• Versatile, adjustable stand to securely hold the iPad 2 in place
• Quick fold for tablet hand use is easy to grip and carry
• Provides easy port access to all iPad controls and 30-pin connector

All said and done, this latest is another keyboard/case combo for the iPad 2. Nothing that we have not seen in the past, both from Kensington as well as from others. But that aside, Kensington does generally offer quality products which means that if you are on the lookout for a case of this style for your iPad 2 — it may be worthy of your consideration.

And lastly, in addition to this case, Kensington also rolled-out several other accessories for the iPad 2 including the AbsolutePower Dual USB Wall Charger ($34.99) and the Chaise Universal Tablet Stand ($19.99). Again, all of these can be found with Kensington as well as with other retailers such as Amazon.

The mice in question, Corsair’s M60 and M90, are both very much geared toward the first person shooter. The M60 is the lower-end model of the pair, packing in a range of selectable response times from 1 ms to 8 ms, a 5700 dpi sensor that can be dialed down by way of an included “sniper mode” accessible by a button on the mouse, allowing you to go for the head shot as often as possible. It also offers an aluminum body and a rubberized scroll wheel. The M90, meanwhile, steps up the package by offering up all that as well as fully 15 buttons total, nine of which are programmable.

As for the keyboards, the K60 and the K90, the K60 gives you 20 key rollover, as well as textured WASD keys and a matching textured 1-6 key with an ergonomic wrist rest. The wrist rest opens up so that you can store the textured keys inside for when you just want a normal set of keys. Meanwhile, the K90 steps things up by throwing in fully 18 dedicated macro keys that you can customize to your gaming experience.

The best part is all four of them are out right now, and you’ll be able to pick them up from not only Corsair’s website proper but also other retailers as well. The mice sell for $69 for the M60 and $79 for the M90, while the keyboards sell for $109 and $129 for the K60 and the K90 respectively.

Both not only look pretty sharp but also pack in some very impressive extra features, though the prices are probably a bit steep for a down economy, especially so considering the competition out there. But what do you guys think of these items? Figure it’s a bit much to drop that kind of cash on gaming gear? Or do you think that high-quality stuff like this can always find a place? No matter what you think, fill us in on it down in the comments section!

While the name sounds like a bit of a kludge, there’s no denying that the product itself certainly has some merit to it. The Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 is your standard QWERTY keyboard, complete with Microsoft’s own Comfort Curve design for extra ergonomic joy (because typing on a straight keyboard for any length of time can be downright painful). It’s completely wireless, and since it works on Bluetooth, needs no dongle or connector to take up a USB port, which, with some tablets, you may only get one anyway. It works equally well with Android and iOS tablets, as well as Windows tablets, so you’ll be able to use this, for the most part, with any tablet.

Even better, this gets its power from three AAA batteries, so you won’t have to worry about running down the battery on your portable in question with having to power a peripheral besides.

Though, admittedly, there is one substantial problem here in the form of the price tag, a hefty $50 at last report. Considering the number of cases out there with keyboards built in–not to mention devices like the Asus Transformer Prime–Microsoft might find itself a bit pressed to make sales on a separate keyboard that doesn’t come built inside a tablet case. Still, the product itself is a good one if you want to go Microsoft and you want that extra ergonomic edge.

So what do you guys think here? Figure the Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 can garner some sales in a pretty heavily glutted environment? Or do you figure that this one might get buried under the field of competitors out there? No matter what you think, the comments section below is just the place to tell us what’s on your mind!

It’s a fairly standard keyboard, sized particularly slim to keep up with the overall theme of the devices they’re geared to go with, but also bringing in a media console for running your various multimedia applications (there’s an enhanced volume control here, as well as some digital music-themed controls), some extra function keys to handle the frequently-used functions like copy and paste, an onboard rechargeable battery and soft-touch keys for added comfort.

It’s geared to work with the iPad and iPhone, as well as other Bluetooth tablets that support keyboards, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom, so the popular tablets will be supported here as well as plenty of others. And if you want to pick one of these up yourself, you’ll be able to grab one out at Newegg for $49.99, which is a bit pricey for a keyboard, but considering that it’s geared toward improving your tablet functions, it makes some sense to have one. After all, if you’ve tried typing a document of any length on a touch screen–pretty much anything over a web address–you know it can be less than pleasant.

Still though, dropping that kind of money on a keyboard, even if it is for a tablet (especially when you consider some tablets already come with their own keyboards, like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer and its slated successor the Transformer Prime) does seem a bit hard to swallow. But what do you guys think about the Verbatim Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard? Figure that this will be a big help for all the tablet users out there? Or will the price tag scare them off after dropping the several hundred required to pick up a tablet in the first place? No matter what you think, we always like hearing from you, so head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think!

It’s been a good long while since we last heard anything out of Qpad, so this makes it even more of a reason to take a look at these two new pieces of hardware. Both keyboards will offer up what’s described as “full n-key rollover”, which means the keyboard can recognize as many simultaneous key strikes as your hands can actually pull off, and will do so over a USB connection. Qpad reportedly calls this a first for mechanical keyboard. But that’s not all you’ll get in here–you’ll also get the Cherry MX Red key switches, and these give neither tactile nor audible feedback, which means they’ll need precious little in the way of touching to make them activate. This is huge in the FPS circles.

And if you like that, the MK-85 will not only offer up all of that, but they’ll also throw in individual red LED backlights, a set of programmable keys, ports for your audio gear and headphones on the keyboard itself and a USB hub.

Now, the pricing. These will make their debut at Sweden’s Dreamhack festival, and you’ll be able to pick up the MK-50 for $106.87 US. The MK-85, meanwhile, will take the price all the way up to $200.50, but won’t start shipping until December.

Pretty impressive, though dropping $100-$200 on a keyboard seems a bit like a bad idea to me, especially when they’re not even ergonomic, but for really hardcore PC gamers out there this might make more sense.

So what do you guys think? Are the Qpad MK-50 and MK-85 strictly for the hardcore gamer with plenty of disposable income? Are they well suited for most any gamer? Or do you think they’re just a bad idea altogether and should be disregarded? No matter what you think, we want to hear from you, and the comments section below is just the place to fill us in!

The first thing you’ll notice when you check out the pic above of the Levetron Mech4 is just how many pieces this thing comes in. It’s modular, so you’ll be able to plug in and unplug parts of the keyboard according to your needs at any current time. It’s got mechanical keys so you’ll get that kinetic and audio feedback you like, a macro board with an additional six keys (for when you absolutely need a certain spell or attack slaved to just one button), ambidextrous user capability (doesn’t matter if you’re left or right handed here, folks, the modular nature lets you set it up just how you like it), a two function switch near the Escape key, and a little LED lighting on the various controls just for that added shot of style.

Of course, style without substance will only get you so far, which is why it’s a very definite plus that the Levetron Mech4 also boasts some protection features as well. Not only are those mechanical keys rated for a 50 million keystroke life cycle, you’ll also get a spill-proof drainage design said to be similar to that of Lenovo Thinkpad laptops, so when your fourth can of Mountain Dew White Out (or whatever your particular weapon of choice is) goes crashing into your keyboard, you’ll merely lose your drink as opposed to your drink and your keyboard to boot.

And if you want to get hands on one of these, you’ll be able to do so at either NCIX or CyberPowerPC right now, for a relatively inexpensive $109.99.

The Levetron Mech4 looks like a pretty sweet piece of hardware indeed, but what do you guys think about this one? Figure it’s got the kind of features you want to see in your PC gaming hardware? Or is that a bit more keyboard than you need–or want–to run your gaming sessions? Either way, we want to hear from you, so head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think about this one!

The Laser Mouse G9X offers up a next-generation laser and a DPI rating that’s adjustable on the fly in a range from 200 to 5700, so you can always get your shot off in a fashion most comfortable to you. You’ll also get sufficient memory for five different ready-to-play profiles, a weight tuning system that lets you install extra weight in the mouse for that precision shot, interchangeable grips and more. If you’re interested in one of these, best crack open the piggy bank as they’ll set you back fully $79.99 each.

Meanwhile, the Gaming Keyboard G105 offers up green LED backlighting for that “night-vision” kind of feel, as well as a set of six programmable keys, multi-key input system, instant media access keys and a game / desktop mode button to let you quickly disable Windows and Context Menu keys. Plus, Logitech asserts that the keys are of the longer-life variety, meaning they’ll be able to take more pounding without getting all sluggish and unresponsive, which is just the kind of thing you want to avoid when you’re out trying to save democracy for all humanity. One of these will also set you back $79.99.

A little pricey, admittedly, but with plenty of extra features and nifty design twists that will probably get PC gamers (and probably console gamers who use PCs, especially with that keyboard) interested. And they’re even both available now, whether for you or for that gamer you’re looking to do a bit of early Christmas shopping for.

So what do you guys think of Logitech’s new lineup of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 hardware? Going to be the kind of thing you want in your arsenal? Or is this a tragic misfire? Either way, head on down to the comments section and fill us in!

Looks bizarre, doesn’t it? But what this lacks in looks it makes up for in keyboard goodness, giving you at once an iPad case (because as we all know, that thing needs a case as most of it is monitor) and a folding keyboard. Though if you prefer your Smart Cover, you’ll be able to continue using that and still have the folding keyboard. When you open the whole thing up, you’ll be able to set the iPad back on an angled rest, almost as though the whole thing were an easel with a very narrow clearance off the tabletop. But then, you’ll also get a compact keyboard, so you can turn your iPad into a netbook with just a couple flips.

I’ve seen a few pictures of this thing, including the one above, and I wonder if the keyboard actually works in that half-open state. If it did, you might well get some ergonomic benefits out of it, and as anyone who spends a lot of time working a keyboard, good ergonomics are your general all-around computing friend.

The down side here, of course, is that the Logitech Fold-Up Keyboard is going to run you fully $129.99, which is substantially more than a lot of other keyboard cases for your iPad. Somehow, I doubt that this one is going to go over really well with the target market–there are already a variety of options available in the iPad keyboard case line, and the Logitech name is not going to be a premium sufficient to get people to pay that kind of cash for it. And it doesn’t seem to offer that many more functions to make it worth anyone’s while.

So what do you guys think here? Am I all wet in suggesting that Logitech’s name isn’t premium enough to command those prices? Or is this a bad idea in general? Whatever you think, the comments section is waiting for you below, so head on down and tell us what you think!

The K750 keyboard for Mac will be available later this month (August) and arrive priced at $59.99. As far as the solar power goes, the keyboard is said to be able to run for “up to three months in total darkness” coming from a full charge. As far as needing sunlight, according to Logitech, there is “no need for direct sunlight” and the K750 will be able to get what it needs from nothing more than the ambient light in the room.

Otherwise, as you can see from the above image, the silver model looks rather similar to the Apple keyboard. Of course, that is due in part to the silver and white coloring, however the Logitech K750 also sports a low-profile design and chicklet style keys. The keyboard measures in at just 1/3 of an inch thick.

Otherwise, the K750 uses an “advanced” 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, has a special app that you can download to monitor the battery level and will be available in a variety of five colors.

All said and done, this looks like a good option for Mac users that want to stay wireless on the keyboard and are tired of dealing with the battery issues that tend to come with. And as a Mac user, I have to say, this keyboard looks like it may soon replace my default Apple model — but still, I have to wonder why it took Logitech almost 10 months to release the Mac version. For those who remember back, the Windows version of the K750 was released way back in October of 2010.

The Belkin Folio Case incorporates both suede-like case with Bluetooth keyboard (complete with TruType keys, no less) to give you a much easier time of things when you go to do typing chores on your iPad 2. And when you close the case up, the keyboard slips under the tablet itself. You can angle the iPad 2 screen in three different positions for ease of use, and charging the attendant battery is done via microUSB port.

The battery itself is a whole other issue, as it’s got a truly impressive lifespan of fully 60 hours when fully charged, which means that the keyboard itself will outlast the iPad 2′s own battery a few times over.

It’s been launched only just today, and for those of you interested in laying hands on one of these, you’ll be able to do exactly that for $99.

Indeed, this is one of several such cases out there, and having a look around at your various options shows that you’ll be able to do better price-wise–significantly better on several fronts–but this one does have a few advantages and an unusually long battery life, so going with a name like Belkin might be a good idea.

So what do you guys think of this? Are Bluetooth keyboard cases for iPad 2 getting to be a little too much of a commodity good for your tastes? Or do you think there are plenty of great options out there for those wanting to do some word processing on their iPad 2s? Either way, we want to hear from you, so head down to the comments section and tell us what you think!

According to the recently-unearthed patent, the new keyboard uses a combination of technologies (including piezoelectrics, haptic feedback, and that acoustic pulse recognition) to tell where your fingers are, and what key they would be striking on a QWERTY keyboard if there were actually keys there to strike.

Basically, Apple’s taken out a patent on a keyboard that’s essentially one huge touch screen, but with the addition of some of that haptic feedback to let a user know that he’s (or she, whichever) actually striking a key instead of leaning wrong on the touch screen and sending a series of n’s cascading across his document.

Some suggest that there will be painted-on letters for the keyboard, while others seem convinced that the letters will be displayed on the screen itself, with the option to disengage that display and touch type on a blank slate, which would be a challenge for the truly expert.

I admit I’m intrigued by the idea, but being as I’m the longtime user of a Microsoft ergonomic keyboard with wireless capability, I think I’d sooner carry on with using it than switch over to the touch screen concept Apple seems to have in mind. But then, that’s just me; who knows how many folks out there would love to engage in a bit of computer stunt work and do all their typing on a completely blank keyboard?

Exhibitionists aside, who else would like to try working on a touch screen keyboard that may or may not show off the letters? Or do you think this particular patent should stay in the patent locker instead of getting converted to a future product? Whether you think this idea is good, bad, or merely indifferent, you’re always welcome to tell us what you think down in the comments section below.

The redesigned F-3 key has a function capable of activating Mission Control, which is a feature that shows you a bird’s eye view of your open applications and dashboard. The F4 key, on the other hand, is designed to access Launchpad – Mac OS X Lion’s application launcher. Without this Lion-specific keyboard, these two features could be accessed through finger pinch gestures or through clicking on their respective icons.

A wireless version of the pictured keyboard above will also be released in the future.

This time around, Microsoft’s putting more curve into the keyboard, as well as making the keys all one size, which is actually something of a new step as far as ergonomic keyboards go (and speaking here as a guy who owns, and uses, an ergonomic keyboard on a regular basis, that’s often the case, especially for keys near the middle of the keyboard. Some of those keys are huge.). It also offers easy access to media keys, and will run on any Windows released in the last decade (that is, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, with the lone exception of Windows XP 64-bit).

Plus, they’ve also put a little extra elevation in the middle of the board, which is said to minimize joint pressure, an extra advantage, though just how much real-world joint relief and tension removal will actually come from this keyboard is something of a gray area until some actually get their hands–or rather, fingertips–on one of these.

But the upshot here is that joint relief is no longer super expensive. The Comfort Curve 3000 is set to hit shelves everywhere this August for the surprisingly low price of $19.99.

Like I said previously, I use a Microsoft ergonomic keyboard myself, and I’ve found it actually does help keep your wrists and such from screaming in agony after a lot of typing. Whether this one will be comparable help or not I really can’t say, but still, it’s a pretty fair bet it will be.

Anyone else out there like their keyboard with an ergonomic advantage? Whether you do or don’t, head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think about the Comfort Curve 3000 or any other ergonomic keyboard.

While the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 2000 is interesting enough in its own right–a basic wireless keyboard that includes a comfort-driven keyboard with pillowy palm rest to reduce the strain a lot of typing does on your wrists, hands and fingers, as well as some basic extras like quick access to the Windows Taskbar–it also includes something you seldom find in keyboards: encryption.

Yes, every Microsoft Wireless Desktop 2000 comes equipped with built-in 128-bit AES encryption, which in turn keeps your keystrokes nice and private. So now, should someone be running a keylogger on you, with the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 2000, all they’ll get from your keyboard is a series of random characters they’ll have to run a codebreaker capable of taking down 128-bit encryption, and there are those out there who think that’s impossible, at least for now.

Now, here’s the really good part. While you won’t get ergonomic advantages with this (which, frankly, I would have loved to see as I love my Microsoft ergonomic keyboard), you will be able to pick one of these up for the surprisingly low price of $40 out at Microsoft’s online store, and even better, it’s available right this second.

I know it’s a bit mundane, but a keyboard that helps keep your personal information safe–especially considering all we’ve been hearing lately about hackers and the like–is a welcome development.

What do you guys think? Would you drop $40 for a keyboard that will, at least for a while, help protect you against hackers? I think it’s a great idea, myself, and one well worth considering. If you’re with me on this–or if you think I’m just a loon–head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think!

Sounds bizarre, I know, but the plan is basically to hook up a keyboard with a variety of proximity sensors (some are comparing them to those you’d find on an iPhone) and some air vents that fire up a gust of air when your fingers get close to striking a key.

Basically, Apple wants you to know you’re hitting a key before you actually hit a key, and I’m left wondering just what the value is in a system like this.

It’s important to note, before analyzing this, that large swathes of Apple patents never see the light of day, that they’re really more protective measures than intended development targets, but I do see one immediate and valuable use jump out at me: touch screens.

I’ve used a touch screen before a time or two, especially Apple’s touch screens. And while they’re very convenient, I often have a hard time telling just which key I’ve actually struck because there’s no pressure on the key like a keyboard would have, and there’s no audible click sound either. But with a system like this, that depends instead on compressed air to let you know when a key has been (or rather, is about to be) struck, you’d know you were hitting a key, which a touch screen keyboard simply cannot provide without external augmentation.

So do you think they might be looking to put these in touch screen systems? Or are they simply looking to protect a chunk of intellectual real estate for later use? Hit the comments section and pass on the word to us.

The keyboard is set to offer the standard QWERTY keyboard, and is said to be a little on the small side, but it will dock with the PlayBook itself (it doesn’t seem to be a Bluetooth sort of thing), and is also said to include a track pad, something that earlier leaked images didn’t show. And chances are this will throw a whole lot of extra capability under the PlayBook, as it will no longer be dependent on its onscreen keyboard for content input.

Perhaps the strangest part about the Blackberry PlayBook’s upcoming keypad is that it isn’t developed by a third party for use on the PlayBook, bur rather, by RIM proper. And this makes it something of an unusual item in today’s market, but at the same time, it makes a substantial amount of sense. Blackberry’s been trying to put the PlayBook up as a content maker just as much as a content taker–it’s set to give as many opportunities to create content as to consume it–but how was anybody supposed to use this thing to make content without a halfway decent input device? But with the addition of a whole new keyboard, people will be able to create content on their PlayBooks a whole lot more easily than they could have without. I’ve used both a regular keyboard and an on-screen keyboard, and I’ll tell you this much, I definitely prefer the regular keyboard if for no other reason than it’s bigger, making it more comfortable.

The bad news here, of course, is that pricing and availability data on this keyboard dock have yet to be revealed. But still, we know it’s coming, and coming pretty soon at last report, so the rest of the story shouldn’t be far behind.

Basically, the Trooper from Clamcase allows you to use your iPad (or iPad 2, ostensibly), as both screen and processor of a laptop. The Clamcase provides not only the frame to support your iPad at the appropriate angle, but also provides a keyboard on which you can type. It also offers ergonomic rubber feet to provide a non-skid place to set your newfound laptop down, and also serves as a somewhat hardened case (let’s just put it this way: by the look of things, it’s no G-Form) to provide a measure of protection. It even includes a set of keyboard shortcuts, so that you don’t need to hit the home key on your iPad itself, but rather can access it from the keyboard.

And what separates the Trooper from any normal Clamcase case, aside from the Star Wars naming scheme, is its bright white Stormtrooper-style exterior.

They’ll be making their way to shelves this June, so you’ll be able to get one of these well before you can get the newest box set of Star Wars titles, and you’ll have to shell out a surprisingly substantial $149 for your very own Trooper Clamcase. Considering that a regular, non-Star Wars tie-in model Clamcase sells for $119 direct from Clamcase (and you can probably do better if you look around), it doesn’t exactly seem like a great buy.

So would you drop $149 for one of these? Or do you think you can find better out there? Let us know which in the comments section!

Now how do we know such a thing, you wonder? Word has emerged showing an image from the new iMacs’ system preferences, and this image contains an unusual option: “Illuminate keyboard in low-light conditions”.

Currently only the MacBook Pro offers a keyboard with backlighting, and by all reports, people enjoy it. So it stands to reason, that if Apple would include an option to illuminate the keyboard in low-light conditions, why on earth wouldn’t they be working on a keyboard that actually offers the option to illuminate the keyboard?

Speculative? Of course. But speculative with some pretty telling evidence. Apple doesn’t usually make mistakes with its code, and offering options for devices that don’t exist would be a pretty substantial mistake. Imagine how we’d all be laughing if a Windows PC came with a garage door option on its desktop that didn’t actually open a garage door. Surely Apple could be no different here.

So will we see Apple keyboards come with backlight options? I can believe it. We’ve all seen plenty of strange stuff come out of Cupertino, so seeing something relatively mundane like one laptop’s option become standardized across the entire line is definitely not out of line here. When will we see these hit stores? No idea. But frankly, that’s not an option I’d mind seeing even on Windows PCs, so hopefully, sooner the better on that one.

Basically, the WOW-Keys keyboard is a normal, non-ergonomic, straight-line USB keyboard, except for one key difference: the number keypad has been removed and replaced with a divot the approximate same size and shape as your iPhone. This divot is designed for you to plug your iPhone into it, and once you do, you open up a whole new set of features for your iPhone.

Now, you can use it as the number keypad you would have had ordinarily, but you can also use it to control your musical selections, use it as a multitouch trackpad, switch between search and home screens, and more, depending on the software you pick up for the iPhone via iTunes.

What’s more, the iPhone doesn’t just control functions via the WOW-Keys keyboard, the iPhone itself can also be controlled. You can actually use the keyboard to input data into the iPhone. And just to serve as the cherry on top, the iPhone actually gets recharged while it’s in the WOW-Keys keyboard, since that divot serves as a dock.

The first time I ever used an iPhone 4, I got to wondering if there wasn’t anything this phone wouldn’t be able to accomplish, given sufficient time and an app for whatever it is you had in mind. And the more I see being developed around this platform, the more I get to thinking that, someday, there literally will not be anything that this phone can’t do, in one way or another. And it’s things like the WOW-Keys that help that along.

The WOW-Keys keyboard, meanwhile, is set to ship May 24th, and will ship for the relatively high price of $100. Still though, considering what all this thing does, it may well be worth your c-note, despite the lack of ergonomics.

It’s been a long time since we last heard about Minebea’s Cool Leaf system, and the last time we did, they were really just concepts. But now the concepts have made that oh so necessary leap from concept to actual product, and they’ll be available a whole lot sooner than you might think.

First off, a word on the keyboard itself. Basically, this is a standard keyboard, except all the keys have been removed and replaced with spaces on a touch screen, thus allowing you to tap your fingers to spaces on a touch screen instead of actually pressing down keys with resistance. Word is that Minebea has actually extended the concept out to include remote controls and calculators, too, but it’s the keyboards we’re concerned about. The first model will, not surprisingly, be Japanese, and it will offer a 108 key layout. It’s also only compatible with Windows based computers, so Apple folks, I’m sorry but you’re out in the cold, at least for now. Word is, though, you’ll be getting a separate version a little later on. Just when, though, is as yet unclear but I don’t look for you to be without too long.

The first ones will hit Japan May 13th for 26,000 yen (about $318.55 in US dollars), and word is that versions will follow in several other languages, including French, German, Italian, and of course, English, by the end of July. Sounds like it could be worth a look, if a bit expensive, and maybe it will even take some strain off your wrists and fingertips.

See, what SnapKeys has in mind is a little something different–rather than make your hands get used to the position of  26 different letters and assorted symbols, SnapKeys groups letters into four different blocks, according to shape. Letters like Q, R, O, D, P and the ever-popular @ sign have a similar shape–a closed circle or semicircle, and puts them into one block, which is activated with the press of one button. The other letters are organized similarly, and then the whole field of four keys is placed into a touchscreen control. From there, software organizes what would seem like a jumble of letters into a coherent word.

You might think this is a bit bizarre–how could, for example, the software tell the difference between, say, DROP, and ROBO? The software would group the words together, because all four letters would appear in the same grouping.

But the concept appears to work–only a short while ago, SnapKeys put up a video on YouTube showing a classroom of fifth graders using the SnapKeys system just half an hour a day for three days on iPads. By the end of the second half-hour day, the kids had sufficiently mastered the software to instruct the teachers and principal on its use.

Will future iPads be packing this unusual technology? Will all our touch-typing skills go merrily out the window? Will Microsoft lose an entire chunk of business by losing the ergonomic keyboard market? All good questions, and ones that only time can answer. But until then, SnapKeys might just be the way we send text messages in the future.

Yes, it was really only a matter of time until these started showing up. About the only problem anyone’s ever really had with an iPad is that they don’t type well (I personally suggested a backtype keyboard be built in not so long ago) and so, the market became filled with companies offering a fast and easy way to add typing capability via the iPad’s Bluetooth connectivity. So it makes perfect sense to see one of these already hit for the iPad 2, even if it’s a bit of a surprise that it came out quite so rapidly.

Not only can Brando‘s Bluetooth Keyboard iPad 2 case connect to the iPad 2, but it can also patch in to other devices, too, because it even boasts USB connectivity, giving it a little extra added value if you like the keyboard and want to move it to, say, your laptop or even desktop. It includes a 450mAh battery built right in, which, according to reports, will give you about a week’s worth of runtime on a single charge, which is not bad by anyone’s reckoning.

And if you want to get hands on one of these, they’re actually already available (out at Brando‘s website, for one, and possibly in stores to follow, though there’s no definitive word on that) and selling at a halfway decent price of $60. This might be a little much as keyboards go, but consider that this keyboard works with several different devices all at once, and is a whole lot more portable than the ordinary.

Instead of the mouse and keyboard commonly associated with PC controls–and let’s face it, even the wireless versions of these have some serious problems of space involved–you can replace them both with something like the Veho Mimi, which has motion sensors and a gyroscope to allow it to serve as an air mouse, a full QWERTY keyboard to serve as, well, a keyboard, and even gamepad-style controls to give you control over your video games (another important part of home theater) as well.

It gets fully 20 hours of use on one charge, according to reports, and even has a ten meter (just shy of 33 feet) range, which should be plenty for even the biggest home theater spaces.

You can tell from the picture that this thing is a handful in no uncertain terms (it makes even the hefty Xbox 360 controller look downright svelte by comparison), but it’s still much slimmer than a full keyboard and mouse together would be.

This is actually available right now, and will set you back a hefty $119.95, but considering all it does it might just be the home theater PC control you’ve always wanted.

Sure, we’ve all seen ergonomic keyboards before. But the Smartfish Engage, which is already being dubbed the world’s most intelligent keyboard, can actually make minor adjustments to itself so that your wrists are never in a fixed position for very long, thus minimizing the potential for damage to the wrist. It has a small motor on the inside that lets it accomplish this task, and can even track the frequency of your keystrokes and adjust the position of the keyboard accordingly.

Word is that the device was developed with the help of The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, who in turn determined that adjusting the positioning of your wrists helps fight off fatigue, and thus damage, and nasty things like carpal tunnel syndrome. And anything that makes typing easier and less painful after awhile has to be worth a second look. Besides, look at the thing–it just plain old looks cool. That is a very impressive form factor going on up there, and it’s almost worth picking one up just to have it class up your workspace.

Of course, nothing’s going to protect you from the sticker shock that will come along with this when you discover that they’re set to cost a whopping $149.95 apiece. We don’t know just when they’ll be released yet, but chances are, anyone who’s going to get one of these types professionally. I’m no tax preparer, but if this thing doesn’t get you an office supply tax deduction, it should at least net you a medical deduction.

I know, the word “unique” in connection with a iPad keyboard case is a hard sell, but this one will qualify. The Adesso WKB-2000CB, you see, features a removable Bluetooth keyboard. Not only can use it with the iPad, but you can also use it with other devices that could also stand a Bluetooth keyboard added to their functionality, plus, being wireless, it has a 30 foot range.

The keyboard itself is waterproof–not merely water-resistant, apparently–so that it’ll stand up handily to spills, and the keys even have ridges on them so you can get a decent kinetic feedback to make up for the fact that the keys are silent. The angle is even adjustable to your particular comfort, and has a faux leather trim for an added dose of aesthetics.

The keyboard’s battery, meanwhile, should see you through most of a work week at 40 hours of use, plus fully 60 days of standby. It may be a lot like the other ones out there, but that detachable keyboard does lend it a little extra utility that can’t be denied. And the best part is, you can get one of these right now for $79.99, and that’s not a terrible price given some of the others out there. If you’re looking to put a little extra word-crunching power into your iPad, this might be a good place to start looking.

Let’s face it, full-size keyboards are often not the best for MMO gaming. Speaking as someone who played World of Warcraft sufficiently to get his dwarf hunter a mount before he discovered that it’s just a job you don’t get paid for, I know that it’d often be well worth your time to have your keyboard laid out differently, and that’s what the Nostromo does. It packs your keys right where you need them most, directly under your hand, as opposed to all over the keyboard, where you generally don’t.

Just in case you don’t catch the reference, I’ll take a moment and fill you in–it’s the name of Ellen Ripley’s commercial towing ship from the original installment of Alien.

As for the tech specs on this sucker, the Razer Nostromo is a lot like the Belkin n52te Speedpad that Razer helped develop. It’s got a keypad featuring sixteen buttons that can be fully programmed, a rubberized wrist pad, an eight-way directional thumb pad, the ability to switch instantly between eight different keymaps, and the ability to store fully twenty different profiles. The pic shows that you’ll have most every key you need right under your fingertips just from parking your hand right above it.

You can pre-order these now and you won’t have long to wait to get one, either, as they’re looking to ship in just ten days. As for the price, they’re expected out for $69.

The Grippity is a strange sort of back-typing keyboard; you’ve seen these before; we just talked about the Alpha UI about six weeks ago. But the Grippity is sort of a rare beast in that people have been talking about it for the last two years, and it would have kicked off a third had we not heard this newest announcement.

And interestingly enough, it’s gone from “what was a Grippity again?” to “come and get it; we’re taking pre-orders!” Like most back-typing keyboards, the keys for the Grippity are located behind it, though you can see clearly what keys are on the front for ease of use. And, even better, it’s also packing a trackball for added value as an integrated all in one mouse and keyboard combo.

The Grippity is set to go for $60 a unit, and is slated to make delivery this February on those pre-orders taken now.

Some reports suggest that the Grippity is now billing itself as “the ideal media center controller”, which actually makes some sense that they would wait so long. See, home theater PCs haven’t exactly been big for very long. You were starting to hear about them maybe two years or so ago. If the folks behind Grippity were sensing a trend moving and decided to wait, well, their gambit definitely paid off. Home theater PCs are now a lot more prevalent than they were and need new and unique solutions to keep them controlled.  Solutions, Grippity hopes, just like the Grippity.

The GKM571R is a small, palm-sized keyboard (pictured above) that offers 2.4 GHz connectivity, a little trackball in the corner to serve as your mouse, and even a lid to cover the whole setup and let it rest unobtrusively on your coffee table when not in use. It’s very much a sedate sort of setup, great in upscale home theaters that don’t want to advertise their geekish nature quite so much. Subtlety is the order of the day here, and you’ll get your hands on this one for $99.95.

Meanwhile, the much more in-your-face system, the GKM581R is an oval shaped keyboard that looks very much like a full-sized keyboard (with the obvious difference being that it’s shaped like a big egg) that offers a whole lot more function than its smaller brother, but for a lot less style. This one has a whole row of dedicated hotkeys for your media, and a bigger trackball to get your cursor action on. And this one comes to you for ten bucks less–just $89.95.

You’ll be able to pick them up by the end of the year–hopefully in time for some Christmas giving action (or other holiday, depending) and of course hopefully in time for all the weekends you’ll be spending on the couch avoiding the upcoming winter weather. Twilight Zone New Year’s Marathon, here I come!

You’ve heard about iPad cases tacking on the keyboard experience here before, and this one will not be an exception…sort of. More on that in a minute, but to start things off, the Zaggmate will offer you an angled kickstand on which to rest your iPad and turn it into a screen for your new netbook (the hinge in turn will allow you to display your iPad at ten different angles), which is supplemented in turn by a wireless Bluetooth keyboard to let you use it just like a netbook.

The key difference here? You can actually get a Zaggmate without a keyboard. It functions just like any other iPad case, just without the added benefit of a keyboard input.

Whether you get yours with a keyboard or not, both cases are made from aircraft aluminum, and include high-density padding to protect it against drops and other sudden shocks.

As is the case with any new idea, it’s joining a growing array of devices that are a lot like it in many important ways. The question will come, and likely pretty soon at this rate: how many different versions of the same product can the market stand? Unless there are substantial differences among versions, someone’s likely to lose out.

The Zaggmate model with a keyboard comes your way at $99.99, while losing the keyboard will save you a whopping $30.  The keyboard model offers a full QWERTY keyboard. As for a release date, we don’t have one of those yet–it’s listed as “coming soon”.

Of course the difference between Logitech’s and AUO’s is that AUO’s is essentially a solar sheet which is designed to be built into laptops made by certain manufacturers. The keyboard is actually more like a solar panel sheet that measures about 2.1 millimeters thick and includes touch sensibility. The sheet is then lightly emblazoned with the symbols and outlines of a regular keypad.

Like Logitech’s version, this particular keypad is supposed to be able to run in both natural and indoor light. AU Optronics is set to officially demo their new contraption at the FPD International show next week that takes place in Chiba, Japan.

Logitech has announced the K750 solar powered wireless keyboard. The Logitech K750 is entirely powered by the sun and has taken that next step towards being totally portable since you don’t ever have to worry about finding a battery store just in the nick of time. While the keyboard comes with several implanted solar panels it also runs on a low power integrated circuits. The company claims this means that the keyboard will work even if it has been sitting in the dark for as long as three months.

The Logitech K750 is due to hit stores later this month and is expected to sell for around $80.

The biggest thing about the Razer Anansi is that it actually executes fully seven times the commands of that standard keyboard you’re using by way of seven different thumb modifier keys directly under the keyboard. The thumb modifier keys in turn allow you to quickly hit those keys that you’re constantly hitting when you’re gaming, like the Alt, Control, and Shift keys.  Even more, there are several programmable keys that boast 100 different options and each of those with Hyperesponse technology.

What’s more, you’ll also have the option to save as many as 20 different gaming profiles here, and switch between them at any time using just one button. So now when you’re getting pasted in one game, getting sick of it, and deciding you want to play a different game instead, you can switch on the fly and never have to switch your profile along with it.

To top it all off, you even get a set of dedicated multimedia buttons for when you’re actually sick of gaming and, say, want to just watch a movie instead, and, if you’d rather just stare at the keyboard for a while, you’ll get a show there too as the keyboard itself is backlit by fully 18 million different colors.

You’ll be able to get your hands on this monument to sedentary living this December (just in time for holiday shopping, no less!) and you’ll have to shell out $100 to lay hands on one of these. Of course, considering the sheer number of options that you’ll get along with it, that’s not exactly an outlandish price.

Named after a variety of Terran units (otherwise known as humans for those of us who don’t get much Starcraft time), including a kind of psychic sniper / covert ops agent, a suit of oversized powered armor and an aircraft respectively, we’ve got specs for all three.

First,the Spectre mouse, a five button affair with 5600 dpi laser sensor, 1 ms response time, and the Actions Per Minute Lighting System that changes the color of the light emitted from the LEDs in a bid to give you performance feedback. You’ll be able to get these for $79.99 US when they show up, and pre-orders are now being taken.

Second up is the Marauder keyboard, a full size and fairly normal looking keyboard with the Actions Per Minute Lighting System that changes the color as you type to show you how fast you’re moving. It’d probably be great for your normal typing too–you can show everyone how hard you’re working by how many actions per minute you’re executing from your keyboard. Pre-orders are now being taken, and you can get this one for $119.99 US.

Lastly, we look at the Banshee headset, which provides customizable adjustments for equalizer, pitch and volume, along with once again the Actions Per Minute Lighting System. Though what actions the Banshee headset measures per minute escape me, in all honesty–is it counting how many times I adjust the volume? Interestingly, this costs what the Marauder costs–$119.99 US–and as was the case with the previous two, pre-orders are being taken.

These should be showing up in stores soon, but you’ll likely want to take advantage of the pre-order if you’re interested just to make sure you get your foot in the door.

Basically, the Alpha UI Backtype attaches to any five or seven inch tablet PC, and allows you to type using the series of 24 keys it includes. Some projections indicate that, after some time getting used to the device, you can clock out 250 characters in a minute, which still is somewhat shy of QWERTY speeds, unless you favor short words or write children’s literature.

Considering the growing popularity of the tablet PC, this is probably a worthwhile addon for a lot of people. Alpha UI, for its part, is still taking beta-tester sign-ups, so it’ll likely be a while before this one makes it to market.

The SteelSeries Shift, you see, isn’t so much a keyboard as it is a coalition of smaller keysets. It can host a set of Zboard keysets, thus allowing you to customize your keyboard specifically for the game you’re looking to play. Moreover, you can even record macros on the keyboard itself, including things like timed delays.

Durability is also a surprising entrant with the SteelSeries Shift, as the keys themselves are assured a 15 million keystroke lifespan before failure, and even some key areas specially reinforced (dubbed “fine-tuned heat spots”) such as the WASD keys.

And if you want that kind of customization in your keyboard, the SteelSeries Shift will cost you $89.99. The keysets, meanwhile, will ask $24.99 apiece.

Portability is the order of the day on this little fella, which folds down to a box that measures 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches by 0.9 inches. And even when it’s in use, you’ll only add a handful of inches to the length–five, specifically. Even better, it only weighs 8.8 ounces total, which means portability is the maximum here.

It uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery that, depending on how often you use it, will last as much as one month at a full charge, and it recharges via a mini USB cable.

It’s hardly the first of its kind, but it’s one of the most portable Bluetooth mini keyboards out there.

Known as a leading ISO 9001 manufacturer, the Stealth model KYBX-400 series keyboard is an industrial grade keyboard that is environmentally sealed to NEMA 4, 4X, IP65 specifications.

They are housed in a rugged, vandal resistant, stainless steel enclosure which should be able to withstand harsh, wet and dirty environments.

The rugged KYBX-400 series keyboard features 71 full-travel polymer keys with silent tactile feedback for fast and accurate data input functionality.

The 38mm optical trackball comes sealed according to IP65 specifications and offers an advanced resolution of 800DPI.

The keyboard also features NVIS-compliant red adjustable backlighting, which makes this keyboard ideal for military, aviation or vehicle applications where night vision goggles are worn.

The Stealth model KYBX-400-DT-BL-TB-USB will carry an MSRP of $695 and is already shipping.