Kinesis Advantage2 Ergonomic Keyboard (KB600), Black top case, Cherry MX Brown Switches, QWERTY keycaps

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Importantly, this thing is big. And it's not just wider than most keyboards people use nowadays: it's significantly taller than any other keyboard I've encountered. It's so tall that it doesn't fit in the standard keyboard desk trays I've found. So the Advantage is best in class, though the class has a size of 1 unless you want to build your own keyboard. I guess that means it's worth it? Verdict The key-wells are scooped into a concave shape to reduce hand and finger extension. Hands rest in a natural, relaxed position, with the fingers curled down to the keys. Keycap heights are varied to match the different lengths of your fingers. The result is less muscle tension and a shorter reach for keys which increases efficiency and reduces fatigue.

I tried to list each advantage and disadvantage of the Advantage360 vs. the Advantage2. One thing worth noting is that the Advantage360 feels more solid. There is a heft on it. The Advantage2 was flimsy and shallow. Typing on it would cause echoes inside the case because it was empty. That's not the case with Advantage360. It feels more premium. Its design feels more premium. The color palette is better, and no big logos exist on the case. It feels more futuristic than Advantage2. VerdictLet's get this out of the way: I have no idea how people get their keyboards so clean for photos. I tried dusting and wiping with a damp cloth but the thing still looks like I rub white Cheeto dust on it for fun. My apologies. Quantitatively, there's no real difference in typing speed between this keyboard and my laptop keyboard, or any other keyboard that I've tested in recent memory. I type at around 110 words per minute on Monkeytype with every keyboard I own (after an adjustment period for each), so I'm not setting any records but I'm also no slouch. Gaming

The ability to create these dual-function keys is incredible. For me, it's taken the thumb cluster from a breakthrough idea to something truly irreplaceable. I can take things like the shift keys or the numpad actuator and move them under my thumbs, where they're out of the way but enable much nicer Comparison between the Ctrl, Alt, Cmd/Win keys of the Advantage2 (taller) and Advantage360 (shorter) Enable Power User Mode (Program + Shift + Escape) and open the v-Drive (Program + F1). Navigate to the “KINESIS KB” removable drive in File Explorer and launch the App. Select the desired key in App and either tap the key action on the keyboard or select from a list of Special Actions using the button at the top of the Programming menu.True Split design. The Moonlander could be adjusted to your shoulder width, providing another level of ergonomics. Plug & play. Instant configuration for Windows, Mac and non-Windows PC operating environments, includes Windows and Mac legended keys. What these design choices amount to is what makes typing on the Kinesis Advantage such a great experience: you never have to move your hands away from the home row. How can you improve a design that has been out for almost 20 years? (The Advantage was released in 2002, which is also the current design of the Advantage2). People who used the Advantage2 loved their keyboards, most of which were nerds and geeks. They want more customizability, a sleeker and cleaner design that adapts to the latest trend. But they want all these without compromising on the well-established Design of the original Advantage2. Please Note: The Advantage360 keyboard uses the open-source ZMK engine and is not designed for novice users. ZMK does not support onboard programming so users who rely on that feature may not be satisfied with the Pro. Kinesis Technical Support can help point you in the right direction and provide written documentation, but we cannot provide individualized ZMK training and custom programming help.

The Advantage2 features low-force Cherry MX Quiet Red mechanical key switches, the rubber function keys (found on the original Advantage) have been replaced with Cherry ML low-force, tactile mechanical key switches, and our signature home row keys are in the new Kinesis Blue.Press and hold the Program key and tap F11 to enter Program Macro Mode (lights will begin flashing rapidly). Tap the Program Key to exit Program Remap Mode (Program Remap Mode will remain active and accept remap pairs until you tap the Program key to exit) The Kinesis Advantage 2 helped me type again. That's the greatest endorsement I could give to any keyboard. Until I discovered the world of thousand dollar keyboards (I don't have one, but I do watch TaehaTypes), I thought the Advantage was the best keyboard money could buy. Basic cleaning should be performed regularly by using compressed air to remove any loose debris in the key wells. The keyboard also attempts to take advantage of your thumbs by putting many of the "hold it down to activate" keys under the strongest fingers. Most keyboards only really want you to use your thumbs for the spacebar (and most people only use one thumb, at that).

The Advantage2 is available with a standard US layout or German, Swedish, Japanese and UK country-specific layouts (see image gallery for layouts). The only programability feature that I have really used is the ability to switch between QWERTY and Dvorak keyboard layouts automatically. This allows you take your keyboard anywhere and type in Dvorak whether your employer feels like installing that keyboard layout on your machine or not.

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The latest model makes a bunch of detailed improvements, but the basic design has been identical since the early 1990s. The on-board programmability, which has always been a selling point is much also much improved. The two keywells are “ tented” at an optimal 20 degree angle moderately raising the thumb side of the hand. Tenting puts you in a more neutral, “handshake” posture and reduces the stresses caused by forearm pronation. This allows your wrists and shoulders to stay in a neutral, un-bent position and is instrumental in preventing carpal tunnel syndrome. CTS is caused by the tendons of your fingers rubbing against the gap between your wrist bones while typing. When your wrists are bent sideways or strongly upwards or downwards that gap narrows and.. ouch! Note: To delete an existing macro, begin as if you were going to re-program the same trigger key, but after selecting the trigger key, tap the Program key again. The LED will stop flashing and the macro will be erased for this key. The integrated palm supports reduce stressful bending of the wrists (extension) and provide a convenient place to rest your hands when you are not actively typing. Self-adhesive, cushioned palm pads (included) can be attached for maximum comfort.