Thanks! Can you confirm the issue of "phantom key blocking" that this review talks about? Other than that small issue (don't all keyboards have that anyway?), it sounds absolutely perfect. Never been more tempted to just go out and buy a keyboard like this.
That's in my opinion more of a PEBKAC than a real issue of this (or another) keyboard. A "normal" matrix keyboard where not every key is singly wired (such as e.g. in the "G" series keyboards) necessarily has "phantom keys" when 3 or more keys are pressed at a time (not necessarily in all combinations, but in some at least). Some keyboards suppress the 3rd or 4th key to remove this artefact, some just produce a phantom key on top. The more difficult wiring is one reason why "gaming keyboards" are even more expensive.
I'm using this keyboard as a keyboard, not as a game controller (that's where I think the PEBKAC lies with the people giving a negative review). For the purpose of being a keyboard, the Illuminated Keyboard works absolutely perfectly well. I don't see any issues (note the word "don't", q.e.d.) when typing on it all day. Of course as a "gaming keyboard" it might be less suited, I wouldn't know. I would rather put money into a more expensive keyboard with quality keys than pay the same (or more) for a "gamer keyboard" which has expensive wiring that I don't use.
Personally, I think 70 bucks for a damn keyboard is overkill.
That's probably right, but if you don't mind paying a few more bucks for something aestehtically pleasing, this one is really nice. It's kind of a "minimum set of gimmick", too. The backlight helps a lot actually
finding the keyboard in a dimly lit room at night, too (not like you need to look at it while typing anyway).
The gimmicks that come with the "G" keyboards are totally useless, agreed. In fact, the macro keys are placed unfavourably enough to accidentially trigger one every now and then when aiming for the left shift key. Though I still like having one for experimenting with and for "have seen, have touched".
It's somehow like the 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator or the touch functionality in my Wacom. Never had something equally useless in my life. But I wouldn't know had I not tried...
About the insert key, this is kind of weird, admittedly, but I actually find it good. The delete key is "twice normal size" and the insert key is "somewhat out of the way". The effect is that accidentially hitting the insert key (and switching to overwrite mode) doesn't happen. It's something that bugs me big time normally (2-3 times per day), and just doesn't happen at all with this keyboard.
