Filed under: Hardware, Humor, Peripherals, Odds and ends
Happy Hacking Keyboard Coming to the Mac
Electronista is reporting that Fujitsu is bringing their Happy Hacking Keyboard to the Mac (with a Mac command key, etc.). Apparently something of a cult classic among certain PC users, Fujitsu is promoting these small USB keyboards for use with the Mac Mini. What makes the keyboard special is a driver that, according to electronista, allows "owners to visually reassign keys by dragging and dropping functions over the keyboard." They are available in Japan now, and will probably soon be heading stateside. Seriously, though, how can you not want a happy hacking keyboard?
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bdon said 8:30AM on 1-26-2007
I would love this... if it were bluetooth. I use a Mac mini (with TV tuner) as my "media centre" and have got the bluetooth Apple keyboard & mouse. But the keyboard is a bit big and heavy - all I typically use it for is web/email.
Any suggestions?
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tripdragon said 8:55AM on 1-26-2007
Well cause it's 250$!
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soxiam said 3:27PM on 1-26-2007
You don't have to wait for it. Their current USB models works quite well with Macs. I've been using happy hacking lite for a while now on my mac. It really is the most important productivity tool for me and the product is absolutely bomb-proof.
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Mikael A said 9:53AM on 1-26-2007
I want the charcoal one with Swedish layout! Um wait... I guess it will not happen.
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Phil Crosby said 9:51AM on 1-26-2007
Is it just me or does it not have any F-keys?
I'm a programmer; I'd feel bad about not having a keyboard with f-keys. I like the fact that there's no number pad, so you can reach for the mouse easily.
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Dave said 10:14AM on 1-26-2007
#4 - It doesn't have F-keys as such, but it does have an Fn key. Hold that down and the 1 key acts as F1, 2 as F2 and so on.
http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/en/hhkeyboard/leaflet/hairetu.html
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Ian said 10:33AM on 1-26-2007
If you want something with F keys and other keys like volume, pgup/pgdn, and Eject, and is almost as small as the HHKB, I highly recommend the SMK-88 Compact Mac Keyboard. You can find them a little bit cheaper from the same company on eBay.
I love compact keyboards; to me, number pads are a waste of space. I use the mouse an awful lot more than I'd use a number pad, so why does the mouse have to be so far away?
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lakiolen said 10:36AM on 1-26-2007
You missed the fact that the keyboard is only USB 1.1. Who still makes USB 1.1 products? What am I supposed to do with a USB 1.1 hub?
http://akihabaranews.com/en/news-13171-Happy+Hacking+Keyboard+Lite+2+for+Mac.html
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Macster said 11:19AM on 1-26-2007
"What am I supposed to do with a USB 1.1 hub"
Type
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lakiolen said 12:56PM on 1-26-2007
I'd use the keyboard to type. (Kind of hard to type using just usb ports.) I definitely wouldn't use the hub to plug in a mass storage device.
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Lars said 1:22PM on 1-26-2007
I'm still waiting for an Apple ergonomic keyboard. [Yes yes, I know about Adesso and I'm currently using a Microsoft Natural Pro]
My wrists hurt just looking at that micro-keyboard...
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jruschme said 7:23PM on 1-26-2007
"You missed the fact that the keyboard is only USB 1.1. Who still makes USB 1.1 products?"
It's not 1.1... it's USB 2.0 full-speed. :-)
Seriously, though, how fast do you type, anyway?
As for the hub, you could always plug your mouse into it.
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Brian said 1:16PM on 1-26-2007
I love the Happy Hacking Keyboards so very very much. I just wish they would make a bluetooth version.
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l.m.orchard said 4:44PM on 1-26-2007
I've had a couple of HHKB's for years now, and basically can't be parted with my black HHKB with cursor keys. I use it and a Logitech trackball, paired up with a PS/2-to-USB adaptor. That's followed me across several PCs, an iBook, a Powerbook, and now a MacBook Pro.
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Mephistophelian said 7:44PM on 1-26-2007
No Caps Lock key. Most annoying key ever!!
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zeeohsix said 12:49PM on 1-30-2007
I own five HH keyboards and use one of 'em, a USB HHKB lite, on my Mac Mini. Works like a champ, even without the volume and eject keys, which really aren't essential. Many of the keys are labeled on the front side with alternate functions (F1-F12, keypad navigation keys) which are accessed by simultaneously holding down the Fn key. You get used to this very quickly. If you really need Caps Lock, it is "Fn-Tab". As a heavy vi user, HH keyboards saved me from ergonomic disaster a long time ago. If I actually did any software development on my iMac I'd have a HH keyboard on it too.
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smk-88-user said 2:19PM on 2-08-2007
@11:
Don't write of these small keyboards as un-ergonomic just yet. First, the keys are the same size as a normal keyboard - your hands are not cramped any more than usual. Second, without a number pad, your reach to your mouse is much shorter, making extended mousing more comfortable. Third, many of them are made with better key mechanics than the standard membrane style - nicer on your finger joints.
I also agree with poster #6 - the SMK-88 is an excellent keyboard. I'm typing this post on one right now. Fantastic key feel; solid design; and Apple, Linux, and Windows compatibility. It's slightly annoying that the arrow keys aren't all the way in the corner, but you get used to it.
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Llama said 10:37PM on 2-10-2007
So, is the HHK Pro worth the price increase over the HHK Lite2?? I am trying to decide if I want mechanical keys or the inverted-T arrow keys. I hear the SMK-85 is pretty good too...
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Pete said 10:36PM on 3-16-2007
I have the HHKB Lite 2 (USB) Black. Great KB. However, two complaints. 1. DELETE key doubles as BACKSPACE and DELETE. Default is DELETE, and with Fn key we get BACKSPACE. There's a toggle dip switch to make the default BACKSPACE, which is what I do, since I need that more than DELETE. However, when we toggle the dip we loose the DELETE altogether, so can't hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE etc.. It shouldn't do that, in my opinion. It should "swap" the DELETE with BACKSPACE so we continue to have access to both.
2. Second complaint is that keyboard cord is permanently attached to KB, it should detach like PRO..that's a nicer feature, then I can use cords of various lengths for different occasions.
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