Austin (TX) - This could be an incredibly dumb or an ingenious idea: You type all day, taking a peek now and then to make sure you are hitting the right lettered keys. What if the keys weren’t lettered though? Could that introduce a bit more excitement to a device most of us take for granted?
The design idea behind the Das Keyboard Ultimate, as seen by founder Daniel Guermeur, was that the only way to improve typing skills such as his was to stop looking at the keys. He instead focused on making what is described as "a blank keyboard with a tactile feel." device, which prices at $129, also has a traditional QWERTY keyboard sibling known as the Professional available for the same price. The Ultimate though is what makes some people wonder about Das Keyboard’s business model.
Das Keyboard notes its German-designed, gold-plated mechanical key switches create a "distinct click" with each keystroke. Without trying one of these keyboards myself it is hard to say how truly effective this blind typing method is. Reviews have been generally positive, so Das Keyboard (which, by the way, translates to "The Keyboard") must be doing something right.
Other features of the Ultimate include two USB 2.0 ports, a black surface with blue LEDs, a 6.6 foot USB cable and a "N-key rollover function (or the ability to register 12 key presses simultaneously without key jamming)."
