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CTS 2005: Bestcare Flexible Keyboard

by Nick Haywood on 14 April 2005, 00:00

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Bestcare get wet and flexible

Bestcare get wet and flexible



One attention grabbing product at CTS 2005 was Bestcare’s range of flexible keyboards. Now I know that these are not all that new, the technology has been around for ages, but Bestcare are thinking about the practical applications of these type of keyboards. I have to admit, they’re pretty funky anyway, and they have the obvious practical use of having a keyboard that can be folded up and stuffed in a bag easily… rather than having the thing sticking out of your back pack. Bestcare already produce them in a wide range of colours and are talking about luminescent plastics too.



The actual key presses feel spongy, but that’s to be expected from a keyboard with no stiff bits in it at all and a high proportion of silicone. So what’s the advantage of having one then? There’s a whole mass of professions where having a keyboard impervious to dust and liquids would be a boon… and a keyboard that can be unplugged and dunked in the sink to wash is even better.



Each key is good for 1 million presses (how did they test THAT?) and is totally silent, making this ideal for libraries, internet cafes and the like where noise could be a problem and the water and dust resistant nature means garages, hospitals and classrooms would be another set of ideal situations for these keyboards.



Speaking with Raj Jesuthasan, from Bestcare, he said that there was further development underway with a look at improving the seal where the cable goes into the keyboard and the colour range would be expanding. It isn’t beyond the realms of possibility to be able to totally brand the keyboards with a logo making them superb promotional items too, just as Zboard produced a Doom 3 branded board, Bestcare could make a board with practically any design imprinted in the silicone… cool!