I recently decided that I’d investigate getting a new keyboard for home and work. Up until then I’d been using a Microsoft Natural keyboard for a few years and had quite enjoyed it. For any touch-typist, it makes things easier and reduces strain on your wrists – but I suspected that there were still better keyboards out there.

I decided to get a Freestyle w/VIP accessory from Kinesis. They have another model, the Advantage Pro, which might end up being even better, but it also has a learning curve of several weeks and I wanted something that I could just start typing on right away.

In addition to the keyboard, I got an Evoluent VerticalMouse, which is like a regular mouse except turned 90 degrees so that you’re “shaking hands” with it rather than holding it with your palm down. This is a much more natural position for your hand and arm to be in, so it relieves stress that way too.

Of course, I got a set of these for home and work. It didn’t make sense for them to be in one spot but not the other. I got Michelle one of the mice for her to have at work too, but not the keyboard as she wasn’t too sure of that one right away. (If she gets used to it at home, I will see about getting another one for her at work.)

So far I quite like both of them. I’m not able to control the new mouse quite as well as a regular mouse, but I’m getting better at it. I’m also able to type on the new keyboard just about as well as the old one, and I think it will improve a bit as time goes on.