Microsoft Launches 3 New Products

HostReview.com
Tuesday, September 6, 2005; 02:45 PM

Continuing its commitment to delivering the most comfortable peripherals available, Microsoft Corp. (www.microsoft.com) launched three new products designed to make time on the PC more comfortable than ever.

A revolutionary ergonomic keyboard design, a sleek Comfort Curve Keyboard and an affordable High Definition optical mouse showcase the latest innovations in ergonomics and make time spent on the PC more enjoyable.

Microsoft has a more-than-20-year history of delivering comfortable products, including the first affordable split keyboard in 1994, which is the No. 1 best-selling Natural® keyboard layout, and the Comfort Curve keyboard design introduced in 2005 — which, when tested in internal focus groups against other keyboards, was chosen 3-to-1.

Microsoft ergonomists are continually looking for ways to make PC experiences more comfortable, and the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000 and Comfort Optical Mouse 3000, all introduced today, take comfort to a new level.

“At Microsoft, we take comfort very seriously and are continually looking for ways to make the time our customers spend on their PCs more comfortable,” said Dan Odell, Ph.D., Microsoft Hardware user researcher and ergonomist.

Building on Microsoft’s No. 1 best-selling line of Natural keyboards, Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 is the company’s latest advancement in PC comfort. In fact, fixed alternative keyboard designs, such as the Microsoft Natural design, have been associated with a significant reduction of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.

Equipped with breakthrough comfort enhancements and designed for those who already love split keyboards, Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 debuts a proprietary “gull wing” design featuring a new 14-degree gable that brings the keys closer to the users’ fingers, reducing unnecessary motion while encouraging a more natural typing position.

In addition, an optional palm rest for a 7-degree reversed slope, a cushioned wrist rest and a 12-degree split encourage better wrist and arm alignment, allowing users to work and play on their computer in a more natural and instinctive position.