keyboards

If you're a Twitter.com user, you may have been caught off-guard earlier today with the complete redesign of the Web site.

Though the UI has been redesigned, Twitter.com's keyboard shortcuts still work with a few new additions. To get around the Twitter redesign without worrying about where everything went, try these shortcuts:

Actions n : new Tweet r : reply t : retweet m : direct message f : favorite Enter : toggle detail pane l : close all open tweets (new)

Navigation j : next Tweet k : previous Tweet space : page down / : search . : refresh Tweets ? : display keyboard shortcuts

Jumping g then h : home … Read more

HP's first ultrabook is now available--and for a limited time below the list price of $899.

The 3.3-pound, 0.7-inch thick Folio 13 was announced on November 15 and has just become available today.

It packs decent hardware for a model that retails for $899, sans coupon code (see graphic). The Folio has a Core i5-2467M processor (not a lower-performance Core i3 like other ultrabooks), 4GB of RAM, a 128GB solid-state drive, a backlit keyboard, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. … Read more

Keyboard shortcuts are useful for quickly accessing common functions, such as saving files (Command-S), or quitting programs (Command-Q).

In addition to universal commands like saving and quitting, most applications will have unique hot keys for their own functions, even if they are the same key sequence. For instance, Command-I in TextEdit toggles between normal and italic text, but the same command in Preview brings up the inspector window.

Since hot keys can be very useful, Apple has a built-in option to set custom hot keys for a number of system and application functions. To do this, open the Keyboard system … Read more

A new firmware update for Sony's Bravia TV series has arrived, enhancing the built-in YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter widgets.

The YouTube experience on Sony's TV sets now has the ability to play HD video. Previously, the output was mediocre at best, but it should now should offer a crisp, high-definition image for videos with that capability.

Those accessing their Facebook accounts can now look at photos and videos in full-screen resolution. Posted URLs on Facebook are now accessible in the built-in Web browser found in most current Sony televisions. Unfortunately, that browser is somewhat slow and due to the lack of processing power, operates worse than the one included with the PlayStation 3. … Read more

Using Windows with non-Western writing schemes is a lot like watching a bad movie: All too often, the wrong characters show up on the screen. You can set up Windows to work in a wide range of languages, fonts, and writing systems, but glitches are common, especially when it comes to different character sets. Many international users have discovered LangOver, a free tool that converts your text to the language and alphabet of your choice when you press F10 (it's customizable). With it, users who set Windows to display Arabic, Greek, Cyrillic, or Hebrew characters (for example) won't … Read more

Inventor and engineer Jason Giddings hopes you have a few extra bucks to back his idea for a multitouch mouse and keyboard concept made entirely out of glass and metal.

The combo looks like the input device used on the Gibson supercomputer in "Hackers," but Hal and the Plague would probably be more psyched to use Giddings' wireless peripherals.

The glass surface of the keyboard and mouse shrug off food crumbs and most liquids, and both use Frustrated Total Internal Reflection (FTIR) technology with the help of an embedded camera to pick up infrared light reflected off the inside walls. Proprietary software then picks up the location of the tap and engages the appropriate key press.

Did I mention the software is open source? Yep, that means any developer can potentially manipulate it beyond the functionality of other multitouch peripherals like the Apple Magic Trackpad and the Optimus Maximus keyboard.

You can see visual mockups of the keyboard and mouse set at the Kickstarter donation page, but Giddings still has a long way to go before he reaches the $50,000 goal needed to build prototypes and enter preproduction.

Pledge $10 for a chance to submit your ideas on what to name this thing--the winner will receive the first production model! More concept photos after the jump.… Read more

Android Ice Cream Sandwich offers up a new keyboard with new features to make typing easier and faster.

You may have seen some of the new keyboard features when viewing the Galaxy Nexus video, or maybe you've read about them online. Fortunately, you can skip the wait and get the new keyboard right now.

Notice: This version will only work on smartphones and is not configured for tablets at this time.

Step 1: Head to the Android Market and install Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard, by johntanmi.

Step 2: Go back to your Home screen and press the Menu button, … Read more

Not many people use only one computer. In fact, most of us hop from machine to machine in the course of a workday.

The best way to make sure you can access your important files from any of the various machines in your digital life is to store the files online. If you use Google Docs as your online file repository, these tips will help shorten your workday.

Send a zipped copy of all your Google Docs files to your hard drive Most PC users back up their important files by copying them to an optical disc or USB storage … Read more

In the beginning, back in the 1870s, a typewriter key traveled downward when you struck it because the force was needed to propel a typebar onto the ribbon, thereby printing a character on paper.

Even with the advent of electric typewriters--and, much later, computer keyboards--people liked the keys to move decisively when they struck them. It helped with touch typing and confirmed that your keypress had, indeed, been registered. To this day, "full travel" is one of the most complimentary adjectives you can apply to any keyboard.

And then there's the iPad's zero-travel, on-screen keyboard. Many … Read more