I love this keyboard because of the way, and the angle at which the keys are split. It is perfect for my tendonitis-prone left wrist, which is why I needed it. I only wish there was a bluetooth version because I use it with my laptop and I hate wires!

I received the keyboard today. The space bar is a big problem. It gets stuck in the pressed position. it is also difficult to press it from sides. you need to push it in the middle which is totally contradictory with the ergonomic design. the design itself is quite good but the space bar, which is maybe the most commonly used key, creates a big problem. I do not recommend this keyboard to anyone. Go for the Microsoft Curve Comfort.

This is the best keyboard out there and the price is right! Easy to manipulate and works well with your hands. Has a rest and on an incline to position your hands properly. I also use a pad for my elbows. Would recommend highly!

Because I bought a store model desktop for the family, the store threw in this keyboard for free. I was a little hesitant at first because I wasn't sure if I could get used to the whole "curved" keyboard thing. After using it for about a month, I just couldn't go back to the regular keyboard on my laptop's docking station. My hands feel so comfortable and relaxed using this keyboard, it doesn't even feel like I'm typing!

In all honesty, it only took me a couple of hours to get used to the curved shape of the keyboard. All of these keys are virtually silent (except the space bar, it's noticeably louder than the rest of the keys). Because I use Excel, I'm always using the number pad. If you also use Excel quite frequently, you'll appreciate the extra row of keys over the number pad (has an =, (, ), and backspace).

Overall, I've been using this keyboard for about a month of consistent use. I'm extremely happy that I bought this keyboard and I think it'll last me for quite some time. Whereas I used to hate having to use those "funky" ergonomic keyboards, I now dread using regular keyboards. Kudos to Microsoft for making an AWESOME keyboard.

Biased opinion starts Now:
As a gamer, I needed an upgrade from the regular Dell keyboard I had been using for a few years. I was hesitant on buying this keyboard after reading many many Amazon reviews. Apparently people had a problem with the space bar being stiff. MY spacebar works fine, it just feels like a big version of the other keys so +1 to soft, quiet working spacebar. The other keys are not loud as well so this is a plus. Pressing them is softer than most and can be compared with the Saitek Eclipse II and can even outmatch it in terms of ergonomics. Also, I do not type for a living. I mostly chat with a mic. The reason I bought this keyboard is because I saw it at Best Buy and after resting my hands on it, I felt at ease. It is the most comfortable keyboard I have ever encountered.
A couple of my gamer friends recommended some gaming keyboards and I tried them, but they did not leave an impression or desire as this one did at Best Buy. Among the recommended keyboards are the super popular Saitek Eclipse II, and F4t4lity, both which I believe are inferior in terms of typing, comfort, and gaming. Multiplayer FPS games are getting very popular and the WASD keys used for moving are Very important, and with comfortability comes ease of use.
Try it at Best Buy if you are not sure. Amazon has a good price and eBay does as well of course.
The keyboard works EVEN WITHOUT INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE(I'm using XP Pro), I am typing this entire passage without inserting the CD once. The CD is used for the programmable favorites keys at the top as well as the alternative keys for the F(function) keys and maybe some other functions that don't matter to me. Out of the box, the Homepage key works, the volume keys work, the calculator key works as well as the standard keys. Do not install the software if you do not need it, I definitely do not.
I do not have my fingers on the 8 home keys as pro typers do, I just use what fingers I am used to. You can get used to the split in less than a week. Since I do not type too much, I also do not have to get re-used to regular keyboards at my school either.
This keyboard is the best I've seen even for casual typers.
Either try it or buy it now, Trust me.

Keyboard works well for the max ease of wrist strain. They do make a comfort one that is not as curved.

This is the best keyboard ever! No more tendonitis! It would be perfect if it was 1. wireless and 2. had a few usb ports.

The spacebar is stiff in the center and jams when hit at the sides. As the hands relax on the keyboard, the thumbs naturally tend to move inward. At this point, when the spacebar is hit at the upper left or right corner, it will jam. This will lead to wrist discomfort. I would need to make a constant conscious effort to keep my thumbs extended, and even then the spacebar would be stiffer than expected.

NOTE: I have bought/tried this keyboard at multiple stores. This is a persistent problem that affects every keyboard that I tried.

I had high hopes for this product but turns out to be not well made. The space bar sticks and got a replacement. The replacement I got doesn't stick as much but it still sticks. I tried using this ergo keyboard but it hurts my wrist more than the typical keyboard. I type a lot and this is not something I would recommend. The right side of the keyboard is too wide so you have to reach further for your mouse. I would think Microsoft will have a better product than this. I like my other microsoft products (hardware) but this one is not worth fifty something dollars. The $10 or $20 keyboards are better.

First, let me address the learning curve on an ergonomic keyboard. It exists, the people who say they can just pick one right up and use it are either extremely gifted or exaggerating. This keyboard will probably take you anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks depending on how often you have to type in your daily life. I have been using mine for a year, in computer programming, and I still find myself trying to type the 'B' key with with my right index finger every now and then.

I had no wrist pains or anything with the regular keyboard I was using but my boss had basically purchases a large stash of these and asked if I wanted a new keyboard. Seeing as how mine was ready to be retired anyways I decided to give it a shot. A year later I just purchased one for my house.

Anyways, the argument on whether you should go ergonomic or not is something you need to decide for yourself, I am going to focus on this product itself. First I have to say it is incredibly responsive and I have yet to have any missed key strokes. The five button programming on the top is very useful, as well as the calculator feature. I don't tend to use any of the other specialty keys as I never really saw a need for them or I don't use standard Microsoft programs and trying to find a way to make them work just seems to much hassle.

The only real negative I have about this product is the fact the letters are painted on. I can already see some of my more hit keys beginning to fade on my first keyboard. A small annoyance for a speed typer but still not my favorite thing to see.

I bought this to replace my white Microsoft Natural keyboard which gets
dirty too fast. This keyboard turned out to be even better.

It has all the buttons I want. 5 for Favorites. Volume control which shows up onscreen. Zoom for web pages and more.

The price was great, it was selling for much more not long ago.
This is a keyboard I could keep for years..perfect for me.

Always a satisfaction to buy a Microsoft product. And this product is not different, exelente comfort and usual to who passes much time typing.

This keyboard is very, very comfortable. It produces no strain whatsoever and I can work with it for long periods of time without any discomfort to my wrists or hands. I recommend it highly.

I had an older version of this keyboard and I love this updated model. Quality seems good and has all of the features that I need out of a keyboard. Plus, I love the ergonomic configuration.

I had one of the original Microsoft Natural Keyboards, and I loved it. It had the reverse slope and the split keys. I lost it when I changed jobs, but a year later, I talked my new employer into getting one. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Microsoft had gone away from the reverse slope. At least I still had the split keys, and I could put a keyboard wrist pad under my keyboard to create my own reverse slope.

Eight years later, my Natural Keyboard died... Going to the IT department, they gave me a keyboard... or at least what they call keyboards these days, and I hooked it up in the place of my old trusty Natural Keyboard. It was what Dell ships these days with their computers, and I guess small is in because it seemed about the size of a laptop's keyboard.

Being so small, and without the split of my Natural Keyboard, by the end of my day, I immediately started feeling it in my wrists... I needed a new Natural Keyboard. (Forget asking work for one, these days)

I came out to my favorite place to shop where I could also get reviews (you guessed it Amazon.com) and started searching for Ergonomic Keyboards. I was pleasantly surprised to find this Cadillac of a Keyboard that not only had all the fancy whistles of new keyboards, but had gone back to the original concepts of my first Microsoft Natural Keyboard... The Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000!!!

1. Had the split keys that are essential for all the typing that I do, and the keys weren't tiny like the other keyboard work had tried to give me.

2. Had the reverse slope that I had been missing since my first Natural Keyboard.

3. Had awesome built in cushioned wrist pad.

4. Had a ton of shortcut keys... (my favorite is the calculator button) By the way, I remember reading a review where someone said that the buttons only worked with IE, which is totally false because mine works fine with Firefox. I'm guessing that the person might have had IE as their default browser, so that was what it pulled up. Firefox is my default browser, so it always comes up with my shortcut buttons for the web.

I love this keyboard. With all the typing a do, I needed something like this, and my wrists have never felt better.

I totally recommend this product. Oh, and I saved a bundle by getting it on Amazon.com, so kudos to them, too... ;-)

I purchased this keyboard based on the reviews other people had about this keyboard. Most of the reviews were right on, great ergonomics, but a sticky spacebar. I usually try to stay away from Microsoft products, but there no other keyboard comes close in terms of ergonomics.

Very comfortable to use. It took me a week or two to get used to the split keyboard - I've always had this weird typing style I worked out on my own, so I've never been able to type properly. Now that I'm getting the hang of it though, I really like it.

I also really appreciate all the extra buttons: the favorites and volume control in particular. I never understood why anyone would want all that extra crap, until I actually tried it out.

I absolutely love the key board. I have just had carpal tunnel surgery and it is great.

I love this keyboard. It's a fantastic value and as a person who works typing for a living, this keyboard is awesome. It's hand guard/rest is soft and the keys are very easy to push and makes typing a breeze.

This is a great buy and I love the keyboard (after a little getting used to.) I purchased it for my business office and use it everyday. I shopped around a lot! This price was about 1/2 of what the retail stores I shopped were charging for the exact same keyboard. I am really happy with my purchase. I would definitely recommend this product.

Maybe this keyboard just isnt for me. But the keys are sort of sticky because of the way it is shaped and the placement of your hands. I've been typing on it for a month now and I really would rather have a regular key board. Bottom Line it sticks and it is uncomfortable.

I have been using ergonomic keyboards exclusively for years, and this is one of the best ones I have ever purchased. Microsoft does a great job with attention to detail, including the zoom in/out feature. This is not a small keyboard, so I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for something that's space-saving. However, if you have the space, I would recommend purchasing it. It's packed with features. Amazon had a great deal on this, and I couldn't resist the purchase.

I got this keyboard as I have "Tennis Elbow" from using my laptop. This is a fantastic keyboard. My elbow started feeling better the next day. Although this is a slow injury and takes a long time to heal, I am definitely seeing improvement now, It takes a little bit of time to get used to the new placement of the keys but definitely worth it.

The only problem I have with this keyboard is the same issue I read on other reviews, the space bar sticks. Other than that I really do like the comfort and ease with which I have come to expect with working on this piece of equipment. It has taken the stress out of my wrists and arms and eased some of the pain that I have from tendonitus. It has not cured it but has helped ease the discomfort.

taking a keyboarding class and enjoy the extra support to hands and ease of keying as well as the split board.

I have no complaints with this keyboard. I installed it on a Microsoft Windows Vista system and then a Microsoft Windows XP system. In both cases, there were no problems with the installation and the operation of this keyboard. The keys have a good tactile response. I also loved the ergonomic design. Typing is now less work. I will never use a standard keyboard again!

I was a little unsure about purchasing an Ergo keyboard since I knew it would be a little adjustment. But it is wonderful! It is very comfortable and natural and since using it I don't have any more problems with carpral tunnel syndrome. I would recommend this product.

In only about 6 months the paint on the keys are worn off badly. About half a dozen keys I can't barely even see! The 'N' which really among all the keys is completely gone! And Microsoft DOES NOT stand behind their products saying normal wear and tear is not covered! So basically I am screwed and they would replace it but it would cost me more than I paid for it originally! I WILL NEVER purchase another hardware product from Microsoft since they don't stand behind their products anymore!

I've had a normal qwerty keyboard for several years. I have very broad shoulders, and in order to line up my hands on a standard keyboard, I had to rotate my left wrist at an acute angle (~70 deg). My wrist started becoming very sore after extended use, so I bought this ergo keyboard. It is fantastic! Some people complain about the space bar being difficult to depress, which is true if you're pressing at the extreme edges of the button. The short answer is, place your thumbs where they should be, and you'll have no trouble hitting the space bar. After all, this keyboard is ergonomic. Also, there are a BUNCH of extra application keys. Very useful. Lastly, I was unable to get the zoom slider to work (center of keyboard). For some reason it defaulted as a scroll slider. Not a big deal, but I have a scroll wheel on my mouse, so I really wanted teh zoom to actually zoom. That's software issue though.

This is a great Keyboard. It has many new features than the older models. It makes computing all the more easier. Several quick buttons can be set for your 5 main sites or even documents on your computer. If you are surfing the internet.. you can easily hit the "back" or "forward" buttons. Hit a button and the Calculator appears. If you have to use an ergonomic keyboard I highly recommend this one!!

Still getting used to this, like it now. The Right control key below shift is unwanted and I can't disable it. Otherwise it is growing on me!

One must be careful. Many keyboards advertise as 'ergonomic' and are but barely curved. This one is perfect and at a most reasonable price as well.

I am perfectly satisfied with this product and will purchase another here should the occasion warrent.

All around a very good keyboard but the fact that the spacebar is so hard to press down compared to previous versions makes me think others are right. The spacebar really needs to be fixed. Splitting it into two would probably be the best route. I do hope the play on the key eases up with some use, or I can see getting some cramps in my thumbs.

I have been using the keyboard for a month, 40 hours a week. It has worked great with no problems, and also has quiet, soft touch.

I was prompted to order this keyboard when I started to have wrist/hand pain on my standard keyboard. Since, using this keboard, my pain has gone away! I did not take me more than three days to get accustomed to the shape of the keyboard. However, it is a little bulky, please make sure it will fit into the space that you are looking to place it in. Enjoy!