Bent Any Keyboards Lately?

Anne B. McDonald

Did you ever wish that you could fold up a PC keyboard and tuck it into a laptop case? Are you prone to dribbling food and drink on your Ps and Qs? If so, check out Inpace's $40 Flexi Keyboard, which weighs less than 8 ounces and can be rolled up like a newspaper. The Flexi's circuitry is sandwiched between two layers of thin, clear polyurethane, so spills can't reach the electronics. If you've had trouble with kids' sticky fingers on your PC, this might be the answer. Overall, it exudes plastic placemat (it can be scrubbed like one), but the company says that it's UV-resistant and won't crack or yellow.

At first, typing on the Flexi was like pounding marshmallows--but gradually it grew on me. It has several drawbacks to get used to. The Flexi is so flexible that you must use it on a solid surface (don't even think of typing on your lap), its spongy keys respond best only if you hit them dead center, and it would have benefited from a larger spacebar and left shift key. It's not at all an essential accessory, but its versatility might win you over. Inpace.