Zippy WK-712 Review
By Brian Bordenave
June 4th, 2003
Summary
This keyboard lays virtually flat on your desktop and will make a great companion to a new LCD display. Thanks to a fairly reasonable pricetag, this keyboard ranks an impressive 8 overall.
Full Review
Introduction
Looking for a stylish, compact keyboard to go with your latest computer? Then consider this latest offering from Zippy. Introducing the WK-712. This little number has stealthily found its way into stores and e-tailers with little fanfare. The WK-712 shares virtually all the same features as its brethren the larger WK-711 and Viewsonic Viewmate, except its about 20% smaller.
Features
This little device packs the punch of some of the big name boards into a much more attractive package. The metallic silver chassis houses a keypad consisting of light grey and bluish-purple keys. Along the top edge, there is a row of hot keys and three power management keys. These buttons are made of a soft dark grey rubber material that provides a good level of feedback when pressed. The keyboard is easy to navigate. All of the hot keys worked without any special drivers needing to be installed.
Media hot keys :
- E-mail and Internet keys: Previous page, next page, WWW home, stop, refresh, my favorite, search, e-mail
- Multimedia Keys : Mute, previous, play/pause, next, stop, volume down, volume up
- Programmable key: Optional
- ACPI Keys: Wake, sleep, power
The incorporation of the 2-port USB port makes this keyboard very utilitarian. Being able to add on devices through the keyboard or switching the mouse from right-handed use to left-handed orientation is invaluable.
Setup and use
The only major drawback to this board is its size. It bridges the gap between its ultra small cousin the EL-610 and its bigger relative the WK-711.The keys on the WK-712 are similar in size to the EL-610 making them about two-thirds the size of the average keys. This single characteristic makes this keyboard slip in the Ease of Use category. Yet, users with smaller hands will undoubtedly find it easier to use than users with big hands.
Conclusion
This keyboard lays virtually flat on your desktop and will make a great companion to a new LCD display. Thanks to a fairly reasonable pricetag, this keyboard ranks an impressive 8 overall.
Specs
106-key QWERTY format
Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP compatible
16 Hot keys for popular multimedia and internet functions
3 ACPI Power Management keys
Multi-language compatible
Physical Dimensions: 375mm x 146mm x 17.4mm
Weight: 430g
Cable Length: 1.5 meters
Interface: USB
Operational life: 10 million cycles
Key Stroke: 2.4 +/- 0.3mm