Would you use a special keyboard just for GMail?

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gboardThe Gboard is a plug and play USB keyboard that has 19 multicolored keys that map to a variety of Gmail shortcut commands. It’s compatible with both Windows and Mac computers and costs $19.99. Would you buy one? Personally, I would just learn the built-in GMail key press combinations that this keyboard is mapped to. That would save me $20, desktop real estate and a USB port. What do you think?

8 thoughts on “Would you use a special keyboard just for GMail?”




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  2. There’s no way I’d get a separate keypad for Gmail. The only way I would even begin to consider it would be if it doubled as a numeric keypad since my laptop doesn’t have one, and then I would get it primarily for the numbers. I don’t use Gmail’s shortcut’s as it is because I use Firefox’s “find as you type” page search.

  3. @Gardenwife – is it possible to get a numeric keypad to use with a laptop? Wireless perhaps? My old laptop doesn’t have one & I could use to input ASCII accent markings in other languages…

  4. @Sara Hopkins: You can get a USB number pad. Not sure about wireless, best bet would be to look for a bluetooth num pad.

  5. You have GOT to be kidding!

    I *might* get a special keyboard to access special features in all Adobe products. But it would have to be a full keyboard that would replace my current one.

    I *might* get an extra number keyboard to take on the road if I was working with a lot of spreadsheets.

    I *might* take up an extra USB port for a Wacom tablet.

    But $20 and a USB port and taking up desk space is NOT the way to go.

    ESPECIALLY not for reading MAIL!

    If Google’s gmail is so complicated that you need a special keyboard to use the features I pity the fools that I subscribed to the service.

  6. This product screams of lost opportunity;

    1) It could be a customizable keypad; Why limit it to Gmail? Because of the nice icons on the keys? Put a clear cover over the keys and include paper w/key sized punch-outs + software to print custom icons for the keys = pretty cool. Hell, sell the paper in packs too = continued flow of $$, like ink in inkjets.

    2) Bluetooth – Forget wires.

    3) Why in the someone take a numerical keypad ( Which this clearly was ) and put new icons on the keys without numbers?

    4) Get rid of the blinding blue led or put a filter or something on it

    BTW: My ideas here are the property of The Gadgeteer.

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