8 Keyboard Types

1. Multimedia Keyboard
This is one of the most popular types of keyboard. Maybe you already guessed what it is by reading the
name. Yes. It is a type of keyboard which includes multimedia buttons which help you to control your
media only by a single tap.Usually, a multimedia keyboard includes additional buttons or keys like play,
pause, stop, next, previous, volume up, volume down, mute and a special button to launch the default
music player in your PC. You can use these buttons for controlling video playback also.What if you use
the internet most of the time? Is there any dedicated key for this purpose? Of course, there is. A
browser launching button (usually with a home sign), an email button (opens your default email client
like outlook), refresh, back and forward keys. It is not over. Everyone opens “My Computer” many times
daily. You may also use a calculator. A standard Multimedia keyboard contains these buttons also.

2. Mechanical keyboard
This is somewhat a primitive type of keyboard but preferred by many. The mechanical keyboard uses
real physical buttons below each key. When you press a key, the button pushes down. Then there occurs
the completion of an electric circuit. Hence, an electric signal is sent to the PC, and you see the desired
result on the monitor. That’s how a mechanical keyboard works. If you want to get the real feel of using
a keyboard, grab one of this type now. Because it is louder and makes our fingers sense something rigid.
Some mechanical keyboards come in an ergonomic design that is more comfortable to type for a long
time. If you want your keyboard to be silent, skip this and see the next type. It may disappoint your
expectations. Mechanical keyboards are usually more substantial than other types of keyboards. But it is
proven to be long-lasting. The interesting fact is the cheapness of this type.

3. Wireless Keyboard
As the name suggests, it lacks a tail (I mean wire). It makes use of Radio Frequency, Bluetooth or Infra
Red technology. Portability is the vital feature of these computer keyboards. We can use it away from
the parental device. If you have strong Wi- Fi connection, you can type on your PC by sitting even 50
meters far from it. You can use this keyboard type with any of your gadgets like PC, mobile phone, tablet
or laptop that supports wireless technology. Among all, wireless keyboards are lightweight and small in
size. Some wireless keyboards reduce the usage of a mouse by integrating a trackpad into it. There must
be two parts (apart from the keyboards) for this type of keyboard. A transmitter and a trans- receiver.
The transmitter is attached to the keyboard itself and the receiver, to the parent device. Strokes from
the keyboard are converted into radio waves and transmitted into the air using the transmitter. Trans-
receiver attached to the PC or laptop senses these waves. Then, it gives the desired action.

4. Virtual Keyboard
It is not a physical keyboard but allows us to input keys. The virtual keyboard is not a hardware but can
be a software or parts of the software. This is the era of smartphones. So you must be accustomed to
the keypad of your full- touch phone, right? It is an example of a virtual keyboard. We use our fingers to
make inputs. There is no need to carry a physical object.
If you are a Windows OS user, you might have seen On Screen Keyboard. If you might not, then press
Windows key+ R simultaneously to get Run box. After that, type “osk” on the field then hit enter. See,
this is another example of a virtual keyboard. Virtual keyboards appear for our needs and disappear
after satisfying us. Or we can make it like that.

5. USB Keyboard
The invention of Universal Serial Bus aka USB was a massive leap in the history of computers. Today, we
have USB keyboards, mouse, speakers, monitors and headphones also. This type of keyboard uses the
USB interface as a way of connecting with the host. Means, we get a wire with a USB stick at the end
with this keyboard. Just insert it into the USB port of your computer. That’s all. Earlier there were PS2
keyboards. PS2 was a particular type of port for mice and keyboards. You may face a major issue if you
use a USB keyboard. Our computer may not support USB keyboards at the time of booting. That means
you can’t access and change BIOS (Basic Input/ Output System) settings. But after installing suitable
drivers of the keyboard, the issue may be solved.

6. Ergonomic Keyboard
These computer keyboards are built with considering ergonomics. If you own one of this type, it will be a
great addition to your computer peripherals. Usually, an ergonomic keyboard seems like a usually
disabled keyboard. It resembles the English alphabet “V” in shape. Companies do it to make the two-
handed users comfortable with it. The most significant advantage is Ergonomic keyboard reduces
muscle strain and the risk of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. You may find it difficult to type with speed at the
first use. But after some days of usage, it will dramatically increase your typing speed. But the truth is,
this type of keyboards are a little bit expensive, making no room for people with tight budget. There are
many categories inside Ergonomic keyboard also. The aim is to increase the comfort of users.

7. QWERTY Keyboard
I think this is the one you are most familiar with. This type of keyboards needs no explanation. It is
popular right from the age of typewriters. QWERTY is a type of keyboard in which the keys are arranged
in a specific order, not in the ABCD..order. At the early days of typewriters, people find it hard to type
with ABCD keyboards. It made use of strings underneath each key. Successive uses of consecutive keys
made the strings entangle each other. That was how QWERTY keyboards were born. Cristopher Latham
Sholes found a solution for this. He placed nearly using letters as far as he could. So the problem was
solved. Even after, finding the latest technologies, we follow Sholes’ model of keyboards as a
convention.

8. Gaming Keyboard
This is one of the best types of keyboards for hardcore gamers. There are some specialties about
Gaming keyboards. You find some special keys on a Gaming Keyboard. Because they are built with
bearing gamers in mind. We use W, S, D, A, arrow keys, and space a lot while gaming. In a gaming
keyboard, these keys are highlighted and easily distinguishable even by a not- so- usual- computer user.
The biggest plus of this type of keyboards is its physical appearance. Most of the gaming keyboards have
a stunning look. You will definitely fall in love with its design at the first look itself.
The Different Types of PC Monitors
PC monitors come in two different flavors, each of which is known by a popular TLA (three-
letter acronym): LCD and CRT.
LCD: Stands for liquid crystal display. The newer, flatter type of computer screen.
CRT: Stands for cathode ray tube. The traditional, glass-screen, television-set-like monitor.
Computer graphics: A CRT monitor is better able to emulate true colors than is an LCD.
Computer games: CRT monitors update faster than LCDs.

The different types of computer mouse

Mechanical mouse: Houses a hard rubber ball that rolls as the mouse is moved. Sensors inside
the mouse body detect the movement and translate it into information that the computer
interprets.
Optical mouse: Uses an LED sensor to detect tabletop movement and then sends off that
information to the computer for merry munching.
Infrared (IR) or radio frequency cordless mouse: With both these types, the mouse relays a
signal to a base station wired to the computer’s mouse port. The cordless mouse requires
power, which comes in the form of batteries.
A mouse with many buttons: The extra buttons can be programmed to do specific things, such
as navigate the Web or turn pages when you’re reading a document. The typical button-ified
mouse has about five buttons.
Trackball mouse: Like an upside-down mouse. Rather than roll the mouse around, you use your
thumb or index finger to roll a ball on top of the mouse. The whole contraption stays stationary,
so it doesn’t need a lot of room, and its cord never gets tangled.
Stylus mouse: Another mouse mutation enjoyed by the artistic type is the stylus mouse, which
looks like a pen and draws on a special pad.
Cordless 3-D mouse: This kind of mouse can be pointed at the computer screen like a TV
remote.
INPUT DEVICES
 Keyboard
 Mouse
 Joy Stick
 Light pen
 Track Ball
 Scanner
 Graphic Tablet
 Microphone
 Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)
 Optical Character Reader(OCR)
 Bar Code Reader
 Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

Output Devices
 Monitor
 Printer
 Audio Speakers
 Headphones
 Projector
 GPS
 Sound Card
 Video Card
 Braille Reader
 Plotter

Storage Device
 HARD DRIVE
 CD-ROM
 DVD-ROM
 flash media
 "thumb" drive
 memory stick
 iPOD
 digital camera
 removable hard drive
 back-up tape
 PDA (Palm, Windows Mobile)
 Blackberry
 Cell phone