Logitech, these new products from the ERGO line will maximize your comfort

Logitech

We know that being comfortable at your desk during long hours of work leads to being more productive and, for this reason, Logitech today presented two new products of the ERGO line, in this case we are talking about the ERGO Wireless Split K860 keyboard and the ERGO M575 mouse. Wireless Trackball, which will surely allow you to write and move the cursor on the screen without straining your hands excessively.

ERGO Wireless Split K860 keyboard

The ERGO Wireless Split K860 keyboard, as it suggests the name itself, offers an ergonomic design that promotes a natural typing experience and offers greater support for the wrist. In fact, the curved palm rest with cushion padding provides 54% more support for the wrist, reducing flexion by 25%. The product, certified by United States Ergonomics for ten million keystrokes, is equipped with Logitech's Perfect Stroke key system, for perfect precision and fluidity.

The ERGO Wireless Split K860 keyboard works smoothly on PC and Mac and connects to the computer both via Bluetooth Low Energy and via the USB dongle included in the package. The keyboard will be on sale starting from next March 5th at the recommended price of € 119.

ERGO M575 Wireless Trackball mouse

The ERGO M575 Wireless Trackball mouse is ideal for all those who do not like continually drag the mouse across the desk and prefer a device that can control the cursor without moving the arm to maximize comfort and save space. The ERGO M575 Wireless Trackball mouse offers an ergonomic design that adapts to any hand shape and allows you to leave your hand and forearm relaxed during hours of use.

The ERGO M575 Wireless Trackball mouse, as well as the keyboard, can be connected to PC, iPad and Mac both via Bluetooth Low Energy and via the USB dongle included in the package. The device was also designed for sustainability, as some parts were made with post-consumer recycled plastic and even the paper packaging comes from FSC-certified forests. The product is available at the recommended price of € 49.99.

The Logitech ERGO M575 Wireless Trackball mouse in white is already available on Amazon at a discounted price.

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Logitech’s Ergonomic Keyboard Could Stop Companies Being Sued For RSI Injuries

The Logitech ERGO K860 has an undulating wave that separates its split keyboard to make typing more ... [+] natural and coinfortable.

Logitech

A lot of companies are going to be facing potential claims from employees who have been forced to work at home during the pandemic. The reason I say this is that many of those workers are having to work in what amount to an ergonomic disaster zone. Most of us have some experience of them since we found ourselves working from home on a cramped desk or a table set at the wrong height. Many of us have had to use a laptop and trackpad for our work.

These home working setups are storing up a heap of possible legal suits as workers spending long hours hunched over a small laptop, using a small keyboard and trackpad that were never designed for extended use. If you wanted to design a computer setup to inflict the maximum damage on a person’s posture and cause them considerable pain, a laptop would be the way to do it.

Laptops are fine for occasional short-term use, but not for long periods. At the very least, laptop users working long hours at home should be provided with an external height-adjustable monitor, a full-sized keyboard and a mouse or trackball. Any employer not providing these items – along with a proper office chair – runs the risk of multiple lawsuits if their employees end up suffering a medical condition as a result.

Seen here from the back of the keyboard, you can see how the Logitech ERGO K860 undulates to ensure ... [+] the keys promote a healthier hand position when typing.

Logitech

To counteract this ergonomic timebomb, Logitech is now launching its ERGO K860 ergonomic keyboard in the UK and Europe. This uniquely shaped split keyboard is constructed with a sculpted wave that places the keys at just the right attitude and angle to minimize painful conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and all those other nasty RSI afflictions.

The Logitech ERGO is quite a deep keyboard as it also includes a padded palm rest that can be set at -4 and -7 degrees for standing desk use. The keys are split into two zones that peak in the middle with an undulating wave shape. Even the space bar is split in two. The curved shape of the keyboard forces the left and right hands to stay separate on either side of the split, reducing the temptation to stretch type. The sloping form of the keyboard reduces muscle strain on wrists and forearms, keeping hands, neck and shoulders relaxed. As someone who suffers debilitating neck pain from years spent typing at a keyboard, I think any solution that can offer a better way of working has to be worth a try.

The ERGO K860 has a full row of function keys that also double as controls for adjusting the volume level, screen brightness and any other functions assigned by the OS. There’s a proper numeric keypad for spreadsheet users and an extended cursor cluster. The ERGO is powered with a couple of AAA batteries that can last for up to two years and there’s also a switch for turning the ERGO off to conserve power. The ERGO doesn’t feature backlit keys, so if you’re the type who likes to work with subdued lighting, this may not be the keyboard for you. Take a look at the Satechi SlimX range instead.

The palm rest on the Logitech K860 is made with three layers of loam including memory foam. The rest ... [+] is covered in a wipe clean material so that it can be kept clean and hygienic.

Logitech

The keyboard can connect to a laptop or desktop computer using Logitech’s Unifying USB dongle or via Bluetooth. There’s no wired USB option. The keyboard can be registered with up to three separate devices over Bluetooth and switching between them involves a simple press of a button. The keyboard’s layout is designed for use with Windows, macOS and Linux computers as well as iOS and Android devices. If you’re one of those people who has to drive more than one computer at the same desk, the ERGO will be perfect for you. Another brilliant feature that comes with the Logi Options software for customizing keyboards and mice. Logi Options enables you to cut and paste directly between up to three devices connected to the ERGO K860 as long as all the devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.

Getting to grips with typing on an ergonomic keyboard with a split and curved layout is a strange experience at first. Typing is a task that relies on muscle memory. Retraining fingers to type with the split and undulating layout of the ERGO K860 does take a little time to get used to, but not half as long as I thought it would. Logitech claims you can be up to speed after about two days and I’d agree with that assessment having spent some time using the K860. 

The beauty of an ergonomic keyboard is that it forces you to adopt a more natural hand placement and imposes a discipline similar to touch typing where the left and right hands don’t cross over with each other. With this system, there’s no inefficient hunting and pecking of keys as you get used to keeping left and right hands separate. 

The ERGO K860 from Logitech includes two sets of legs that can provide a -4 degree and -7 degree ... [+] tilt for this people who are using a standing desk

Logitech

I remember an old journalist colleague telling me how he learned to touch type back in the early 1960s. Back then, journalists were taught to type on manual typewriters with a wooden box covering the keys that the student had to slip their hands under to type. The students weren’t allowed to glimpse under the cover and would spend hours typing away and producing gibberish until they finally were able to accurately type copy without a single error, even in the dark. It’s amazing how much quicker and more efficient typing can be if you do learn to touch type. My old colleague was a real old-school, hot-metal journalist and could also write shorthand at a blistering pace.

The ERGO’s built-in wrist support features three layers of pillowed cushioning made from high-density foam as well as memory foam. The surface can be wiped clean from sweat build-up or maybe the odd coffee drip. The palm rest helps to keep the user’s hands pitched at the correct angle and is designed to stop excessive bending or flexing at the wrist, thereby reducing the risk of RSI or similar injury caused by inflaming the ulnar nerve. Two sets of legs under the rest can be used to increase the downward slant of the rest by -4 or -7 degrees, making it ideal for users of standing desks.

The Logitech K860 can work with almost any computer and uses either wireless or Bluetooth ... [+] connections. It's powered by two AAA batteries that can last for up to two years.

Logitech

The ERGO’s keys are a far cry from Apple’s shallow butterfly mechanism. There’s plenty of travel in these keys and the action is rated at 10 million key presses. I like the positive and quiet action of the keys. It made me realize how poor the quality of many laptop keyboards is these days. The ERGO also made me understand how much a keyboard and seating position can affect poor posture which ends up causing aches and pains. It’s time we paid far more attention to ergonomics, especially since working from home where hours can pass by in a flash.

Verdict: There’s no doubt that the Logitech ERGO keyboard is a much more comfortable way of typing if you have a large enough desk to accommodate it and are willing to spend the time getting used to the split layout. I have the feeling that a lot of people wouldn’t go back to an old-style keyboard once they’d got the hang of using the ERGO’s split-curved design. The typing action of the low-profile and square keys is incredibly comfortable. If you can persevere and unlearn any bad typing habits you may have picked up, the Logitech ERGO K860 will repay you with efficiency, accuracy and, above all, comfort.

Pricing: £109.99 / €119.99 / $119.99

More info: www.logitech.com