Will Microsoft Surface Dumb Down The Keyboard?

At the Surface launch event in Los Angeles, Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky, called the device a “tablet that’s a great PC; a PC that’s a great tablet.” And one of the reasons why it’s such as “great PC” is because it comes with a cover that’s also a 3 mm thick keyboard.  I’m not so sure. I’ll reserve final judgement for when I can try one out but I find it very hard to imagine how the keyboard could be as touch-typist friendly as  good laptop or desktop keyboard.

Apple doesn’t offer a similar cover/keyboard but there are plenty of third party hardware makers that do have similar contraptions that connect with the iPad via Bluetooth. Microsoft’s, however, is likely to be more fully integrated into the devices and is thinner and lighter than what I’ve seen so far for the iPad.

I think it’s a great idea to have a keyboard option for a tablet, but I don’t see how Microsoft can market something as a “great PC” with a keyboard that’s both ultra-thin and smaller than a standard-sized laptop keyboard.  I’m not saying there isn’t a role for such   a compact keyboard to enhance a tablet, but as someone who appreciates great keyboards, I can’t imagine using it for general purpose computing.

As it is, I’m having to make due with a less than ideal keyboard on the MacBook Air I’m using to write this column from my hotel room. At home I have a desktop PC with a keyboard that’s not only much larger but has a standard layout and nicely sculpted keys with ample distance between them and great tactile feedback.

I admit I’m a keyboard bigot but that dates back to my days of using an IBM Selectric typewriter followed by an Apple II — with a decent keyboard — and an IBM PC with an excellent one.  Until I got the MacBook Air I was using a Lenovo laptop which — as the company that bought IBM’s PC division — knows how to make great laptop keyboards.

And while that skinny little keyboard that will come with the Microsoft Surface may be better than typing on a glass screen, it will be far from the gold standard for PC keyboards.

Don’t get me wrong — I think Microsoft’s keyboard/cover is very innovative, but it’s not a component of a great PC.