Maltron Keyboard

By Xah Lee. Date: 2011-11-23. Last updated: 2024-04-19.

Maltron Keyboard

The Maltron keyboard, made by a company in UK.

This is the first ergonomic keyboard with bowl shaped concave typing surface. The company was founded in 1977.

The company was founded by Stephen Hobday as a result of a meeting between himself and Lillian Malt

〔https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html〕

Maltron keyboard-s1200 — Maltron keyboard, with Maltron layout.

Total number of keys: 126.

The Maltron comes with QWERTY or Dvorak keyboard layouts, but also available is its own Maltron keyboard layout.

Typing on Maltron

vidthumb pYJtF1I3PRs — https://youtu.be/pYJtF1I3PRs

Maltron Ergonomic stenography touch typing audio transcription.

(saxeharp 2011-03-06)

Following is a Maltron review, by a professional typer (the stenography typer in the video above). This means, if you are a programer, even if you work 60 hours weeks, the actual typing done by this guy is probably few times more than you. (i myself was once a data-entry clerk) His article is a very good one.

Most Ergonomic and efficient keyboard 2011-02-19 By Joe. At http://mostergonomickeyboard.blogspot.com/

Maltron vs Kinesis

The Maltron is similar to Kinesis Advantage2 Keyboard

Maltron is about $200 more than Kinesis, because each Maltron is individually ordered and crafted, not mass produced. Maltron is also ugly.

If price doesn't matter, i think Maltron is functionally better than Kinesis. because:

The thumb keys seems more comfortable. (i have not verified this myself)
For each thumb cluster, it has one more key.
Full-sized function keys. (above the number row)
The middle keypad gives you 28 extra keys! You have multimedia keys and number pad if you need it. If you don't need it, you can remap them as extra function keys. All single button press to switch to {browser, emacs, workspace, windows, apps}. 〔see Why Function Keys F1 to F12 Are Useful〕

Here is a review, more about the physical characteristics of the keyboard. Review of Kinesis vs Maltron 2011-12-27 By Hoggy. At http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/some-more-ergonomic-keyboards-t1731.html

Another review, by a programer. Change is Good (Maltron vs Kinesis review) 2007-06-22 By Brian Fitzpatrick. At http://fitz.blogspot.com/2007/06/change-is-good.html

Who use Maltron?

Many emacs users use Maltron. I know the following:

Nick Alcock ~~https://plus.google.com/115849739354666812574/posts~~ (emacs oldbie from 1980s) 〔see Emacs Screen Tour: Emacs Oldbie Nick Alcock〕
Noah Friedman ~~https://plus.google.com/+NoahFriedman/posts~~ (emacs oldbie from 1980s with code in GNU Emacs)
Brian Fitzpatrick ~~https://plus.google.com/+BrianFitzpatrick/posts~~