If you are left handed and are find that you struggle to type up to the speed that you feel you are capable of, you should consider breaking away from the crowd and get a left handed keyboard. If you are a parent of a young left handed child who has yet to learn how to type, then save them the heartache of trying to learn how to type right handed and get then a left handed keyboard. Even if you are not left-handed, you may still want a left handed keyboard. Here is an interesting fact that you may not be aware of:
When computers were originally developed, there was no such thing as a mouse. The numeric keypad was used much more commonly than it is now and at the time, having it on the right side of the keyboard was quite practical. This is still the cases on most desktop computer keyboards and keyboards with number pads in general. Unfortunately, this is the location where the mouse should be placed. The mouse has become such a ubiquitous computer accessory that you would think computer and keyboard manufacturers would take notice. But alas, unfortunately on most desktop computer keyboards, the number pad is still located where the mouse should be, on the right side.
A left handed keyboard functionally is identical to a standard keyboard. The main differences reside in the aesthetics. With most left handed keyboards, the numeric keys are aligned on the left, rather than the right side. This is key if you are in a profession where you are using a good amount of excel or number crunching. The numeric pad is also very commonly used for computer games, both online and offline. As a lefty, I used to avoid the number pad altogether and stick to the numbers on the top, which may be much more time consuming, but at least I was able to use my left hand to type. Once I got a left handed keyboard, my productivity in excel increased greatly, as did my efficiency at computer games.
Another benefit of a left handed keyboard is that it can be used for practical purposes by any person who is right handed. A left handed keyboard still uses the standard “qwerty” keyboard formatting, it is simply a matter of moving the numeric pad. So as long as a right handed person using your computer is not using the number pad, they shouldn’t have too much of a problem.
Like standard keyboards, you can find both a left-handed wired keyboard and a wireless left handed keyboard. If you are traveling around a good amount or moving around the office a lot, then you should consider a wireless left handed keyboard. If you just need a keyboard to replace your current keyboard, then a wired left handed keyboard will get the job done.
You can check most major electronic stores, such as Best Buy, CompUSA and Amazon to find a left handed keyboard. Ergonomics Made Easy is another great company that specializes in left handed electronics. In any case, since left handed keyboards are not yet massed produced, they are pricier than standard keyboards.