Tech Blog

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I can't help myself but always be on the look out for a better keyboard or mouse to help me with my (terrible) Team Fortress 2 skills--I've discussed this before--and Microsoft has now announced a new keyboard that might help me in my quest, the SideWinder X4.

Designed to give yet more control to the player, it features what Microsoft is calling "the industry's most advanced anti-ghosting technology." What does that mean? Well, developed by the big M's Applied Sciences Group, the technology means gamer's key combinations will be recognized by the computer, not matter how complex. Realistically? It means that if you have to hit about seven keys at once to pull off that rocket jump 360-degree-spin weapon change headshot combo, you won't face that irritating problem where it fails to register completely and you're dead before you even hit the ground. If you're wondering, this anti-ghosting technology allows you to press up to 26 keys at once without issue, and if you can hit 26 keys at once without mashing the keyboard with your palms give us a call, because that's either mighty impressive or you have some really messed up hands.

"We’re always looking for new and novel ways to enhance people’s interactions with their PCs," said Steven Bathiche, research manager of the Applied Sciences Group at Microsoft. "We know that ghosting can be a problem for gamers, so we wanted to develop a way to eliminate this issue and improve the overall gaming experience, and we’ve succeeded with the new anti-ghosting technology in the SideWinder X4 Keyboard."

The keyboard is also to feature other aspects such as macro recording (always useful, even if it does feel a bit like cheating, no?) mode and profile switching, and for the fashion-conscious, adjustable backlighting (my keyboard does this, but to be honest I always forget to turn it on.)

The SideWinder X4 Keyboard is to be available March 2010 for the estimated retail price of $69.95 (CDN).