{"id":36478,"date":"2023-12-14T05:38:55","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T05:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/?p=36478"},"modified":"2023-12-08T04:18:33","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T04:18:33","slug":"computer-keyboard-glossary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/cospedia\/computer-keyboard-glossary","title":{"rendered":"Computer Keyboard Glossary\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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If you have ever bought a computer keyboard before, <\/span>you\u2019ve<\/span> most likely seen<\/span> a wide range of <\/span>buzzwords and jargon used <\/span>to describe the various features of the keyboard contained within. To help cut through the noise and make purchasing keyboards more straightforward<\/span>, <\/span>we\u2019ve<\/span> compiled a glossary of the keyboard terms <\/span>you\u2019re<\/span> most likely to come across.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Actuation Point<\/span><\/b>: The point in the keypress where the computer keyboard recognises a key as pressed, typically marked by a tactile bump in mechanical switches.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Anti-Ghosting<\/span><\/b>: A technology that prevents unintended keypresses when multiple keys are pressed at the same time. Anti-ghosting ensures that each keypress is registered accurately, avoiding false inputs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Backlit Keyboard\/Backlighting<\/span><\/b>: A computer keyboard with built-in LED lighting under the keycaps, enhancing visibility in low-light environments and providing aesthetic customisation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Chiclet Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: A <\/span>keyboard featuring flat, square, and evenly spaced keys. Chiclet keyboards are typically used in laptops and\u00a0slimline desktop computer keyboards<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Compact Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: Sometimes referred to as a 60% or even 40% keyboard, compact computer keyboards forgo several full-size keyboard keys to achieve a compact size. The keys typically missing include the numpad, arrow keys, navigation keys, and function row.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Ergonomic Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: A computer keyboard designed with a more comfortable and natural hand position<\/a> to reduce strain during prolonged use.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Function Key (Fn)<\/span><\/b>: A key that activates secondary functions on other keys when pressed in combination with them. Common on laptop keyboards.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Key Rollover<\/span><\/b>: The maximum number of keys a keyboard can register simultaneously. It can be expressed as 2-key rollover, 6-key rollover, or full N-key rollover.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Key Switch<\/span><\/b>: The mechanism beneath each keycap that registers a keypress. Key switches can be mechanical or membrane-based, with each type offering different tactile and auditory feedback.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Key Travel<\/span><\/b>: The distance a key travels from its resting position to the actuation point. Keyboards can have short or long key travel, affecting typing comfort and speed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Keycap<\/span><\/b>: The removable top part of a key that displays characters or symbols. Keycaps are interchangeable and can be customised for aesthetics or feel.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Latency<\/span><\/b>: The amount of time it takes for a key stroke to be registered after a key is pressed. Lower latency means a faster response time, which is generally desirable for a more responsive and efficient typing experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Macro<\/span><\/b>: A sequence of keypresses or actions programmed to execute with a single keypress, often used for automating tasks or for shortcuts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Mechanical Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: A type of computer keyboard that uses individual mechanical switches<\/a> for each key, providing enhanced tactile feedback and durability.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Membrane Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: A keyboard with a membrane layer beneath the keycaps, often found in standard and low-cost keyboards.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Modifier Key<\/span><\/b>: Keys like Shift, Ctrl, and Alt that, when combined with other keys, modify their functions, enabling shortcuts and commands.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Multimedia Keys<\/span><\/b>: Special keys on a keyboard for controlling audio and video playback, volume, and other multimedia functions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

N-Key Rollover (NKRO)<\/span><\/b>: A feature that allows a keyboard to register and process multiple key presses simultaneously. With NKRO, each keypress is recognised independently, ensuring accurate input, especially in fast typing.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Optical Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: An optical keyboard is a type of keyboard that uses infrared light beams to detect keypresses, offering faster response times and potentially greater durability compared to traditional mechanical keyboards. When a key is pressed, the interruption of the light beam registers the keypress.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Response Time<\/span><\/b>: The measure of how quickly the keyboard registers a keypress and sends that input to the connected computer or device.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Scissor Switch<\/span><\/b>: Commonly used in laptops low-profile keyboards. Scissor switches consist of two interlocking plastic pieces resembling a pair of scissors, with a spring-loaded plunger in the middle. When a key is pressed, the scissor collapses allowing electrical contact to register the keypress.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Tactile Feedback<\/span><\/b>: The sensation felt when a key is pressed, providing physical confirmation of the keypress. This feedback can be a physical and audible click, or a more subtle \u201cbump\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Tenkeyless (TKL)<\/span><\/b>: A computer keyboard layout without the numeric keypad, offering a more compact design for portability.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Toggle Key<\/span><\/b>: A key that switches a function on or off with each press, such as Caps Lock or Num Lock.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

USB Pass-Through<\/span><\/b>: A feature that allows a keyboard to provide an additional USB port for connecting other devices, such as a mouse, microphone or portable drive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Wireless Keyboard<\/span><\/b>: A keyboard that connects to a computer or device via Bluetooth or a USB wireless receiver, eliminating the need for a physical cable connection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

0<\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div>
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To help cut through the noise and make purchasing keyboards straightforward, we\u2019ve compiled a glossary of the keyboard terms you\u2019re most likely to come across. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":36480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8,1],"tags":[3133,3134,3135],"class_list":["post-36478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cospedia","category-productivity","category-uncategorized","tag-computer-keyboard","tag-glossary","tag-keyboard-terms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36478"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36491,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36478\/revisions\/36491"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}