An optical keyboard is a wireless device that connects to a computer and acts as a data input device. The term “optical” is a misnomer, as it refers to the connection technology in computer mice, not keyboards. Wireless keyboards offer the advantage of mobility and are affordable.
An optical keyboard is a device that connects wirelessly to a computer and acts as a data input device, similar to what a traditional keyboard can do. With the goal of many computer accessories going wireless, this keyboard offers that advantage as well. Also, another type of optical keyboard is one that projects a virtual keyboard onto a flat surface, although the term optical keyboard isn’t widely applied to that type of hardware.
Actually, the term optical keyboard is a misnomer, possibly stemming from the fact that wireless computer mice are referred to as optical mice. In computer mice, the term optical does not refer to the connection technology between the mouse and the computer, but rather to the tracking technology in the mouse itself. A wireless keyboard is usually connected to a computer via an infrared connection, just like a remote control works, or via radio frequencies. In some cases a Bluetooth® connection may be used, hence the term Bluetooth® keyboard. In some ways, given the infrared connection, the term optical keyboard could still be considered technically correct.
For whatever reason, the phrase optical keyboard is often used when referring to a wireless keyboard. In these cases, it is generally understood that the term optical has taken the place of the term wireless. Additionally, wireless keyboards and optical mice are often packaged together, which may further reinforce the wrong term in some people’s minds.
The advantage of a wireless keyboard is in its ability to be moved around, rather than being tethered in a radius of a few feet around the computer’s main CPU, as a wired keyboard would be. This can be especially useful when giving presentations that require the use of a keyboard. In some cases, having a computer next to a podium isn’t practical. However, it might be easier to have a wireless keyboard on the podium.
A wireless keyboard, other than the technology that connects it to your computer, works like any other technology. The sensors detect a keystroke and send that information as an electrical signal, which is then processed by the computer and displayed on the screen. The only thing different is how that signal gets to the CPU. Most wireless keyboards cost more than similar wired versions, but the cost is still affordable for many computer owners. Finding one for under $30 US Dollars (USD) is generally not a problem.
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