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I'm about to purchase a Logitech G15 keyboard mostly for when I dock my laptop/tablet.

I'm trying to track down the original version (blue with 18 macro keys) but everywhere only stocks the "refreshed"version (orange with 6 macro keys). Each key can have up to 3 macros attached per profile. They keyboard comes with a 160x43 pixel monochrome LCD screen (along with an C++ SDK) that can be used for nearly anything (IMs, ingame stats, CPU/Memory usage, etc).

And yes, there is a Linux driver, and it's only $AU89 here.

Yeah, as far as keyboards go, the G15 is pretty much top of the line, lol. And not a band price either.

I'm tracking an original G15 on Ebay, but if it goes above $100 I'm going to say screw it and just get the new one (it's not like I'm going to use all 18 macro keys).

Whoa! I'm just building a PC and have added that keyboard to the list of components!

I guess if you want the Macro keys over wanting the screen, you could always go for the G11, but I'll be going for the display myself!

Cheers,
Adam

I purchased my G15 today. They keys are really comfortable to type with.

The included SDK is hidden away in the GamePanel Software directory (I was searching for it on the CD). The SDK is really easy to use. You basically register a window with the keyboard (since from the LCD controls you can switch between what program to be currently active on the screen (view resources, IMs, e-mails, etc), then at the lowest level you're exposed to a frame buffer. Wrapped on to of the frame buffer you can optionally use the included widgets (animated bitmaps, progress bars, scrolling text, etc). Then wrapped further on top of that is a basic widget manager that offers less flexibility (you can't change font) but it's only a few lines of code to get the LCD display up and running.

There are four buttons underneath the LCD screen that are reserved for LCD programs too.

It's really cool

I just found a picture of this keyboard and IMHO it is both ugly and masive. It has a billion buttons which you're never going to use. Why this overkill? I really don't get it.

You're never going to use them. Not to say somebody else won't use them. I'd love a keyboard with more shortcut keys.

I could do without the LCD screen, but hey, it's a neat idea at least.

I agree that some people will find the features usefull, but I bet that 90% of those buying this keyboard wouldn't need hte extra features.

I have an old G15. While I don't use the macro keys I do like the windows key toggle, the volume control and the tactile feel of the keys.