'Cyborg' keyboard lives up to its name

(Credit: Saitek)

Often when we talk about keyboards it's for some features that are practical but ultimately mundane--until we get to gaming gear, that is, when all bets are off. Case in point: Saitek has released its new "Cyborg Gaming Keyboard," which was first shown at CES in January, and it fully lives up to its name.

The fortified design and accents make the PK17U model looks like a game device in and of itself, or perhaps something from the instrument panels of the Galactica or the Enterprise. Particularly impressive are its backlighting features, which has three colors that can be mixed into various hues and controlled in levels of intensity. (See it on CNET TV here.)

Favorite keys can also be programmed to light up independently. And for the most serious warriors, the keys have metal-plated caps just in case things get out of hand--literally and figuratively.

[kyle_schlenz]

Well actually (hee hee), to truly live up to its name as a "cyborg" keyboard, it must either include some fleshy part or be able to interface directly to the human body, as "cyborg" implies the melding of computer and living tissue.