IBM 31P9490 Keyboard for Thinkpad (Black)

I own a 5-yr-old thinkPad and love the X31 kbd so much, so bought this kbd in hope that I can have the same typing experience with a desktop.
The IBM-made label is fairly deceiving.
Turns out I have to hit keys very hard--driving me mad,
too bad for one that's working around the keyboard, and
try to get rid of mouse for most cases.
The only thing I am happy with is the trackPoint, but that
cannot save the poor manufacturing.
And finally I gave up and returned it.
Waste of time and passion.

I've used the older IBM branded version of this product (a couple of years old) and this Leveno/ThinkPad version just feels cheap to the touch.

If keys aren't pressed directly down, they get stuck. This is really a problem for keys on edges of keyboard like the arrow-right and the functions keys since I keep my hand on the home-row and reach.

I truly love this style of keyboard, but the quality just isn't there anymore.

Oh, and Leveno, if you read this, including a fancy leather carry case doesn't fool anybody. If anything, it raises expectations that the product isn't cheaply made.

I bought this keyboard for my desktop after falling in love with the keyboard on my T43. The experience has been mixed. The keyboard is certainly good, and if I don't use my T43 for a while I wonder how much better the T43 keyboard could be, but once I return to the T43 keyboard, I realize the desktop version has a ways to go. Note, this evaluation ignores the rather trashy function (FX) and Ins/Home/PgUp/Del/End/PgDn keys. Those are just as bad as, or worse than, those found on free keyboards.

Beyond the keys, the trackpoint is a delight to use. Though light ,the keyboard feels pretty solid.

For those looking for an alternative, I've tried the latest thin aluminum keyboard that Apple makes, and the keys are quite nice. It's a bit different from the thinkpad keyboards, but I think if I were willing to put that much money down for another keyboard, I could easily grow to love it. However, it doesn't have a trackpoint.

I own four of these keyboards, and I've given several to friends to replace their other substandard compact keyboards. I love this keyboard. I'm an avid thinkpad user, so having exactly the same keys at my desk and on the laptop is a big win for me. I also really enjoy the trackpoint, and while I still have a real mouse on the desktop, there are some things I enjoy using the trackpoint for.

The plastic case used in the travel keyboard is very lightweight and feels flimsy as a base compared to the 5 pound laptops it typically appears in. However, I find the key-feel and mechanism the same, and the lightweight base does not negatively affect usability.

The product died in less than two years, and it only rarely went into the laptop bag (in other words, it wasn't handled roughly). It worked great, while it lasted, but when I plugged it into the machine this morning, the "B", "N", and "(space)" didn't respond. I discovered the keys can be popped off and replaced without damage (pop off from the top), but there was nothing out of place under the problem keys, so I concluded that it was an electronic problem...something that shouldn't crop-up in such a short time of use.