Wired USB keyboards are getting scarce.

[MineralMan]

Stock up now.

My wife's wireless keyboard went on the fritz the other day. Panic city. I don't use wireless keyboards, but I didn't have a good, working spare to plug into her PC. So, I plugged in my good one and headed to Office Max to pick up a new one. They had ONE! There were 20 different wireless ones and ONE USB keyboard in the store.

Now, i was panicked. So I bought that one, and plugged it into my own PC. Then, I checked my wife's wireless one. Well, she had put the new batteries in backwards. So, I fixed that and brought it back to her and recovered my original wired one. However, the new one I had bought was a logitech and felt better under my fingers. So, now I had two working ones with no sticky keys, and half a dozen WITH sticky keys.

Yesterday, I was in a Goodwill store, and spotted another Logitech one. Brand new, still in the original box with the box seals still in place. $2.99! So I bought it, and now have three good ones.

That's a good thing. I doubt there will be any available soon. Same with wired mousies. I'm down to my last USB mouse. I think i need to go find a couple of new ones. I hate wireless accessories. They use up USB ports and the batteries always die when I'm on deadline and am out of whatever size battery is in them.

BTW, I blame Donald Trump for all of this. Damned tariffs!

[/rant]

[fleur-de-lisa]

1. I had trouble finding a wired mouse recently.

Not available in any retail store near me. Finally had to order from Amazon.

[Grasswire2]

2. good advice

And my rant: I hate my new HP laptop. It is full of weird stuff always trying to sell me things, and crazy things I don't want keep appearing. Cortena I"m talking to you. I thought a relatively inexpensive laptop would be very basic for my basic needs. But no. I think they use the inexpensive laptops as an ad platform, mostly. Maybe they are missing a market. BASIC STUFF for professionals who don't need/want prompts, notifications, hints, apps, yada yada.

[MineralMan]

17. Google "turn off cortana"

As for the adware, you can get rid of all of it. It takes a few minutes to clear it all away, but you can do it.

Windows 10 computers take some time to clean up and get to a state where all it does is what you want. It's annoying, but I can't imagine not clearing away all that crap. Customizing Windows isn't that difficult, and you can either ask on the computer or ask on Google. Someone has already figured everything out.

[Grasswire2]

19. I did turn off cortana. And the camera and the microphone.

And have tried to get rid of things as I can. Am still annoyed regularly. Yeah, windows 10. It also is apparently not compatible with HP's own printer problems. HP laptop, HP printer. When something is stuck in the queue it can't be deleted, evidently and according to the cries of many others on the Internet because of Windows 10.

[MineralMan]

21. Which HP Printer?

Go to the HP site and see if there's an updated driver package for your exact model. Windows 10 sucks with some older hardware. It rejected my wonderful old logitech web cam and microphone. I don't use it much, so I haven't gone looking for a new driver, but it's old and probably isn't supported any more.

[Grasswire2]

27. we've done everything

No luck. I bought a new HP simple printer for $29 and the ink is more expensive than the machine. LOL. It was a temporary emergency solution.

But for scanning, I use the old printer but windows 10 will only allow me to scan directly to a memory card and then transfer the memory card to the laptop to use the image. It's nuts.

[MineralMan]

34. See, remember I asked for the printer model number.

I have an HP 1510 Deskjet. I had trouble scanning, too, with it. So I went to HP, downloaded their latest driver and software package for it, and can scan just fine using the HP accessory software that installed. I can't scan directly from most programs, like I used to be able to do with an earlier Windows version, but the HP scanning software works just fine. One more step but, no biggie. The HP Smart app works just fine with the printer. I just discovered that it also can take photos with my video camera. Who knew.

There's usually a solution available. Again, google your question, and someone will have found an answer. Sometimes you just have to keep looking.

[Grasswire2]

36. we downloaded the driver for this printer, and I have always used HP scanning software.

I'll try again. Scanning to a memory card is a pain.

[mr_lebowski]

3. They use up USB ports? As opposed to wired USB Keyboard and Mouse, which ... don't? Lol ...

Pro-tip if you buy a 'set' containing both wireless keyboard and mouse, they'll use one USB port instead of two if you use wired.

Also, USB hubs are like $5.

You can also buy batteries in bulk and set them aside and only use them for your KB/mouse ... OR just keep 1 backup USB mouse/KB for that rare occasion you're on deadline w/no batteries ... just sayin' ...

Personally I can't stand a wired mouse unless it's a trackball (in which case, the whole mouse doesn't have to move around), keyboard not a big deal either way, but ...

[NewJeffCT]

6. The times I've had wireless keyboards and mice

they go through batteries like a kid goes through Halloween candy in November.

If I bought rechargeable batteries, I'd need 3 sets of them because they'd be burned down to nothing so quickly the first set might not have recharged fully by the time I was done with set #2.

[mr_lebowski]

10. I'm absolutely constantly on my computer and my simple Energizer double AA alkalines ...

Have never failed to last less than 9 months on either device, usually it's about a year.

Were you maybe using Bluetooth KB/Mouse rather regular wireless? Cause BT uses considerably more juice ...

[NewJeffCT]

14. pretty sure it was not bluetooth

even a Lithium battery would last maybe 4-5 weeks for me.

Maybe I just had a couple of bad/faulty wireless keyboards & mice? Except for one Apple mouse, I've never had bad luck with a wired mouse.

[uncle ray]

41. warning, product plug ahead!

i use a microsoft ergonomic mouse on both my home desktop, and my work desktop which sees constant use. i get excellent battery life out of both of them. many months, long enough that i don't even notice battery life. it's also very comfortable. not the cheapest, but ergonomics were the driver for me.

[mr_lebowski]

42. I have the MS Natural 700 Keyboard and Mouse combo ...

Silver and Black, been around since about 2007 ... You?

I love the layout of the keyboard but sure wish it was mechanical or even chiclet(sp?) style. The 'rubber mat' under the keys just doesn't have a good typing feel, imho. But battery life is awesome.

[uncle ray]

46. mouse model is Sculpt.

i have wired keyboards.

[MineralMan]

11. The keyboard and mouse are plugged into USB ports on the back of the computer.

The wireless dingleberries I always plug into the front, since they're so hard to get to if I put them on the back. But, on the front, I use those two USB ports for a 32GB USB drive for backup copies of current projects and a SDR radio dongle, which I use to monitor random courier and airport traffic as background noise. I need to be able to get at both of those from time to time.

My Dell has 8 USB ports on the back of the tower. They're all in use. I have lots of stray USB peripherals scattered around my desk.

[csziggy]

39. My current motherboard has two USB ports just for keyboard and mouse

And it still has a dedicated keyboard plug. I do still have a keyboard on the shelf with that plug and should get it down and use it since I expect the next motherboard I buy will not have that dedicated keyboard plug!

I hear you about the wired mice - they suck. Recently my wireless mouse went out - whatever the little dongle thing is quit working. I plugged another wireless mouse in to use but it wouldn't work at all either. It turned out that the dongle for the first mouse blocked any other USB mouse from working. Since the replacement mouse was plugged into the front USB port for convenience (and I had done that before without a problem when I had no batteries for the other mouse) it took a while before the problem was diagnosed.

[Lindsay]

4. If you're not boycotting Amazon,

they have wired mouses. I got one there not too long ago, and the previous one I bought from my little local computer place was an Amazon mouse as well. (I use some graphics software that works more easily with a mouse than with a touchpad.) lI'm guessing they also have wired keyboards, but I'm on a laptop so not something I've looked for.

[MineralMan]

8. The trouble is that keyboards and mice seem to quit working

all of a sudden. There is an Office Max store five minutes away. But, even that 10 minutes delay would annoy me. So, I generally keep spares around. It's just that I've used them all up. I don't buy the crappy keyboards and mice. I buy Logitech, whenever I can. I like their keyboards' feel, and I can type about 20 wpm faster on them than on the cheap crap ones.

In reality, my favorite keyboard of all was the ancient Keytronic 101 clicky key one from the mid to late 80s. I finally bought a brand new one of those that had a usb connector last year. They don't make them any longer. Best keyboard ever. Sadly, the day after I bought it, the cat knocked over my coffee cup and ruined it. There went $25 down the toilet.

On a good keyboard, I can type between 110 and 120 words per minute, error-free. Since I make my living churning out website content, that speed helps me make enough per hour to be worthwhile.

The last cheap crap keyboard I bought slowed me down to about 80 wpm. Disaster.

The Logitech ones I'm using now are almost as good as the old Keytronic. Not quite, but almost.

Fast, accurate typing isn't important to a lot of people. It is to me.

[Adrahil]

12. Just order a spare.

That's what I do. I always have a keyboard and mouse on hand, just in case.

[MineralMan]

18. Normally, I do. But I ran out of spares, and

hadn't bought new ones yet.

[Grasswire2]

22. Me too, and I am about to put a wired keyboard to my newish HP laptop if that is possible.

I already use a wired mouse with it rather than the touch pad. This touch pad is so goddammmed sensitive that it constantly trips me up when I am typing (and I am also very very fast typist) and it deletes things, pulls things up, yada yada from the barest suggestion of a touch as my fingers move on the keys half an inch away. I can't tell you how many times I have lost a graph with this hypersensitive deletion. Grrrrrrrr.

[MineralMan]

24. Yeah, it'll accept a USB keyboard.

There may be adjustments you can make about the touchpad and keyboard. I don't know. I hate laptops, generally. I have a couple of them, but almost never use them. My wife does, sometimes, but she prefers her Chromebook.

[MineralMan]

26. Here's an HP page on adjusting the touch pad properties

including sensitivity, etc. It's for Windows 7, but all the stuff will be the same in Windows 10.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01876141

I found it by googling "adjust touchpad sensitivity"

You can find solutions for almost anything that bothers you with a Google search.

[pangaia]

5. HA HA.. I have three Logitec wired keyboards and mice ready...

for when I get too much strawberry jam and tequila in the present keyboard

[MineralMan]

9. Smart. I have three now. I won't be fooled again.

Now, when one goes south, I'll find another one on Amazon.

[Grasswire2]

23. strawberry jam and tequila...

...an interesting combination. Mine was always cat hair and toast crumbs. This laptop doesn't allow any space under keys.

[pecosbob]

7. I can get terrible input lag with both wireless keyboard and mice due to interference

from various devices like my cable modem. Web surfing is tolerable, but for anything requiring much input like CAD work or gaming they become unusable unless I want to relocate my cable modem to the other side of the room.

[canetoad]

38. Yep

I'm a fast touch typist and responsiveness of wireless keyboards is not good.

Main computer is a powerful desktop with a big power supply. Can't see the logic in buying batteries when the PSU can handle a dozen USB devices.

Like others in this thread I have a stash of wired kbs and mice for emergencies.

[WillowTree]

13. I use a Logitech k750 keyboard and Performance MX mouse. Both wireless.

They both operate off of the same very small "unified" receiver. The keyboard is solar powered and it charges with normal room light, so it's always charging while in use. And the mouse does take one rechargeable battery, but one of the things that I love most about it is that it charges via a micro USB cable that plugs in to the front so even if it does run down while I'm using it, I can plug it in and continue to use it while it charges.

No down time and no wires. Me likey!!

[MyNameGoesHere]

37. My favorite combo of all time

Just wish the keyboard was back lit. I usually get about 5 months out of the mouse before charging. Very low power consumption

[SkyDancer]

15. If you want wired computer peripherals

Start looking at gaming keyboards and mice. They're usually wired due to latency issues with wireless.

[MurrayDelph]

16. I prefer a wireless keyboard and mouse

I have them for both the desktop at home and the laptop when travelling.

But I also keep a wired keyboard and mouse around just for those times when I have to access the system at a lower level (installing new OS, repairing, etc).

Your mileage may vary.

[Eko]

20. I ordered this one recentlty and have been very happy.

Its mechanical and does make a somewhat loud noise, but its very responsive and easy to clean, plus it looks cool. I got it for $22 but the price has gone up to $75 now. Kworld C430 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

[shraby]

25. I bought a usb extender. It plugs into a usb port, then it has 4 or 5 ports on it. I have one for my

old laptop and one for my desktop tower. Sure helps out. I like the wireless mouse for sure!

[Mike Rows His Boat]

28. I prefer USB wired Kybds and mice.

They use slightly less resources, which is important for massive digital audio workstation projects with many plugins.

Also, I prefer to reduce the close proximity radio wave exposure where i can.

[Scoopster]

29. Can't say I've bought a store kb or mouse in years.

As a gamer for many years I've upgraded to higher quality equipment - mechanical KB, optical gaming mouse (wired), bluetooth headset.. I even got a pro-quality studio mic for when I turn on my stream. It's a lot more expensive than the basic retail store peripherals ($70-100 per piece), but they last a lot longer and I take good care of 'em to make sure they last.

I expect the price of all computer parts to at least DOUBLE within the next six months as a result of the tariff idiocy.

[Bengus81]

32. Yeah,or they'll use it as an excuse to jack prices.........

There's some good deals out there in the summer,but the closer it gets to Christmas watch out. Heh he...I can still remember when gamers wouldn't be caught dead with a wired keyboard and mouse,to much like what the "low tech" crowd was using. Then they figured out the lag time in most of that stuff.

I bought this mechanical keyboard about a year ago. Not a heavy use,use it on my computer in the FR that's my music machine. Like the colors.......

https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/product/g213-rgb-gaming-keyboard

[ProudLib72]

30. The college I teach at is always updating the computers

They discard "old" wired mice and keyboards, so I have a nearly endless supply.

I tried the wireless a few years ago. Unless they have made vast improvements in the technology, I'm sticking with wired.

[aidbo]

31. wired keyboards and mouses won't go away, you might just have to get PC Gamer-centric ones.

Often a good cleaning will get rid of sticky keys.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=533&Nav=|c:142|&Sort=3&Recs=10

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=538

[ecstatic]

33. My logitech device batteries have lasted at least a year

I don't use them all the time, so maybe that's why. I really like the logitech keyboard/mouse devices that I have. Make sure you get the devices that use the new "unified" usb--with that you can connect multiple logitech devices with just 1 usb slot. I especially like their long range wireless keyboards/mice (k400r, k270, m187). I can use the devices upstairs while my pc is downstairs.

[Best_man23]

40. Have you Tried Newegg.com

Its a computer parts website, mostly for gamers. I ran a quick search and came up with several USB keyboards from Logitech, Microsoft, and others.

https://www.newegg.com/

Even if you have wireless keyboards/mice, its a good idea to keep at least one wired keyboard/mouse as backup.

[Spider Jerusalem]

43. You should learn about this thing we have now called "online shopping"

there are plenty of wired keyboards out there; they tend to be preferred by PC gamers, because of the latency that a wireless keyboard introduces.

[NutmegYankee]

44. I have mechanical backlit keyboards for gaming, they are wired.

And always will be for gaming, though I like the backlight for night work and the feel of mechanical keys is great.

[brooklynite]

45. Don't take this the wrong way...

... but it’s not a good idea to take a visit to ONE store and use that to frame an opinion about an entire industry. I’m sure the DEMAND for wired keyboards is dropping as wireless tech because new more popular, but there are dozens of models available on the market; just mostly sold online a (as MOST tech is sold today).