Do you find yourself typing the same words over and over?  Email after email, paragraph after paragraph, do the same phrases keep coming back?  Do you contort your hand on a regular basis to reach multiple keys at once? For most people, the answer is yes.

Think about simple key commands that you use all the time, like the famous “cut & paste” — Ctrl-X and Ctrl-V.  The fingers stretch in different directions to reach two keys simultaneously, a contortion that ergonomists call an “awkward posture.”

If you find yourself often repeating the same strokes and commands, X-keys from PI Engineering may be the perfect solution to save your hands and improve your productivity.

X-keys Desktop

X-keys is basically a speed dialer for your computer.  It reduces multiple keystrokes to a single touch.  You can program any sequence of keystrokes, such as a string of text, or any key combinations, like the cut and paste functions, into a single key. You can even program it for mouse commands, such as double click, menu click, etc.

It’s a very simple tool, so don’t be intimidated by the need to “program” it. Even I can handle it and I am not a techie person, to put it kindly.  When my computer or any electronic gadgets in my house start misbehaving, I cry for help, and my techie partner comes to the rescue. There’s a reason I’ve always made good friends in the tech support departments wherever I’ve worked.  But with the X-keys, I can proudly say that I can program it myself and have never needed help.

There are just a few steps to follow:

1)    Flip the switch on the side of the unit to put it in the programming mode.

2)    Select a key on the X-key pad by pressing it.

3)    Type in your text, your key combination or your mouse function that you want to save.

4)    Conclude the programming by hitting the selected key on the X-key pad once more and, Voila!

You can follow the same steps for any other keys to be programmed. When you’re done, just flip the switch on the side of the unit back to “use” mode. If you change your mind or your needs change, follow the same steps to “reprogram” the whole unit or a single key.

X-keys Stick

X-keys comes in various sizes and configurations.  My favorite ones are the Stick and the Desktop, which should both be placed within easy reach. The Stick version works well when positioned either above or below a standard keyboard. The Desktop X-key can be placed to either the right or left of the keyboard, depending on what type of keyboard you use and where you position your mouse.

This is a great product that can significantly reduce repetition and awkward posture of the hands, as well as improve your productivity.  X-keys is an ergonomist’s delight!