Can anyone recommend an easy-to-use Spanish keyboard?

Question

I want to get a Spanish keyboard to use with my desktop computer and see that there are several on the market. Can anyone recommend one that is easy to use. Ease of use is most important to me. I don't mind paying more to get a keyboard that has more keys and is a bit easier to use than others. Thanks!

Answer 1

Are you getting Spain's Spanish keyboard layout ? or

Latin American Spanish keyboard layout?

When I first started on SpanishDict I remapped my U.S. keyboard to one of the Spanish layouts provided by Windows. It didn't take to long to learn where the characters had moved to from the US layout, but I can sure understand why you wish to buy a keyboard with the correct characters shown on their physical keys. Of course the advantage of the virtual layouts is that you can switch back and forth between layouts. I found with the US international layout, however, that it satisfied Spanish and English needs so I just use it (I removed my US layout too).

¡Bienvenido al foro!

Welcome to the forum!

Great advice thank you Gfreed - FELIZ77, JUL 3, 2010

How do you type tildes on one of those, Q? It looks to me like you must type an extra character for á é í etc. The only extra key I see is ñ. So really, really, really, what would be the point of having this keyboard when it doesn't save you any steps? - Goyo, JUL 3, 2010

It becomes a two-key combination (a "dead-key" for the accent mark followed by the vowel that is to be accentuated). - samdie, JUL 3, 2010

Answer 2

If you're going to pay for a physical Spanish keyboard for your computer, what happens to you if you go to the library, or to work, or to a relative's house? Or if you get a laptop or something else? Won't you find yourself in a bit of a pickle?

It's very easy to Install the US International Keyboard Set on any computer. Once you've learned to use it, typing Spanish is a breeze. And then you're not stuck on one computer.

Goyo, thanks for the US International Keyboard recommendation! I know you gave me the info months ago, but I just recently installed it. Why-oh-Why didn't I do it sooner? jejeje You are so right, it's a breeze! Thanks, again! :-) - Dee914, JUL 3, 2010

Answer 3

I want to get a Latin American Spanish keyboard...sorry, I should have said that. I spend time on my desktop at home every morning reading online Spanish language newspapers. I want to be able to have a file on the home computer with all my new vocabulary words and to be able to add new words each day. And, of course, having proper accent marks is very important.

You will have all of the characters available whether you use a physical keyboard or a remapped virtual one. The key is to find the one that you are most comfortable using. - 0074b507, JUL 3, 2010