Most reviews I find are in favor of this keyboard, but since it's over $50 I really want all of the opinions I can get before I just buy it on a whim.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Illuminated-Ultrathin-Keyboard-Backlighting/dp/B001F51G16

I love the sleek, simple look of this keyboard. It's not overly flashy and I love the built-in palm rest. My local Staples has this for the same price so I might go pick it up later, but what do fellow programmers think? Anyone here using it that could provide some feedback?

My only complaint is that I wish there was a blue version.

I own this one (as well as one of each generation of the fat-ass Logitech "G" series keyboards). This one here doesn't have toys or a LED screen, but it is by far the best keyboard I've ever had, from any manufacturer, in any price range.

Thanks! Can you confirm the issue of "phantom key blocking" that this review talks about? Other than that small issue (don't all keyboards have that anyway?), it sounds absolutely perfect. Never been more tempted to just go out and buy a keyboard like this.

Personally, I think 70 bucks for a damn keyboard is overkill. I hate gimmicks like "LED displays" or 'backlights" - when was the last time you actually looked down at your keyboard while coding/gaming/writing/doing anything on the computer?

Honestly I'd say, go for one of the cheap (but good) ones you can get for like 7 bucks off of newegg, and save the extra cash for something that warrants it (new RAM, better HDD, fourty boxes of cereal, bigger monitor, nice speakers etc.)

Personally, I think 70 bucks for a damn keyboard is overkill. I hate gimmicks like "LED displays" or 'backlights"

Never understood those gimmicks, like LCD keys. Keyboard tech specs should not have to say things like "viewing angle of 160 degrees".

I hate gimmicks like "LED displays" or 'backlights" - when was the last time you actually looked down at your keyboard while coding/gaming/writing/doing anything on the computer?[/quote]

Well, in the dark it's nice to be able to tell where certain keys are. In the daytime I probably wouldn't look down on my keyboard too much, but generally when it comes to typing at night (especially when programming), I will look down at the keyboard just to make sure I'm hitting the right keys. Otherwise I might type "dudrwn/piy/otomy" instead of "system.out.print". This only happens at night though.

Plus, having a backlit keyboard is just cooler and much more attractive.

EDIT: I should mention that while I'm looking at the screen while typing, sometimes I type so fast that even when I type a full of line of code wrong it'll take me a second to register it visually. I get lots of syntax errors from that, but luckily NetBeans lets me know before I compile.

Gross; the insert key is missing. I'd refuse to spend my money on keyboards that assume I mean to press "delete" instead of "insert": I'm not typing a !@#$ing Word document; I'm formatting a !@#$ing text file.

I just hate having to numlock, numpad 0, numlock on keyboards that don't have insert (and don't have/won't allow me to install keyboard remaps).
</rant>

Didn't even notice the thing about the Insert key. I kind of rely on that as a programmer. :\

Hmm, maybe this is a no then after all. Seriously, why would you design a keyboard without that important key?!

Thanks! Can you confirm the issue of "phantom key blocking" that this review talks about? Other than that small issue (don't all keyboards have that anyway?), it sounds absolutely perfect. Never been more tempted to just go out and buy a keyboard like this.

That's in my opinion more of a PEBKAC than a real issue of this (or another) keyboard. A "normal" matrix keyboard where not every key is singly wired (such as e.g. in the "G" series keyboards) necessarily has "phantom keys" when 3 or more keys are pressed at a time (not necessarily in all combinations, but in some at least). Some keyboards suppress the 3rd or 4th key to remove this artefact, some just produce a phantom key on top. The more difficult wiring is one reason why "gaming keyboards" are even more expensive.

I'm using this keyboard as a keyboard, not as a game controller (that's where I think the PEBKAC lies with the people giving a negative review). For the purpose of being a keyboard, the Illuminated Keyboard works absolutely perfectly well. I don't see any issues (note the word "don't", q.e.d.) when typing on it all day. Of course as a "gaming keyboard" it might be less suited, I wouldn't know. I would rather put money into a more expensive keyboard with quality keys than pay the same (or more) for a "gamer keyboard" which has expensive wiring that I don't use.

Personally, I think 70 bucks for a damn keyboard is overkill.

That's probably right, but if you don't mind paying a few more bucks for something aestehtically pleasing, this one is really nice. It's kind of a "minimum set of gimmick", too. The backlight helps a lot actually finding the keyboard in a dimly lit room at night, too (not like you need to look at it while typing anyway).
The gimmicks that come with the "G" keyboards are totally useless, agreed. In fact, the macro keys are placed unfavourably enough to accidentially trigger one every now and then when aiming for the left shift key. Though I still like having one for experimenting with and for "have seen, have touched".
It's somehow like the 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator or the touch functionality in my Wacom. Never had something equally useless in my life. But I wouldn't know had I not tried...

About the insert key, this is kind of weird, admittedly, but I actually find it good. The delete key is "twice normal size" and the insert key is "somewhat out of the way". The effect is that accidentially hitting the insert key (and switching to overwrite mode) doesn't happen. It's something that bugs me big time normally (2-3 times per day), and just doesn't happen at all with this keyboard.

Regardless of the Insert key issue, I think I'm still going to be purchasing this keyboard. It's the best I can find in this price range and I trust Logitech (every peripheral I've had from them has lasted years and years, especially their mice). Thank you all for your input!