If you happen to be a serial techie, you probably think of Logitech or Microsoft when you think of keyboards and mice and likely know that both offer ergonomic solutions as well. I often find that lesser known brands have unique offerings that are a little more tailored and offer features that the big players don’t for a myriad of reasons.
Recently, we discovered an interesting brand that has a wealth of offerings in the ergonomic space — meet Goldtouch, whose range is broad enough that there are plenty of smaller more versatile options that make great choices for travelers.
First up is a super stylish wireless mouse that is oh so comfortable — the Goldtouch Bluetooth Comfort Wireless Mouse. Designed to mirror your hand in a weightless environment, the unique shape of this ergonomic mouse helps to keep your wrist at a natural 24 degree angle to alleviate pressure on tendons and joints. Truth be told, I am on a keyboard often and unlike my developer friends, it’s not coding — it’s everything from search, surfing and uploading photos to writing, editing and a little magic from ordinary photos. After days of this, especially on the road, my hands and wrists are worn out and sore.
I’m a huge fan of ergonomic set-ups regardless of whether it’s your workplace, home office or hotel room while you’re traveling. Simply put, there are ways to stay ergonomic even on the go.
This wireless gem offers an oversized thumb cushion which helps you grip the mouse without overstretching, no matter what size your fingers are. Ultimately this extra cushioning and comfort helps to prevent Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs). With proper ergonomic comfort, you’ll reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain injuries, which is so vital if you spend a lot of time on a keyboard.
What’s nice about this mouse is that its wireless, reducing the amount of cables you need access to, a must when traveling. This mouse does not come with a Bluetooth Dongle Adapter as many newer PC’s, Mac’s, and laptops have a built-in Bluetooth receiver, and do not require a dongle adapter. The Goldtouch Wireless Bluetooth Computer Mouse features 1000 DPI optical resolution and supports both internal and external Bluetooth adapters. We love the shape and style of this mouse and found it to be a great solution for prolonged use.
The Goldtouch Ergonomic Mouse supports Windows PC and MAC without requiring 3rd party drivers. There are three buttons which support left and right click with center wheel click to activate scroll function on PC. There is 1 to 3 button support for MAC as supported by the OS version. Packing pros will want to know this one – the length is 4.5 inches.
We also loved the Silver/Black Newtral 2 Mouse, which is also a wireless solution. The Newtral 2 Mouse is the only wireless ergonomic mouse to offer 3 different interchangeable grips, designed to give you a customized mousing experience. This intuitive mouse puts your hand in a semi vertical position, to alleviate pressure on your tendons and joints. Bravo!! We love its shape and the quality of its design.
This versatile mouse helps to reduce write and forearm pronation, eliminates wrist movements with support from the large flange, reduces pressure of wrist and palm with support from the soft gel (LOVE this), reduces grip requirements, which I found reduced the strain I normally get from most ergonomic mice, and reduces friction between the hand and desk surface.
What’s unique about this ergonomic mouse is that it has interchangeable flanges, comfortable grip design, smooth grooves for easy lifting, neutral shape, 3 sizes for the best fit and optimal DPI adjustment. An additional great feature for mobile warriors is its up to a year of battery life with power saving technology.
It’s also beautiful to look at – elegant and chic, the gray/black version is below although it is also available in all black. See the three variations below showing just how easy it is to swap out depending on your needs, preferences and hand size.
This wireless mouse features 3 Grip options as mentioned above — the goal behind this is that you can get better precision, a more balanced grip, or opt for full hand/wrist support including an add-on gel cushion (see above). You can also choose small, medium and large size for an even more customized fit.
What else is sweet is its programmable buttons. With an entirely programmable forward/back button on the right side of the mouse, you can customize how you navigate to suit your needs. There is no Bluetooth pairing with this mouse although it does come with a dongle — simply plug it into a USB drive and it’s ready to go!!
The Newtral 2 Mouse has an adjustable DPI sensor, and can be set to: 1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 DPI. For travelers who care about space, note that the medium sized option is around 6.2 inches in length, 3.5 inches in width and 2.1 inches tall, whereas the large one is 6.5 inches in length, 3.7 inches in width and 2.2 inches tall. Two for two, we were impressed!
While I’ve been using a Logitech ergonomic keyboard for years and a Microsoft one before that, I decided to try their Goldtouch Go!2 Bluetooth Wireless Mobile Keyboard, which supports both the Mac and PC. What’s nice about this keyboard is that yes, it’s wireless, and secondly, while it’s technically a full sized keyboard, it is relatively compact in size. With full-sized keys and all the benefits of Bluetooth technology, the Wireless Mobile Keyboard is a great choice if you travel a lot for work or spend time running around between offices and need a more portable solution. Look at how it bends to give you options for typing comfort!
It also happens to fold up completely, making it easy to store in your computer bag or luggage.
This keyboard pairs via Bluetooth and it was a bit tricky for us to get it set up at first, however it could be because I have Parallels installed on my Mac Book Pro and it may not have known whether it was talking to a Mac or a PC at first. I tested this out on the PC side of Parallels using Bluetooth connectivity.
They use a patented lock and lever system, which makes it easier to adjust from 0º to 30º along the horizontal plane and 0º to 30º along the vertical plane, so you can choose the “perfect” comfort fit for you. It’s also very slim and light, which is a godsend for travelers. Easy to fold and pack away, and without all the messy chords of a wired keyboard, it’s definitely the way to go when you travel.
The Goldtouch Go!2 Bluetooth Wireless Mobile Keyboard is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista, XP, and 2000, and Mac 10.4 and above.
This mobile keyboard features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and a USB charging cord is provided. Typical battery life is 32 days under normal typing circumstances (4 continuous typing hours per day) and charging time is approximately 5 hours. For packing planning, the width of the keyboard is 13.5 inches, the depth is at 6 inches, the height is .9 inches and the weight is only 1.1 pounds. When its folded, its width is only 7 inches and its height is 2.5 inches.
Whether or not you already suffer from a RSI like Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, or simply want a more comfortable solution when you’re at the keyboard, both Goldtouch offers great keyboard and mice solutions. Not only have I found that ergonomic solutions like these, increase productivity, but they reduce fatique and pain when I type or edit a lot, which is often, whether I’m at home or on the road. I know others who suffer at much greater degrees and some who have even had to take time off work because of wrist or hand pain.
I’d also recommend trying out a wrist rest if you don’t already use one as they can also add more comfort to the typing process. If you’ve never set your home or office up in a positive ergonomic way, I’d suggest looking into it – you can get tips online or even hire someone to come in and adjust your desk and chair at a minimum. More information can be found at www.goldtouch.com.
Disclaimers: Do Not Plug your USB Goldtouch Keyboard into the USB Keypad. Your PC will not recognize the device. While we often get products in to review, we are never told what to say or what to write – all opinions expressed are entirely my own. Links to Amazon are affiliate links which help to support the site, but at no additional cost to you.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
