HEWLETT-PACKARD (HP) SK-2560 Keyboard

Circa 2003

Use Case:

Typically bundled with HP Pavilion desktop computers and was intended for general home and office computer use.

• Multimedia Controls: It includes dedicated buttons for CD/DVD/MP3 functions (play/pause, stop, skip track) and basic internet navigation buttons (home, search, mail), providing quick access to common PC functions.

• Connectivity: The keyboard primarily uses a PS/2 connector, with some later models offering a USB interface.

• Typing Feel: The keys utilize membrane switches and are noted for having a tactile, slightly "clicky" feel compared to modern flat keyboards.

Historical Significance:

Historically significant as an archetypal multimedia keyboard from the early 2000s.

• Bundled Ubiquity: It was one of the most common standard keyboards in homes and offices globally due to being bundled with vast numbers of HP desktop PCs.

• Feature Integration: It represents the trend of integrating "internet ready" and multimedia control buttons directly onto the keyboard hardware, a feature that became standard in the decade that followed.

• Transitional Hardware: It bridges the gap between older connectivity standards and newer ones; while many used the PS/2 connection, later similar models were USB.

(H-4.5cm x W-46.5cm x D-20cm)