Changing your Mac to support the Dvorak keyboard layout is as easy as switching a system preference, but that doesn’t change the letters printed on the keys themselves. That’s where zCover’s new $34.95 Dvorak Layout Keyboard Skin comes into play.
Dr. August Dvorak developed his key layout back in the 1930’s as an alternative to the QWERTY layout — the standard we still use today. More commonly used letters are situated on the “home row” of the keyboard and fewer words are typed using a single hand. Ergonomic experts and practitioners believe Dvorak’s layout is more comfortable to use and more efficient, although QWERTY remains the dominant layout in use today.
To switch your Macintosh to Dvorak input, all you need to do is select the International system preference and check Dvorak in the Input menu — the Mac will reconfigure your standard QWERTY keyboard to accept input in the Dvorak layout instead. But if you’re not a touch typist, or if you momentarily forget where a letter is, you might have to go searching.
zCover’s Dvorak Layout Keyboard Skin fixes that problem. It’s made of silicone rubber and designed to fit over Apple Keyboards and Apple Wireless Keyboards. It’s printed in white with black letters, to match the keyboard, and measures only 0.6mm thick. It stays in place and is tear-resistant, but can also be removed (and washed) for easy cleaning.