I has buckling spring keyboard! In fact, today is Day One of its inaugural use since unpacking. Yes, it’s noisy—but damn if it isn’t the most satisfying keyboard I’ve used to date.

Modelled after the legendary IBM Model M keyboard, it’s unique in that its keys ‘buckle’ under light pressure to give you a definite response whether the key has been pressed or not. The result? No more squishy ‘boards.

I just have to figure out a way of dampening the sound somewhat, because I find myself chatting less out of embarrassment. Having it on my lap with a jumper under isn’t half bad, and a lot more comfortable than having it up on the table as well, but I guess there’s only so much I can do to silence the clickety clack.

Surprisingly, I don’t miss my Windows key at all. I realise I only use it twice a day on average—when I’m out to lunch or for an appointment. An extra mouse click here and there to compensate is quite doable.

A vendor sent a Pleo to our consumer tech reviews team, and I have to say it’s so much cuter than I thought it’d be.

It’s supposed to act like a week-old dinosaur—because everybody knows how those act, right—and through “artificial intelligence” develop its personality through its surroundings.

Unfortunately, if that’s true, we may be looking at a Michael Myers here. In the past half hour since its arrival (read: insertion of batteries), it’s been prodded, poked at with the rubber leaf it comes with, tapped on the head, had its mouth squeezed shut, its tail yanked, and really just touched everywhere. Also, it’s in a darkened closet for storage now.

Actually, I really should say it’s a ’she’, because (geek joke alert!) her USB port on her underside is…female.

But it doesn’t come cheap, at S$750. So if you get one, you know you got to got to try a little tenderness.