So the keyboard reviewer at ATPM seems to prefer the iceKey over the Micro Connectors Flavored USB, over the Tactile Pro.
Deck Keyboards also sells a 82-key version, which I still think the use Cherry switches for.
It looks like Fujitsu announced an upgrade to their Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional series (now its version 2). Most interestingly, it now uses a usb 2.0 interface which means I can use it with my mac. No arrow keys though.. but I did ok with the last one.. and the more I tried vi-ify things, I think that will get less and less annoying. Still $250 though. But the light touch (45g/stroke) seems most appealing.
I sold the SmartBoard on craigslist. I guess the thing to do is just buy it, and if you don’t like it, sell it at a small loss on craigslist. There are enough keyboard junkies to go around.
Update: Encouraged by the recovery of $90 from the Smartboard sale, I broke down and ordered a Matias Tactile Pro from OWC. I guess the price went up to $125 from $100.. maybe they’re running low on supply. In any case, I’ll try the ~$100 keyboards before I give up and move up to the $200+ ones (HHK Pro or Kinesis)