What's the benefit to all that wasted space? If you cut down on around 40% of the size you'd have basically the same product, but it takes up less space.
I think it's intended to keep your hands apart, as if you just had your arms out directly in front of you, in line with your shoulders.
Basically it's so you aren't sat with your elbows bent, probably to help with RSI.
Although I've never heard of that in the elbows before from typing.
They probably just thought it was more ergonomic that way. Which is ridiculous given the general design of the thing, since that looks far from ergonomic. Do people normally use their thumbs while typing, besides possibly the spacebar?
