This sounds useful for gaming where key bindings change per game...unfortunately it doesn't have mechanical switches and has flat keys, making it all but worthless for that purpose.
Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
151–160 of 237 posts
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#152"With Sonder all your settings are saved automatically to the cloud." Just what we need. Computer peripherals slaved to some external cloud server. You have a computer right there, able to store stuff. Run programs, even. You don't want to be tied to some here-today, gone-tomorrow service. Also, how do you know it isn't sending your keystrokes somewhere? An API would make more sense. Programs which change the meaning…
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Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#153Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have a Das Keyboard, it's a really nice product, mechanical switches etc. I don't see a use case for this though, I rarely look at my keyboard.
And why is that? Because usually there's absolutely no reason to do so, because it's static and you you have the layout in muscle memory.
- because the density of information on the screen is higher and the screen is much larger.
- Because staring at your keyboard isn't great for your neck.
- Because when I'm typing I'm outputting my brain into the computer, I'm not trying to take in input.
- BECAUSE YOUR HANDS BLOCK THE KEYBOARD.
The mouse is more of a follow and enter type of interface, as is touch. Keyboards are a high ply (eg 102 keys + shifts) with chords and chains, in that a you generally hit a series of keys to do something (typing) and not a single button. So massively more options than the 12 they can get up there on the top row. So memorization wins out in my mind here.
Where I think this would help is when you're learning new things and have to move your hand to figure it out. Like say a new character in dota... but again the monitor is better.
This keyboard looks cool tho. Tho wish they'd put some non-mac pics up.
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#154An interesting idea, but I just don't look at my keyboards. Even so, I can't help feeling this is a much better approach than replacing F-keys with the Mac Touchbar. The touchbar could have been a great idea if above the pre-existing keys. However, if it was a Model M chassis, sculpted full travel loud mechanical keys, E-Ink, and a modern selection of media keys and volume I'd probably buy one. Regardless of how sill…
I've always thought that adaptive key display keyboards were a really strange market. You need the intersection of (enthusiasts who will pay ~$300+ for a keyboard) with (users who don't touch type).
It's a fun novelty for sure, but I feel like the above target market is so tiny that the majority of purchases will be impulse buys because it seems cool, rather than because it's actually useful.
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#155Earlier quoted context omitted.
The 'cloud connected' stuff is an obnoxious gimmick, but Das's upcoming 5q is pretty close to what you're looking for: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1229573443/das-keyboard...
It's a small thing but a lot of editors who travel from studio to studio will have their own work process, it's very specific to power users; which this product is designed for. If the feature is a gimmick to you, it's fine; but others really appreciate it and in testing with video editors etc it's something we get a ton of feedback for including.
Have you considered just storing the settings and configuration in the keyboard itself?
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#156"With Sonder all your settings are saved automatically to the cloud." Just what we need. Computer peripherals slaved to some external cloud server. You have a computer right there, able to store stuff. Run programs, even. You don't want to be tied to some here-today, gone-tomorrow service. Also, how do you know it isn't sending your keystrokes somewhere? An API would make more sense. Programs which change the meaning…
I think braided fiber means that the usb cable has one of those nice cloth cable covers that come on nice headphones, instead of just a plain plastic casing.
Hilarious. New tech with pun marketing. Precious. I think I enjoyed the pun more than the product. I agree that not every thing needs a cloud behind it. Why couldn't it just store the bits to it self? Shock! Then I wouldn't have to spent ten or twenty extra minutes making sure it could connect to some damn server to update itself or change a simple function. Pass. Cool concept.
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#157I so much wish Apple would have integrated E-Ink in their keyboard keys. I was kinda hoping from the leaks it to be true but sad :( Instead of removing function bar and putting in a stupid LCD this would have made more sense. If they were dying to put in an Apple watch display in keyboard they could have done it on trackpad! Disclaimer: Despite all this Macbook remains my fav laptop, no other laptop including surface…
What integrated experience when you can't even connect your iPhone to your Mac without an adapter?
Continuity. No cables required.
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#158Please don't make it easier for people to type emojies.
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
The 'cloud connected' stuff is an obnoxious gimmick, but Das's upcoming 5q is pretty close to what you're looking for: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1229573443/das-keyboard...
It's a small thing but a lot of editors who travel from studio to studio will have their own work process, it's very specific to power users; which this product is designed for. If the feature is a gimmick to you, it's fine; but others really appreciate it and in testing with video editors etc it's something we get a ton of feedback for including.
>If the feature is a gimmick to you, it's fine
If I'm familiar with an application, I don't look at the keyboard. If I'm VERY familiar with an application, I don't even recall commands through their mnemonic, but through muscle memory.
For example, I've just switched to spacemacs from vim, and one of the first commands to learn is Ctrl+G, which is to exit from any menu. "Escape from menu" is not mapped into my brain as C-g, but as "pinky here and left index finger here." In contrast, when I want to change to next buffer, I think b n, and not "thumb, right index finger on this button, then right index finger on this button" (although I'm sure that it will become muscle memory before long.)
HOWEVER, the nice thing about spacemacs is that you can press space and you see all possible commands pop up in the command buffer. This is a highly effective method for learning commands, and it is similar to how the "ribbon design" functioned in Microsoft Office 2007. This is where I think the E-ink keyboard could be most useful: in teaching keystrokes. It's essentially the same thing as looking down at the spacemacs command buffer, but you get to see the command pop up on your keyboard.
That being said, there are a lot of downsides to the whole idea. You're stuck with a very limited set of switch-and-layout combinations if you want an e-ink keyboard. Secondly, keyboards take a lot of abuse, and I don't know how much a replacement e-ink keycap costs, or where I'm going to get one (maybe this won't be such an issue, though). Finally, the glyph can only be represented as a glyph, and not as a detailed command like it can in a spacemacs buffer.
Cool product though; I'd get one if I had money to burn!
Re: Sonder E-Ink Keyboard
#160Heh, tough crowd. I like the idea :) If I hadn't just dropped money on a keyboard recently I'd be strongly considering. The potential integrations with emacs and the keys changing would be fun.