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Kinesis Advantage 360

kinesis-ergo.com

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Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#221

Post by avgcorrection »

rgoulter wrote: post #218
avgcorrection wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But at this point you are just fixing an invented problem with more tasks to be done. A lot of these custom keyboards could just have been built with more of the standard keys.

Pessimistic: "without the full set of keyswitches, you need to use fancy tricks to make shortcuts usable". Optimistic: "with fancy tricks, you can make shortcuts easily accessible without the need for the full set of keyswitches". e.g. on my keyboard I have shortcuts for "goto desktop left" when I press "cv", (and "goto desktop right" when I press "m,"). This is more complex than a standard keyboard's Ctrl+Shift+Righ…

Enlightened middle way: Custom software keyboard configuration that works with any keyboard and that doesn’t have to solve invented problems like “No man there is no Home key why would you need that just use this QMK module bro and—”

I am intrigued by your key chords though. You can’t get key chords like that with a stock keyboard. Does it rely on the key-up event to distinguish between “cv” (one keychord” and “c” and “v” (separate)? Or does it rely on timeouts?

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#222

Post by dlgeek »

db65edfc7996 wrote: post #30

Sadly, no dedicated F-row. I would even settle for a subset of keys that aligned with the columns. I do not consider layers an adequate replacement. Happy to see they are moving away from their own software configuration. Not a fan of the software interface on the Freestyle Pro. More than once I have gotten myself into a loop where I am unsure which function mode is activated and how to switch back to what I want. I…

Under specs:

> Function Keys reside in new “Fn” Layer

> 10-Key resides in the traditional “Keypad” Layer

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#223

Post by sickcodebruh »

Wow! This looks fantastic.

I’m a big fan of this company and their products. My Advantage 2 just broke this week. I had a really great exchange with their support today, we went from initial contact to replacement part shipped VERY quickly over just a couple emails. I’m not particularly bothered by it breaking — I have a spare and I appreciate that they can just send me a new cable assembly and call it a day. If I was on the market for something portable, I’d pickup this new one in a heartbeat.

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#224

Post by rgoulter »

avgcorrection wrote: post #221
rgoulter wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pessimistic: "without the full set of keyswitches, you need to use fancy tricks to make shortcuts usable". Optimistic: "with fancy tricks, you can make shortcuts easily accessible without the need for the full set of keyswitches". e.g. on my keyboard I have shortcuts for "goto desktop left" when I press "cv", (and "goto desktop right" when I press "m,"). This is more complex than a standard keyboard's Ctrl+Shift+Righ…

Enlightened middle way: Custom software keyboard configuration that works with any keyboard and that doesn’t have to solve invented problems like “No man there is no Home key why would you need that just use this QMK module bro and—” I am intrigued by your key chords though. You can’t get key chords like that with a stock keyboard. Does it rely on the key-up event to distinguish between “cv” (one keychord” and “c” an…

> I am intrigued by your key chords though. You can’t get key chords like that with a stock keyboard. Does it rely on the key-up event to distinguish between “cv” (one keychord” and “c” and “v” (separate)? Or does it rely on timeouts?

Timeouts. I believe it's similar to how some users use "jk" as more convenient than the escape key.

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#225

Post by rgoulter »

avgcorrection wrote: post #219
rgoulter wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely you don't expect people using keyboards without dedicated function keys (or number rows) are aiming to never need to use those keys? The trade-off from fewer keys is reduced hand movement (& a smaller keyboard, cheaper to buy switches for, etc.), at the cost of additional complexity of use, & it not really being easy for anyone else to use your keyboard. It seems reasonable either way to prefer one or the othe…

> Surely you don't expect people using keyboards without dedicated function keys (or number rows) are aiming to never need to use those keys? I could imagine that some people never use the function keys. Or never use the numpad keys. To some people they might be completely useless... Which would make a smaller keyboard understandable. Now, people who do need all those keys and yet still go for a smaller keyboard is h…

> I could imagine that some people never use the function keys. Or never use the numpad keys. To some people they might be completely useless... Which would make a smaller keyboard understandable. > > Now, people who do need all those keys and yet still go for a smaller keyboard is harder for me to understand. :)

Right, I don't think anyone goes "I need these keys, I should get a smaller keyboard".

But, no one is saying "I don't need those keys, I can use a smaller keyboard". e.g. 40% keyboards like the planck lack a number row, as well as lacking a number pad; of course they'll have to have access to type in numbers somehow.

> boutique and expensive that I don’t think that people are forfeiting a dozen or so keys in order to save some money.

Right, I don't think it's a persuasive/compelling point; but it is a benefit. Comparing the cost of getting switches for 110-keys vs for 48 keys, you can either afford nicer keys, or don't have to pay as much.

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#226

Post by toastal »

Man, I wish they had differenter keyswitch options. I've used a bunch of Cherry MX styles in the past, but after switching to electrocapacitve Topre-clones, I don't want to go back.

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#227

Post by lgleason »

I have been a Kinesis user for 8 years, starting with an Advantage USB, added a classic PS2(with a usb adapter) as a backup and then was a tester for the Advantage 2 which I ended up buying. A company I worked for gave me a choice for keyboards when I joined so I tried a Ergodox EZ with the RGB backlighting.

General observations:

1. Overall I prefer the Advantage over the Ergodox. The big reason is the contoured design and the fact that the Ergodox tends to walk around unless you have a solid desk pad underneath it. Also, the Ergodox never felt as comfortable as the Advantage. Yes the Advantage is not as easy to travel with but still.... 2. I like the new design, but there are a few things that would have made the pro perfect. PBT backlit keycaps like they offer on the Ergodox-EZ and RGB backlighting...and maybe a set of f-keys (on the fence with the last one).

One other thing... A mix of o-rings and QMX clips made a huge difference with the feel of the keyboard for me. I have been a cherry brown user from the beginning though and different people have different preferences with that.

Kinesis is also really good about providing parts and service. I've had them send me replacement switches and have seen them offer up in-expensive replacement boards to repair and keep older models going.

I'm going to buy one of these, but given that I already have 4 high quality mechanical keyboards and I have yet to have one die I am starting to feel guilty having all of these laying around. That said there is a side of me that is curious about the Keyboard.io :)

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#228

Post by tylermenezes »

alanbernstein wrote: post #186
tylermenezes wrote: post #58

In addition to all the comments from Advantage fans here, I also wanted to add that Kinesis has been an awesome company. I tweeted about some mods I made to my Advantage keyboard a long time ago, and they invited me to their office and donated a bunch of keyboards to the nonprofit I work for, to give as prizes to students (even before they launched the gaming-focused brand).

Would you care to share a link or describe your mods?

I delete my really old tweets, but it was actually to make the Advantage Bluetooth-enabled!

I added a Bluetooth keyboard converter, LiPo, and charge controller inside the case.

Unfortunately the Sparkfun documentation for the charge controller implied that it would prevent undervolting which wasn't true, and the battery died. They fixed the documentation but wouldn't send me a replacement battery. I didn't have the money for a new one at the time and reverted it.

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#229

Post by astangl »

I checked with Kinesis sales, and they said they’ll be offering the PBT dyesub keycaps, for those of us who’d like to buy them for our old Advantage2 keyboards. No word yet on when they’ll be available though.

Re: Kinesis Advantage 360

#230

Post by sleepybrett »

tylermenezes wrote: post #228
alanbernstein wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you care to share a link or describe your mods?

I delete my really old tweets, but it was actually to make the Advantage Bluetooth-enabled! I added a Bluetooth keyboard converter, LiPo, and charge controller inside the case. Unfortunately the Sparkfun documentation for the charge controller implied that it would prevent undervolting which wasn't true, and the battery died. They fixed the documentation but wouldn't send me a replacement battery. I didn't have the m…

Installed this in one of my advantage 2s about 9 months ago. Great mod. https://github.com/wizarddata/Blue-Wizard-Mod
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