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I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

electronicmaterialsoffice.com

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Re: I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

#411

Post by inasmuch »

This is the first qwerty mechanical keyboard I've seen with four keys to the left of the spacebar, properly mimicking a MacBook layout. I'm far from a connoisseur in the space, but I have done some serious looking. Thank you thank you thank you.

As others have mentioned, the Teenage Engineering influence throughout is evident and welcome. I've long wished they would take a stab at an OP-1y TKL.

While I don't love the typeface(s?) you've chosen for the keys, I respect your commitment to what I'm sure you knew would be a polarizing choice.

Don't cut any corners in the manufacturing, please. I'll buy the shit out of this, even at a premium price.

Re: I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

#413

Post by banana_giraffe »

seltzered_ wrote: post #94

I run a subreddit on mobile ergonomics ( http://reddit.com/r/ergomobilecomputers/ ) and spent the past year using raised tablet PC as my only machine, and curating the smaller subset of portable keyboard & computer setups. My advice: - drop the rotary encoder, it messes up the height for packing the keyboard away. - a 75% layout (i.e. having fn keys) is okay, but makes it a bit challenging to fit in with a 13" tablet…

For the rotary encoder, personally I'd prefer a low profile knob ( like https://shop.dailycraft.jp/en/products/encoder_lowprofile_kn... ), I find them more satisfyingly to use, and they don't get in the way of being thrown in a bag.

I wonder if it'd be possible to offer different key caps to allow for user preference for this and font choices.

Re: I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

#414

Post by altairprime »

Thank you for trying to enter this market. I’ve been using Apple thin keyboards for years because nothing else comes close in key travel terms while still being Mac-compatible. Yours looks like a serious option. I’m so grateful this exists and I look forward to trying it out.

Re: I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

#415

Post by trinsic2 »

colinplamondon wrote: post #367
potamic wrote: post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is becoming a trend on HN where top comment points calls out the criticism in a thread. I personally feel there is nothing negative about critique and one of the reasons people broadcast their work here is to receive more feedback on it. Not every showcase automatically deserves a compliment. I think we should respect people for their opinions and the danger of applying negative pressure to criticism is we creat…

(Fwiw, I think most of the feedback in this thread is thoughtful and encouraging - speaking more generally below.) I think the gap is the difference between giving feedback to a person and broadcasting superiority. The former is what we do in-person. It takes constant active effort to not do the latter. Giving feedback in-person, you want to make sure your feedback land. Encouraging where possible by pointing out wha…

So far I am not seeing any comments that are not constructive, but I concur. There can be an disproportionate amount of people on Hackernews that think that its ok to give feedback without considering how it lands.

In my view, the fact that you are speaking on the internet does not mean you have license to be harmful or careless with the people you interact with.

I also like that the parent complains about the very thing (being able to speak freely) but doesn't want to apply that to people that disagree with his standpoint.

Re: I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

#417

Post by oxinai »

InitialBP wrote: post #388
dayvid wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This company makes trackpoint mechanical keyboards, but they're main schtick is reviving the Model M: https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/UKBD I'm working on a modification for a different product with a trackball, but learned about the trackpoint as well. The patent recently expired and besides that, it's ~$10-20 to buy a trackpoint component and you could hack it into a keyboard if you had the time and willing…

Tex also makes keyboards with a trackpoint. I haven't personally used them but have seen some great looking custom builds. https://tex.com.tw/collections/keyboard

I've got a Shinobi, it is a joy to type on but the weird .75u caps are kind of strange.

Re: I spent a year designing a low profile, minimal mechanical keyboard

#418

Post by danbee »

tcbawo wrote: post #128

Does anyone make a keyboard that goes in the opposite direction? I’ve been looking for a keyboard with stiff springs and large bubbly keys, in the style of late 70s/early 80 terminals. The best I could come up with are higher profile key caps with rounded corners, which aren’t quite what I’m looking for.

You probably want to look at SA profile keycaps.
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