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Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

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Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#121

Post by xp84 »

ary wrote: post #49

To everyone who is about to pile on regarding the lack of a fingerprint sensor: you know it's not possible, we all know it's not possible, the creator of this project knows it's not possible. What are you adding to the conversation when you complain about it? So it's a dealbreaker for you, don't buy it. To @aemerson_: Congratulations on taking a risk. On first look this is great work. The attention to detail on both…

Not defending anyone using Touch ID as a reason to complain about this -- I think it looks like a great keyboard -- but just yesterday I saw this super cool alternative to the hilarious "buy the world's most expensive mediocre membrane keyboard to tear out a tiny part" idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB3lk-PNA6I

As near as I can understand it, macOS supports a smart card reader (and apparently will defer to its sign-off for authentication duties when it's present and configured, and Touch ID isn't), so if you emulate a smart card reader you can make your own fingerprint sensor and have it say "I'm a smart card" and sign challenges like a smart card does.

The creator is very up front that this isn't equivalently secure for preserving state secrets, as if you carefully tear this device apart you can just short the pins that the sensor part connects when it's happy with the fingerprint. On the other hand, it is hilarious that anyone who isn't a person of interest for the CIA, Mossad, MI6, or FSB would think they're important enough for someone to go to the trouble of using that method to unlock their secrets. Anyone else would just club you over the head or slip you a mickey, and stick your unconscious finger on your fingerprint sensor.

Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#123

Post by [deleted] »

ary wrote: post #49

To everyone who is about to pile on regarding the lack of a fingerprint sensor: you know it's not possible, we all know it's not possible, the creator of this project knows it's not possible. What are you adding to the conversation when you complain about it? So it's a dealbreaker for you, don't buy it. To @aemerson_: Congratulations on taking a risk. On first look this is great work. The attention to detail on both…

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#124

Post by xp84 »

philistine wrote: post #80
ary wrote: post #49

To everyone who is about to pile on regarding the lack of a fingerprint sensor: you know it's not possible, we all know it's not possible, the creator of this project knows it's not possible. What are you adding to the conversation when you complain about it? So it's a dealbreaker for you, don't buy it. To @aemerson_: Congratulations on taking a risk. On first look this is great work. The attention to detail on both…

Get an Apple Watch. It massively cuts the amount of required unlocks.

Unfortunately, I would place this in the 'Sometimes but don't count on it' half of the "Things Apple Watch has Proven Itself Reliable For" list.

(The only non-timekeeping items on the 'Always works perfectly' part of the list are Apple Pay and the little button that dings your phone when you've misplaced it.)

Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#126

Post by Hugsbox »

phoghed wrote: post #81
Hugsbox wrote: post #54

Unfortunately, no numpad is definitely a dealbreaker. Looks like a really cool product, but the numpad is a _must_ for any keyboard you want to do real work on, at least in my opinion.

Maybe if excel is your main software used I could see that, can’t remember the last time I typed enough numbers to make it worth it though.

I don't like playing Nethack without it :(

But yeah, I guess that's fair, not everybody's workload is going to involve inputting incident numbers, and order numbers, and asset numbers, etc etc etc all the time... even IP addresses, I just find it so much more comfortable with the numpad, whereas I find I have a tough time touch-typing on the number row.

Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#128

Post by LoganDark »

Magicrafter13 wrote: post #119

I can't go back to a staggered typewriter layout, ergonomic columnar is where it's at. I'm curious what the purpose of haptic feedback on an already mechanical keyboard is? Cool that you've been able to turn this into a livable business though.

It's feedback for the magnetically-coupled dial, and optionally an accessory to notifications.

Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#129

Post by xp84 »

cafebeen wrote: post #12
charrondev wrote: post #4

I’m assuming it’s not possible for it to include a fingerprint sensor? As much as I’d like a mechanical keyboard for my Mac that’s always the part that gets me. I end up using the one my Magic Keyboard 20+ times per workday. Otherwise it looks beautiful.

Yes, agreed. Beautiful keyboard, but when I heard "magic" I hoped to find a touch ID. That sensor so useful that even though I use a mechanical keyboard, I keep an apple magic keyboard off to the side of my desk just for the touch ID sensor. What I'd love to have is a standalone touch ID sensor that I could attach anywhere -- mechanical keyboard, side of the monitor, under my desk, etc. I guess this is bottlenecked b…

Some people I know just velcro a Magic Keyboard to the bottom of their desktop for this reason.

So frustrating that Apple won't sell just a button even at any price. Gotta buy their terrible keyboard for $150 to get that. eyeroll

Re: Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

#130

Post by naikrovek »

f311a wrote: post #117
naikrovek wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

30 years of professional programming and I touch "Home", "End", "PgUp", "PgDn", "Ins", and "Del" every single day.

You can do this using fn button, without moving your hand every time you need to press them. It's very convenient, when your hand don't move at all and can reach every button.

you can do it using any button you like. lots of keyboards are entirely remappable. i don't understand how/why one saying they never touch these buttons is some kind of flex, like it's somehow superior to avoid using some keys or something.
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