IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards • Hacker News Board

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#11

Post by throwaway7767 » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 4:58 PM UTC

WizzleKake wrote: post #7

http://www.pckeyboard.com/ Unicomp is still keeping the glory days of the IBM Model M keyboard alive.

I have one of those. While they're very much a descendant of the Model M, I'd say their quality control is lacking. The PageDown key on my keyboard is much lighter than all the other keys, it feels really mushy and doesn't have the same tactile feedback that it's supposed to have. All the other keys are fine. I can live with it, but I never saw such an issue with any of the Model M keyboard I've used.

Also, their USB firmware sucks. Sometimes it won't work during bootup (say, if I want to go into the BIOS or pick something from the GRUB menu), and only gets properly initialised when I get into linux or windows. This only happens sometimes. Other keyboards work consistently, and the problem disappears if I plug the unicomp into a KVM switch that actually shows up as its own HID device instead of just switching the USB ports around. I've seen other keyboards with similar problems but for such an expensive keyboard, it's really quite annoying.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#12

Post by gozo » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:05 PM UTC

As far as I know IBM still sold server up until last year when that department was also sold to Lenovo. So it makes sense that they were still making peripherals for server use, they probably aren't anymore though.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#13

Post by webkike » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:07 PM UTC

throwaway7767 wrote: post #11

WizzleKake wrote: post #7

http://www.pckeyboard.com/ Unicomp is still keeping the glory days of the IBM Model M keyboard alive.

I have one of those. While they're very much a descendant of the Model M, I'd say their quality control is lacking. The PageDown key on my keyboard is much lighter than all the other keys, it feels really mushy and doesn't have the same tactile feedback that it's supposed to have. All the other keys are fine. I can live with it, but I never saw such an issue with any of the Model M keyboard I've used. Also, their USB…

I've had the failed to initialize problem with many keyboards, including my Kinesis. If you're using a UEFI bios it could possibly be related to fastboot being on.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#14

Post by joezydeco » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:08 PM UTC

papercrane wrote: post #5

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #2

Looking up the driver info in Linux, it appears to be manufactured by Lite-on, who do indeed still manufacture Thinkpad parts for Lenovo. [...] So perhaps that's it: IBM is still making Thinkpad-style keyboards for its rack- mounted servers, possibly only in China. I'm confused: how does Lite-on == IBM?

Manufactured by Lite-on for IBM, but the arrangement is quite common. For example, Foxconn manufactures all current generation consoles, but we still say "Microsoft makes the Xbox One."

Lite-on also builds the power supply for the 4th gen AppleTV...

https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/JZCBHisKVpM6G1eN.h...

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#15

Post by scott_s » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:10 PM UTC

gozo wrote: post #12

As far as I know IBM still sold server up until last year when that department was also sold to Lenovo. So it makes sense that they were still making peripherals for server use, they probably aren't anymore though.

That was the x86 line of servers. IBM still sells Power and Z systems. (I work for IBM Research, but not on any of that.)

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#16

Post by thrownaway2424 » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:11 PM UTC

chrisBob wrote: post #10

This guy went out of his way to buy something with a trackpoint? Surely this is a hoax.

The TrackPoint is God's own pointing device. If He had wanted us to use a mouse, He would have given us a third arm.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#17

Post by thrownaway2424 » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:11 PM UTC

Too bad it doesn't have the tricolor IBM logo.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#18

Post by jseliger » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:14 PM UTC

WizzleKake wrote: post #7

http://www.pckeyboard.com/ Unicomp is still keeping the glory days of the IBM Model M keyboard alive.

Those are excellent and I used one for years: http://jakeseliger.com/2008/05/07/product-review-unicomp-cus... before switching to a Kinesis Advantage. Though I like the keyfeel of the Model M better, the ergonomics of the Kinesis are better.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#19

Post by binaryapparatus » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:17 PM UTC

Glory days, can't not smile when I remember tech decades old. I still have two buckling spring Model M keyboards and they are really made to last. Oh and bought them when they were new and selling, that's how ancient I am. I really wish IBM starts doing complete PC line again.

Re: IBM is still making ThinkPad keyboards

#20

Post by melling » Mon, Oct 05, 2015, 5:19 PM UTC

jseliger wrote: post #18

WizzleKake wrote: post #7

http://www.pckeyboard.com/ Unicomp is still keeping the glory days of the IBM Model M keyboard alive.

Those are excellent and I used one for years: http://jakeseliger.com/2008/05/07/product-review-unicomp-cus... before switching to a Kinesis Advantage. Though I like the keyfeel of the Model M better, the ergonomics of the Kinesis are better.

Can anyone discuss the ergonomics of the Kinesis? It has MX Brown Cherry switches which are easier on the hands, for example. I've often wonder if its unique shape had proven benefits. Many people have tried using it but have given up. Is it better than an ErgoDox, for instance?

http://ergodox.org