What is the advantage of having an attached cable? I would think detachable is better, since a cable can be damaged and troubleshooting a bad attached cable would be a major pain.
I totally agree, and this is one of my very few complaints about Filcos, which are otherwise my go-to keyboard of choice these days. CMQF Storms are starting to win me over though. I understand that Costar makes both Filcos and CMQF. I still contend that Filco just feels better built. Kind of like driving a BMW. CMQF is like driving a Subaru. They are both well built, but the Filco is tighter. The CMQF has branding all over it like a kid's Tonka toy, and just feels a wee bit more flimsy.
That gorram hardwired 2m cable on the Filco just pisses me off to no end though. I like to hook up a keyboard to my Air, and while the TKL fits fine, that long dangling cable is annoying, and DANGEROUS when moving about. I have more than once caught it on a door handle and very nearly sent $3000 worth of equipment crashing to the ground. That isn't even a concern with a 12" cable with a right angle mini-b USB attachment.
Also, while Filco's "media keys" appear only on the Camo keyboard, they SUCK. Filco decided to obliterate the Alt key on the left side of the keyboard in order to install their FN key (let's call that the ****N stupid key). Meanwhile, CMQF appears to have been designed by someone with more than fish for brains. They obliterate the key I don't even have a name for... the "list of crap with a cursor arrow on it" key, to use as the "media key" activator. This is wonderful! Every key works like it should, but you still have access to screen brightness and quick volume control with a two-key combination.
If CMQF would come in a Filco build quality, just a bit more solidly built, and without all the damn branding all over it, they would be hard to touch--particularly at their price point!
Oh, one other small difference: Filco puts the capslock, scrolllock lights over above the six-pack. CMQF puts the lights in the keys themselves. I'm torn on which I prefer, but since I rarely use any of those keys it's almost moot (except when capslock gets switched on accidentally and passwords stop working :-P)
This post was brought to you by a CMQF MXReds with RagRed keycaps. I don't have a Filco Reds, so I can't compare, but this CMQF feels every bit as solid as my Filcos, so maybe they have improved in the last few months. My primary comparison is Filco Blues vs. CMQF Blues.
