[IC] Aozora | 青空 A well-priced 65% board with a stunning look [GB GOING LIVE!!]

[SalmonCat]

GB IS LIVE ON https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=113303.0

Aozora | 青空
The Aozora is a 65% style keyboard with an extra key!
Aozora features a clean design with a brass badge. Together with the plate, the badge and plate create a sleek two-tone design.

There are 5 finish options at the moment: Sumi (Black), Aizome (Navy), Sakura (Light Pink), Fukai(Deep Blue), and Hakushi (E-White). 

Sumi, Aizome, Faukai and Sakura will be sandblasted and anodized.

This board was designed by our new studio, SalmonCat. We are excited to join in on making great products at reasonable prices. We have some really cool boards planned for the future. So if you like this design, make sure to join our discord to see what we are working on.





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Here are the main points.

Typing Angle: 6-Degree

Target Price: $200-ish for the base kit, with several optional plate & PCB extras available

The base kit will come with a top housing, plate, bottom housing, badge, screws, and PCB.

65%  69-key layout.

Sandwich mount

Full aluminum body

Plate and badge will come stock as brass, with an optional kit for aluminum hardware available

Carbon and Polycarbonate plates will be available in both ISO and ANSI, also as extras.

Uniquely shaped, Japanese cloud badge above arrow cluster.

ANSI Hot-swap, with ISO plate and PCB available.

Estimated 1.5kg without PCB, switches, and caps.

QMK Support

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Colors:

 E-White (Hakushi)


 Black (Sumi)


 Blue (Aizome)


 Pink (Sakura)



There is one more color being added! It is an extremely dark navy. It is pictured in the topmost image of this post, but more renders will also be coming soon.

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SOUND TEST!!!~

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Timeline:
We are aiming to run the GB sometime within March & April 2021
Our second prototype ended up taking way too long to manufacture, and the date we were given for it to be shipped was pushed back several times. As of 5/28/21, we have received the second round of prototypes.
Our new estimated GB is June 2021.

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Vendors/Pricing

We're going to be selling and shipping ourselves. It might result in shipping being more expensive for overseas customers, but it lowers the overall cost of the board for the entire GB. We're still working on our website, but it'll be up when we announce the GB.

We've confirmed a base kit of 199.99 USD, with either an aluminum or brass plate and badge available to chose at checkout. Extras of each component will be available, including tops and bottoms if you want to create a 2-tone keyboard!

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Make sure to join our Discord or follow us for updates!
https://discord.gg/4fDq9QK5e2
https://www.instagram.com/salmoncat.studio/

[paulgali]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

[Rayndalf]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

I mean they're both 65% boards, but that one has an injection molded case while this one is machined aluminum with the brass plate being visible from the outside.

I guess the badge placement is similar, but it's a 65%, so that's a very logical place for a badge.

If this board is in the $200 range (with case, plate, foam and hotswap PCB) it will be a great value (as was the Aurora)... affordabe customs like these really make the Drop Alt look like a Razer Blackwidow in comparison.

[StanleyLelnats]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

Looks like a combination of that and the Saka 68 which ran last month https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=108638.0

[SalmonCat]

They are of course similar (I personally love the Saka68 and I bought it lol). There are some design changes, and overall creating a 65% in the manner can be hard to differentiate while keeping it at a good price point at the same time. The overall look is a (albeit subjectively) cleaner, as well as another key for additional functionality.

[SalmonCat]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

I would definitely say they are similar but there are definitely differences. The ikki68 is very nice, however.

[Shinigamii]

I am not a huge fan of the additional key in the arrow cluster.  Other than that, the board looks great, simple design and hopefully the price is around what is expected.  Are there any renders for the side profile?  Looking forward to the protos, good luck.

[SalmonCat]

.  Are there any renders for the side profile? 

There are I can post them in the discord : )

[Ustinj]

that one extra key next to the arrows that differentiates it from the saka68 feels very very off to me. feels very random and I think may be very upsetting to look at with caps on.

edit: after some thinking, I feel .. you put a blocker near the arrow keys to separate it and make the arrows easier to spot / identify.. so adding a random key jammed into the arrows kind of defeats the purpose of an arrow key blocker

[SalmonCat]

I guess that is kinda right, it was mainly to keep the grouping of 4 and fill up the space that in my opinion looks kinda bad on the ikki68 for example. But thank you for the feedback : D

[Laur]

You don't have permission to use my set for renders, why are you doing it? The colours are way off too, it's in the wrong profile, the legends are wrong.
Please remove it.

Edit: They removed it very willingly and I appreciate that.

[iinko_mk]

yo, someone catch me if i'm tripping, but this looks exactly like an ikki68. and the name is similar to the ikki 68 aurora (aozora)

[homerowco]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

nah, that one is some plastic crap.



 

[iinko_mk]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

nah, that one is some plastic crap.



 

this wasn't https://ikki68.com/

[Rayndalf]

You don't have permission to use my set for renders, why are you doing it? The colours are way off too, it's in the wrong profile, the legends are wrong.
Please remove it.

This is also just an Ikki Aurora clone.

Lol

[Tree_]

I like that there's all these budget 68-key boards releasing, but can we please finally get one that doesn't have a gaudy ass badge between the arrow cluster and mods?

[MidnightSnek]

Lmaoooooooooo Saka and ikki copy

[SalmonCat]

Lmaoooooooooo Saka and ikki copy

If this is a clone of those, why is saka not a clone of ikki? sure there are design similarities but I could give you a plenty long list of keyboards that look similar.

[Ustinj]

Lmaoooooooooo Saka and ikki copy

ikki68 maybe. but saka68? not really lol

Lmaoooooooooo Saka and ikki copy

If this is a clone of those, why is saka not a clone of ikki? sure there are design similarities but I could give you a plenty long list of keyboards that look similar.

I suggest posting the side profile photos here instead of just Discord, the side profile can really differentiate this from the other boards. i don't agree with those saying it's a clone of the saka. the only reason it should be compared to the ikki68 is the badge placement imo.

edit: in hindsight, i guess i can understand why some feel this way. I looked closer at the renders and see that the side profile is the same as the saka68 and the top profile is the ikki68, so i guess posting direct side-profile shots wouldn't really change much. then again, i think most boards are just derivatives of other designs anyway so there's nothing really wrong with it

[SalmonCat]

I suggest posting the side profile photos here instead of just Discord, the side profile can really differentiate this from the other boards. i don't agree with those saying it's a clone of the saka. the only reason it should be compared to the ikki68 is the badge placement imo.

We will do just that, thank you for the suggestion!

[saintnoodle]

maybe if you had come up with a unique design of your own, i'd have liked it...

[SalmonCat]

Here is a side profile image. Much tighter chamfer. Much smaller fillet on corners. Steeper angle.

Overall it's a much more defined, cleaner shape.

[SalmonCat]

Saka and ikki for comparison.

[tsoiab10]

Personally not a very big fan of the layout but GLWIC OP. 

[SalmonCat]

Personally not a very big fan of the layout but GLWIC OP. 

Thank you : D

[Ibme]

I like the design of the Layout! 

[galdrom]

The arrow key cluster is a little strange, but I’m definitely interested in that price point...

[SalmonCat]

As a quick update, we are going to be changing the badge to be a cloud thanks to the suggestions in the IC! I hope this will free up a bit of comparisons to other boards and also fit the name to create a better theme.

Also thank you to everyone who has joined our discord and signed up for the IC so far. I am super happy that this got any traction at all and hope we can deliver the best product possible.

Thank you,
Niko

[convoliution]

I *really* like how the badge is centered between between the arrow cluster and the home cluster—other similar boards look a little visually unbalanced to me because there's always an empty space around there, but your extra key with the arrows fills it perfectly.

The gold stripe does make it look similar to the Saka, though I do like the sharper corners on the Aozora.

Unfortunately I already filled the 68%-sized hole in my heart with an Ikki68, but this looks neat! Best of luck.

EDIT: My heart is conflicted.

[bigglesby]

Yo so like, I love this. **** the saka or ikki or w.e the more keebs for ppl to buy cuz **** is sold out in under 3 nanoseconds the better.
But i gotta ask, why do yall only pick Black, white, e white, blue, pink for every case. Can we get some burgandy, washed out cyan, beige, something other than the norm
Also is every1 a weeb on this platform? Hakushi (E-white)/Sumi (Black)? BRUUUUUH LMFAOOOO just saY THE colours my dud


-Ciao pce n luv my G

[SalmonCat]

I actually completely agree but some colors are actually a bit harder than others. Hoping for our second keeb to have a lot more interesting colors when we have some more experience under our belts. Best

[fredprinz21]

Just filled out the IC form, Niko.

Overall, I love that keep creators are creating reasonably priced boards (especially people like me who has tighter budget) and I hope the trend does not stop. =)

I don't like the added key but it's not a dealbreaker for me. Joining your Discord in a few minutes. Looking forward to your collabs too with keycap, cable and deskmat creators!

GOOD LUCK, chief!

[bigglesby]

I actually completely agree but some colors are actually a bit harder than others. Hoping for our second keeb to have a lot more interesting colors when we have some more experience under our belts. Best

Word up makes sense, preciate you still. providing more stock to us newbies is already fire aff

[Suli]

don't think that this is the copy of ikki. But definitely looks too much like Saka. Almost 1 to 1 copy.

[Aerizu]

Is the plate/pcb layout fixed? Are there plans for split backspace and right-shift support?

[SalmonCat]

Is the plate/pcb layout fixed? Are there plans for split backspace and right-shift support?

Currently, we are going through the IC responses. At this point, it is definitely possible. It may only not happen to try to save on machining cost.

[Tree_]

As a quick update, we are going to be changing the badge to be a cloud thanks to the suggestions in the IC! I hope this will free up a bit of comparisons to other boards and also fit the name to create a better theme.

I like that there's all these budget 68-key boards releasing, but can we please finally get one that doesn't have a gaudy ass badge between the arrow cluster and mods?

[GreenLantern]

Yo so like, I love this. **** the saka or ikki or w.e the more keebs for ppl to buy cuz **** is sold out in under 3 nanoseconds the better.
But i gotta ask, why do yall only pick Black, white, e white, blue, pink for every case. Can we get some burgandy, washed out cyan, beige, something other than the norm
Also is every1 a weeb on this platform? Hakushi (E-white)/Sumi (Black)? BRUUUUUH LMFAOOOO just saY THE colours my dud


-Ciao pce n luv my G

Crudely worded but I agree. Would also love to see a burgundy color, you can count me in the GB as well.

[UglyDuckling5]

Just in here to say **** the haters, like your work and will watch out for your GB. Love the idea of the cloud badge.

[SalmonCat]

Just in here to say **** the haters, like your work and will watch out for your GB. Love the idea of the cloud badge.

At first, I was a little bummed out about the haters but hopefully, I will learn a lot from it and make an even better board!

[fredprinz21]

Looking forward to the prototype! Let's GOOOOO!!!

[Aerizu]

Is the plate/pcb layout fixed? Are there plans for split backspace and right-shift support?

Currently, we are going through the IC responses. At this point, it is definitely possible. It may only not happen to try to save on machining cost.

That's good to hear! Can't wait for this to go to GB soon

[SalmonCat]

Some more renders with the new badge and Mizu:

[npeng]

I'm liking this badge update.

[Guns]

I wish there are more keebs with layout like this, 'cause I really need my regular shift and TKL is too long for me.

[Jefff]

Did an almost identical board almost just finish GB? https://cannonkeys.com/collections/ikki68-aurora

Identical only in layout... Are all TKLs and 60s clones?

[Raptor_N60]

What's with the clone comments? First Sun68 now this board? Would you guys elaborate what is being cloned and contribute instead?

If it's about the layout, this layout existed for a long time (Varmillo Va68m and Magicforce68 etc.)

If it's about the design, try to input your ideas on how to improve.

If you are adamant that this is a "clone", get the original designers' attention and get their input.

In the end nothing beats voting with your wallet. Meaningless comments contributes nothing to the community

[atlanticise]

I dig the cloud badge so much! Got my eye on this especially with the promise of "well-priced"

[mistrals]

Have you transitioned completely to the new cloud-shaped badge? Will it be possible for those who want a rectangular badge to opt for that instead? I know that the cloud badge is more "unique," but I may actually prefer the more classic rectangular badge shape. It really creates a nice symmetry between the 4 keys above and below it.

[Tree_]

Have you transitioned completely to the new cloud-shaped badge? Will it be possible for those who want a rectangular badge to opt for that instead? I know that the cloud badge is more "unique," but I may actually prefer the more classic rectangular badge shape. It really creates a nice symmetry between the 4 keys above and below it.

Or, better yet, will there be an option for badgeless?