Optimus using Cherry MLs?

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

http://www.engadget.com/photos/optimus-maximus-at-long-last-we-bring-one-home/656815/

[ashort]

Are they kidding us?  For that price we should get at least browns or blues.

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

I think they had enough trouble keeping the keys to a reasonable height with OLED modules and all.  Also, dunno about MX, but the ML keycaps are very easy to pull off.

[ashort]

VERY interesting thread here and it gets into "clickyness" and resistance of the keys.  It's insightful, but not in the way that the discussions on here are.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/02/22/165209

[xsphat]

Also, dunno about MX, but the ML keycaps are very easy to pull off.

The key caps on MX switches come off pretty easy.

[dw_junon]

They sure look Cherry MLs.

Engadget complain that the action requires too much force; I can't help but wonder why so.

I admit, I did find the slashdotter remark about key depression amusing.

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

They sure look Cherry MLs.

Engadget complain that the action requires too much force; I can't help but wonder why so.

I admit, I did find the slashdotter remark about key depression amusing.

May have something to do with the thick OLED module as keycap.

[IBI]

Engadget complain that the action requires too much force; I can't help but wonder why so.

I guess that's just a psychological thing. It's an expensive and much wanted piece of kit that they don't own and the keys have got screens on, both factors are probably going to want to make you be gentle with it.

[xsphat]

The other day one of my co-workers said, "I really want the Optimus keyboard, but it costs $200 and I'd never pay that for a keyboard." He was shocked when I told him they start at $600 and go up to over $1500. Funny, huh?

[ashort]

The other day one of my co-workers said, "I really want the Optimus keyboard, but it costs $200 and I'd never pay that for a keyboard." He was shocked when I told him they start at $600 and go up to over $1500. Funny, huh?

How shocked was/would he be when you tell him what you paid for the HHKB2, that is small, seemingly missing keys, LOUD, has no labels (or darkened ones on your, as opposed to OLEDs!)?

=-D

[xsphat]

I did, and then I told him I got deal on mine. He thought I was dumb. Damn hippie.

[Nonmouse]

I guess that's just a psychological thing. It's an expensive and much wanted piece of kit that they don't own and the keys have got screens on, both factors are probably going to want to make you be gentle with it.

I'm willing to bet that it's in the reviewer's head- the ML switches only take 1.6 oz (45 cN for the metrically inclined) to actuate, and the travel is only 3mm (compared to 1.8-2.3 oz and 4mm travel for the MX switches).  I strongly doubt that the added inertia from the mass of the caps is really going to be noticeable.  Now, the size, shape and spacing, that I can see making a big difference.  I seem to recall that the keys are spaced a fair bit wider, to make the screens usably sized, and the flat, smooth surface doesn't really look appealing, tactilely.  Maybe the reviewer is mistaking strain from stretching for key actuation fatigue?  I've seen a couple of other reviews that praise the action on it- one compared it to a Model M (though not actually by name- just "an old, clicky IBM keyboard")

[sashomasho]

I did, and then I told him I got deal on mine. He thought I was dumb. Damn hippie.

I got my hhkb last friday. As it was over $100 I had to pay taxes to the customs. When the guys there understood that this is 'just a keyboard', they began to feel very uncomfortable and sorry for me for taking my money ('...but laws are laws boy!'), the taxes were more than most of the good keyboards costs here. i don't expect people to understand me, but I don't call them dumb for buying $500 video cards which will costs nothing in less than two years....

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

I'm willing to bet that it's in the reviewer's head- the ML switches only take 1.6 oz (45 cN for the metrically inclined) to actuate, and the travel is only 3mm (compared to 1.8-2.3 oz and 4mm travel for the MX switches).  I strongly doubt that the added inertia from the mass of the caps is really going to be noticeable.  Now, the size, shape and spacing, that I can see making a big difference.  I seem to recall that the keys are spaced a fair bit wider, to make the screens usably sized, and the flat, smooth surface doesn't really look appealing, tactilely.  Maybe the reviewer is mistaking strain from stretching for key actuation fatigue?  I've seen a couple of other reviews that praise the action on it- one compared it to a Model M (though not actually by name- just "an old, clicky IBM keyboard")

Believe it or not, there is a standard for key spacing - 19.05 mm between key centres of the keys in the same row.  It's pretty consistent across all my keyboards.  The keytop area can vary between keyboards, of course, which can give the illusion that keys are spaced close / far apart.

[Nonmouse]

Believe it or not, there is a standard for key spacing - 19.05 mm between key centres of the keys in the same row.  It's pretty consistent across all my keyboards.  The keytop area can vary between keyboards, of course, which can give the illusion that keys are spaced close / far apart.

Right- but the keys on the Optimus are 20.2 mm wide, plus whatever space there is between keys.  I seem to recall reading 20.5 mm key spacing?  In any event, it's larger than standard.  It'd be interesting for somebody to actually use a force gauge and test the actual force required.

[iMav]

How shocked was/would he be when you tell him what you paid for the HHKB2, that is small, seemingly missing keys, LOUD, has no labels (or darkened ones on your, as opposed to OLEDs!)?

Actually, the HHKB Pro's are pretty quiet.