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Author Topic: Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!  (Read 5612 times)

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Offline polpo

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Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!
« on: Thu, 04 April 2013, 13:01:38 »
I just noticed this. It's impossible to plug the USB cable on the Mini Quiet Pro into your computer upside down, because there is no upside down!

I haven't seen this kind of plug before and it's pretty clever. The PCB that the pins are on in the center is really stiff so hopefully durability isn't a problem.
« Last Edit: Thu, 04 April 2013, 13:03:21 by polpo »
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Matias Mini Quiet Pro / DSI SMK-88 (Cherry Black) / IBM Model M (10 Jul 86) / ThinkPad Travel Keyboard with Ultranav

Offline dorkvader

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Re: Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 05 April 2013, 01:03:08 »
Hm, Interesting design! I hope they've used some really stiff polymer or composite there, or it'd be really fragile indeed.

Normally, the USB plug is just the metal contacts in a plastic matrix, or the metal contacts on some sort of PCB (I see flash drives like this for a while) but I haven't seen this before either.

Now I want to buy one and try it.
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Offline polpo

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Re: Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 05 April 2013, 03:03:10 »
The keyboard came with two cords, long and short, and I just noticed that only the short cord has this plug. The longer one has a normal ol' USB plug on it.
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Matias Mini Quiet Pro / DSI SMK-88 (Cherry Black) / IBM Model M (10 Jul 86) / ThinkPad Travel Keyboard with Ultranav

Offline Matias

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Re: Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 22 May 2013, 00:29:22 »
Thanks for noticing...  :-)

The upside down-proof plugs are stronger and will last longer than a generic USB plug -- and are outrageously expensive, in comparison.

We include it as a convenience for customers with laptops, which would be frequently plugging and unplugging when the laptop is moved.  Desktops generally stay stationary, thus the standard plug on the longer cable.

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Offline BucklingSpring

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Re: Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 09 August 2013, 18:11:29 »
NeeeeeeeeeeeeET!

And wow - I wonder how long it would have take me to notice this... Maybe forever. I just read every sides of the box and written material that came with the keyboard. Nowhere you advertise this feature. Why? Most other companies would.

Speaking of the box. You used "Calme" in French to translate "Quiet". Calm in French is more about sedation/tranquility than noise. Did you do that on purpose?

I'll throw that cable at my geek friends and colleagues at the office. I'll then ask them to tell me what is special about this usb cable?

I bet nobody will find out... Stay tuned for the results.

Quote from: Matias on Wed, 22 May 2013, 00:29:22
Thanks for noticing...  :-)

The upside down-proof plugs are stronger and will last longer than a generic USB plug -- and are outrageously expensive, in comparison.

We include it as a convenience for customers with laptops, which would be frequently plugging and unplugging when the laptop is moved.  Desktops generally stay stationary, thus the standard plug on the longer cable.






« Last Edit: Fri, 09 August 2013, 18:23:16 by BucklingSpring »
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Offline Matias

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Re: Matias: kudos on the reversible USB plug!
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 09 August 2013, 19:36:50 »
Quote from: BucklingSpring on Fri, 09 August 2013, 18:11:29
NeeeeeeeeeeeeET!


And wow - I wonder how long it would have take me to notice this... Maybe forever. I just read every sides of the box and written material that came with the keyboard. Nowhere you advertise this feature. Why? Most other companies would.

We weren't sure if it would make it into the final product, so we didn't promote it.  However, we're pretty happy with it so far, so you'll probably see it appear on other models eventually.


Quote from: BucklingSpring on Fri, 09 August 2013, 18:11:29
Speaking of the box. You used "Calme" in French to translate "Quiet". Calm in French is more about sedation/tranquility than noise. Did you do that on purpose?

Our translator is pretty obsessive about word selection, so I would say the answer is "yes".


Quote from: BucklingSpring on Fri, 09 August 2013, 18:11:29
I'll throw that cable at my geek friends and colleagues at the office. I'll then ask them to tell me what is special about this usb cable?

I bet nobody will find out... Stay tuned for the results.

:-)





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