Another compact keyboard with full keys [Fentek]

[iMav]

Anyone see this keyboard before?



Distributed by Fentek (and maybe others).  The listing I found for it says it has high quality tactile feedback, but says nothing about what type of keyswitches it uses.  The only thing that annoys me about the layout is the arrow keys...but I get by without arrow keys just fine on my HHKB Pro.  Still annoying though...if they are going to have arrow keys, at least arrange them in the normal inverted-T configuration.

I've emailed an inquiry for additional information regarding this keyboard.  I'll let you all know what I find out.

[xsphat]

I saw that one as well. I don't really like the looks of it, and what really gets to me in the right shift key. My Cherry has a regular size key there and it drives me batty.

I've emailed an inquiry for additional information regarding this keyboard.

Do you get responses back from these people all the time? I almost never do. I usually call them. In fact, it's so rare I vow to buy stuff from any site that I send a question and they actually respond.

[xsphat]

Hey, here is that keyboard now - just saw it on Engadget.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/05/standoff-over-breathalyzer-source-code-in-dui-case/

[iMav]

Do you get responses back from these people all the time? I almost never do. I usually call them. In fact, it's so rare I vow to buy stuff from any site that I send a question and they actually respond.

I have yet to NOT get a response.  In fact, I have several email conversations with vendors ongoing right now.  

[xsphat]

Can I take some lessens from you? I have press experience in contacting government officials and companies for review products, but as a consumer they would rather run me over than talk to me.

[iMav]

Can I take some lessens from you? I have press experience in contacting government officials and companies for review products, but as a consumer they would rather run me over than talk to me.

I just start out with a brief question.  Something they can easily digest and quickly respond to.  Once they respond, I shower them with gratitude...and then follow up with another quick question.   Soon enough, we have a back-and-forth dialog going.  

[mr_sf_applet]

So here I was revisiting this topic, which I hadn't looked at since first registering here weeks ago, and I looked at the picture of the keyboard posted by iMav, and I instantly recognized it because I had just ordered it from Amazon this weekend.

It's a SIIG MiniTouch.

It may or may not have Alps keyswitches. CompUSA sells the AT version of this keyboard and they say it has Alps switches:

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=cat3&product_code=50095975

But SIIG isn't saying on its website, Fentek isn't saying, so who knows, it could be anything. When I get it, probably sometime next week, I'll pop a key and see what lies underneath.

[iMav]

Yep, it's a SIIG Multitouch alright.  I have one of these at home, but have not yet BEEN there to get hands on it.  (at least I THINK I have one at home...my recent keyboard purchases have been a bit of a blur)  

[mr_sf_applet]

The SIIG MiniTouch I ordered and received last week is going back to Amazon tomorrow. It doesn't have mechanical switches. According to the label on the box it has "enhanced conductive rubber key switches" which "last over 20 million keystrokes."

I had to go to:

http://www.ergocanada.com/ergo/keyboards/mechanical_vs_membrane_keyswitches.html

to find out what a conductive rubber switch is. Anyway, it ain't mechanical, and so it's going back. Who knows, it may even be a decent membrane keyboard. I don't care, it's still going back.

It was worth $46 to satisfy my curiosity, but not worth $46 to keep. I have too many keyboards already.

The cover of the installation guide lists as one of this keyboard's features "high-quality keyswitches for the click and feel that typists prefer." That's what the SIIG web site says too. Not true. It doesn't really click, not like the Model M's or the Northgate Omnikeys/Avant Primes or Stellars.

The Fentek web site says it has "high quality tactile feedback." Which is very vague indeed. Before I ordered the keyboard from Amazon, I sent off a query to Fentek to ask about the key switches on this thing, just like iMav did. I don't know about iMav, but they never got back to me (it's been two weeks).

This is pure speculation, but I'm guessing that this keyboard once did feature mechanical switches. I'm basing this on the CompUSA listing I posted about above, for the AT version of the MiniTouch, which says that it has Alps key switches. So I'm thinking that both the SIIG and Fentek sites are intentionally vague to obfuscate the transition from mechanical switches to rubber dome technology. Again, just speculation.

[xsphat]

Sucks man, sorry.

[iMav]

I specifically ordered the AT version of this keyboard because I was under the impression that it had mechanical keyswitches.  I was wrong.  The AT version, as well, has the "conductive rubber" keyswitches.

(and, for the record, the keyboard feels like crap...looks cool though)  

[mr_sf_applet]

Damn, I should have read this topic. Then I would have known this was a conductive rubber keyboard and I wouldn't have ordered it in the first place.