the K Type is a stock ANSI layout tenkeyless keyboard
Nice damage control thread.
For those who missed it, until jdcarpe pointed it out, the official channel for contacting the team with ideas was neither of the communities(r/mk, DT or GH) or even MD, but a page on ideahunt.io . I guess the mechanical keyboard community doesn't give enough profit anymore, so you tried to quietly move to bigger potential cash pools.
This is literally the best proof MD themselves for the words in my signature.
Open source doesn't automatically make something good. Case in point: systemd
Open source doesn't automatically make something good. Case in point: systemd
Alps/Matias compatibility, but I'm sure that already has been evaluated as an option, considering the past offerings from Input Club.
Alps/Matias compatibility, but I'm sure that already has been evaluated as an option, considering the past offerings from Input Club.
I keep working on Over^Kill in IRC. I figure by 2020 I'll wear his resolve down ;)
Alps/Matias compatibility, but I'm sure that already has been evaluated as an option, considering the past offerings from Input Club.
I keep working on Over^Kill in IRC. I figure by 2020 I'll wear his resolve down ;)
I forgot the K-Type looks to be using Costar style stabs. What's the consideration around that? It's an instant boner killer for me tbh.
I forgot the K-Type looks to be using Costar style stabs. What's the consideration around that? It's an instant boner killer for me tbh.
We are going to be switching to Cherry style or similar stabilizers.
]Alps/Matias compatibility, but I'm sure that already has been evaluated as an option, considering the past offerings from Input Club.
I keep working on Over^Kill in IRC. I figure by 2020 I'll wear his resolve down ;)
Indeed the K Type will not be alps compatible this go around, sorry!
We are only offering it in standard ANSI to keep things simple. We know how difficult and hectic things can get during the manufacturing phase so we want to commit all of our resources to make the best one thing rather then spread it out. In addition, we are providing customers with an aluminum case that is billet and CNC machined and getting different layouts made is not as easy as if it were plate mount.
We are going to be switching to Cherry style or similar stabilizers.Ugh. This makes it much less useful to put Alps switches on, because it’s impossible to make that compatible with most Alps keycaps.
K Type will not be alps compatible this go around, sorry!... Guess that’s not really a problem though.
]Alps/Matias compatibility, but I'm sure that already has been evaluated as an option, considering the past offerings from Input Club.
I keep working on Over^Kill in IRC. I figure by 2020 I'll wear his resolve down ;)
Indeed the K Type will not be alps compatible this go around, sorry!
We are only offering it in standard ANSI to keep things simple. We know how difficult and hectic things can get during the manufacturing phase so we want to commit all of our resources to make the best one thing rather then spread it out. In addition, we are providing customers with an aluminum case that is billet and CNC machined and getting different layouts made is not as easy as if it were plate mount.
Wait, so there will not be a plate? Just a one-piece case?
Thanks for coming to our community for feedback, lets try to keep the thread somewhat relevant guys.
Personally, I like to see more switch options, and perhaps an option to save a few bucks by being able to buy one without the stock keyset, as that would likely be something I would replace. Additionally, more case colours would be cool - personally I am not a huge fan of the silver.
It will have two USB Type C ports, one on the left and another on the right side of the keyboard. The KLL firmware supports daisy-chaining of keyboards, so it will have the same level of functionality as an ErgoDox does for split keyboards.
This doesn't stop at just powering and sending data through however, we've designed it such that LED animations will actually be able to propagate between linked keyboards. This means that when we design a matching numpad for the K Type, they will be as one.
Andrew Lekashman
23 Mar 2016
We cannot do ISO support right now because it simply adds a lot of complexity to the drop. ISO keyboards are actually entirely different products from ANSI keyboards as they have different circuit boards, cases, switch counts, and keycap sets. We may do ISO at some point in the far, far future, but there is currently no roadmap for it.
@Rally Man TKL keyboards are the most popular enthusiast size. The K-Type is a very high-end keyboard and increasing the cost to add duplicate keys on the numpad does not make sense. We are working on a separate numpad project however!
@Giorgio You may have seen plates designed by Input Club that support ISO in keyboards such as the WhiteFox, but the K-Type has a completely different architecture. There is no separate plate from the case.
Also, the Type C claim was a bit ambitious but was absolutely truthful when we made it. Now it appears to be a bit of a race to see who can release their Type C RGB keyboards first.
@Rally Man TKL keyboards are the most popular enthusiast size. The K-Type is a very high-end keyboard and increasing the cost to add duplicate keys on the numpad does not make sense. We are working on a separate numpad project however!
@thelaughingman We are still in development on the switch types. Most RGB switch offerings available today are not very good, so changes definitely do need to be made. You can be sure that we will use the top performing RGB switch available, however.
About the usb-c... quite the opposite. The fact is that I see absolutely no reason to use that connector. That means new cables and more money wasted for nothing.
About the usb-c... quite the opposite. The fact is that I see absolutely no reason to use that connector. That means new cables and more money wasted for nothing. And no. I'm not gonna buy an adapter.
This thing seems still too much undefined. This is a pre-pre-pre interst check.@Giorgio You may have seen plates designed by Input Club that support ISO in keyboards such as the WhiteFox, but the K-Type has a completely different architecture. There is no separate plate from the case.
Also, the Type C claim was a bit ambitious but was absolutely truthful when we made it. Now it appears to be a bit of a race to see who can release their Type C RGB keyboards first.
@Rally Man TKL keyboards are the most popular enthusiast size. The K-Type is a very high-end keyboard and increasing the cost to add duplicate keys on the numpad does not make sense. We are working on a separate numpad project however!
@thelaughingman We are still in development on the switch types. Most RGB switch offerings available today are not very good, so changes definitely do need to be made. You can be sure that we will use the top performing RGB switch available, however.
About the usb-c... quite the opposite. The fact is that I see absolutely no reason to use that connector. That means new cables and more money wasted for nothing. And no. I'm not gonna buy an adapter.
This thing seems still too much undefined. This is a pre-pre-pre interst check.@Giorgio You may have seen plates designed by Input Club that support ISO in keyboards such as the WhiteFox, but the K-Type has a completely different architecture. There is no separate plate from the case.
Also, the Type C claim was a bit ambitious but was absolutely truthful when we made it. Now it appears to be a bit of a race to see who can release their Type C RGB keyboards first.
@Rally Man TKL keyboards are the most popular enthusiast size. The K-Type is a very high-end keyboard and increasing the cost to add duplicate keys on the numpad does not make sense. We are working on a separate numpad project however!
@thelaughingman We are still in development on the switch types. Most RGB switch offerings available today are not very good, so changes definitely do need to be made. You can be sure that we will use the top performing RGB switch available, however.
Sweet troll bro.
As more and more RGB keyboards come out and are announced, my excitement for the K-Type is dying. Hope there's something tangible soon or this won't be nearly as revolutionary as it could've been.
About the usb-c... quite the opposite. The fact is that I see absolutely no reason to use that connector. That means new cables and more money wasted for nothing. And no. I'm not gonna buy an adapter.
This thing seems still too much undefined. This is a pre-pre-pre interst check.@Giorgio You may have seen plates designed by Input Club that support ISO in keyboards such as the WhiteFox, but the K-Type has a completely different architecture. There is no separate plate from the case.
Also, the Type C claim was a bit ambitious but was absolutely truthful when we made it. Now it appears to be a bit of a race to see who can release their Type C RGB keyboards first.
@Rally Man TKL keyboards are the most popular enthusiast size. The K-Type is a very high-end keyboard and increasing the cost to add duplicate keys on the numpad does not make sense. We are working on a separate numpad project however!
@thelaughingman We are still in development on the switch types. Most RGB switch offerings available today are not very good, so changes definitely do need to be made. You can be sure that we will use the top performing RGB switch available, however.
Sweet troll bro.
Sweet troll bro.
About the usb-c... quite the opposite. The fact is that I see absolutely no reason to use that connector. That means new cables and more money wasted for nothing. And no. I'm not gonna buy an adapter.
This thing seems still too much undefined. This is a pre-pre-pre interst check.@Giorgio You may have seen plates designed by Input Club that support ISO in keyboards such as the WhiteFox, but the K-Type has a completely different architecture. There is no separate plate from the case.
Also, the Type C claim was a bit ambitious but was absolutely truthful when we made it. Now it appears to be a bit of a race to see who can release their Type C RGB keyboards first.
@Rally Man TKL keyboards are the most popular enthusiast size. The K-Type is a very high-end keyboard and increasing the cost to add duplicate keys on the numpad does not make sense. We are working on a separate numpad project however!
@thelaughingman We are still in development on the switch types. Most RGB switch offerings available today are not very good, so changes definitely do need to be made. You can be sure that we will use the top performing RGB switch available, however.
Sweet troll bro.
Sweet troll bro.
You're really ****ing bad at this.
any update guys? would the buy happen in 2016 or 2017 is more realistic?
Screenshot from my most recent email from them (9 days ago - Nov 21 2016)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/zAheNyR.png)
Oh wow they added an led strip. Still really want this especially after the decision to move to cherry stabs :)
Screenshot from my most recent email from them (9 days ago - Nov 21 2016)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/zAheNyR.png)
Oh wow they added an led strip. Still really want this especially after the decision to move to cherry stabs :)
We also added hot swappable switches.
NOTE: We selected the Kai Hua Blue RGB SMD LED compatible switch for the Blue Switch in the K-Type after our findings. Other factors that had considerable weight in our decision making process was Kai Hua's development of SMD LED compatible light pipes to maximize LED brightness, invention of a novel hot-swappable switch mount included with every switch, and clear housings for better light dispersion.
Oh wow they added an led strip. Still really want this especially after the decision to move to cherry stabs :)
We also added hot swappable switches.
QuoteNOTE: We selected the Kai Hua Blue RGB SMD LED compatible switch for the Blue Switch in the K-Type after our findings. Other factors that had considerable weight in our decision making process was Kai Hua's development of SMD LED compatible light pipes to maximize LED brightness, invention of a novel hot-swappable switch mount included with every switch, and clear housings for better light dispersion.
Dont really know how to feel about this, every kailh blue switch I tested sucked. I even had a Nixeus moda with stuck switches and tons of chattering. Also, pretty much all of them felt like having a second bump near the end, when the clicky part of the stem scratched against the housing, like this:
https://gfycat.com/SomeLegitimateGibbon
I never tested RGB kailh tho, so maybe they improved the switches. If its like the regular version, it would be pretty disappointing.Oh wow they added an led strip. Still really want this especially after the decision to move to cherry stabs :)
We also added hot swappable switches.
Thats interesting. Do you have any info about their expected life? I liked how Zhuque/Glorious included this feature, but the lack of information about its durability worried me. Wouldnt it be more prone to defects like chattering?
NOTE: We selected the Kai Hua Blue RGB SMD LED compatible switch for the Blue Switch in the K-Type after our findings. Other factors that had considerable weight in our decision making process was Kai Hua's development of SMD LED compatible light pipes to maximize LED brightness, invention of a novel hot-swappable switch mount included with every switch, and clear housings for better light dispersion.
Yep, still very much Type C - two of them to be exact. Based on that work we've actually already done Type C for the previous and current Infinity Ergodox batches, so it's a well known component to us now. Which made that to my knowledge the first shipping (kit) keyboard with native Type C :D
KType's implementation is considerably more complex, however. I had a few brain cells go on strike when I did the schematic with HaaTa.
Chattering has nothing to do with the hot swap mechanism. Chattering occurs when the contacts inside of the switch make contact and it the signal "bounces" from the on state to the off state rapidly until the contact finally is in it's resting position. As for the durabiity the hot swap connectors are rated at 100 cycles.
Chattering has nothing to do with the hot swap mechanism. Chattering occurs when the contacts inside of the switch make contact and it the signal "bounces" from the on state to the off state rapidly until the contact finally is in it's resting position. As for the durabiity the hot swap connectors are rated at 100 cycles.
So I can only swap out switches 100 times? That's less than promising :(
Chattering has nothing to do with the hot swap mechanism. Chattering occurs when the contacts inside of the switch make contact and it the signal "bounces" from the on state to the off state rapidly until the contact finally is in it's resting position. As for the durabiity the hot swap connectors are rated at 100 cycles.
So I can only swap out switches 100 times? That's less than promising :(
How often would you realistically expect to do full keyboard switch swaps?
I bet it's less than 20. 100 is overkill and you wouldn't use a board this nice as a switch tester (I hope!).
I'd take that bet. I'd win.
I change up what switches I type on all the damn time. Also, it's not full swaps I'm worried about. One of the appeals of a hot swappable board is to easily try out combinations of switches. Combine that with my proclivity for changing what switches I like to type on fairly regularly, and the problem of one of those plugs wearing out becomes highly likely.
I'd take that bet. I'd win.
I change up what switches I type on all the damn time. Also, it's not full swaps I'm worried about. One of the appeals of a hot swappable board is to easily try out combinations of switches. Combine that with my proclivity for changing what switches I like to type on fairly regularly, and the problem of one of those plugs wearing out becomes highly likely.
Oh it's definitely not a deal breaker. Just mildly disappointing. Still gonna get one, as I love the usb-C and full programmability. I just won't use that particular feature as much :)
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
We are hoping to get it out before the end of the year.
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
We are hoping to get it out before the end of the year.
sooooo next week or the week after (?) :eek:
Kai Hua Blue RGB SMD LED
Ohhh man, so we can pop them in and out? Looks like I'll have to buy some zealios or something :eek:Oh wow they added an led strip. Still really want this especially after the decision to move to cherry stabs :)
We also added hot swappable switches.
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
We are hoping to get it out before the end of the year.
sooooo next week or the week after (?) :eek:
I guess technically they have 25 days to launch the GB. :D
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
We are hoping to get it out before the end of the year.
sooooo next week or the week after (?) :eek:
I guess technically they have 25 days to launch the GB. :D
realistically 16 days, you have to take out the last 9 days of Christmas & New Year
Hi All,
My apologies if this is something that has been asked before but do we have any clear timelines / milestones for when this may come to market? Appreciate that a lot of work goes into making these devices and I would rather that its done properly and takes a little longer than rushing it out. I love everything about this and the forward thinking and can't wait to get my hands on a few :)
We are hoping to get it out before the end of the year.
The K-type will be available early in 2017.
i'm very interested in this board, but i would appreciate if the lower "lip" of the case would be smaller. seems that the footprint of the board is unnecessarily large.
2017: Year of the K-Type :cool:
2017: Year of the K-Type :cool:
Hopefully. An update would be appreciated.
2017: Year of the K-Type :cool:
Hopefully. An update would be appreciated.
The case is fine. It's as trim as it possibly can be.
at this point, i think this board is vaporware :)
The case is fine. It's as trim as it possibly can be.
I disagree. Take a look at the Vortex Core and how svelt it is.at this point, i think this board is vaporware :)
They said it would be out in early 2017 and it's not even February yet.
The case is fine. It's as trim as it possibly can be.
I disagree. Take a look at the Vortex Core and how svelt it is.at this point, i think this board is vaporware :)
They said it would be out in early 2017 and it's not even February yet.
i don't see any kind of update here, nor on their OFFICIAL webpage. this lack of any sort of update made me write that post
Just sent out an email update.
Here is the text of it, recorded for posterity.
K-Type Update – 2017!
Glad to see you all in the new year! Since our last update on the K-Type there has been an outpouring of support for our upcoming keyboard. With that support we have received a number of questions about the K-Type and we wanted to send out a substantial update to let everyone know the development status as well as provide a timeline for what is coming next.
As with most projects, we encountered a few unexpected delays which has pushed us past our anticipated launch date. Now that we are closer than ever to completion, we would like to share some of the context around what has been happening behind the scenes.
In October we had a design we felt was ready to go to production and had a manufacturing partner who said they could handle the project. The only thing left was to determine the best launch platform available for the K-Type. We looked down several different avenues and ultimately approached Massdrop as our best choice for a partner. We have worked with them many times before on the Infinity ErgoDox kit, the WhiteFox kit and the Infinity Keyboard, and have built a strong relationship we can rely on. For a project of this nature and on the scale of the K-Type, they were absolutely the right choice.
We spent a lot of time working out details with our initial manufacturer, but Massdrop volunteered to use their larger size to negotiate better pricing. The upside of working with Massdrop on production is that we can be sure that we’re getting a reliable manufacturer at the best price possible, but the downside was that we had to restart the vetting process in late November. We spent most of November and December going back and forth with a factory interested in making the keyboard, but ultimately decided that the scale they operated on was not a good match for how we design our products.
Despite this, we quickly found another factory via Massdrop with whom we resonate with extremely well. They went as far as to download our open sourced design files from GitHub and show us a perfectly constructed WhiteFox they had made during our meeting to demonstrate their initiative and understanding.
Now for the good news: we’ve been working with them for the past month and just received our first production prototype today. The prototypes we have received look great and have very fast turnarounds compared to the previous manufacturers. We hope to have the final round of K-Type samples ready for review by members of the mechanical keyboard community in the next few weeks. Additionally, once everything is approved and ready we will be able to launch our group buy with the usual manufacturing delays already taken care of.
Thanks for sticking with us, as without your interest and support none of this would have ever happened!
Here is a sweet video that you can get a preview of the capabilities of the RGB display.
@skuko
Not currently able to report on any of those things, sorry!
@dante
The RGB portion is the hardest aspect of the project to design. To do RGB the way we did involves using a many recently released chips, a new keyboard configurator, and we had to very carefully select our doubleshot PBT keycaps to ensure that they would display their characters properly. We also had to test every available mechanical switch variant to find out which ones had the sweet spot of being a consistent and high-quality switch with the weighting and feedback we consider optimal, while also providing excellent light-piping so that the legends are visible even under bright lighting. The frame is an open, floating design, entirely made from very reflective aluminum specifically to maximize light output from the LEDs.
That said, we didn't simply "throw RGB in as a gamer feature". There was a lot of discussion around whether or not we wanted to do RGB in a crowded market, and we only decided to do so if it was going to be better than the other implementations, while maintaining a professional aesthetic. We think that this is the most effort and thought that any community team has ever put into an RGB keyboard (HaaTa has been working on RGB support in KLL since 2014), and we are reasonably certain that after we have fulfilled our first shipment of the K-Type, we will see many keyboard manufacturers around the world implement our techniques in their keyboards. We partly did this to push the industry as a whole forward, and partly so that people could have access to a "best-in-class" RGB mechanical keyboard without having to settle for what the current marketplace has to offer.
You’re definitely right that we need to mention the hot swap more (though I know the reviewers will), so I’ll be sure to include that on our pages.
@JDragon Any sort of aftermarket cases other than color alternates for the K-Type are definitely a ways out. The case design is very closely tied into the PCB design, with some things like dual Type C connectors requiring special considerations. We’ll be open sourcing the case as well after shipping of course, so anyone else will be free to make cases as well.
I know you specifically aimed at having the open case and the floating keys with a lot of light, but do you think sometime down the road you might implement a "framed" version with a traditional case, possible like the aluminum TEX cases? Mayhaps a spinoff of the white fox (68% layout) with RGB and a nice thick traditional case :) ??
@dante
The RGB portion is the hardest aspect of the project to design. To do RGB the way we did involves using a many recently released chips, a new keyboard configurator, and we had to very carefully select our doubleshot PBT keycaps to ensure that they would display their characters properly. We also had to test every available mechanical switch variant to find out which ones had the sweet spot of being a consistent and high-quality switch with the weighting and feedback we consider optimal, while also providing excellent light-piping so that the legends are visible even under bright lighting. The frame is an open, floating design, entirely made from very reflective aluminum specifically to maximize light output from the LEDs.
That said, we didn't simply "throw RGB in as a gamer feature". There was a lot of discussion around whether or not we wanted to do RGB in a crowded market, and we only decided to do so if it was going to be better than the other implementations, while maintaining a professional aesthetic. We think that this is the most effort and thought that any community team has ever put into an RGB keyboard (HaaTa has been working on RGB support in KLL since 2014), and we are reasonably certain that after we have fulfilled our first shipment of the K-Type, we will see many keyboard manufacturers around the world implement our techniques in their keyboards. We partly did this to push the industry as a whole forward, and partly so that people could have access to a "best-in-class" RGB mechanical keyboard without having to settle for what the current marketplace has to offer.
I know you specifically aimed at having the open case and the floating keys with a lot of light, but do you think sometime down the road you might implement a "framed" version with a traditional case, possible like the aluminum TEX cases? Mayhaps a spinoff of the white fox (68% layout) with RGB and a nice thick traditional case :) ??
I hope both case styles are available as the floating keys are nice.
I agree not everyone likes floating style, but not everyone wants a framed in case that is 3 inches thick and weighs 15 pounds either.
Heresy I know!
I'm curious if the results from your 'elaborate testing rig' will be made public?
HaaTa himself teasing the new tactile switch designed by him and likely to first present in the K-Type. HYPE!
HaaTa himself teasing the new tactile switch designed by him and likely to first present in the K-Type. HYPE!
Sweet Baby Jesus, it's 2 hours??? :))
**** tease bump since Feb 24th.
Any news on this?
Hahahaha..
Are you guys arguing over who gets to make money?
Massdrop vs Groupbuy forum ??
hahahaha..
Massdrop is more organized than the current bundle of potheads running the geekhack buys..
Though, i suppose it's just as likely that massdrop has a few potheads of their own..
Eitherway, the only reason all these buys and drops take so long, is because none of these people know wtf they're doing.
Hahahaha..
Are you guys arguing over who gets to make money?
Massdrop vs Groupbuy forum ??
hahahaha..
Massdrop is more organized than the current bundle of potheads running the geekhack buys..
Though, i suppose it's just as likely that massdrop has a few potheads of their own..
Eitherway, the only reason all these buys and drops take so long, is because none of these people know wtf they're doing.
Did you mean to post this to a different thread?
Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/u9ctdlE.jpg)
Such a classy board, even for guys like me that generally aren't low profile case fans :thumb:
I am reasonably certain they will not be shipped with those switches, but that doesn't stop you from making the very first one. The keys are hot-swappable, so you can use whatever switches you'd like.
Such a classy board, even for guys like me that generally aren't low profile case fans :thumb:
https://www.keychatter.com/2017/05/11/review-input-club-x-massdrop-k-type/
My initial thoughts and review. Very good board for what it is, really have no complaints.
https://www.keychatter.com/2017/05/11/review-input-club-x-massdrop-k-type/
My initial thoughts and review. Very good board for what it is, really have no complaints.
Regarding the stabilizers: Are they clipped/lubed? Can you compare to Zeal's? Are they the best stock Cherry stabilizers you've ever tried? (In a blind test could someone pick them out from Costar?)
Some part of me feels a little disappointed in that I could care less about RGB and yet this seems to be where Haata spent most of his time. I'm sure he didn't ignore the stabilizers but your focus on these has me wanting more info.
https://www.keychatter.com/2017/05/11/review-input-club-x-massdrop-k-type/ (https://www.keychatter.com/2017/05/11/review-input-club-x-massdrop-k-type/)
My initial thoughts and review. Very good board for what it is, really have no complaints.
Stab TL:DR - Good for Cherry stabs by any comparison. Won't convert die-hard costar users.
https://www.keychatter.com/2017/05/11/review-input-club-x-massdrop-k-type/Nice. Very good review.
My initial thoughts and review. Very good board for what it is, really have no complaints.
Hoping they put out a numbpad that runs KLL to go with so you could just piggy back it off that second USB C port on the KB.That would be dope.
Any chance when the drop happens you can sell a "RGBless" barebones version of the K-Type? (Ie: No Backlighting, no keycaps, no switches?)As this question has yet to see an answer, I suppose it is a resounding NO.
So I wake up and log into MD and the drop hasn't been listed yet.
Went to go take a dump, check in again and over 600 boards sold. WTF.
I'm in the same position as dante when it comes to RGB...
This board looks like one of those super cheap budget mechs, meh caps, ugly diffuser, low profile, i lold when i saw the price on massdrop, so many better boards around for less.
And tbh I wish the caps were even more meh, who keeps stock caps?
And tbh I wish the caps were even more meh, who keeps stock caps?That's why some of us would be interested in a bare-bone K-Type (no switches, no caps, and possibly even no frikkin RGB), but no dice so far.
I wouldn't mind that at all.And tbh I wish the caps were even more meh, who keeps stock caps?That's why some of us would be interested in a bare-bone K-Type (no switches, no caps, and possibly even no frikkin RGB), but no dice so far.
This board looks like one of those super cheap budget mechs, meh caps, ugly diffuser, low profile, i lold when i saw the price on massdrop, so many better boards around for less.
And tbh I wish the caps were even more meh, who keeps stock caps?That's why some of us would be interested in a bare-bone K-Type (no switches, no caps, and possibly even no frikkin RGB), but no dice so far.
Don't think a barebone would involve no RGB as it's part of the PCB, and one of the primary innovations and reason they have all those custom switches.And thus it's also what costs the most.
Best to buy it and use it then find out how good it is or whether it suits your style or working conditions. I personally love people having a go in developing something 'better' than the average style of switch.
If you lot will always drop your pants and sh1t over anyone wanting to produce a new type of keyboard using replaceable switches, then why would anyone bother?
Also any new Cherry styled switch needs to be tried out by the people, I don't rely on strangers to post stupid graphs and whatnot, only my accountant gets excited at seeing graphs.
Best to buy it and use it then find out how good it is or whether it suits your style or working conditions. I personally love people having a go in developing something 'better' than the average style of switch.
Use to remember Geekhack cheered designers on to do their best instead of now kicking them around for enjoyment or some perverse sense of self gratification. Not nice and definitely doesn't help in any way.
What keyboard comes with caps that would be satisfactory to you by default? Most use painted abs, I personally don't know of any mx board with rgb that comes with stock PBT caps at all. Furthermore, what stabilizers are "perfect"? Costar are a pain to deal with and people complain about them for having problems with thick walled caps presumably like the ones you want to put on because these aren't good enough for you, cherry is more flexible but "feels mushier" depending on who you talk to. To me, it seems as if you're applying an impossible standard to a product before all the details were even out there and now that they are you're ****ting on it for not having a perfect nonexistent solution. If you want to argue about caps then take into consideration the vast majority of people who buy a product want a full product. Your desire for a bare board is a niche of a niche in an already slim market, and at the quantity of caps they're buying the bare version would have a very small price decrease for the increased logistics of manufacturing keyboards without caps and sorting them.If you lot will always drop your pants and sh1t over anyone wanting to produce a new type of keyboard using replaceable switches, then why would anyone bother?
Also any new Cherry styled switch needs to be tried out by the people, I don't rely on strangers to post stupid graphs and whatnot, only my accountant gets excited at seeing graphs.
Best to buy it and use it then find out how good it is or whether it suits your style or working conditions. I personally love people having a go in developing something 'better' than the average style of switch.
Use to remember Geekhack cheered designers on to do their best instead of now kicking them around for enjoyment or some perverse sense of self gratification. Not nice and definitely doesn't help in any way.
People aren't kicking them around for enjoyment - some like myself are irritated that the product doesn't match the hype. A $200 keyboard with Tao-Hao caps and "good but not perfect" stabilizers is insulting.
I don't think this keyboard will fail; but I also don't think it will sell anywhere close to what they imagined either.
What keyboard comes with caps that would be satisfactory to you by default? Most use painted abs, I personally don't know of any mx board with rgb that comes with stock PBT caps at all.
Furthermore, what stabilizers are "perfect"? Costar are a pain to deal with and people complain about them for having problems with thick walled caps presumably like the ones you want to put on because these aren't good enough for you, cherry is more flexible but "feels mushier" depending on who you talk to. To me, it seems as if you're applying an impossible standard to a product before all the details were even out there and now that they are you're ****ting on it for not having a perfect nonexistent solution. If you want to argue about caps then take into consideration the vast majority of people who buy a product want a full product. Your desire for a bare board is a niche of a niche in an already slim market, and at the quantity of caps they're buying the bare version would have a very small price decrease for the increased logistics of manufacturing keyboards without caps and sorting them.
You can clip them yourself, they give you the cherries to do with what you will, you can replace them if you want. Saying WASD offers barebones boards is a non-argument. Their business model is based around customizable printed caps and their keyboards are from an OEM, their line of production is naturally going to be different from manufacturing an entire board. I can concede the argument on pbt caps but it's still not a standard feature in every keyboard. You're nitpicking parts of a product that you haven't even used based on parts of others. Nobody wants to compromise, that's why it's called a compromise. I think it's really ridiculous to get sour over such small ones when every almost every, if not every other manufacturer has compromised on at least one larger one that you can't fix or change. To be clear - I'm not even buying one, I don't have $200 to throw down every time something comes along. All said, it's really trashy to me to raise a stink out of two minor (and fixable) things on a board that on the whole is better than almost any other on the market.What keyboard comes with caps that would be satisfactory to you by default? Most use painted abs, I personally don't know of any mx board with rgb that comes with stock PBT caps at all.
Deck/TG3 has offered them for at least 10 years now on all their models. Yes the font is questionable but they are PBT backlit nonetheless.Furthermore, what stabilizers are "perfect"? Costar are a pain to deal with and people complain about them for having problems with thick walled caps presumably like the ones you want to put on because these aren't good enough for you, cherry is more flexible but "feels mushier" depending on who you talk to. To me, it seems as if you're applying an impossible standard to a product before all the details were even out there and now that they are you're ****ting on it for not having a perfect nonexistent solution. If you want to argue about caps then take into consideration the vast majority of people who buy a product want a full product. Your desire for a bare board is a niche of a niche in an already slim market, and at the quantity of caps they're buying the bare version would have a very small price decrease for the increased logistics of manufacturing keyboards without caps and sorting them.
Clipped and lubed Cherry stabilizers are nice and when done correctly are near indistinguishable from Costar.
As it stands LivingSpeedBump's opinion is stock Cherry stabilizers are still better than the ones in the K-Type - which in themselves are still not as good as they could be.
In regards to a bare bones kit WASD has been selling them for at least 5 years now. And not just for a single TKL but Fullsize, 60%, both ANSI and ISO as well.
All said, it's really trashy to me to raise a stink out of two minor (and fixable) things on a board that on the whole is better than almost any other on the market.
RGB is an important feature to many, and unlike stabs you can't change it if you want RGB later on and the PCB isn't designed for that - if you don't want it though, you can turn it off. I fail to see how that's a trade-off worth making. Brand new switches are something that they wanted to make and correcting what they think is a flaw in standard mx design, again, you don't get to do that on every keyboard, and even their hotswap if you don't like their switches is relatively new, but allows you to change that if you don't want it - assuming you even get their new switch which is up to you to begin with. The $200 isn't just for RGB, you're getting an aluminum case, brand new switches WITH hotswap ability, and full programmability. Cherry picking other keyboards or companies that offer the one thing you're wanting is missing the point - they're going to be missing at least 2 or 3 of the draws of this keyboard from the get go. Look holistically at what you're getting to get to the price tag. This only costs $60 more than a Ducky One TKL costs right now, and with innumerably more features.All said, it's really trashy to me to raise a stink out of two minor (and fixable) things on a board that on the whole is better than almost any other on the market.
My problem is they went balls deep into RGB and brand new switches but the stabilizers: EH Good enough. If the consumer doesn't like it after they put their $200 down they can just fix it on their end ...
This is supposed to be made by INPUT freaking CLUB and that should stand for something.
Otherwise just rename it RGB Club.
Cherry picking other keyboards or companies that offer the one thing you're wanting is missing the point - they're going to be missing at least 2 or 3 of the draws of this keyboard from the get go. Look holistically at what you're getting to get to the price tag. This only costs $60 more than a Ducky One TKL costs right now, and with innumerably more features.
RGB requires PCB design is the thing. Stabs are for the most part just picking a part off the shelf. The more interesting part of the equation there is the switch, ideally the switch should suit the stabs. My big issue is that you seem to be fretting over a solvable problem while ragging on the part that requires more effort. The keyboard isn't a bad keyboard but you seem to be painting it in an overly negative light for what it is.Cherry picking other keyboards or companies that offer the one thing you're wanting is missing the point - they're going to be missing at least 2 or 3 of the draws of this keyboard from the get go. Look holistically at what you're getting to get to the price tag. This only costs $60 more than a Ducky One TKL costs right now, and with innumerably more features.
When did I cherry pick other keyboards/companies? You stated you didn't know of another company that offers PBT backlit caps which I answered. I also supplied WASD as a company offering many more permutations of bare bones keyboards.
Actually a closer competitor would be Glorious who may not offer a tenkeyless (yet) but does offer a barebones RGB model.
Look you are right I am nit picking. I admit it! I just wish Haata spent half as much time on the stabilizers as he did on RGB, that's all.
Think of it another way, why go through the trouble of making nice switches if that feel is going to get lost in the stabs?
RGB requires PCB design is the thing. Stabs are for the most part just picking a part off the shelf. The more interesting part of the equation there is the switch, ideally the switch should suit the stabs. My big issue is that you seem to be fretting over a solvable problem while ragging on the part that requires more effort. The keyboard isn't a bad keyboard but you seem to be painting it in an overly negative light for what it is.Cherry picking other keyboards or companies that offer the one thing you're wanting is missing the point - they're going to be missing at least 2 or 3 of the draws of this keyboard from the get go. Look holistically at what you're getting to get to the price tag. This only costs $60 more than a Ducky One TKL costs right now, and with innumerably more features.
When did I cherry pick other keyboards/companies? You stated you didn't know of another company that offers PBT backlit caps which I answered. I also supplied WASD as a company offering many more permutations of bare bones keyboards.
Actually a closer competitor would be Glorious who may not offer a tenkeyless (yet) but does offer a barebones RGB model.
Look you are right I am nit picking. I admit it! I just wish Haata spent half as much time on the stabilizers as he did on RGB, that's all.
Think of it another way, why go through the trouble of making nice switches if that feel is going to get lost in the stabs?
We wanted to build a bridge keyboard, something that enthusiasts and the general public would like, while also making an RGB keyboard no one had to apologize for.
The whole reason that we incorporated hot-swap technology into this was to address your exact concern regarding kits. If you want to turn it into a kit, you can easily pull out the switches and caps, making every keyboard a "kit" if you want it to be.
With regard to the logistics and process issues, I understand that you have insight and experience with shipping, so your understanding of it is pretty good and more in depth than the average person. Please understand that Input Club is not a logistics company, and our expertise is in designing and making keyboards, not setting up advanced fulfillment operations. We do a pretty good job, and can always be improving our methods, but I don't think there is any shame in designing the K-Type to be easy to ship. This reduces fulfillment time, makes everything less expensive, and helps the normal purchaser far, far more than it impacts the serious enthusiast, especially when considering that the keyboard is hot-swap capable.
Now on kickstarter :))
Now on kickstarter :))
HaaTa himself teasing the new tactile switch designed by him and likely to first present in the K-Type. HYPE!
Now on kickstarter :))
This whole ordeal is probably just a FLIP on an existing oem product..
This company is merely representing the oem or reseller by selling the product as a _project_ with an Origin story to the consumer..
It's like those modeling agencies that attempt to generate the Next Bieber by placing their stock outside train stations with a little I'm homeless card..
Bunch of this style of advertising going on in china right now.. Lots of apparently off the streets performers with obvious professionally trained skills.
Now on kickstarter :))
This whole ordeal is probably just a FLIP on an existing oem product..
This company is merely representing the oem or reseller by selling the product as a _project_ with an Origin story to the consumer..
It's like those modeling agencies that attempt to generate the Next Bieber by placing their stock outside train stations with a little I'm homeless card..
Bunch of this style of advertising going on in china right now.. Lots of apparently off the streets performers with obvious professionally trained skills.
This is in no way accurate. Multiple OEMs balked at our designs, our tolerances, trace-width requirements, and metal manufacturing techniques that we demanded are not commonplace in China by any means. Outside of the keycaps, which were an existing design that we made modifications to, every aspect of the K-Type is entirely new, designed by Input Club with no design contributions from any other business entity. The flipping of existing OEM products is all too common, and it is something that we see all the time, but it isn't present in any Input Club keyboards. If you have doubts to the truth of my statement, I would ask you to consider how we would be able to open source the design files on our Github account here - https://github.com/kiibohd if any aspect of it were factory designs. The K-Type will be added to this repository when we fulfill the first round, so until then you will have to take my word for it that the K-Type has the same sort of design process as our other work.
Now on kickstarter :))
This whole ordeal is probably just a FLIP on an existing oem product..
This company is merely representing the oem or reseller by selling the product as a _project_ with an Origin story to the consumer..
It's like those modeling agencies that attempt to generate the Next Bieber by placing their stock outside train stations with a little I'm homeless card..
Bunch of this style of advertising going on in china right now.. Lots of apparently off the streets performers with obvious professionally trained skills.
This is in no way accurate. Multiple OEMs balked at our designs, our tolerances, trace-width requirements, and metal manufacturing techniques that we demanded are not commonplace in China by any means. Outside of the keycaps, which were an existing design that we made modifications to, every aspect of the K-Type is entirely new, designed by Input Club with no design contributions from any other business entity. The flipping of existing OEM products is all too common, and it is something that we see all the time, but it isn't present in any Input Club keyboards. If you have doubts to the truth of my statement, I would ask you to consider how we would be able to open source the design files on our Github account here - https://github.com/kiibohd if any aspect of it were factory designs. The K-Type will be added to this repository when we fulfill the first round, so until then you will have to take my word for it that the K-Type has the same sort of design process as our other work.
i think he's just trying to stir ****. or troll you. or both.
It is designed for the enthusiast community, a bridge product means (at least according to me!) that it is intended for multiple audiences. It is also designed to bring the high quality features that we like (PBT keycaps, hot-swap switches, special force curves) to the general public. We made a nice thing, and we hope that people will also like that we put a lot of work and thought into a product. The stabilizers are specifically paired and sized to work well with the Tai Hao keycaps, though I am not sure if that qualifies as being "tuned". They are not just "stock Chinese Cherry stabilizers", but they also aren't Krytox lubed, custom clipped stabilizers either.
This board looks like one of those super cheap budget mechs, meh caps, ugly diffuser, low profile, i lold when i saw the price on massdrop, so many better boards around for less.Thank God it's not just me. When I saw this on mass drop I was expecting to see a $49 price tag under it. It looks like what would happen if a supermarket made a keyboard.
This board looks like one of those super cheap budget mechs, meh caps, ugly diffuser, low profile, i lold when i saw the price on massdrop, so many better boards around for less.Thank God it's not just me. When I saw this on mass drop I was expecting to see a $49 price tag under it. It looks like what would happen if a supermarket made a keyboard.
This board looks like one of those super cheap budget mechs, meh caps, ugly diffuser, low profile, i lold when i saw the price on massdrop, so many better boards around for less.Thank God it's not just me. When I saw this on mass drop I was expecting to see a $49 price tag under it. It looks like what would happen if a supermarket made a keyboard.
It really kind of is just you though. No one reasonable thinks a full aluminum keyboard with custom switches designed by an actual god of switches, hot swappable switches, should be $50, or would ever be offered by a "supermarket". That's just sheer willful ignorance. If you don't like the look that's fine, but to denigrate the thing as being low quality is unbelievably ridiculous. Open source, every feature you could want, $200.. it's just asinine.
It's a nice keyboard, nice look and have full of option for customize. But imho, it's over-priced, even for 199 price on massdrop, not to mention the msrp is 299. The main reason is there is nothing special about it.
1. No special layout design, not like WhiteFox or Lightsaver, it's just TKL. And I don't think I need extra keymap layers on a TKL keyboard. It already has everything.
2. Not full alu body. For that price, i am expecting a full alu body, not a sandwich with some plastic layer.
3. Hot-swappble is not new. Teamwolf have that on their $50 keyboard, which btw, is suprisely nicely built.
The only thing attractive is the new halo switch, so I will wait to buy the switch when it's on MD.
just my 2 cents.
It's a nice keyboard, nice look and have full of option for customize. But imho, it's over-priced, even for 199 price on massdrop, not to mention the msrp is 299. The main reason is there is nothing special about it.
1. No special layout design, not like WhiteFox or Lightsaver, it's just TKL. And I don't think I need extra keymap layers on a TKL keyboard. It already has everything.
2. Not full alu body. For that price, i am expecting a full alu body, not a sandwich with some plastic layer.
3. Hot-swappble is not new. Teamwolf have that on their $50 keyboard, which btw, is suprisely nicely built.
The only thing attractive is the new halo switch, so I will wait to buy the switch when it's on MD.
just my 2 cents.
I think you are missing the point of the product. As Input.Club has stated many times, this is not an enthusiast-only or extremely exotic keyboard.
1. Special layout: Have you seen how many people begging and whining keyset designers to support that 1-2 particularly odd keys just for their crazy layouts? TKL is the most common layout and is the most used, all for a good reason.
2. Not full aluminium body: you know that even the Korean customs that are so sacred here on GH have LED diffuser/strip in its body right?
3. Hotswappable: yes it is not new, I.C doesn't claim it to be new either. They simply stated that they use a better socket with higher durability. For the majority of keyboard users who wouldn't dare touching a soldering iron, this can only be a good thing.
You can argue all day about BOM cost of any product in the world. Heck, retail prices of iPhones are what? 3-4 times their BOM cost? And I can sit here and say $400-700 custom KITS, yes kits NOT keyboard, are over-priced.
So, what should we do with the K Type to make it better suited to your desires?
Hi all,
This seems like a good as place as any to ask some things about this keyboard, as I am quite interested in it. For reference, I am a fairly avid Model-M user and that has been my daily driver for work and home for many years. The primary issue I have with the M is the noise (obviously!) and perhaps the space and slightly stiff keys. I am a big fan of its durability and simple enduring design. Anyway, coming from this keyboard I have these questions about the k-type (which btw, is a name that does not search well).
- Swap sockets & spills? I wonder how the keyboard would cope with a coke being spilt all over it. That is more likely to me than swapping the switches.
- Key feel? How does this compare, and I know it is highly subjective, to buckling springs? I enjoy the graphs, but am not 100% sure how this translates to feel. It looks like a lighter keyboard, with a softer bottoming out, but I could be wrong? Less of a click?
- Key graphics? Again, comparing it to the Model-M, the symbol/numeric keys have the two options in a vertical arrangement, with the shift version above. In some pictures I have seen this keyboard with the same style, I think, but in others it is in the top justified side-by-side style. I prefer the vertical arrangement myself, is this an option?
- Dirt and Wear? The beige plastic of the model-M, again, does a pretty good job of hiding dirt and wear. Mine is from 1985 and still does not have the shine that a ****ty $20 keyboard gets after about 2 years of use. My question is how well the K-type will wear, and how that lighter plastic will show dirt/fluff that inevitably gets on any keyboard over time. The backlighting might even make seeing this dirt worse, I'm not sure, never used a keybaord with this feature.
- No numeric keypad? This is a fairly big one for me. I'm pretty used to the numeric keypad but in truth don't use it all that often. I might get used to 10 keyless but then again, it might always feel like I have something missing. Anyway, are there any plans for a full sized variant? I did read some sort of snap on numeric keyboard, is that right? Where is that at?
- No USB hub? I know opinions vary, but I think using USB-C is a forward thinking choice. What I am less happy with is the lack of USB hub for the second port. This seems a lost opportunity, as plugging in a mouse would make sense. I suppose then a question would be if there was a plan to put a hub in, or will it always be just pass-though power?
- Noise? I almost forgot this one! How noisy are the new switches. There is an obsession with the key weight, but noise volume is fairly critical too! Of course, it partly depends on how hard you hit the key...
Sorry for the wall of text, but you know, sometimes there is a bit to say! Feel free to comment on any item in the list, you don't have to tackle them all if you don't feel like it!
QuoteSo, what should we do with the K Type to make it better suited to your desires?
Honestly, right now, it's just completely wrong for me. Everything would have to be changed-- form factor, materials, feature set, switch technology, etc.
Having to use a separate number pad is an instant deal-breaker to me. Non-negotiable.
Aluminum isn't worth anything to me. It's just "that crappy stuff I've had on Apple products that looks harsh, feels cold, dents easily, and is always getting sharp edges and corners as it gets banged up". Good plastic is nice. Wood is nicer (not for the plate, though; that should be steel).
Programmability is useless to me without some extra keys to program. If I have to switch layers to use a macro, or stretch my hand to hold down a modifier key, which will then also affect whatever other keys I happen to be holding down at the same time, it might as well not exist. And I'm definitely not going to compromise regular use by binding over the normal functionality of a standard key.
For all the talk about tolerances and manufacturing techniques, I don't see mention of the attributes I'd need to feel comfortable investing in a $200 keyboard, like waterproofing and dustproofing. If you're going to charge twice what I paid for my Hall effect board, you don't also get to ask that I give up coffee for the 12+ hours a day I'm at the keyboard. Hot-swap sockets mean that chattering switches can be replaced (at the cost of buying a new switch), but this is 2017, where, for well under $100, you can get an optical-switch keyboard that's immune to chatter in the first place (and waterproof, and dustproof, and supports stem swapping).
Seems like there's a lot of hype behind these "Halo" switches, but, mechanically speaking, they're still based on the MX design. They're not BS, or ALPS, or any of the various non-contact types. That's fine, if your product is cheap and/or has plenty of other reason to exist. So far, I'm not seeing that here.
So, to each their own then I suppose LOL
Hi all,
This seems like a good as place as any to ask some things about this keyboard, as I am quite interested in it. For reference, I am a fairly avid Model-M user and that has been my daily driver for work and home for many years. The primary issue I have with the M is the noise (obviously!) and perhaps the space and slightly stiff keys. I am a big fan of its durability and simple enduring design. Anyway, coming from this keyboard I have these questions about the k-type (which btw, is a name that does not search well).
- Swap sockets & spills? I wonder how the keyboard would cope with a coke being spilt all over it. That is more likely to me than swapping the switches.
- Key feel? How does this compare, and I know it is highly subjective, to buckling springs? I enjoy the graphs, but am not 100% sure how this translates to feel. It looks like a lighter keyboard, with a softer bottoming out, but I could be wrong? Less of a click?
- Key graphics? Again, comparing it to the Model-M, the symbol/numeric keys have the two options in a vertical arrangement, with the shift version above. In some pictures I have seen this keyboard with the same style, I think, but in others it is in the top justified side-by-side style. I prefer the vertical arrangement myself, is this an option?
- Dirt and Wear? The beige plastic of the model-M, again, does a pretty good job of hiding dirt and wear. Mine is from 1985 and still does not have the shine that a ****ty $20 keyboard gets after about 2 years of use. My question is how well the K-type will wear, and how that lighter plastic will show dirt/fluff that inevitably gets on any keyboard over time. The backlighting might even make seeing this dirt worse, I'm not sure, never used a keybaord with this feature.
- No numeric keypad? This is a fairly big one for me. I'm pretty used to the numeric keypad but in truth don't use it all that often. I might get used to 10 keyless but then again, it might always feel like I have something missing. Anyway, are there any plans for a full sized variant? I did read some sort of snap on numeric keyboard, is that right? Where is that at?
- No USB hub? I know opinions vary, but I think using USB-C is a forward thinking choice. What I am less happy with is the lack of USB hub for the second port. This seems a lost opportunity, as plugging in a mouse would make sense. I suppose then a question would be if there was a plan to put a hub in, or will it always be just pass-though power?
- Noise? I almost forgot this one! How noisy are the new switches. There is an obsession with the key weight, but noise volume is fairly critical too! Of course, it partly depends on how hard you hit the key...
Sorry for the wall of text, but you know, sometimes there is a bit to say! Feel free to comment on any item in the list, you don't have to tackle them all if you don't feel like it!
Hey thanks for the questions!
1) Spills are just like any other mechanical keyboard, if you spill something on it, most likely it will need to be unplugged immediately and cleaned with soap + water, luckily since it is hot swap if you DO spill something on it, it would be relatively easy to pull all the switches and take it apart to clean it.
2) Before I fully answer, neither of the Halo switches will feel like a buckling spring. The Halo True switches have a lighter actuation point than the Halo Clear but the bottom out force is a lot higher. The benefit to this is that it helps give you a "cushion" under your finger to help prevent bottoming out of the switches.
3) The symbols are placed at the top of the keycap because that is where the light pipe is. If you have one legend at the bottom or middle of the keycap and one at the top, only the one at the top will light up.
4) The keycaps are made with PBT plastic so they will be very resistant to the shineyness that plague most keyboard keycaps.
5) A lot of people use the numpad because they just never learned to use the numbers at the top row while typing (like myself) and that is why they keep it. When I switched to a 60% board (no f1-f12, no numpad, no navpad) it was a little weird at first but it only took me a day or two to get used to it. I would say that if you type in numbers sparingly you probably won't notice any negative effects by not having the numpad. Your mouse will also be closer to your keyboard without the numpad so you don't have to twist your torso so much to either use the mouse or type (depending on how you have the keyboard and mouse positioned)
6) USB Hub has been asked a lot, we wanted to add one, but it was going to take even more time and would have increased the cost of the keyboard by too much to do it the right way.
7) The new switches are probably about as loud as other MX compatible tactile switches. If you go with the Halo True variety and you do not bottom out they could be even quieter (or you can add o-rings).
I hope I've answered all your questions!
Maybe in a nice sterile clean laboratory where a robot carefully depresses the switch repeatedly but not in the real world.
Who's going to keep a keyboard so long a switch fails? It's always baffled me that people are so concerned with that number. Aside from the fact that it's under $1 to replace if it does happen, it just seems unlikely that a switch would fail before something else like a PCB.