[IC] GMK Electronics (Cherry OEM) Colored Esc's, Modifier Sets, CMYK, Number Row

[elitekeyboards]

No, vendors wouldn't tell us nothing.

Do you have any information about a vendor pulling the trigger on the RGB set?

Vendors along with the pessimists of this community have no intent of sharing what they plan to make.  And that's just fine with me.

No one asked me nuttin'...I'm not sure if many newer members here are aware of it, but I'm an old geekhacker and the products that started the whole mech keyboard craze are a culmination of geekhacker feedback and EK's footwork. That formula worked out ok;) I'm always listening...

I would of course volunteer more info about what I'm doing these days were it not for everyone and their mother's dog's ski instructor wanting to open up a mech keyboard/swag shop, so I keep to myself more for the the sake of survival. Those red Esc keys were *supposed* to be a surprise, and to a greater degree; they're available now only to remind everyone that EK is still alive;)

Too bad they didn't see our Red Alert Topre interest check....

This idea was a topic in a meeting I had with Topre while in Japan earlier this year. I believe I posted the outcome of this discussion, but it was lost after GH crashed. The dye they use on the keycaps is not normally available in red; magenta is the closest they have and up close it looks rather pink. It was somewhat frustrating, as it seems far from being impossible, but I drew from the undertones of the conversation that no one wants to be responsible for a new dye formula, as we were the only customer requesting it and Topre is not the kind of company to "wing-it" one time.

[damorgue]

No one asked me nuttin'

I would of course volunteer more info about what I'm doing these days were it not for everyone and their mother's dog's ski instructor wanting to open up a mech keyboard/swag shop, so I keep to myself more for the the sake of survival. Those red Esc keys were *supposed* to be a surprise, and to a greater degree; they're available now only to remind everyone that EK is still alive;)

So no one of us asked, but if we did, you wouldn't tell us?

If not, consider this to be us asking you: Are you currently planning to release anything that we have discussed here, eg sets of dolch, RA, BoW,WoB, CCn*, etc?

[elitekeyboards]

So no one of us asked, but if we did, you wouldn't tell us?

If not, consider this to be us asking you: Are you currently planning to release anything that we have discussed here, eg sets of dolch, RA, BoW,WoB, CCn*, etc?

Some of those ideas are definitely high on the list:)

[damorgue]

So no one of us asked, but if we did, you wouldn't tell us?

If not, consider this to be us asking you: Are you currently planning to release anything that we have discussed here, eg sets of dolch, RA, BoW,WoB, CCn*, etc?

Some of those ideas are definitely high on the list:)

Please, please don't
If you don't offer the extra languages because there is less profit there than with the standard set, then those languages will never ever happen. Please don't ruin this.

Please don't do this unless you do it all the way.

[elitekeyboards]

So no one of us asked, but if we did, you wouldn't tell us?

If not, consider this to be us asking you: Are you currently planning to release anything that we have discussed here, eg sets of dolch, RA, BoW,WoB, CCn*, etc?

Some of those ideas are definitely high on the list:)

Please, please don't
If you don't offer the extra languages because there iless profit there than with the standard set, then those languages will never ever happen. Please don't ruin this.

Please don't do this unless you do it all the way.

Why not start your own Swedish keyboard company if you feel so strongly about it?

...if anyone is doing any toe stepping around here, it isn't me.

[fuus]

EK, if you release any of those sets you WILL be crushing the opertunity for multi legend sets...
Please tell Lysol / Dan your plans, I'm sure they can both keep a secret and can steer this whole project in the right direction.

[Shadovved]

And of course we can do a GB for the RGB mods and perhaps get a cheaper price 

[m_enanos]

So no one of us asked, but if we did, you wouldn't tell us?

If not, consider this to be us asking you: Are you currently planning to release anything that we have discussed here, eg sets of dolch, RA, BoW,WoB, CCn*, etc?

Some of those ideas are definitely high on the list:)

Any plans on full sets?

[pasph]

So no one of us asked, but if we did, you wouldn't tell us?

If not, consider this to be us asking you: Are you currently planning to release anything that we have discussed here, eg sets of dolch, RA, BoW,WoB, CCn*, etc?

Some of those ideas are definitely high on the list:)

Please, please don't
If you don't offer the extra languages because there iless profit there than with the standard set, then those languages will never ever happen. Please don't ruin this.

Please don't do this unless you do it all the way.

Waiting for Round 5...

[BimboBB]

Waiting for Round 5...

+1

[damorgue]

Why not start your own Swedish keyboard company if you feel so strongly about it?
...if anyone is doing any toe stepping around here, it isn't me.

I feel strongly about people crushing the dreams and possibilities of others for their personal gain. Regarding your suggestion, I could never start such a company and ignore other languages. It would be much to heartless to people of other nationalities and the guilt would be unbearable to me. I also respect the wishes of lysol and DangWang to let them be in charge of GMK relations.

[hashbaz]

If EK comes out with full sets, how does that hinder a matching group buy for language kits?

[tjcaustin]

Why not start your own Swedish keyboard company if you feel so strongly about it?
...if anyone is doing any toe stepping around here, it isn't me.

I feel strongly about people crushing the dreams and possibilities of others for their personal gain. Regarding your suggestion, I could never start such a company and ignore other languages. It would be much to heartless to people of other nationalities and the guilt would be unbearable to me.

lolwat?

[tjcaustin]

If EK comes out with full sets, how does that hinder a matching group buy for language kits?

Clearly we don't understand.  A US based business should cater to everyone, regardless of financial loss, out of guilt for the minority of people that want what he sells in a different language.

[damorgue]

If EK comes out with full sets, how does that hinder a matching group buy for language kits?

Higher MOQ when ordering separately as well as a higher price might render it impossible when it might have been possible if ordered in conjunction with the base set.

[RiGS]

It might be an alternative way to save the situation. We could organize a group buy of number row kits without any symbols and complement them with blank keys, then we may ask Qwerkeys to custom engrave those blank keys for us and infill them. It won't be DS, but it will have a matching profile, and it will look pretty much identical.

[jwaz]

I'm all for buying keyboards through EK but I would prefer the community GB route for this GMK stuff. Especially the full sets.

EDIT: I agree with what Lysol said previously, keep it about the love of the hobby, maaan

[RiGS]

Let's face it, there is nothing new or unexpected here. We pretty much knew from the beginning, that there will be other players trying to capitalize on this new opportunity.

There will be some other entities in the game. I'm not going to name names and be vindictive though. While as I said they would not let us know thier plans, it did sound like they were not likely to offer any ISO options or other than US layouts. So we will have a different focus anyway. Also I'm not really sure about how much selection there would ever be on full sets at retail. It's a lot of upfront cost and risk and a wrong move could easily prove a disaster financially. It's a lot easier to attempt riskier colorways and options in a groupbuy as it becomes clear quite quickly what people will and will not buy. Also as I have said before (maybe elsewhere) retail prices are still likely to be higher than groupbuy prices. Even though they may be able to buy more upfront if they have the capital for a lower price, they are likely to add back a considerable mark up since they are obviously interested in making profits as a buisiness.
Groupbuy is not a buisiness, its for the love of it.

QFT

[jwaz]

[Soarer]

Clearly we don't understand.  A US based business should cater to everyone, regardless of financial loss, out of guilt for the minority of people that want what he sells in a different language.

Oh sure. It's simply good customer relations to watch interest checks here and then only sell the most profitable from a store.

It's not only what it does to the minority, but to pretty much ANY group buy. It would kill them. To think that you were worried about a small subsidy to help include other languages, and now your only choice will include a much larger markup. Oh the irony.

[RiGS]

I hope it is not going to be more than 100% markup as in case of those red esc keycaps.

[jdcarpe]

There is an upper limit to what people will pay for this stuff. Especially if its common / not rare. Why would you pay $200 for a new set of white on black Cherry DS, when they are plentiful and can be had for $100 or less, as new.

[Soarer]

I could easily imagine 50% markup on full sets. And even if that made them cost more than as 'as new' set, the convenience and 100% new aspect of them would probably be worth it to quite a few people.

[hashbaz]

Don't forget the moogle-free aspect.

[jeroplane]

The biggest issue then will be EK's ridiculous international shipping costs for anything over 0.25kg.

[Alessandro]

The biggest issue then will be EK's ridiculous international shipping costs for anything over 0.25kg.

Oh god! I forgot about that! We're going to need a proxy!

[demik]

There is an upper limit to what people will pay for this stuff. Especially if its common / not rare. Why would you pay $200 for a new set of white on black Cherry DS, when they are plentiful and can be had for $100 or less, as new.

because GHers can be complete idiots as long as they get accepted into the cool crowd.

[Soarer]

The biggest issue then will be EK's ridiculous international shipping costs for anything over 0.25kg.

Not an issue for those in the US that would be the target market.

The issue is that even if the same thing was being offered cheaper in a group buy, some would still pay more to have it faster, and that would potentially ruin the group buy.

[nokcha]

What's with the tense atmosphere :\
Look, I don't know about other vendors but I have no current plans with GMK nor have I even contacted them.
Only thing I do plan on is helping the MOQ and selling extras.

[DanGWanG]

Everyone relax in this thread.  GMK has their ears perked on these threads.

Status Update:  Nada.  I'm expecting an email from GMK first thing Monday morning...and if not, I'm going to get worried =)

[SmallFry]

HI GMK! I'm SmallFry!

[DanGWanG]

GMK responded, phew.  Looks like they agreed to our MOQs =)  (400 for Esc pack, 300 for everything else)

GB thread will go up in the next couple days.  Might need some help with mockups if anyone has some time....

[leesofi]

Go! Dan!

[SmallFry]

Yippee! Thanks Dan!

[Glissant]

Money being thrown at the screen, but nothing is happening.. Well I am getting dents in my screen from the coins, but that's about it.

[Shadovved]

You need to throw harder my friend

[Alessandro]

Awesome! Can't wait!

[Glissant]

You need to throw harder my friend

Now I have spots on my screen where I can't see anything . I am so excited about this coming true, and I am really hoping we can get whole sets eventually .

[SmallFry]

It's nice to see that GMK didn't get spooked by some of us acting like a paranoid girlfriend.

[guilleguillaume]

Time for spending MOAR money.

[pasph]

Prices?

[Acetrak]

Hold on to your hats. GB's not created yet.

The price estimate is in the OP though.

[danielucf]

EK, if you release any of those sets you WILL be crushing the opertunity for multi legend sets...
Please tell Lysol / Dan your plans, I'm sure they can both keep a secret and can steer this whole project in the right direction.

I don't fully understand what you are suggesting here. I think you are suggesting that if I want to buy a keyboard set from elitekeyboards, or some other keyboard oriented site then I have to get extra keys for Swedish, German, and other languages included. I think a better alternative would be for smaller group buys for just those specific keys that other languages need to enhance other sets. If GMK will not do smaller quantities then they are the bad guy, not an American company wanting to sell English keyboards. It is a nice gesture to try and support more languages but at what point do you stop holding back the majority for the benefit of the minority?

[IvanIvanovich]

Yes we are just waiting the pricing for the lower quantity target. If we can reach the original pricing again, then great, if not we will just have to pay a bit more per set.
Also, just to note there won't be available the 1x Windows and Fn key in the modifiers pack due to some 'techincal' issue for GMK, but blank key will be include instead.

[DanGWanG]

^Just a small correction.  GMK doesn't have 'Fn' legends at all, so there will be blanks for all Fn related keys (1.0, 1.25, 1.5) plus the Windows 1x keys will be blank as well.

[Acetrak]

*blanks

Confused me for a sec lol

[DanGWanG]

LOL thanks.  Almost became a racist there...

[Acetrak]

I gotchu Dan

Since windows and menu keys were always pad printed, is it possible to get those legends pad printed instead of blanks with the mod pack?

[jeroplane]

Or perhaps they have some other interesting symbol to use for the Fn key? (Personally I don't need it.) But it's probably easiest to go with blanks instead of complicating things with the order.

[RiGS]

Blank keys are cool with me.