Split Ergonomic Layout with Blue Cherries

[itlnstln]

I wrote an e-mail to DSI to se if they were going to carry an ergonomic keyboard with Cherry switches.  Apparently, they would not be carrying a pre-made one, and said they would OEM one.  While I don't know any details, would anyone here be interested in one?  I would like to try to get a rough head count before I talk to him again on Monday.  Thanks.

Don,

Thanks for your inquiry on the cherry switch ergonomic keyboard a few
days ago.  DSI specializing in the custom keyboard manufacturing and
this is a product we can provide to you as an OEM project.

When is the best time to call you so we can chat about this ergonomic
keyboard project?

Look forward to your reply soon.



George Tsai
DS International, Inc.
5255 W. Phelps Road Ste. 4
Glendale AZ 85306
Tel: 602-548-7003
Fax: 602-548-7004

[dlarellano]

Which Monday are we talking about here?

Sorry for the thread necromancy but I would just like to add, for the record, that I would kill to have a split ergo as my introduction to Cherry switches. Or as a future purchase.

I should beg Kinesis to use their supply of brown switches on their Freestyle keyboards.

[itlnstln]

I would love it if Kinesis would use brown cherries in the Freestyle.  The only options I know of for Cherries in an ergo 'board is the other Kinesis 'board (the big one) and the Maltron 'boards.  Cherry made the Ergo Plus (with brown Cherries), but they are hard to find, especially in a US layout, and very expensive (about $500).  You might ask nicely to some of our members in Germany as they can get EU layout versions pretty cheap and they can ship it to.  I would like to try one myself, but I think I might go nuts with the EU layout.

Edit:  BTW, the Monday I was referring to was back in August.

[iMav]

For an ERGO (not split) 'board, has anyone tried the smartboard from datadesk? (alps, not cherries)

[itlnstln]

I am waiting for the new version to come out.  The current/old version is also hard to find, and I have heard that there are reliability problems with it.  The key layout on it looks quite interesting, too.  The keys seem to curve as they reach the outer edges which looks like it would make pressing the keys around the ring finger an pinky a little easier.  I hope on the new version they update the looks a little bit.  The current version doesn't have aesthetics I appreciate much.  I would like a split 'board with Filco looks.  My MS Natural 4000 was a very pleasant 'board to look at with the black/grey color scheme like the Filco.  It had a pleather, built-in wrist rest which was the bomb.  I wish that keyboard had mechanical switches.  Other than the mushy keys, it was great 'board: fairly heavy with the perfect (for me) split angle and vertical tilt and it had a more standard layout than my Evolution.

EDIT:  Member dmw has one, and he said that it was an OK 'board, but after awhile, keystrokes would not register properly.  If he is still around, I'll see if he can send it to me for a week or so (or just outright buy it), and, if it works properly, I'll give it a good run and review it.

[alexlzl]

I should beg Kinesis to use their supply of brown switches on their Freestyle keyboards.

Totally, I recently just returned a freestyle because of the terrible membrane keys it uses. My RSI needs a split keyboard, looks like I have to settle for the Goldtouch for a while

[itlnstln]

Here is the e-mail I just sent to Kinesis:

Are there any plans to equip the Freestyle with mechanical Cherry key switches (particularly the brown/tea axis) in the future?  I tried a friends Freestyle, and it was a great keyboard, but I did not like the rubber dome key switches that are currently used in the keyboard.  Having the Cherry key switches would make the Freestyle an instant buy.  Thanks!

-[Itln Stln]
For more information on quality keyboards, please visit:
http://www.GeekHack.org

[kodos96]

I wrote an e-mail to DSI to se if they were going to carry an ergonomic keyboard with Cherry switches.  Apparently, they would not be carrying a pre-made one, and said they would OEM one.  While I don't know any details, would anyone here be interested in one?  I would like to try to get a rough head count before I talk to him again on Monday.  Thanks.

Did anything ever happen with your inquiry to DSI? FWIW, you could add one to the 'head count' for me, although as this is a resurrected thread I'm sure it's too late to make any difference. But I would be willing to buy pretty much any split board with Cherry switches, for any reasonable price. To clarify, did this mail from DSI mean that if you got a sufficient headcount they would be willing to make the board for you custom as an OEM? Any idea what kind of headcount they would need?

[kodos96]

Cherry made the Ergo Plus (with brown Cherries), but they are hard to find, especially in a US layout, and very expensive (about $500).  You might ask nicely to some of our members in Germany as they can get EU layout versions pretty cheap and they can ship it to.  I would like to try one myself, but I think I might go nuts with the EU layout.

I would be willing to try a foreign layout if I could get one on the cheap, but I've never seen them listed on ebay or anything, so I assumed they were rare even in Germany. Do you know of any particular German geekhackers who would be willing to help out on something like this?

[itlnstln]

No one ever asked to be part of the head count.  I think DSI was looking to do a major manufacturing job as I responded to them that it might be a run of no more than 100 'boards, and they never responded back.

Anyway, here is the response I received back from Kinesis:

Hi [Itln],
 
No, we do not have any plans to change the switches on the Freestyle keyboard. I will, however, pass your suggestions along. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better answer.
 
Have a great day!

Regards,
 
Erika
 
Kinesis Corporation Sales
http://www.kinesis.com
800-454-6374 ext 1

[itlnstln]

I would be willing to try a foreign layout if I could get one on the cheap, but I've never seen them listed on ebay or anything, so I assumed they were rare even in Germany. Do you know of any particular German geekhackers who would be willing to help out on something like this?

I think lowpoly and victheslick might be able to help you out.  Check out the thread in the Keyboards forum about the Cherry Ergo Plus.  In the later pages, they talk about exporting German Ergo Pluses to the US.

[lowpoly]

I would be willing to try a foreign layout if I could get one on the cheap, but I've never seen them listed on ebay or anything, so I assumed they were rare even in Germany. Do you know of any particular German geekhackers who would be willing to help out on something like this?

Currently your best bet would be to ask Bluemercury. He has a source for NIB ErgoPlus(es) with Portugese layout for a good price.

Split Ergonomic Layout with Blue Cherries

This reminds me of... Should I ever get tired of the Cherry blues in my project board I plan to harvest the browns from my ErgoPlus and put the blues in there.