The only negative about the keyboard is the staggered layout. In a split design, matrix layout works better. It makes it way easier to reach keys.
I second this.
After two weeks of use as a programmer...
Generally i found the keys a little to stiff (stiffer then expected coming from cherry MX browns) with more of a drop off in force after the actuation, and I realized the staggered row layout wasn't really what i wanted from an ergonomic keyboard.
For reference, here's my keyboard history:
several microsoft natural keyboards (windows)
kinesis classic (windows)
kinesis maxim (windows)
kinesis classic (current) (osx)
apple retina macbook pro chiclet keyboards (current) (osx)
The Good:
- love the small keys such as the navigation cluster, and function keys
- thank you for not creating a gigantic void between the number keys and the function keys
- OSX CMD button that's inline with D making it as easy to use with a thumb as OSX keyboards should be
- palm rests felt solid and reasonably comfortable
- good rubber feet and weight meant that the separated halves stayed in place during a full working day at the computer
Stuff i thought i'd like, but didn't really notice:
- the undo/cut/copy/paste cluster might be useful in windows (where you have to reach down with your pinky for CTRL) but with OSX CMD key being within thumb distance makes CMD + z / x /c / v very comfortable, the undo/cut/copy/paste cluster seems very redundant in OSX ( i never felt the need to use it)
- Matias quiet key switches, i felt that the switches had inconsistent click and resistance from one lettered key to another when pressed identically, and higher peak activation force for any key that isn't hit dead center, also some keys started to stick after the first week of use like especially left shift
Suggested changes / options for another version:
- headphone cable with right angle connectors would have been really nice for tight spaces for connecting the two halves (really odd that the usb cable end is right corner, but the cable that connects to two halves isn't)
- getting to the DIPS under a key was awkward instead of just having them on the underside or edge of the keyboard
- having DIPS to change key behaviour was better than nothing, but I really would have preferred if it was programmable so i could remap keys to my hearts content, for example:
---- i wish the CTRL next to N could be an additonal TAB key
---- the embedded keypad should have M and <, as 0, and just leave >. key as the decimal
---- I wish the arrows part of the navigation cluster was shifted over such that the end / home where the up and down, and just get ride of the right cmd key, i use it once in a blue moon, then shift the end/home and pg up/dn to the far right.
- have two CMD size blank buttons instead of one space bar on either side, that way people can customize if they want half the spacebar on the left to be backspace or tab, and the spacebars on the right could be delete / backspace / enter
- wish i could have negative tilt and tenting at the same time
- wish i could have more tenting
- move ESC key location back to standard position, maybe make it a 2x key so it spans the normal location and still be above the copy paste cut cluster
- move F5 to left side of the keyboard, i don't know why F1-F4 are centered over the 1-5 keys
- put a copy of 6 and F6 on the left side of the keyboard (this was really annoying reaching over to F6 to step through debugging in eclipse while mousing), but any split keyboard has this issue
- embedded FN keys could be a different colour on the keys to identify them faster
- i don't really know why only the letters and function keys work on the left side when you hold down the function key
- consider a straight key column version (instead of staggered rows)
- consider a cherry mx brown, or alps equivalent switch version
