geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ManjyomeThunder on Tue, 31 August 2010, 15:55:12

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Tue, 31 August 2010, 15:55:12

Are there any in the same kind of form factor as the SIIG MiniTouch, HHKB or really a more laptop-like key layout? The closest thing I can find are the tenkeyless Filcos, which are nice, but if there was anything that saved even a bit more space than those I'd be interested.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 31 August 2010, 17:13:40

DSI used to sell a 'board called the SMK-88 that had blues, but it is extremely hard to find.  Most of the ones you will find will have black switches. There is also the DSI modular keyboard, and that has blues and is still in production.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 31 August 2010, 17:13:59

I don't know ...

* The rumoured HHKB clone (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=10219) that nobody in the western world seems to know how to get.
* Truly Ergonomic (http://www.trulyergonomic.com/), if you can get used to the layout.
* MX-1800 with 3/4 of the numpad cut off (http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=187400&postcount=60).
* Rip out the keyboard from a vintage Toshiba T3100 or T5100 laptop and work out how to interface it with a modern computer ...

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Tue, 31 August 2010, 17:19:48

Quote from: Findecanor;218655

I don't know ...

* The rumoured HHKB clone (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=10219) that nobody in the western world seems to know how to get.
* Truly Ergonomic (http://www.trulyergonomic.com/), if you can get used to the layout.
* MX-1800 with 3/4 of the numpad cut off (http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=187400&postcount=60).
* Rip out the keyboard from a vintage Toshiba T3100 or T5100 laptop and work out how to interface it with a modern computer ...

Those all seem very interesting, but none are particularly feasible ideas, at least not for a casual user like myself. Except maybe the Ergonomic keyboard, which I don't like at all.

Quote from: itlnstln;218654

DSI used to sell a 'board called the SMK-88 that had blues, but it is extremely hard to find.  Most of the ones you will find will have black switches. There is also the DSI modular keyboard, and that has blues and is still in production.

I remember seeing those on a few YouTube videos and forgot all about then, but as you said, they're hard to find. Bummer. :\

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Tue, 31 August 2010, 18:55:18

Quote from: ripster;218684

I saw tons of small form factor keyboards in Japan but only the HHKB wasn't a rubber dome.

Stupid Taiwanese still can't clone this?  Where did that iOne Marketing Rep go?  Where is that clone MsKeyboard hinted at?

Show Image

(http://henryetc.com/blog/wireless_1_20070807.jpg)

As much as I hate Apple and their crappy computers and keyboards, that really is a good layout (now if only the keyboard itself wasn't terrible). Why nobody's cloned it is a mystery to me.

I might just get a SIIG MiniTouch. The layout is close enough to ideal, and it uses clicky white Alps switches which also seem interesting. Was hoping to get a chance to try blue cherries though.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: J888www on Tue, 31 August 2010, 19:20:34

If you can find the One in my signature, they click even more nicely, more refined. I also believe that the Taiwanese produced SIIG MiniTouch is of a better build quality than its' Chinese manufactured counterpart.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ricercar on Wed, 01 September 2010, 03:42:35

Cherry blues are tactile like nothing on earth. Sell your ALPS, your Fukkas, your common buckling springs and get a real keyboard with Cherry blues.

My Northgate and Model Ms never stayed on the desk for more than an hour or two when Cherry browns were in the room. My newest Cherry blues are unexpectedly giving the browns and blacks a run for primary board, even for gaming.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Wed, 01 September 2010, 13:58:19

Quote from: ricercar;218759

Cherry blues are tactile like nothing on earth. Sell your ALPS, your Fukkas, your common buckling springs and get a real keyboard with Cherry blues.

My Northgate and Model Ms never stayed on the desk for more than an hour or two when Cherry browns were in the room. My newest Cherry blues are unexpectedly giving the browns and blacks a run for primary board, even for gaming.

I don't quite think I'll be selling my buckling spring and Fukka boards just yet. Not unless I do REALLY prefer Cherry Blues to either of them. More incentive to try rather than settling for clicky Alps clones, though, so I guess I'll settle with the Otaku NKRO Tenkeyless Filco Tactile Click (because that's not a mouthful or anything).

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ch_123 on Wed, 01 September 2010, 14:21:48

Blue Cherrys more tactile than a buckling spring? Yeah right...

A lot of people prefer them over buckling springs because they're lighter, but I'd say most people prefer the tactility that the buckling spring offers.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 01 September 2010, 15:42:26

Quote from: ch_123;218899

Blue Cherrys more tactile than a buckling spring? Yeah right...

A lot of people prefer them over buckling springs because they're lighter, but I'd say most people prefer the tactility that the buckling spring offers.

I will second this and add absolutely nothing.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Wed, 01 September 2010, 16:21:18

Quote from: ch_123;218899

Blue Cherrys more tactile than a buckling spring? Yeah right...

A lot of people prefer them over buckling springs because they're lighter, but I'd say most people prefer the tactility that the buckling spring offers.

I figured as much, but since I've never used blue cherrys, I didn't have much of a position to question him from.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 01 September 2010, 16:53:40

Although, the force-travel diagrams might show differently, at least to me, it feels like:
- buckling springs actuate near the bottom
- clicky ALPS switches actuate near the top, and
- blue Cherry switches actuate somewhere in the middle.

Of these three, what makes the blue Cherry switches more tactile to me is that I can more easily feel the travel both before and after the actuation point. The buckling springs give me more of a extra feedback when I bottom out and the ALPS click as soon as I press them.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Wed, 01 September 2010, 18:56:25

Quote from: ripster;218994

If you really are going to go Otaku I recommend buying now.  The rumor is Elitekeyboards won't be restocking the blanks. (http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=218637&postcount=1)  Elitekeyboards already don't list the blank key sets any more for sale.

Buy Now For This Limited Time Offer!

I'll make a note to decide and purchase that soon, then. If I miss it, then oh well. Not the end of the world to have a labelled keyboard. Just inability to screw with friends (easily), especially when you switch the layout to Dvorak.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: microsoft windows on Wed, 01 September 2010, 19:57:41

Quote from: ManjyomeThunder;218691

As much as I hate Apple and their crappy computers and keyboards, that really is a good layout (now if only the keyboard itself wasn't terrible). Why nobody's cloned it is a mystery to me.

I might just get a SIIG MiniTouch. The layout is close enough to ideal, and it uses clicky white Alps switches which also seem interesting. Was hoping to get a chance to try blue cherries though.

Those Apple keyboards are miserable. Especially on my poor old finger joints when I can't avoid that sharp and harsh bottoming out. But you're right about the layout. I do have to say you can still get stuff done with that layout but still have the small form factor.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: ManjyomeThunder on Wed, 01 September 2010, 20:18:27

Quote from: microsoft windows;219018

Those Apple keyboards are miserable. Especially on my poor old finger joints when I can't avoid that sharp and harsh bottoming out. But you're right about the layout. I do have to say you can still get stuff done with that layout but still have the small form factor.

I've come to the conclusion that Apple is incapable of making decent mice and keyboards, with the exception of the AEKII, and even then it's only Alps switches. I mean, they pretty much gave up on mice, they have a trackpad for desktops now.

The latest Apple keyboards are particularly horrible. I have a MacBook Pro (well, it's aesthetically destroyed now. Shoddy build quality on the "unibody display". Display casing came apart) and a relative has an iPad with the keyboard dock. I don't know how the travel distance is so short, but they actually made their keyboards uncomfortable to type on. My VAIO's chiclet keys feel so much more comfortable.

Title: Space saving keyboards with Cherry MX Blues?
Post by: spremino on Thu, 02 September 2010, 02:57:19

Quote from: microsoft windows;219018

Those Apple keyboards are miserable. Especially on my poor old finger joints when I can't avoid that sharp and harsh bottoming out.

microsoft windows, what's your current daily driver? Thanks.