geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: thousandstars on Sun, 17 July 2011, 18:39:17

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: thousandstars on Sun, 17 July 2011, 18:39:17

In response to a query from a reader, I wrote a long post on, as the title implies, what I think of the Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard two years later (http://jseliger.com/2011/07/17/further-thoughts-on-the-kinesis-advantage-unicomp-space-saver-and-das-keyboard%E2%80%94two-years-later). There's been a flurry of hits on the "The Story's Story" from here lately, which is funny coming in tandem with the e-mail that prompted this post.

Anyhow, the tl;dnr version is that I'm using the Advantage because of its unique layout, which seems superior to me to the benefits or potential benefits of the Space Saver / Customizer.

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: hella on Sun, 17 July 2011, 18:57:14

Thanks for the awesome review dude!  Long-term keyboard reviews are more helpful than the average sub-six month after purchase reviews.  I like your casual approach to keyboard switches and your go-with-the-flow preferences are similar to my own.

In your review you said you'd kill for a buckling spring ergonomic kinesis advantage.  Have you ever thought about a Lexmark/IBM Model M15?

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: thousandstars on Tue, 19 July 2011, 00:39:01

"Have you ever thought about a Lexmark/IBM Model M15? "

No. They look hard to find, and I don't think I'd like one as much as I like the "scooped" shape of the Advantage. I'm surprised no one else has come along to make an Advantage knockoff—$300 really is a lot of cash—but I guess that's how it goes, at least for now.

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: Input Nirvana on Tue, 19 July 2011, 00:42:07

Quote from: thousandstars;383151

"Have you ever thought about a Lexmark/IBM Model M15? "

No. They look hard to find, and I don't think I'd like one as much as I like the "scooped" shape of the Advantage. I'm surprised no one else has come along to make an Advantage knockoff—$300 really is a lot of cash—but I guess that's how it goes, at least for now.

Maltron is the original.
The design patents are in force for a few more years. A knock-off could be about $200.

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: sordna on Tue, 19 July 2011, 01:12:14

I tried a friend's Maltron and liked it, however the Kinesis' awesome programmability, and now the Cherry MX Red switches in the LF model have made the Kinesis unbeatable for me.

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Tue, 19 July 2011, 01:23:31

That was more of a Kinesis two years later article.

All it did with a das is mention that it existed, but had blue switches (and I don't know why it even says that, since brown das boards are very much available).

Same with the unicomp, just by saying that BS switches would be preferred.

Title: The Kinesis Advantage, Unicomp Space Saver, and Das Keyboard -- two years later
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 19 July 2011, 07:43:46

Claims that the Browns and Blues feel the same are... unusual, to say the least.