I wonder where the sellers get their cache from. Especially the NIB's.
I wonder where the sellers get their cache from. Especially the NIB's.
Counterfeiters.
Counterfeiters.
so Unicomp knows these minis go for $200
As I keep saying - when they run out of business, its going to be their own damn fault.
Do they? I know they lurk from time-to-time, but I wonder if they truly realize what kind of market they're missing out on.
I think ripster hit it on the head. The cost of the machines to create these boards is probably astronomical. Even if Unicomp WANTED to produce model m mini's they probably could not get the financing to do it.
As I keep saying - when they run out of business, its going to be their own damn fault.
even with the market sustaining a $200/unit retail price?
if they offered the Spacesaver (the one they currently sell) in, say, 4 or 5 different (good) colors
can you imagine? It would like some dawn of an amazing new keyboard era.
I don't think Unicomp could sell them at $200. $125-$150 probably. The reason they're getting $200 on eBay, apart from scarcity, is because they are original IBMs. If Unicomp were to start reproducing them, the scarcity factor would not exist, and they certainly aren't original IBMs.
I mean, they wouldn't have to do anything new, just add dye to their current plastic mixture
At the Kentucky CHASE bank. Mr B (banker) and Mr U (Unicomp).
B: Long time no see, what brings you here?
U: New product idea, need some money. You see, a bunch of these old mechanical keyboards from 25 years ago are selling like hotcakes.
B: I've heard of Ebay. My husband buys Cupie dolls there.
U: No, this is going to make us MILLIONs.
B: OK, how many you gonna sell.
U: I dunno. This guy sells one a week. There's this website named Geekhack with over 500 members.
B: How much to retool?
U: $40,000
B: (Clicks on the calculator a bit.) Boy, the weather here has sure turned hot......
lol, lamenting unicomp is one of my fav pastimes ;)
Says the curator of the Model M Museum.
Someone should contact Jim Owens and have him post the real skinny here on geekhack.
I would like to hear what unicomp actually has to say on the subject.
He's busy swimming in a pool of NIB M15's
Someone should contact Jim Owens and have him post the real skinny here on geekhack.
I would like to hear what unicomp actually has to say on the subject.
I am very much interested in understanding the issues they deal with and what they are trying to achieve as a company.
Das, but that only supports a couple of people
At least Das puts out a new (Costar-made) model every year or so generating repeat buys. Unicomp doesn't even do this. They have pretty much sold their same offerings for years. They may not want or need to be a keyboard giant, but I would think they would want to do something in the name of self-preservation.
Das doesn't have to invest in machines. They don't make stuff. They can dump one manufacturer for the other. In fact, they seem to do that every Das version. Unicomp cannot do that. Still, the best example for your argument would be the HHKB, which is a Topre production sold by PFU, and very successful for a quality keyboard. Asian market though.
3) innovate, for the love of the gods, innovate. bring out new models or freshen old ones atleast once every 18 to 24 months.
Really, they could just use the Spacesaver or Customizer guts and throw a new case around it. That's all Costar really does; even less, in some cases. Hell, ABS, Filco, Phaethon and others basically sell the same 'board with minor tweaks. One of the only things that sets one keyboard off from another is the case, anyway. It's not like they really have to retool much, just the way the case looks. They already have the guts perfected.
there will be less people who want BS keyboards as the nerds who remember them and used them grow older. The future of quality switches is light and silent like Cherry Browns and Topres
i'd post a pic but you would not want to see it.
I checked year to year sometime ago and they looked very good. Especially in the midst of a worldwide recession.
it just tells me this is mainly a management and imagination failure at unicomp. :)
(guess i'm not done whipping them yet ;)
Topre is into many more endeavors than just keyboards, though. If I remember correctly, they produce a wide variety of commercial machinery.
We're not letting you anywhere near the "Praise of Unicomp" thread.
No LINKY for you!!
I think ripster hit it on the head. The cost of the machines to create these boards is probably astronomical. Even if Unicomp WANTED to produce model m mini's they probably could not get the financing to do it.
For the love of god.. Unicomp should not try to design anything.
Here's my argument:Show Image(http://ep.yimg.com/ip/I/pckeyboards_2049_1324565)
So in fact they managed to turn the Classic, timeless look of an M into something ugly.