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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: eugenius on Sat, 15 November 2008, 20:39:00

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: eugenius on Sat, 15 November 2008, 20:39:00

It's the Vodoo Envy .....

http://gizmodo.com/5059685/voodoo-envy-133-review-verdict-plenty-thin-plenty-pricey

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 15 November 2008, 20:46:17

What keyswitches? Cherry MLs or something?

I found one thing from gizmodo saying that it clicked, but... someone needs to pull a keycap.

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: fkeidjn on Sat, 15 November 2008, 21:12:43

I think it's a scissor-switch with something to make it feel and sound clicky.  Probably a piece of metal or plastic somewhere.

Perhaps a big laptop manufacturer should take on using Cherry MLs or compact capacitor switches (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8iP1kmkyf0) for their laptop keyboards.  Would anybody agree?

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 15 November 2008, 21:16:52

Or transverse buckling spring (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?TERM1=5%2C268%2C545&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=0&f=S&l=50), but Lexmark filed that patent, and I don't know if they sold it to Unicomp.

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 15 November 2008, 21:24:31

Interesting, this bit is actually from HP's press release on the thing (HP owns Voodoo):

Quote

• Professional backlit keyboard – The system features a keyboard reminiscent of old-school tactile desktop keyboards with just enough “click” to get even the most die-hard tech enthusiast smiling.

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: fkeidjn on Sat, 15 November 2008, 21:54:01

Even if Unicomp had the patent for transverse buckling spring, wouldn't it be costly to mass-produce?

What would a transverse buckling spring look like?

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 15 November 2008, 22:12:17

Basically, a scissor switch, but the scissor arms would be actuating a spring going from left to right, and the rubber dome wouldn't be there.

The other issue with transverse buckling spring is, it's quite thick when in use, and relies on a mechanism to lower the keys into a storage position... which requires a linkage from the screen hinge to the keyboard. IBM did that in the mid-90's on a lot of their products ANYWAY, for slanting the keyboard when the screen was raised, or the ThinkPad 701's butterfly keyboard, but nobody does that now, AFAIK.

However, the patent says that one goal was to create a lower profile keyboard (when stored) than the scissor switch+rubber dome boards that were in use, while still giving full tactile response and a full stroke. This tells me that the technology may still be relevant...

Title: There is a laptop with a keyboard that uses mechanical key switches ...
Post by: eugenius on Sun, 16 November 2008, 07:41:23

The fact that it's also backlit it's the icing on the cake ... :)