hello, just found out about this board. is this still happening? i would be very interesting in buying this once it comes out given the amount of time its taken to engineer
Yes, it’s still happening!
We showed a working sample of it at Computex last month. We developed new low-profile ALPS switches for it, which is why it took so long. Low profile switches with full travel were an extremely difficult technical challenge.
I’ll post an update when it’s ready to ship, but it is still happening.
Thanks for your question.
First of all, thank you for the update. After all these years, it’s genuinely reassuring to hear that the project is still alive and wasn’t quietly abandoned.
That said, I have to admit that your latest post raised more questions than it answered. For many of us, this keyboard has been something we’ve been looking forward to for well over a decade, so hearing about new low-profile ALPS switches was quite unexpected.
Would it be possible to share a more comprehensive update? Even a few photos from the Computex prototype or a short summary of where the project stands would go a long way toward reassuring the community.
One of the most exciting aspects of this project was never just the keyboard itself. Earlier in the project there were plans for:
- MX and classic ALPS compatible PCB/plate
- modern PBT keycap set with broad layout support for the ALPS community.
Those two things alone would be game changers for many ALPS enthusiasts.
The mention of low-profile switches naturally raises a couple of important questions:
- Will the keyboard still support standard MX switches and classic full-height ALPS (SKCM/SKCL / Matias) switches as originally planned?
- Is the standalone PBT keycap set still planned?
- If so, will those keycaps remain compatible with classic ALPS and Matias switches? Low-profile keycaps are typically much shorter, so many of us are wondering whether this represents a completely new ecosystem.
I think many people here have been patiently holding onto their favorite vintage ALPS switches for years, waiting for the day there would finally be a modern keyboard and a modern keycap set worthy of them. That’s why this particular point is so important.
Again, thank you for continuing the project. I think a more detailed update would answer a lot of questions and restore confidence after such a long wait.