Realforce 23U - new tenkeypad from Topre

[sixty]

Leopold has announced that another exclusive item will be released before the end of August. The Realforce 23U uses the same capacitive switches and will be available in the same stunning colors as their bigger brothers.

The tenkeypad will use the USB interface and will be customizeable through dipswitches. All switches will use 45g sensitivity with 4mm key travel.

The price and further information is yet to be announced.

Via KBDMania - Thanks

[watduzhkstand4]

wow finally. But then I hope they don't charge an arm and a leg =/

Do you think Majestouch will be bring home some of this stuff? =D

[ch_123]

They'd be a good way to let people try out Topre switches without committing to $250-300 on a keyboard that they may hate. Still, I wouldnt be surprised to see these things sell for around $100...

[o2dazone]

The big problem for me is now I've finally gotten so good at the number row that I never use my Kinsesis numpad.

Same.

It's like typing on blank key caps. If the situation presents itself, you have no other option than to adapt. Last week I just taught myself  m n j h were - + / *. It takes a little bit, but the black key helped when learning it. Now I can feel the dimple on J and immediately hit it. find myself using Fn+n more because Shift+= is harder to reach.

[Rajagra]

grrrrr......  Maybe the Japanese LIKE dipswitches?

I love dipswitches. They are configurable when using any OS, have a built-in display of their status, and retain their memory content for thousands of years.

I like them so much I may build the world's smallest keyboard out of a whole bunch of them!:lol:

[itlnstln]

I love dipswitches. They are configurable when using any OS, have a built-in display of their status, and retain their memory content for thousands of years.

You can't argue with that.

[Rajagra]

Show Image

Agreed, but don't toss the box!

Wait... Where's the "Reserved" dipswitch? You know, the forbidden dipswitch of doom that does ... nobody knows what.

Without a switch that might cause the computer to blow up, where's the excitement?

[JBert]

Agreed, but don't toss the box!

They don't supply a sticker with the Topre's settings? That's a letdown for such an expensive piece of hardware...

I hope this keypad won't be too expensive. If it isn't, it might be interesting to include it in the illusive Geekhack switch test kit.

[namelessguy]

Now the official information is up
http://www.topre.co.jp/products/comp/
http://www.topre.co.jp/products/comp/product28.html
It says the 23U will be out on August 6th.

And the price is....
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/filco/10000482/
Well, this is what you'd expect from Topre I guess but, still, isn't it more pricey than most full keyboards?

[o2dazone]

Is 円= yen?
$134 ouch lol

[ch_123]

Waaay too overpriced for what it is... Forget that.

[o2dazone]

I think this would be something covered more by a long term business expense. You now never have to buy a keypad, at least not for a while. I'm sure $134 is a drop in the bucket for say, a bank or an accounting position

[o2dazone]

$134 or $4. It's "Learn That Number Row" time.

Show Image

I only have trouble sometimes with & and * sometimes now.

on the HHKB, & is pinky-shift and stretch my index as far as I can without hurting myself
* is the same thing, except don't stretch as much (I know it sounds dumb but hey...it works lol)

[huha]

$134 or $4. It's "Learn That Number Row" time.

I only have trouble sometimes with & and * sometimes now.

You quite obviously don't do data entry. You really need a keypad for that.
Still, I think the price is ridiculous. The normal Topre boards are expensive, but maybe only slightly overpriced. This, on the other hand, is just totally and absolutely overpriced.

-huha

[namelessguy]

Ah, my bad, I haven't read the news release, and it seems it's got an important statement there.

http://prw.kyodonews.jp/open/release.do?r=200907294117
Note the last sentence - "And we are also planning a cheaper cutdown version for corporate customers." so it says.

[itlnstln]

I know it's not as flexible as a tenkeyless and number pad combo, but d*mn, just get the 103 and save a few bucks.
 
Hell, the 103 is cheaper than the 87, anyway.

[itlnstln]

Well, I guess that's what I'm arguing. Unless you're a checkout clerk or a bank clerk juggling soup cans or checks with the other hand why can't you just use the number row as a new home row and go at it with two hands. Should be theoretically faster once you get over the learning hump.

That's not funny; I work in the grocery business.  I love the numpad; even at home.  I use the Windows calculator quite a bit at home, and I think having a number pad is worth it just for that.
 
And, d*mnit, I juggle soup cans very well.

[lam47]

Christ! I knew these were coming months back but never thought they would be asking this kind of money! Its pretty disgusting really.
Shame as I would have liked one.

[itlnstln]

I can't decide what's more funny.  The iron balls or the guy blowing out a hernia trying to lift them.

[namelessguy]

Christ! I knew these were coming months back but never thought they would be asking this kind of money! Its pretty disgusting really.
Shame as I would have liked one.

FYI, this is NOT the most expensive keypad I've ever seen;
the "Epson Business ten-key board" was priced at 38,000yen. And it's got discontinued in 2006, using RoHS thing as an official excuse.
http://www.epson.jp/osirase/2003/030325.htm

And this is getting more off-topic but

Well, I guess that's what I'm arguing. Unless you're a checkout clerk or a bank clerk juggling soup cans or checks with the other hand why can't you just use the number row as a new home row and go at it with two hands. Should be theoretically faster once you get over the learning hump.

I think "each finger on each key" is rather wasteful, and my left hand wouldn't work as fast as my right hand, so there can be a kind of "cross-talk" even if you are trained well. In addition, it is impossible to input data in computer faster than you read them on paper (or wherever else).

[namelessguy]

Ah, I guess my wording was pretty bad. I meant that one finger for just one key is wasteful. And when there're only 10 or so keys to press you won't be any faster using both hands.

Like, you don't use your toes to type faster, do you?

[rdjack21]

Go on vacation and when I get back I find that Realforce is finally going to do a number pad but man did they have to gouge us?

In the end I will most likely get one just to have one.

[ch_123]

FYI, this is NOT the most expensive keypad I've ever seen;
the "Epson Business ten-key board" was priced at 38,000yen. And it's got discontinued in 2006, using RoHS thing as an official excuse.
http://www.epson.jp/osirase/2003/030325.htm

I actually swore out loud when I saw that thing, and realized how much 38,000 yen is...

[huha]

I'm not getting that argument.  Isn't that what we do anytime we type Alpha characters when transcribing?

I think accuracy with numbers is much more important than with transcribing. You just can't allow typos when entering numbers, as they might influence the result extremely.

-huha

[patrickgeekhack]

I think accuracy with numbers is much more important than with transcribing. You just can't allow typos when entering numbers, as they might influence the result extremely.

-huha

Like I mentioned in a thread, I'm considering a tenkeyless, but am not sure if I can live without a numerical keypad. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be able to touch type on the number row, but the . is too far from the numbers. I have to type numbers a lot in a day. Things would have been easier if I did not have to type in French a lot. I could then have turned my ~ key into a . key.

[Bollwerk]

Like I mentioned in a thread, I'm considering a tenkeyless, but am not sure if I can live without a numerical keypad. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be able to touch type on the number row, but the . is too far from the numbers. I have to type numbers a lot in a day. Things would have been easier if I did not have to type in French a lot. I could then have turned my ~ key into a . key.

Take tenkeyless and use a G80-3700 or something like that.

[lal]

Jesus, $130 for a numpad!  Must be the king of numpads then...  I'll take eight!  Wait... does this even have tactile mechanical switches, or is it rubber dome?

[Rajagra]

It works out at nearly $6 per key. For that kind of money I'd want something seriously special. Like rising-rate linkages in the keys that make it *impossible* to bottom out.

[rdjack21]

Nice....

But I wonder if that Num Lock key means that with it off it acts as a edit pad (arrow keys, Page up, Page down, ect) if so my resistance just went out the window. Oh man I also just noticed it has a Esc key on the top left. Man and here I thought I was going to get the chance to let my wallet fill up a bit before I broke down and got another board. But at least this time I will wait and get one from majestouch instead of from cresent-shop.

[rdjack21]

Jesus, $130 for a numpad!  Must be the king of numpads then...  I'll take eight!  Wait... does this even have tactile mechanical switches, or is it rubber dome?

It's a Realforce what do you think it has in it? It has those really fantastic Topre rubber domes in it.

[MsKeyboard]

Finally here!

Thought I would share some pictures of the new Topre keypads.  Just now using them, so don't really have much info yet, but I can tell you this, these Realforce keyboards are like typing on BUTTER.  I am kind of missing the clack of the "blues", but this keyboard is something else.

Not much of a photographer, so be kind.

[MsKeyboard]

No announcements yet, but we are always looking to expand our offerings.

Also, Red escape keys are always interesting to us, it is just to hard to cover everyones desires (makes, models, profiles).  We do currently carry many colors of IBM caps, but printing on them depends on demand.  I currently have a red blank on my IBM, but could not go through with making a rainbow like the one pictured in another thread. Almost made a blank board, but knew these Topre's would be here soon.

I am already getting questioned about when I am leaving for the day, no honor among thieves.  Good thing we have more than one.

Later

[takasta]

The Aron boards to my knowledge use cherry blue switches and sell for extremely cheap. I've seen them on sale for $300-400 HKD, which is about $50 US.

[bitflipper]

Also, Red escape keys are always interesting to us, it is just to hard to cover everyones desires (makes, models, profiles).  We do currently carry many colors of IBM caps, but printing on them depends on demand.

You could do like Deck and offer sets of 10 of the most requested - red escape, purple wasd, penquin, etc. With its seemingly endless popularity, I can see Model M sets being in constant demand.

One thing I noticed on my Deck Legend is that most of the key caps are all the same size and shape so that you can place the included skull and crossbones key cap just about anywhere it fits and not alter the plane of the key tops.

This might be a problem to offer generic sets of Cherry or Alps key caps where you don't know what boards they're going on. Model Ms should be way easier.

All you need to do is take a poll and find out the most requested keys.

[vils]

The Aron boards to my knowledge use cherry blue switches and sell for extremely cheap. I've seen them on sale for $300-400 HKD, which is about $50 US.

Where can I get one?
Must have, or rather, must get it to my son named Aron.