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Author Topic: I've got a Pure - AMA  (Read 6383 times)

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Offline obra

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I've got a Pure - AMA
« on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 06:46:07 »
So, I posted this yesterday, but it looks like the site got restored from a backup and my post got wiped.


I'm in Taipei for the week for a conference. I got the opportunity to meet with Hanes from Vortex and got to play with a metal-shell pure and actually got a Pure with red switches to take home.

Pictures are up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/obra/sets/72157629819541171/

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Offline Glissant

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I've got a Pure - AMA
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 06:49:32 »
That looks amazing! I think this will be the keyboard I finally get for my wife. Thanks for sharing!
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Offline oneproduct

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I've got a Pure - AMA
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 07:16:59 »
The LEDs look pretty blindingly bright, and I still don't quite like how they did the Fn layer. They shouldn't be using the bottom row for Home, End and Page Down. It's hard to press Fn with your thumb and and then curl your fingers down to the bottom row. Even if you set the DIP so that there's an FN button on the left side, you still have to use all three rows (top row for up arrow, bottom row for home/end) rather than just two.

Really should be more like:

Page Up | Home | Up | End
Page Dn | Left | Down | Right

The same thing bothers me on the HHKB to some degree because Home and End are too far from the arrows since they do:

... | ... | .... | ... | ... | Up
Home | Page Up | Left | Right
End | Page Dn | Down

Having to move over two columns from Left to Home is too far in my opinion. When touch typing letters the index finger only ever has to move over one column.

Also I don't like how the Pure got rid of the Delete buttons in the alpha cluster on the Z and /? keys. That was a great way to keep your fingers in the business section but now you have to go to where backspace is, which is annoying, particularly as a Colemak user who uses Caps Lock as Backspace because now I would be forced to use the Backspace position to get to Delete.

I actually prefer the Poker's Fn layout, using an Fn on both sides of the spacebar.
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Layout: Colemak
Fastest typing speed: 131 WPM on typeracer, 136 WPM on 10fastfingers.
Daily driver: Filco Tenkeyless MX Brown with ergonomically weighted, lubed springs.
Ergo keyboards: Truly Ergonomic, Kinesis Advantage, Ergodox

Offline obra

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« Reply #3 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 08:06:57 »
Vortex posted the Pure's manual on their facebook page. It's at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.277580352309682.61655.241720585895659&type=1

One of the dipswitches can turn Alt_L into a Fn.
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Offline oneproduct

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« Reply #4 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 08:17:58 »
Quote from: obra;576044
One of the dipswitches can turn Alt_L into a Fn.

Quote from: oneproduct;576031
Even if you set the DIP so that there's an FN button on the left side, you still have to use all three rows (top row for up arrow, bottom row for home/end) rather than just two.

Yes, I mentioned that, but even with that thought I still don't think it's as good as the Poker. Home and End are now where Page Up and Page Down use to be so that's not an improvement, just a swap. Though now it is easier to get to Page Up and Page Down with them being on the index finger and nothing on the pinky finger, we lost Delete from the main cluster completely.

Someone really needs to make one where it's

Page Up | Home | Up | End
Page Dn | Left | Down | Right

or you break into into two and have

..... | Up
Left | Down | Right

on one hand and

....... | Page Up
Home | Page Dn | End

on the other.

Edit: I don't mean to sound too harsh, it's just that every time a keyboard with an Fn layer comes out, everyone here always comments on how they aren't really done right or how they should try to make it end user programmable. Other than the compact size, the selling point of these keyboards is their Fn layer so it's a big deal.
« Last Edit: Mon, 16 April 2012, 08:23:36 by oneproduct »
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Layout: Colemak
Fastest typing speed: 131 WPM on typeracer, 136 WPM on 10fastfingers.
Daily driver: Filco Tenkeyless MX Brown with ergonomically weighted, lubed springs.
Ergo keyboards: Truly Ergonomic, Kinesis Advantage, Ergodox

Offline obra

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« Reply #5 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 08:34:22 »
Quote from: oneproduct;576048
Edit: I don't mean to sound too harsh, it's just that every time a keyboard with an Fn layer comes out, everyone here always comments on how they aren't really done right or how they should try to make it end user programmable. Other than the compact size, the selling point of these keyboards is their Fn layer so it's a big deal.

I hear you. I'm finding the right-handed arrow key arrangement much harder to get used to than I found the WASD on my Poker. I may have a go at remapping HJKL to be my arrows in software.

Page Up/Page Dn actually feel a lot more comfortable to me than they did on the Poker. And yes, when I met him, I lobbied Hanes from Vortex to give us a fully programmable Fn layer :)

Other tidbits from the original thread that vanished:

  - They've been playing around with a design for a Bluetooth controller for future keyboards.
  - They've actually been able to source genuine trackpoints for a future keyboard.
  - They're currently predicting general availability of the Pure for some time in May.
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Offline megnin

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« Reply #6 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 09:20:30 »
Yes. I want a Bluetooth Pure!
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #7 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 09:24:43 »
ask you anything?

can you buy me one? can i have yours?
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to all the brilliant friends who have left us, and all the students who climb on their shoulders.

Offline mkawa

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« Reply #8 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 09:26:13 »
Quote
 - They've actually been able to source genuine trackpoints for a future keyboard.
TIME TO BOMBARD JC WITH EMAILS
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to all the brilliant friends who have left us, and all the students who climb on their shoulders.

Offline obra

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« Reply #9 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 09:47:17 »
Quote from: mkawa;576093
ask you anything?

Yes

Quote from: mkawa;576093
can you buy me one?

No. But it sounds like just a couple more weeks before they get mass production up and running. I'm still in the process of begging them to sell me one of their pre-production metal-shell, purple-led Pures. ;)


Quote from: mkawa;576093
can i have yours?

No.

(I never said you'd like my answers)
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #10 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 09:56:31 »
:(
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to all the brilliant friends who have left us, and all the students who climb on their shoulders.

Offline obra

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« Reply #11 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 10:04:41 »
Quote from: mkawa;576122
:(

I do wish I had better answers for you :/
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Offline obra

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« Reply #12 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 10:18:28 »
There's an additional screw between the G&H, which feels like a big improvement. Of course, the aluminum shell was even nicer.
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Offline Armegadon

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« Reply #13 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 13:58:34 »
How general is general availability? Dost this include EURO/NA not just Asia? If so, any idea of what dealers this would be coming too? Because without having any idea of who is going to sell your product, you can't really say its going for sale :p thanks for all the info though dude, this is probably my favourite keyboard, really excited to hear a bit more about it <3
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Offline Djuzuh

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« Reply #14 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 14:01:58 »
qtan will sell them. (He said so at least)
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Offline jwaz

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« Reply #15 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 14:03:11 »
Weigh it! What do you think of the metal case?
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Offline Geekmie

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« Reply #16 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 14:21:34 »
OMG, this is amazing. I'm just wondering if it will be available in US.
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Offline snowboarder3

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« Reply #17 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:06:57 »
Were you that guy on Facebook?
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Offline obra

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« Reply #18 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:11:36 »
Quote from: JesuswasaZombie;576230
Weigh it! What do you think of the metal case?


I'll happily weigh it next week, when I'm home and have a scale.

The metal case was amazingly nice.
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Offline obra

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« Reply #19 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:15:59 »
Quote from: dante;576418
Are you able to get the aluminum case if you don't want any LED's?

I had hoped with a name like 'Pure' it would only give you the bare essentials - not taking a Poker and turning it into a Christmas tree.

I don't have any insight into that, sadly :/
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Offline demik

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« Reply #20 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:22:07 »
MORE INFO ON PURE WITH TRACKPOINT
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No, he’s not around. How that sound to ya? Jot it down.

Offline metafour

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« Reply #21 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:44:01 »
I feel like they've been hyping this board forever always saying that it's "coming soon"

I realize that some people have them in their hands now but seriously at this point I think it's going to be kind of a let down for me. Too overhyped, too long to get to market.
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Offline snowboarder3

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« Reply #22 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:47:51 »
Quote from: metafour;576458
I feel like they've been hyping this board forever always saying that it's "coming soon"

I realize that some people have them in their hands now but seriously at this point I think it's going to be kind of a let down for me. Too overhyped, too long to get to market.
Took too long. I bought a poker and am getting an alu case for it, no longer need a pure.
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Offline obra

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« Reply #23 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 18:51:02 »
Quote from: demik;576433
MORE INFO ON PURE WITH TRACKPOINT

They've managed to find a legitimate source for the parts and are experimenting with designs. It's not a product. They didn't promise me a product. But I have a small bit of hope.
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #24 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 19:52:22 »
obra, do you know if hane is open to letting us help design a trackpoint based board a la kbtalking? on a related note, how is his english?
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to all the brilliant friends who have left us, and all the students who climb on their shoulders.

Offline xquisit

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« Reply #25 on: Mon, 16 April 2012, 20:01:46 »
Quote from: oneproduct;576048
Edit: I don't mean to sound too harsh, it's just that every time a keyboard with an Fn layer comes out, everyone here always comments on how they aren't really done right or how they should try to make it end user programmable. Other than the compact size, the selling point of these keyboards is their Fn layer so it's a big deal.


Just curious, not trying to thread jack, but what do you think about the Race?
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Offline quake4mhg

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« Reply #26 on: Tue, 17 April 2012, 00:13:19 »
beautiful :eek:
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Offline sordna

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« Reply #27 on: Tue, 17 April 2012, 01:46:32 »
Pure with trackpoint would be awesome!
As for the Fn layer complaints: All these subcompact keyboards (especially the overpriced HHKB) should have the Fn layer user-configurable, because hey every user has different preferences.
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #28 on: Tue, 17 April 2012, 01:49:37 »
just a reminder that we're not going to get this unless we design it ourselves (although i'd be happy to have vortex/kbc/whoever distribute boards based on my firmware.. i just want a damned MX TP kb :/)
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to all the brilliant friends who have left us, and all the students who climb on their shoulders.

Offline obra

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« Reply #29 on: Tue, 17 April 2012, 03:10:51 »
Quote from: sordna;576783
Pure with trackpoint would be awesome!
As for the Fn layer complaints: All these subcompact keyboards (especially the overpriced HHKB) should have the Fn layer user-configurable, because hey every user has different preferences.

Yeah. I mentioned that to him :) It seemed like he did have some Design Opinions about it, but was responsive to the feedback.
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Offline laffindude

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« Reply #30 on: Tue, 17 April 2012, 10:16:02 »
Quote from: obra;576115
No. But it sounds like just a couple more weeks before they get mass production up and running. I'm still in the process of begging them to sell me one of their pre-production metal-shell, purple-led Pures. ;)


50 people would be absolutely PISSED if he sells it to you. Some people actually paid for the Pure anniversary over a year ago.
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Offline obra

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« Reply #31 on: Wed, 18 April 2012, 06:51:51 »
Quote from: laffindude;576973
50 people would be absolutely PISSED if he sells it to you. Some people actually paid for the Pure anniversary over a year ago.

Well, I guess you're going to be pissed. It looks like I'm getting my hands on an early production review unit with the caveat that I have to, you know, review it.

I promise geekhack will get the full scoop as soon as I can.
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Offline Glissant

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« Reply #32 on: Wed, 18 April 2012, 07:13:20 »
Looking forward to seeing a review on the thing. Are you planning to do a written article with photos or a video? Or both?
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Offline laffindude

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« Reply #33 on: Wed, 18 April 2012, 08:21:12 »
Quote from: obra;577752
Well, I guess you're going to be pissed. It looks like I'm getting my hands on an early production review unit with the caveat that I have to, you know, review it.

I promise geekhack will get the full scoop as soon as I can.


Brilliant!

So Vortex, can I get some of those aluminum tenkeyless board. I'll post a review. I can pick it up in person.
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Offline obra

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« Reply #34 on: Wed, 18 April 2012, 09:40:20 »
Quote from: Glissant;577765
Looking forward to seeing a review on the thing. Are you planning to do a written article with photos or a video? Or both?

I'm not big on video. I intend to write prose and take pictures.
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Offline obra

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« Reply #35 on: Wed, 18 April 2012, 09:44:11 »
Quote from: laffindude;577798
those aluminum tenkeyless board

I got to touch one of the prototype aluminum tenkeyless shells tonight. It was...sturdy. Like "kill someone with it" sturdy. Supposedly, it's designed to fit a filco tenkeyless exactly. And no, I have no idea when it'll be available.
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #36 on: Wed, 18 April 2012, 10:27:02 »
you might want to gently tell hane that there is no need for additional marketing. there's _plenty_ of demand for vortex product. it's the supply chain they need to look after ;)
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to all the brilliant friends who have left us, and all the students who climb on their shoulders.

Offline Glissant

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« Reply #37 on: Thu, 03 May 2012, 08:27:52 »
Any updates on the review?
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