Keyboard Prediction Thread

[jonathanyu]

The availability of artisans will massively increase to the point where tier 1 artisan caps are readily available on the primary market.

I think the opposite. It's gonna be really easy to buy lower "tier" keycaps, but the top tier caps are only gonna be traded for other top tier caps.

isn't that what happen right now already?

[absyrd]

I predict nobody will be interested in keyboards or keycaps.

[Niomosy]

A standard split + tented Cherry MX compatible board will be available... with the 6 on the left side.

That's not much of a prediction, actually, considering that Kinesis is already running Idk-how-manyeth round of surveys for the gaming Freestyle.

It is when you consider the timeline for them actually putting that into effect.  That and, ideally, it would be in a single case similar to an MS Ergo.

[zombimuncha]

Once the Matias PBT keycaps are brought to market interest in Alps in general will increase. Another manufacturer will release a keyboard with Alps/Matias switches, and there will be an Alps SA keycap group buy.

[potatowire]

I think those are both 6.25 spacebars, guys.

Maybe I was wrong and it wasn't the length of the spacebar but the location of the stems.

Definitely both 6.25

I'm going to pretend I never said otherwise. I definitely should've known better. I actually owned a 660M once upon a time...

[Weltschmerz]

Maybe more support for alps sets? Hopefully some keycap sets that go beyond 60% for nerds like me who like arrow keys.

[KRKS]

1. Cherry will clone Purple Zealios, and people will still think Cherry invents anything nowadays.
2. CMStorm will go Gateron, probably as an option first to ease the transition for the non-enthusiast folks.
3. Ultimate oH look i stole hhkb name and claim bull in the funding page now gib mony pls Keyboard will be funded, and become "Razer of split keyboards" - terrible but with heaps of fanboys.
4. Some other esports group will follow fNatic and make their own peripheral brand(or like in their case, buy an existing company).
5. Alps will continue slow but steady popularity growth. Being able to buy a Matias without either import tax or pound tax(ANSI Matias Quiet Pro for PC from the Keyboard Company, costs ~730 PLN + shipping. That's a Novatouch and enough change to get a good optical mouse like some of the x7's or an Alcor) would help.

[Dernubenfrieken]

The availability of artisans will massively increase to the point where tier 1 artisan caps are readily available on the primary market.

I think the opposite. It's gonna be really easy to buy lower "tier" keycaps, but the top tier caps are only gonna be traded for other top tier caps.

isn't that what happen right now already?

Well yeah. And more artisans in the game won't do anything but further that trend.

[jaffers]

Once the Matias PBT keycaps are brought to market interest in Alps in general will increase. Another manufacturer will release a keyboard with Alps/Matias switches, and there will be an Alps SA keycap group buy.

I predict this will not happen

[zombimuncha]

Once the Matias PBT keycaps are brought to market interest in Alps in general will increase. Another manufacturer will release a keyboard with Alps/Matias switches, and there will be an Alps SA keycap group buy.

I predict this will not happen

Yeah, it might just be wishful thinking.

[Niomosy]

Once the Matias PBT keycaps are brought to market interest in Alps in general will increase. Another manufacturer will release a keyboard with Alps/Matias switches, and there will be an Alps SA keycap group buy.

I predict this will not happen

SA on Alps might eventually happen but there will need to be a concentrated effort on the part of the community to push for that.

[jaffers]

Yeah, it might just be wishful thinking.

SA on Alps might eventually happen but there will need to be a concentrated effort on the part of the community to push for that.

I just feel like its not the year of the alps. Maybe we will have to go over the chinese calendar again and see when that will happen.

[swimmingbird]

The WhiteFox will be delayed by a significant amount of time due to Massdrop's greediness in running more than 500 units in the first run

[Oobly]

Once the Matias PBT keycaps are brought to market interest in Alps in general will increase. Another manufacturer will release a keyboard with Alps/Matias switches, and there will be an Alps SA keycap group buy.

I predict this will not happen

SA on Alps might eventually happen but there will need to be a concentrated effort on the part of the community to push for that.

Hmmm.... not sure SP has all the SA profile keycap sizes in the correct rows for that. I'd assume you'd want support for AEKII, Matias and KBP layouts... If everyone use a single layout for Alps switches, though, it would be feasible. Dolch SA for Alps stems could actually get enough orders to work, IMO.

[xondat]

More and more metal Korean TKLs will be made.

[Niomosy]

Once the Matias PBT keycaps are brought to market interest in Alps in general will increase. Another manufacturer will release a keyboard with Alps/Matias switches, and there will be an Alps SA keycap group buy.

I predict this will not happen

SA on Alps might eventually happen but there will need to be a concentrated effort on the part of the community to push for that.

Hmmm.... not sure SP has all the SA profile keycap sizes in the correct rows for that. I'd assume you'd want support for AEKII, Matias and KBP layouts... If everyone use a single layout for Alps switches, though, it would be feasible. Dolch SA for Alps stems could actually get enough orders to work, IMO.

I think something like Dolch, Granite, or other wildly popular, regularly run set would probably be the way to go.  Wider appeal gets more buyers which can offset costs.

If SP is missing caps, we might just have to improvise a bit for certain layouts for a time.

[ideus]

There is a difference between prediction and forecasting, I wonder if someone has put together some data to get some of the second type.

[swimmingbird]

There is a difference between prediction and forecasting, I wonder if someone has put together some data to get some of the second type.

What were you thinking of forecasting?

At one point I was tracking Massdrop and GB order numbers to see how they were changing over time

[ideus]

There is a difference between prediction and forecasting, I wonder if someone has put together some data to get some of the second type.

What were you thinking of forecasting?

At one point I was tracking Massdrop and GB order numbers to see how they were changing over time

That may be a good start, what the figures you have already recollected tell you?

[jaffers]

There is a difference between prediction and forecasting, I wonder if someone has put together some data to get some of the second type.

What were you thinking of forecasting?

At one point I was tracking Massdrop and GB order numbers to see how they were changing over time

We should actually invest a little time into these forecasts they could prove useful in the future.

[swimmingbird]

There is a difference between prediction and forecasting, I wonder if someone has put together some data to get some of the second type.

What were you thinking of forecasting?

At one point I was tracking Massdrop and GB order numbers to see how they were changing over time

We should actually invest a little time into these forecasts they could prove useful in the future.

Yeah I might get back into it
Need to update my personal spending model as well - it's been like 4 months since I added anything to it

+ my prediction about massdrop being greedy bastards confirmed - whitefox max quantity is now 2000 units

[hwood34]

Cherry may just stop making new MX switches all together within the next decade or so. There are better, cheaper clones and mechs are just a tiny portion of ZF's business already.

[azhdar]

Cherry may just stop making new MX switches all together within the next decade or so. There are better, cheaper clones and mechs are just a tiny portion of ZF's business already.

Well they just released a new cherry mx switch a month ago : mx natural white (linear in betweenred & black).

http://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/jon-martindale/cherry-announces-new-mechanical-switch-mx-rgb-nature-white/

and the RGB switches are somewhat new too, so it does look like this market is still attractive to Cherry Corp.

[swimmingbird]

Cherry may just stop making new MX switches all together within the next decade or so. There are better, cheaper clones and mechs are just a tiny portion of ZF's business already.

I think that's quite a while away - they still have a strong brand appeal to the larger less-enthusiasty market that allows them to sell switches for more than competitors

[SamirD]

I predict buckling springs will still be buckling and springing. 

[Xonar]

-Xonar will decide to buy not just an F77 from Ellipse, but an F62 as well.
-Xonar will sell his car and buy his Unsaver, F50, and Industrial Model M back.
-Xonar will finally restore his F107.

 

More serious (but probably unrealistic) predictions:
-Someone will make PBT doubleshot Cherry profile caps and it will be all the rage. (think PBT Dolch  )
-Matias will attempt to replicate the feel of Blue Alps as closely as possible in a new switch variant, and even use blue sliders for good measure.
-We'll see the first RGB backlight-compatible 60% custom PCBs after the K-Type keyboard sees success. Winkeyless will lead the way.

[Jokrik]

Cherry may just stop making new MX switches all together within the next decade or so. There are better, cheaper clones and mechs are just a tiny portion of ZF's business already.

Well they just released a new cherry mx switch a month ago : mx natural white (linear in betweenred & black).

http://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/jon-martindale/cherry-announces-new-mechanical-switch-mx-rgb-nature-white/

and the RGB switches are somewhat new too, so it does look like this market is still attractive to Cherry Corp.

I'm very sure that Cherry Corp still be as profitable or even more in the future
That because I read somewhere that they've been concentrating in China's market for the last year or so

Honestly, one reason why there are so many billionaires in China is because of the population itself has a very high consumption level, let alone the NUMBER of population
Even though you failed miserably somewhere else, but you succeed in China it doesn't matter

[henz]

i predict i will buy more keyboard stuff. most likely more keycaps and a ultimate hacking keyboard.

[SamirD]

i predict i will buy more keyboard stuff.

I think you just predicted my future as well, lol.

[Dernubenfrieken]

More serious (but probably unrealistic) predictions:
-Someone will make PBT doubleshot Cherry profile caps and it will be all the rage. (think PBT Dolch  )
-Matias will attempt to replicate the feel of Blue Alps as closely as possible in a new switch variant, and even use blue sliders for good measure.
-We'll see the first RGB backlight-compatible 60% custom PCBs after the K-Type keyboard sees success. Winkeyless will lead the way.

I agree heavily with all three of these. Although you know that the first PBT doubleshot cherries will be some garbage legend choice for some reason.

[zombimuncha]

-Matias will attempt to replicate the feel of Blue Alps as closely as possible in a new switch variant, and even use blue sliders for good measure.

pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls !

[E3E]

-Matias will attempt to replicate the feel of Blue Alps as closely as possible in a new switch variant, and even use blue sliders for good measure.

pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls !

If they actually did this, I'd be blown away. They'd HAVE to make a complicated contact mechanism or some very close approximation because that's where a lot of the solid feel comes into play. Even taking off a few mm of length from the contact plate kills some of that solidness. Short contact SKCM/SKCLs (whites, salmons, yellows) don't feel as good as the longer contact versions (blues, oranges, greens). Just IME/imo.

[ctm]

ALPS revival in 2016!

[Altis]

Is anyone aware of any upcoming 60% Cherry MX boards with full RGB lighting?

[swimmingbird]

Is anyone aware of any upcoming 60% Cherry MX boards with full RGB lighting?

nope

best bet is to wait out for an rgb compatible (4 pin lighting) pcb and just pair it up with zealios - I imagine one will be released sometime in 2016

[Altis]

Is anyone aware of any upcoming 60% Cherry MX boards with full RGB lighting?

nope

best bet is to wait out for an rgb compatible (4 pin lighting) pcb and just pair it up with zealios - I imagine one will be released sometime in 2016

It'll be for gaming so I'll be going for MX Browns actually.

I know Corsair has a TKL but 60% would be ideal for gaming to allow more mouse space.

[Dernubenfrieken]

Is anyone aware of any upcoming 60% Cherry MX boards with full RGB lighting?

Vortex just teased a Pok3r with RGB LED's

[E3E]

Is anyone aware of any upcoming 60% Cherry MX boards with full RGB lighting?

Vortex just teased a Pok3r with RGB LED's

I was actually going to mention this when I first glanced that post, but I wasn't sure if I was remembering something I had actually seen or just imagined. I heard of the RGB pok3r being in the works for a while now. 

[Altis]

Is anyone aware of any upcoming 60% Cherry MX boards with full RGB lighting?

Vortex just teased a Pok3r with RGB LED's

Thanks for the tip. I'll stay tuned for updates... seems like it's been in the works for a little bit, so hopefully a release isn't all too far off. 

[WolfTickets]

I believe the near future will have the introduction of Artisan Keypullers after a near death experience due to keyboard related bacteria.

[azhdar]

DrHubble's MIRA GB will fail dramatically and at best will have a full year of delay.

More people will realise that 65% is the best layout out there, so new 65% boards will arrive.

WhiteFox proved me right on my second point.

My first point will be proved right too.

[E3E]

Alps Artisans will start to gain traction with the big shots eventually paying attention to Alps once again (and I probably won't be any part of it, since I never win raffles ).
 
My worst fear? Alps will catch on for a while, then fall into obscurity again.
 
If support continues though, I see Alps gaining a pretty big chance to land a foot hold and we'll be seeing more and more cap sets coming around along with customs and PCBs. Skullydazed is DEFINITELY in support of Alps, and his clueboard service will hopefully provide a lot of great opportunities in that area if all goes well.

Overall, I see a lot of innovation for Alps in the next year if the enthusiasm for this old switch family remains and continues to grow.