deskthority

Please suggest nominees for the Best space-saving/tenkeyless/compact keyboard or keyboard family in 2014. You have to give a short motivation for each suggestion. The keyboard must be released since November 2013.

By voting in the third round of this category, you can win a keyboard cable from Pexon PCs!

In this round you can earn multiple entries in the draws for voter prizes: if you are the first to suggest a particular nominee and the suggestion gets at least 5 votes in round 2, you get an extra entry in the draw for the prize by the sponsor of the related category. If your suggestion is voted as an official nominee and makes it to round 3, you get another extra entry.

The first round ends on Thursday 27 November, 00:00hrs UTC.

Current suggestions (this list is frequently updated):

• NovaTouch TKL
• The infinity keyboard by Massdrop
• JD40 by jdcarpe
• XTant Model F TKL by Wcass
• Kishsaver
• FaceU
• Smart 68
• KUL ES-87
• Matias Secure Pro
• Noppoo nano75-s
• Duck Viper
• TEX Yoda
• GON NerD60

Novatouch TKL - innovative and unque, it just fills a niche that no other brand/product has attempted.

The infinity keyboard by Massdrop. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/infinity-k ... guest_open

easily accessible DIY ALPS+MX keyboard.

matt3o wrote: ↑The infinity keyboard by Massdrop. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/infinity-keyboard-kit

easily accessible DIY ALPS+MX keyboard.

^^ I came here to suggest the Infinity, but matt3o was first. But I backup this one.

Other than the Inifity, I think the JD40 by jdcarpe deserves an nomination. It seems to have popularized the 40% keyboard, even though others were already creating minimal keyboards.

Wcass's great XTant Model F TKL. Its switches blow away all this newfangled Alps and MX nonsense. And he's preparing a kit for the rest of us too.

matt3o wrote: ↑easily accessible DIY ALPS+MX keyboard.

Link leads to registration barrier!

Add this to the end of any of their URLs: ?mode=guest_open

I won't trust the guys until they quit that shit.

Im just going to out and say it...the 62 key Kishsaver. Yes, the keyboard was not released...but the xwhatsit controller that made the boards useable to us was released in the timeframe.

Maybe the FaceU, although it has its problems in hardware/quality it has brought many people (including me) into the 60%/Custom keyboard world. Meanwhile the GH60 still wasn't shipped.

I don't remember when it first came out, but the minila air is a fine small BT keyboard.

Last year. I think I nominated it back then. Definitely remember nominating Filco for its rapid progress on Minila and Minila Air that year.

Muirium wrote: ↑I won't trust the guys until they quit that shit.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who finds MassDrop's registration barrier particularly obnoxious. And stupid, as it blocks me from actually seeing any of the other products that get mentioned — way to undermine their own advertising.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑

Muirium wrote: ↑I won't trust the guys until they quit that shit.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who finds MassDrop's registration barrier particularly obnoxious. And stupid, as it blocks me from actually seeing any of the other products that get mentioned — way to undermine their own advertising.

that goes to the Ping!

The Smart 68 keyboard
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61714.0
For it's hot swapping switches chance

Nice one. I didn't see it until now. The prototype looks… well… like $300 of custom keyboard! Good ideas in an excellent case.

Does the Matias 60% Group Buy count? You can order it, but they predict 8-18 month ship time. If it does, I'll nominate it for its interesting approach to the bottom row.

matt3o wrote: ↑I don't remember when it first came out, but the minila air is a fine small BT keyboard.

2013, it was nominated last year.

bhtooefr wrote: ↑Does the Matias 60% Group Buy count? You can order it, but they predict 8-18 month ship time. If it does, I'll nominate it for its interesting approach to the bottom row.

Better wait till next year, as it isn't even in production yet.

KUL ES-87 as a quality alternative to Filco MJ2.

Would samwisekoi's GH36 count? Prototypes are currently in testing. It's a DIY keypad, but two of them can be used as a compact ergonomic keyboard.

Also, Noppoo nano75-s. Remappable 70% layout, compatible with aftermarket keysets.

IBM F77. It's like an IBM Model F TKL. Made usable by Xwhatsit's Controller.

Try Best vintage keyboard.

Duck Viper for the best MX adaption of the mighty HHKB B-)

http://www.hardcoreware.net/kul-es-87-review/
http://www.keyeduplabs.com/es-87.html

pasph wrote: ↑The Smart 68 keyboard
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61714.0
For it's hot swapping switches chance

I like this one. I only discovered it today while browsing the Massdrop site. But is it going to go into production?

matt3o wrote: ↑The infinity keyboard by Massdrop. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/infinity-k ... guest_open

easily accessible DIY ALPS+MX keyboard.

I like this, and it is going to be produced. In fact, I hope that there will be a second Drop -- it certainly has enough votes.

I nominate the TEX Yoda. That thing is from 2014 right?

Let’s bring back trackpoints everyone.

Hypersphere wrote:

pasph wrote: ↑The Smart 68 keyboard
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61714.0
For it's hot swapping switches chance

I like this one. I only discovered it today while browsing the Massdrop site. But is it going to go into production?

They have made a GB in China but the factory that has produced those doesn't exist anymore so they have to find another one

elecplus wrote: ↑http://www.hardcoreware.net/kul-es-87-review/
http://www.keyeduplabs.com/es-87.html

I agree. The KUL ES-87 deserves a nomination for having up'ed the standard by offering Cherry MX Clear switches and additional keycaps for those who want to swap Caps Lock and Control, etc.

pasph wrote: ↑

Hypersphere wrote:

pasph wrote: ↑The Smart 68 keyboard
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61714.0
For it's hot swapping switches chance

I like this one. I only discovered it today while browsing the Massdrop site. But is it going to go into production?

They have made a GB in China but the factory that has produced those doesn't exist anymore so they have to find another one

If it hasn't been released yet I'm gonna have to disqualify it.

Matias Secure Pro launched 2014-01-08, so I'm nominating it. Mechanical and wireless! (Although it's one I won't be voting for, because of the damn Quiet switches.)

And the Yoda does qualify - group buy started 2014-02-12, shipped 2014-05-23, it appears.