108UG-HiPro: Spherical keycap REALFORCE announced

[002]

'hasu' has kindly pointed out this press release for the 108UG-HiPro, a spherical keycap Realforce board slated for December this year: http://www.gdm.or.jp/pressrelease/201209/01_kore01.html

Uniform 45g, 108key JIS layout, black enclosure with dark grey keycaps.

I wonder if it will have these switches (left):

[webwit]

I'm not familiar with the Topre switch on the left, but if it is like before, Topre will just put some different pieces of plastic on the same old boards, and sell these as special for special prices.

[002]

A special price indeed - 282 Euros
The switches on the left are from the Nissho keyboard and they're also (presumably) in the JUKI Celavi data entry keyboards.

[fossala]

Do they feel any different/better?

[Icarium]

Like all Topres they feel like rip-off.

[fossala]

I love topres, everytime I use anything else it just feel clunky.

[webwit]

My opinion is that with spherical keycaps, they are just gaming the keyboard nut market, just like with special keycap color editions. And I think spherical keycaps are inferior, because they are less friendly to the fingers. They do force you to hit the key in the center, but when key switches developed and this was no longer necessary, we got better keycaps. This particular retro thing isn't something which is better than the newer stuff.

[002]

I haven't used spherical keycaps before, but I wonder why they would use them for a data entry keyboard like the Juki Celavi if their ergonomics are shit?
I got a quote for a Juki and it was going to cost me 150,000 yen (1500 EUR)

[Limmy]

I hope the new ones use better plastic more suited for friction. The current material for slider housing is ABS, which is not great material where friction is of concern.

Also, I saw a similar keyboard from photos of Realforce event in Korea.
http://www.kbdmania.net/xe/2061297 (5th pic)
http://www.kbdmania.net/xe/2062577 (3rd pic)
The keyboard is described as a keyboard for fast typing.

[dirge]

That's really nice! Love the sphericals.

[002]

Great pics, Limmy
Another pic of the infamous Red Alert keycaps to drool over

[forcefollow]

been following this thread for a while now

any words on hipro series with layout other than JIS?

geez, the 30g actuation force on my 104pro only does little remedy to justify its purchase and, how interkx seems so tempting now....

btw, 002, did you get the celavi yet? any chance of lowering the price if more ordered? :p

[002]

I seriously doubt they'd go any lower and the price is atrocious.
I settled for the Nissho KB106DE instead: http://deskthority.net/wiki/Nissho_KB106DE

[forcefollow]

ah, congrats then..does the design of the plunger lessens the keycaps wobbling significantly? and does the plunder interchangeable with ordinary realforce board? that would be my only two points of justifying hipro purchase at this point. The case is.. well, so 104pro-ish


Speaking of price, I almost choked on epson interkx price quote (stock surplus) of 65,000 yen, I was anticipating 30-something.

sometimes I don't really understand why they don't lower the price for a discontinued item they have a stock surplus

[002]

does the design of the plunger lessens the keycaps wobbling significantly?

Not really actually which surprised me. The keys are all aligned straight on the board but there's quite a bit of play on them

does the plunder interchangeable with ordinary realforce board?

If you're talking about the keycaps, yes. The plunger itself, not sure but im guessing yes to that as well.

[bhtooefr]

My opinion is that with spherical keycaps, they are just gaming the keyboard nut market, just like with special keycap color editions. And I think spherical keycaps are inferior, because they are less friendly to the fingers. They do force you to hit the key in the center, but when key switches developed and this was no longer necessary, we got better keycaps. This particular retro thing isn't something which is better than the newer stuff.

Eh, it's a personal preference thing, just like anything else.

Cylindricals are probably a little faster, but I prefer the feel of good sphericals.

Note that I said good sphericals, not these wimpy things.

[forcefollow]

@bhtooefr: compared to those vintage I've seen, yes, these topre caps looks wimpy

care to point out some keyboard with good spherical caps? I'm looking at getting some 'true' vintages, i.e. those without known mods to work on modern computers.

does the design of the plunger lessens the keycaps wobbling significantly?

Not really actually which surprised me. The keys are all aligned straight on the board but there's quite a bit of play on them

does the plunder interchangeable with ordinary realforce board?

If you're talking about the keycaps, yes. The plunger itself, not sure but im guessing yes to that as well.

ah. yes, I mean plunger :p

too bad still some play on it.. well, if they ever make hipro in another layout I might get one

[bhtooefr]

The only truly good ones I've used are the ones on beam springs (insane amounts of dishing), although the Selectric ones aren't bad.

[HaaTa]

So, I've had a chance to try one in Akihabara...

I like it, will be buying once I finish biking from Kagoshima to Hokkaido.

Cheapest I saw was about ￥23000. Fortunately the yen is near parity right now.

[002]

Nice man - thought you'd go with the 104 version?
That display model looks grubby as hell

[hasu]

amazon.co.jp usually has the cheapest price tag, 19,690yen. 104 is available only in Korea? I've never found it here.

Haata, you can use my address as shipping destination and pick up them from my house just before return flight. Let me know if you want.

Have a nice trip!

[Muirium]

Biking the length of Japan and picking up a HiPro! That's the way to do it. And to think most people squander their holidays lounging at the beach.

[guilleguillaume]

amazon.co.jp usually has the cheapest price tag, 19,690yen. 104 is available only in Korea? I've never found it here.

Haata, you can use my address as shipping destination and pick up them from my house just before return flight. Let me know if you want.

Have a nice trip!

That's really nice of you hasu! It's a pleasure to see members helping each other.

[HaaTa]

Thanks hasu! I may do that

I'm actually making a mini-trip to South Korea in a week or so. Any knowledge on where to find keyboards in South Korea? (I can go pretty much anywhere, since I haven't planned much of this trip).

[Muirium]

Leopold has a shop in Seoul. Their Topre board makes them suddenly most interesting. Other city (keyboarding) highlights discussed here.