Best space-saving or compact keyboard 2014

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webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2014, 20:55

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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

IanM

22 Nov 2014, 02:43

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

User avatar
matt3o
-[°_°]-

22 Nov 2014, 09:28

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

easily accessible DIY ALPS+MX keyboard.
Last edited by matt3o on 22 Nov 2014, 11:40, edited 1 time in total.

JackMills

22 Nov 2014, 10:57

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.

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Muirium
µ

22 Nov 2014, 11:00

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.

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webwit
Wild Duck

22 Nov 2014, 11:32

matt3o wrote: easily accessible DIY ALPS+MX keyboard.
Link leads to registration barrier! :roll:

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Muirium
µ

22 Nov 2014, 11:39

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

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

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Ascaii
The Beard

22 Nov 2014, 11:42

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.

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Nuum

22 Nov 2014, 13:26

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.

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

22 Nov 2014, 13:28

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

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Muirium
µ

22 Nov 2014, 13:29

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

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Daniel Beardsmore

22 Nov 2014, 13:48

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.

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

22 Nov 2014, 13:58

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!

pasph

22 Nov 2014, 18:43

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

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Muirium
µ

22 Nov 2014, 19:08

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

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bhtooefr

22 Nov 2014, 19:25

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.

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webwit
Wild Duck

22 Nov 2014, 21:00

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.

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webwit
Wild Duck

22 Nov 2014, 21:03

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.

davkol

22 Nov 2014, 21:42

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.

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Hypersphere

22 Nov 2014, 21:55

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

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webwit
Wild Duck

22 Nov 2014, 22:08

Try Best vintage keyboard.

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bazh

22 Nov 2014, 23:13

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

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User avatar
Hypersphere

23 Nov 2014, 01:46

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?

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Hypersphere

23 Nov 2014, 01:48

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.

jacobolus

23 Nov 2014, 07:37

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

Let’s bring back trackpoints everyone.

pasph

23 Nov 2014, 09:54

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

Findecanor

23 Nov 2014, 13:44

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.

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webwit
Wild Duck

23 Nov 2014, 14:02

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.

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bhtooefr

23 Nov 2014, 15:22

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.

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