NovaTouch TKL Community Tour

[jou]

I also always swap caps lock with control and leave control alone:

Screen Shot 2015-06-15 at 19.01.15.png (94.34 KiB) Viewed 10583 times

On keyboards with two modifiers each side next to the space bar, my mapping is:

• CAPS => LCTRL
• LCTRL => LALT
• ALT => GUI (both left and right)
• RCTRL => RCTRL

I mostly alt mostly for moving the cursor word wise or to enter umlaut (Alt+U to get a Umlaut dead key), which makes it okay to have it only on the left side.

[Spikebolt]

Nah. I hit Command hundreds of times a day. Its location either side of the spacebar is vital, and I reach for it there automatically. Alt and especially Control just aren't as important on the Mac.

Besides: thumb power! Chording with your pinkies is awkward to say the least.

I guess to me is just natural because I never learned to touch type properly and use the "D" as my homing key

Doesn't sound very good when said out loud.

[jou]

The NovaTouch is now on its way to Eszett. When I brought the package over to Germany to send out, the German customs agent was very confused when I told him that the keyboard was on loan ("why would you borrow a keyboard?")…

Thanks again CM Bram the opportunity to try such a nice keyboard!

[Bramster]

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[Bramster]

Hello there from Southern California, I will definitely sign up and seeing as there is another individual interested in the Los Angeles area, I hope this garners more of a chance

I have my hopes in more widespread discussion of this board and topre key switches in general. All in the eternal search for the keyboard(s) we all crave.

Added to the list!

[Bramster]

The NovaTouch is now on its way to Eszett. When I brought the package over to Germany to send out, the German customs agent was very confused when I told him that the keyboard was on loan ("why would you borrow a keyboard?")…

Thanks again CM Bram the opportunity to try such a nice keyboard!

Thanks Jou! Very nice impression and you are more then welcome! Hope you enjoyed it !

Lolled @ the German Customs

[Eszett]

The NovaTouch arrived today. I will not keep it for long, I'll write a short review and then journey onwards ...

[Eszett]

I asked Nuum via PM for his address ... So the parcel can continue it's journey.

Some words abit my typing experience with the NovaTouch. I was delighted by it's simple yet elegant look. A classsic 87 key ANSI TKL design, minimal case design, minimal labeling, an unobtrusive look far away from a childs toy. I like it that way. Typing was a breeze, the 45g actuation force is quite light, the feel reminds me far to MX reds. But the touch is more smooth. My personal judgement here is ambivalent. On one hand, the NovaTouch allows very accurate and fast typing without finger fatigue. My WPM rating has increased from 85 to 95 WPM. On the other hand, I am coming from MX blues, and I miss the tactility. So as conclusion I would say if you like MX reds or MX blacks, you have to get your hands on a NovaTouch! If not, stay with your clicky or tactile switches. The typing sound is hard to describe, apart from the bottom out sound, there is a barely hearable "thock", deeper than most other switches I listened to. A comparision to other Topre keyboards (RealForce, HHKB) I cannot deliver. Sorry, I have never typed on one of those ... Overall a really impressive TKL! Thanks to CM Bram for the opportunity to experience this product. Journey onward.

[wlhlm]

Thank you for your impessions. Did you try different keycaps on it? If so, how did the typing experience change for you?

(also, did you try it with Cherry caps? )

[Eszett]

I was mainly interested in the switches, so I've used the delivered keycap set, and didn't change anything.

[Bramster]

Thanks for your impressions Eszett ! Nice that different uses and tests are being done with it! Thanks again and on to the next one !!!

[Eszett]

Nuum, please answer on my PM... Update: Alright, he answered now.

[Bramster]

So its on the way to the next person ?

[Eszett]

Yes, the parcel is on it's way to the next person, which is Nuum.

[Nuum]

The Novatouch just arrived, thank you for the opportunity and also thanks to Eszett. I'm typing on it right now, so far it feels quite nice, maybe a tad too heavy, but time will tell. It also sounds a bit rattly, but I don't have a Topre board to compare it to.

[Nuum]

I've compared the Novatouch/Topre switches to a few others and I noticed that the force curve is almost the same as the one from Mitsumi miniature mechanical switches. The Mitsumi switches are a bit more tactile and much more scratchy, maybe lube would help.

So far I really like the smoothness of the switches, but the sound when the switch resets and hits the top housing is a bit irritating. Also it feels like a super premium rubberdome to me, which it kinda is; I'm not sure if I like that. I discovered also that I can quite easily touch type German on this ANSI keyboard.
I'll try playing some games with this keyboard later today.

[Bramster]

Nice to read your first thought Nuum, enjoyed it a bit more over the days since?

[Madhias]

Yeah, I am the next one!

[Eszett]

Also it feels like a super premium rubberdome to me

"+1", as to employ this facebook lingo lapidary commentary.

[Madhias]

Also it feels like a super premium rubberdome to me, which it kinda is; I'm not sure if I like that.

Topre! I love it. I am really curious about the NovaTouch then, since I love my Realforce (actually most of all keyboards I use).

[Bramster]

Already in your possession for the weekend Madhias?

[Nuum]

Sorry for the late answer, I was a bit busy the last few days. I've asked him for his address, but no answer so far.

I've come to like the feel of the switches quite much, they have a nice tactility and smoothness. I've not tried other keycaps on it, but the stock caps aren't that bad. I've seen much worse ABS keycaps. The rubber dome is still bugging me a little bit, even if it will not wear for the next ten to twenty years. For now I don't have the money to buy one, but maybe I'll give it a try again later.

[Madhias]

Already in your possession for the weekend Madhias?

Not yet! But looking forward and it should be the perfect time, since I also could try then the Round 5 caps on the board.

Sorry for the late answer, I was a bit busy the last few days. I've asked him for his address, but no answer so far.

Answered a day later, there are some days I am not that much online or on DT

But we already spoke and I should get the keyboard next week.

[Bramster]

Very good guys! The NovaTouch TKL has left Germany and is to Austria! Has it arrived Madhias? And how are the impressions of it?

Or is it on its way to the next already?

[Madhias]

I did not get it until now, hoping to get it this week.

[Nuum]

I'm very sorry, I haven't shipped it yet! We had a race last week in Silverstone and I've been very, very busy preparing it. I'll definitely ship it this week, most likely tomorrow. Sorry again!

[Bramster]

Do you guys actually usually send between oneanother with tracking numbers or without?

[Madhias]

Usually with tracking, at least it costs almost nothing more for me. Every package is tracked, letters not.

I'm very sorry, I haven't shipped it yet! We had a race last week in Silverstone and I've been very, very busy preparing it. I'll definitely ship it this week, most likely tomorrow. Sorry again!

For me it is absolutely no problem, take your time! For the tour it will be not that much later then, I would say.

[Nuum]

Shipped, sorry for the delay! I've given Madhias the tracking number.

[acolombo]

I'm very sorry, I haven't shipped it yet! We had a race last week in Silverstone and I've been very, very busy preparing it. I'll definitely ship it this week, most likely tomorrow. Sorry again!

Silverstone? Race? O.O what do you do? I'm totally interested, please tell us more