Unicomp Mini M is available again.

[Falkenroth]

I was visiting Unicomp's website today and the Mini M is available again for those that have been waiting for it.

"PRODUCT UPDATE! It's back! New and revitalized! After several months of being without a controller, we now have a significant inventory of Mini M piece parts and we are ready to fulfill orders!"

Sorry if this has been said already somewhere on the forums.

[JCMax]

That is AWESOME news!!! Now if I just hadn't blown my budget on the Apex Pro...

[JCMax]

That is AWESOME news!!! Now if I just hadn't blown my budget on the Apex Pro...

Just to be clear, that is still not going to stop me for buying it.

[inozenz]

there is just one thing i can say about the mini m, its totally worth it!

[JP!]

I recently ordered mine and it arrived within 2 days. Even with the price bump you do get an updated controller at least.

[stormcrash]

Now to just cross my fingers for a beige (Pearl/Pebble) version of the Mini M and New M

[Falkenroth]

I ordered another one this morning and few hours later they gave me shipping confirmation. They must have a few already made and ready to go.

Don't know what I need another one for but oh well. Went with all gray keys on this one.

[apastuszak]

I really wish they'd make these things flashable. I know the Raspberry Pi Pico design makes them flashable, but you need to open the case up to get to the button. It would be nice if they put a button somwhere easier to get to that you push in with a paperclip.

I ordered the mini-M as soon as Unicomp released it. I used it for 2 months. Then I really missed the numpad and went back to the New Model M.

But my serial number is 99. So, I keep it around for that.

[Muirium]

Then I really missed the numpad and went back

Miss it? How can you miss it? It’s right there where you reach for your mouse, and it’s bloody huge!

Oh, wait, I misunderstood. You reached for the numpad but hit the alpha block over on your plain Jane Model M instead. Quite what that was doing there. Must be a left hand mouser, eh?

[apastuszak]

Then I really missed the numpad and went back

Miss it? How can you miss it? It’s right there where you reach for your mouse, and it’s bloody huge!

Oh, wait, I misunderstood. You reached for the numpad but hit the alpha block over on your plain Jane Model M instead. Quite what that was doing there. Must be a left hand mouser, eh?

No. When I use my Mini-M, I miss the numpad. I don't use the numpad very often, but when I want to enter numbers, I want to do it on the numpad.

[Muirium]

Amusingly, out here in the mundane world where numpads are ubiquitous and numeric entry is still sadly common: I encounter regular office staff punching in numbers several times a week, always on the number row. Phone numbers, order numbers, the works: even bar codes! (Even now an unsolved problem.) Do they just do it that way because of my sheer sixty percent energy?

[fohat]

always on the number row.

Not me. I will usually use the number row at the top for a single digit or 2 embedded in text (as with that "2" just now), but for something like a telephone number I would never dream of trying to find it all up there. My ability to touch type does not reliably extend up to that row, while I am fast and accurate on the numpad.

[stormcrash]

Amusingly, out here in the mundane world where numpads are ubiquitous and numeric entry is still sadly common: I encounter regular office staff punching in numbers several times a week, always on the number row. Phone numbers, order numbers, the works: even bar codes! (Even now an unsolved problem.) Do they just do it that way because of my sheer sixty percent energy?

Older office/data entry types would do that for two reasons, either a carry over from typewriter use or on very old systems with keyboards before the M 101 layout where Num Lock was often turned off so you could use the arrow keys on the numpad

Growing up I remember being annoyed and confused a few times when I found the Num Lock turned off after my dad had used the computer. He didn't do it often but in certain types of use he still felt trained to use the numpad cursor keys instead of the dedicated keys

[Muirium]

Yeah, I too remember the Num Lock wars. But that was a long, long time ago. That generation retired already.

No, it’s the young folk I deal with who are the least likely to even notice the numpad sitting over to their right, let alone use it. Teens and twenty somethings: ironically, these ones learned to type on their ‘phones.’

You can tell, actually, when they do pull one out and get cracking away on a touchscreen. Suddenly they type faster, admittedly mostly with still just two digits: whether forefingers or thumbs. I’m impressed just how quickly the true speed champions go when they’ve an iPad laid down in front of them and go at it old school; especially because that’s my own worst medium! But they’re rare, most folks now do all their own typing on something pocketable. We live in an age of mass text entry but on tiny tiny touchscreens.

Well, for now.

[fohat]

to type on their ‘phones.’

that’s my own worst medium!

Amen.

I am hopeless with my clumsy fat fingers, BESIDES the fact that I can't see a tiny screen anyway.

Also, my skin tends to be dry, and the capacitance of my fingertips, or whatever it is, makes it seem that the phone screen is unable to ascertain that I am there. I often need to touch a mark or symbol half a dozen times before it "takes" ....

[Muirium]

iPads specifically are my worst medium. Lay one down and jab at it with all 10 fingers, and I'll get a few words out at decent speed before jkl; yuixxo 7879ppxzs dds and Much Delete kicks in. My fingers want to believe it's a real keyboard. Bad news: it really isn't!

I type on phones quite a bit, much more effectively, because they are so different to typing typing. I peck with an ever varying combination of both thumbs and forefingers, supporting the phone with the other fingers while I do. My accuracy is pretty good, certainly far ahead of going at it full-touchscreen-keyboard / iPad style. But it's obviously not as fluid or as quick as the real thing, merely ubiquitous.