[Call for nominees] Best keyboard company or brand 2012

[webwit]

Please suggest nominees for the Best keyboard company or brand in 2012. You have to give a short motivation for each suggestion. Can also be a shop selling keyboards, or a vintage brand which was hot in 2012. This is the commercial category.

Current suggestions (this list is frequently updated):

Matias
Cherry UK
7bit productions
Silent rig
Phantom
Signature Plastics
WASD keyboards

[trax]

I would vote for WASDKeyboards but that would be because of their plans they have for 2013...

So for 2012 I vote for Matias because they made a great new keyboard and have their own switches now. Based on the ALPS that I wish where more popular.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Matias. I haven't tried their switch, and for all I know it might suck (but all the evidence is that Matias got it spot on), but it takes guts to manufacture a new switch, and that's the sort of innovation and dedication that I want to see in the keyboard industry. Not only that, but their willingness to allow others to use the switch in rival products is very generous as well.

[pasph]

Matias the rebirth (or revenge) of Alps, the only real new switch

[Ascaii]

Cherry UK, especially Robin, for being a real asset to the community and taking time to talk to us keyboardheads.

[dirge]

Robin from Cherry contributing here was one of my highlights.

[fossala]

7bit...

[Jim66]

Robin from Cherry contributing here was one of my highlights.

He should go into the best community contributors category.

[Ekaros]

http://www.silentrig.com/

I suppouse even if I have not have had means to use their service, the ammount of products they have bring to market is great.

[4LI4Z]

Matias for reviving Alps.

[7bit]

Phantom.

[Halverson]

Matias for bringing alps back, yup.

[webwit]

Signature Plastics for continuing to serve, and for this cool tour:
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t4216.html

[Acanthophis]

WASD keyboards.
I like their (or Weyman's) customer services, customisable keycap layout, listening to customers (WASD v2 will be a blast), and overall presentation of this young company.