Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial
Behind the scenes #177
Keyboard projects, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, new vendors and discount codes!
Published October 24, 2024
Hey, what's up everyone!
Welcome back for another weekly recap and behind-the-scenes write-up.
If you are new to kbd.news, you can read how this started out and what this is all about nowadays. If you like what you see, subscribe to the newsletter (free) and donate some bucks to keep this otherwise free and ad-free project alive.
Some posts worth sharing
- Lilith and Lilin are two LEGO-compatible keyboard models by KBDcraft, working together or on their own. In my review I built the combined layout.
- Reeve shared a nice wireless split keyboard: the 26-key pueo.
- The 34-key wireless split Neko is a modified Chocofi, created by Alwi Muhammad.
- Karma is a wireless-first low-profile split keyboard, shared by Achyudh Ram.
- Dan Biba's Biba40 is a wireless split ortho.
- A 36-key ortholinear split keyboard called 1984, created by Dilshod Temirkhodjaev.
- Tien Pham shared his Form Neo, a relatively low-profile monoblock keyboard.
- Protieusz shared another double-trackball keyboard design: the Q-Ballz.
- Not a keyboard, but a potential companion to one: Ploopy Trackpad.
TIPS
- Custom magnetic Ferris Sweep case.
- typingbowl is a minimalistic competitive typing race website, created by S_Jack_Frost.
Hey Reddit, I've been working on this website that last few weeks and thought some of you might find it fun or useful. I've really enjoyed the fun of racing others on websites like typeracer, but also really enjoyed the simple UI of sites like monkeytype.. so I thought I'd combine the two aspects! – Jack.
- Trevor Flowers of transmutable is making miniature retrocomputers with functioning keyboards. E.g. this 1:3 scale of the VT100, a classic terminal from the 70s:
Closed-source, WIP, etc.
- Inspired by a vintage typewriter – the Monpti btw – created by RatoUnit.
A few weeks ago I saw a vintage typewriter and wished there was a keyboard like it. So I made one – RatoUnit.
- Jarne Blade by jthlim.
Inspired by the mikefive; I wanted to adapt the Jarne, which is already a low profile keyboard, to use Kailh pg1316 switches. The final result: a 5.4mm tall build, which includes the height of the rubber feet at the bottom – jthlim.
- Node by AmPi Studio. A 36-key wireless split in a black aluminum case. Powered by ZMK.
- Onigiri (IC) – A HHKB-inspired low-profile wireless keyboard.
- Enter30 (IC) – based on weteor's QAZ.
- A low-pro ortho split for on-the-go use:
The key idea is that when snapped together, the two halves of the keeb form its own case so no cases are needed. Additionally, I'm able to get two of this 500mah battery into each half, giving them months of battery life even without the dongle – Palpatine.
- The doki by New-Concentrate.
This is my first custom ergo keyboard. This is meant to be an all in one keyboard with everything that I can dream of in a nice package and with GASKETTSS !!!
- Credit card sized macropad by Ziddy.
- Leaf Fold is marcus_wu's ultra-portable folding keyboard, inspired by mikefive.
- A 40 percent ortho based around a pi40 with RAMA keycaps, a 3D printed top plate, and a few magnets stuck to it to hold the pencil. Posted by edwardianpug.
Weekly Diderot-effect
- Customizable artisan trays by mar_mech.
Keyboard art
- Macro shots of Werk One.
- Custom Mason60:
- Hacker split ergo with trackball from the 1995 movie Fair Play. Posted by VladStark.
- Gift keyboard, Rain2's 12th project'.
The core of the design is the cross, which can represent many themes. I just randomly chose a theme: a gift box – Rain2.
- This artwork by Lola Dupre was posted by Cheeky_postman.
…and made Probably_daydreaming to react with this boy:
Glyphica giveaway
I chose one random winner from the Twitter commenters and one from those who contacted me by email. Congrats DonKyu and Martin. Steam codes sent, have fun! Thanks for participating.
FYI, we are talking about free Steam keys for the Glyphica: Typing Survival, offered by co-publisher Ryan.
And thank you all for all the messages and kind words. I received a bunch of emails praising kbd.news and myself. :) I'd like you to know that I really appreciate every single message even if I wasn't able to respond to all of them.
In the mailbox
I received a YU01 from Akko (EU / US). I'm not really into RGB, but have to admit that this full resin board does its lighting thing extremely well. Practically, the whole board is a huge diffuser.
Donations
- No new donors this time.
- As always, many thanks to my awesome regular supporters and everyone who helped this project thus far.
For all the donation options check out the donation page!
Meetup database
Upcoming meetups
- MYMK Meetup 2024, October 27, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
- Spookeys - Mechanical Keyboard Meetup, October 27, Ottawa, Canada
Recently added
- Keyboards Hawaii - Winter 2024 Meetup, November 30, Honolulu, HI, US
As always, this meetup database serves as both a calendar and an archive, so feel free to send me upcoming events or even ones from the recent past to make this collection as comprehensive as possible.
Vendors & Discounts
Feel free to use the KBDNEWS discount code at 162 keyboard shops! And do not hesitate to report any issues.
New shops and updates to the database of keyboard vendors this past two weeks:
- Titan Nation (CN) added, and Nathan offered you a 10% discount with the KBDNEWS coupon code (min. $10, one use per customer). Thanks!
- Noir Gear added.
- Space Cables and Work Louder warnings.
- TheKeyCompany is closed now.
Developments
I've been working a lot on the standardization/normalization of the sales data and rankings as a plan B for an aggregated top list. The first ideas came from Pupsino and ProfNugget, thank you guys.
I tried to come up with a system handling the very heterogeneous data, rewarding lists including sales volumes, while also incorporating simple rankings of various lenght… :)
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That's all for today. Thanks for checking by. As always: Keep learning and building!
Until next time,
Tamás
Published on Thu 24th Oct 2024. Featured in KBD #177.
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