5 ms·

Qwerkywriter: Typewriter-Inspired Mechanical Keyboard

24 points by bhsiao 11y ago

Luc 11y ago
Not my cup of tea but it seems nicely done, and Stephen Fry likes it so there's that: https://twitter.com/stephenfry/status/643785572419506176 https://twitter.com/stephenfry/status/643785572419506176
DanBC 11y ago
It is beautiful. I'd probably get one if I had the money. > Qwerkywriter's Patent-Pending keycaps features typewriter inspired keycaps. WHAT THE FUCK.
- kybernetyk 11y ago
  Yeah, I certainly have seen similar keycaps before. No idea what's so novel about those particular caps that they need a patent.
  - userbinator 11y ago
    Plenty of prior art if you mean "round old-typewriter-style keycaps on a computer keyboard": http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard-shtml/ http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard-shtml/ A company also sells these (although they're much more expensive than the one in the article): http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/keyboards.htm http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/keyboards.htm
- hollerith 11y ago
  It might not be as bad as it appears. There's something called a design patent which IIUC prevents, e.g., Samsung from selling a tablet computer that looks too much like an iPad.
userbinator 11y ago
It's funny, since the only memory I've had of using an actual mechanical typewriter with that sort of keyboard was the tiringly high actuation force and getting my fingers stuck between the keys... I suppose this wouldn't have the former characteristic though. I think it's odd they chose to include Pause/Break and PrintScreen/SysReq, but omitted the Insert key.
Frenchgeek 11y ago
So, it's a run of the mill wireless keyboard with typewriter-ish keys glued on it ... And the carriage return lever seems to be only for show, it would have been nicer if it actually was a return key...
- scholia 11y ago
  Which run of the mill wireless keyboards have mechanical key switches?
  - kybernetyk 11y ago
    There are quiet a few. For example Matias offers wireless models with Alps key switches. Filco has bluetooth models with Cherry MX switches.
    - yellowapple 11y ago
      I think the point of the parent comment was that mechanical keyboards (except for maybe the junk Razer sells) aren't considered to be "run-of-the-mill" compared to the millions (if not billions) of rubber-domes floating around, and a wireless mechanical keyboard would be particularly far outside the "run-of-the-mill" classification.
- Luc 11y ago
  "Qwerkywriter's Return Bar functions as an ENTER key by default. But it's also programmable, remembering up to 5 characters."
kybernetyk 11y ago
$300 is a little steep. You can get those keycaps that will fit on any cherry MX switch keyboard for $80-$100. Add a TKL keyboard (one without the number block) for $80 and you have your desktop typewriter.
- yitchelle 11y ago
  Agreed. This is really steep for a novelty keyboard. Even a hipster would have to think twice about it at this price.
- falcolas 11y ago
  $300 isn't out of the ordinary, particularly when you throw in a custom metal base and effectively one-off production costs on top of your $200 starting figure. The Ergodox will cost you nearly as much in materials, more pre-assembled.
TheCraiggers 11y ago
> Qwerkywriter is a celebration of those who have chosen the path least traveled, the underdogs, the ones with the impractical college major. This sentence makes me want to go crush the life of something beautiful. So goddamn pretentious and hipster.
- organsnyder 11y ago
  Where have I heard that before... > Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. Oh, right. Those people might have been rebellious in 1984, but they're mainstream today.
bryanlarsen 11y ago
With none of the joys of actually using a mechanical typewriter. Typing on a real mechanical typewriter is really fun, at least until you get tired. You have to put so much force on the keys that your forearms get into it. Stressed? Take out your frustrations on the typewriter. But the best is that carriage return lever -- SLAM! I used to slam that thing so hard that the typewriter would slowly migrate across the desk, and I'd have to readjust it when feeding a new sheet.
- yellowapple 11y ago
  As someone who owns two typewriters (a 1949 Royal Arrow and some electric Smith-Corona that I haven't thoroughly identified yet), I'd love to someday build a typewriter-style computer keyboard that operates by actually smacking electrical contacts, just like how a proper typewriter works. Or perhaps have the levers interact with some photoelectric or Hall-effect sensors instead of relying on direct electrical contact. Whatever the case, it would be fantastic (albeit probably annoying to anyone within a 100-meter radius of my desk :) ).
melling 11y ago
Making a keyboard pretty is not innovative. Making a faster and more ergonomic keyboard is what we need. A few more companies like this, for example: http://shop.keyboard.io http://shop.keyboard.io There are several more efficient keyboard layouts too: http://xahlee.info/kbd/dvorak_and_all_keyboard_layouts.html http://xahlee.info/kbd/dvorak_and_all_keyboard_layouts.html http://patorjk.com/keyboard-layout-analyzer/#/main http://patorjk.com/keyboard-layout-analyzer/#/main Ergonomics is key: https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/the-model-01-an-heirloom-grade-keyboard-for-serious-typists/ https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/the-model-01-an-heir...
TheGrimDerp1 11y ago
Are the caps change-able? need me that sweet sweet Dvorak
thechanceg 11y ago
What is that to the right of the keyboard on the third slide in the top banner area? Is that some kind of mouse?
- sleighboy 11y ago
  Evoluent Vertical Mouse. They edited out its' bright glowing logo from that shot which is at the bottom on the rear of it.

24 points by bhsiao 11y ago

Luc 11y ago

Not my cup of tea but it seems nicely done, and Stephen Fry likes it so there's that: https://twitter.com/stephenfry/status/643785572419506176 https://twitter.com/stephenfry/status/643785572419506176

DanBC 11y ago

It is beautiful. I'd probably get one if I had the money. > Qwerkywriter's Patent-Pending keycaps features typewriter inspired keycaps. WHAT THE FUCK.

kybernetyk 11y ago
Yeah, I certainly have seen similar keycaps before. No idea what's so novel about those particular caps that they need a patent.
- userbinator 11y ago
  Plenty of prior art if you mean "round old-typewriter-style keycaps on a computer keyboard": http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard-shtml/ http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard-shtml/ A company also sells these (although they're much more expensive than the one in the article): http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/keyboards.htm http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/keyboards.htm
hollerith 11y ago
It might not be as bad as it appears. There's something called a design patent which IIUC prevents, e.g., Samsung from selling a tablet computer that looks too much like an iPad.

userbinator 11y ago

It's funny, since the only memory I've had of using an actual mechanical typewriter with that sort of keyboard was the tiringly high actuation force and getting my fingers stuck between the keys... I suppose this wouldn't have the former characteristic though. I think it's odd they chose to include Pause/Break and PrintScreen/SysReq, but omitted the Insert key.

Frenchgeek 11y ago

So, it's a run of the mill wireless keyboard with typewriter-ish keys glued on it ... And the carriage return lever seems to be only for show, it would have been nicer if it actually was a return key...

scholia 11y ago
Which run of the mill wireless keyboards have mechanical key switches?
- kybernetyk 11y ago
  There are quiet a few. For example Matias offers wireless models with Alps key switches. Filco has bluetooth models with Cherry MX switches.
  - yellowapple 11y ago
    I think the point of the parent comment was that mechanical keyboards (except for maybe the junk Razer sells) aren't considered to be "run-of-the-mill" compared to the millions (if not billions) of rubber-domes floating around, and a wireless mechanical keyboard would be particularly far outside the "run-of-the-mill" classification.
Luc 11y ago
"Qwerkywriter's Return Bar functions as an ENTER key by default. But it's also programmable, remembering up to 5 characters."

kybernetyk 11y ago

$300 is a little steep. You can get those keycaps that will fit on any cherry MX switch keyboard for $80-$100. Add a TKL keyboard (one without the number block) for $80 and you have your desktop typewriter.

yitchelle 11y ago
Agreed. This is really steep for a novelty keyboard. Even a hipster would have to think twice about it at this price.
falcolas 11y ago
$300 isn't out of the ordinary, particularly when you throw in a custom metal base and effectively one-off production costs on top of your $200 starting figure. The Ergodox will cost you nearly as much in materials, more pre-assembled.

TheCraiggers 11y ago

> Qwerkywriter is a celebration of those who have chosen the path least traveled, the underdogs, the ones with the impractical college major. This sentence makes me want to go crush the life of something beautiful. So goddamn pretentious and hipster.

organsnyder 11y ago
Where have I heard that before... > Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. Oh, right. Those people might have been rebellious in 1984, but they're mainstream today.

bryanlarsen 11y ago

With none of the joys of actually using a mechanical typewriter. Typing on a real mechanical typewriter is really fun, at least until you get tired. You have to put so much force on the keys that your forearms get into it. Stressed? Take out your frustrations on the typewriter. But the best is that carriage return lever -- SLAM! I used to slam that thing so hard that the typewriter would slowly migrate across the desk, and I'd have to readjust it when feeding a new sheet.

yellowapple 11y ago
As someone who owns two typewriters (a 1949 Royal Arrow and some electric Smith-Corona that I haven't thoroughly identified yet), I'd love to someday build a typewriter-style computer keyboard that operates by actually smacking electrical contacts, just like how a proper typewriter works. Or perhaps have the levers interact with some photoelectric or Hall-effect sensors instead of relying on direct electrical contact. Whatever the case, it would be fantastic (albeit probably annoying to anyone within a 100-meter radius of my desk :) ).

melling 11y ago

Making a keyboard pretty is not innovative. Making a faster and more ergonomic keyboard is what we need. A few more companies like this, for example: http://shop.keyboard.io http://shop.keyboard.io There are several more efficient keyboard layouts too: http://xahlee.info/kbd/dvorak_and_all_keyboard_layouts.html http://xahlee.info/kbd/dvorak_and_all_keyboard_layouts.html http://patorjk.com/keyboard-layout-analyzer/#/main http://patorjk.com/keyboard-layout-analyzer/#/main Ergonomics is key: https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/the-model-01-an-heirloom-grade-keyboard-for-serious-typists/ https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/the-model-01-an-heir...

TheGrimDerp1 11y ago

Are the caps change-able? need me that sweet sweet Dvorak

thechanceg 11y ago

What is that to the right of the keyboard on the third slide in the top banner area? Is that some kind of mouse?

sleighboy 11y ago
Evoluent Vertical Mouse. They edited out its' bright glowing logo from that shot which is at the bottom on the rear of it.