Dongguan Gaote and Matias

Daniel Beardsmore · 08 Mar 2014, 01:33

I was having a dig to see if I could find the website for Donjuan Goatse electronics, responsible for what appears to be a new Cherry MX clone switch:

[wiki]Gaote Cherry MX clone[/wiki]

(Details are from Deskthority member imQi)

I found this:

http://www.hktdc.com/manufacturers-supp ... /1X07UB30/

I spy, with my little eye …

Matias switches and a Matias keyboard. I don't know if there's some sort of deal where Dongguan are allowed to sell it unbranded in China? Strong Man's website depicted the keyboards they were selling Filco, but not Filco branded.

Interestingly, the Cherry MX clones depicted aren't the same as the ones imQi found, though imQi did note on the wiki that Dongguan also make Alps mount switches, but didn't give any further details. The MX clones are shown as branded, but not a recognisable brand.

(Corrected half-written and nonsensical sentences.)

Muirium · 08 Mar 2014, 01:49

Lolita Goatse!

http://www.weistang.com/thread-24-1-1.html

What a name. And it's not even a 60%. Must be out of high school already…

Daniel Beardsmore · 08 Mar 2014, 02:00

That wouldn't be my first choice of a name for a keyboard either .....

scottc · 08 Mar 2014, 02:05

Muirium wrote:Lolita Goatse! [...] What a name. And it's not even a 60%. Must be out of high school already…

Well that's enough internet for one day...

webwit · 08 Mar 2014, 02:21

Daniel Beardsmore wrote:Matias switches and a Matias keyboard. I don't know if there's some sort of deal where Dongguan are allowed to sell it unbranded in China?

Conspiracy theory time!
What about Matias didn't design that case, but ordered an Alps OEM keyboard with their own switches.

Worse: Matias Switches don't exist, the whole development rap was marketing turning out to be rebranded OEM.

Daniel Beardsmore · 08 Mar 2014, 02:23

The original OEM was Strong Man (TP/TP2), but the Tactile Pro doesn't look anything like a Strong Man design.

Found the website (under Contact Information → More), and here's their switch section:

http://www.cngaote.com/products_list/&p ... 97591.html

Gotta love the black and white photos. Ironically, if that really is Matias's OEM, it makes no difference as the quiet click switch now has a grey slider anyway, just like in the photo! ;-)

Matias · 08 Mar 2014, 07:38

Nice detective work, Daniel.

They are one of our vendors. They do final assembly of the switches. Other factories are involved in making the component parts.

As for the conspiracy theories, believe me, nothing would have made be happier than to be able to buy a good switch off-the-shelf. We found 3 or 4 different ALPS knockoffs and they were all awful. We only did our own out of desperation.

As for the Cherry clones, I think you'll find more companies doing them. Linear switches are very easy to copy. There's not much to them.

7bit · 08 Mar 2014, 10:08

Would be nice to have smooth tactile switches. The tactile ones are a bit scratchy, like Cherry.

Also: A Cherry mount on your switches would be a great, so we can use all the great key caps on them.

Muirium · 08 Mar 2014, 11:45

MX mounts are coming to Topre now in a big way. It is time for key cap liberation!

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/top ... t7076.html

Although if you have news about your own Alps mount caps and stabs, that'd be nice for custom builders too.

Daniel Beardsmore · 08 Mar 2014, 16:06

The big question is this: when Dongguan Gaote sell switches via Alibaba, does Matias get paid a percentage?

(topic renamed for the sake of wiki references ;-)

dorkvader · 08 Mar 2014, 18:36

I found some clones in some keypads a user has asked me to look at, but they don't appear to be kailh or like these.

I'll take some documentation pictures tonight.

wetto · 08 Mar 2014, 22:51

Muirium wrote:Lolita Goatse!

http://www.weistang.com/thread-24-1-1.html

What a name. And it's not even a 60%. Must be out of high school already…

"Buy one of Noppo's new keyboards and you might win a interview with Chris Hansen!"

Jesus, who was the idiot who suggested that name?

Muirium · 08 Mar 2014, 22:59

Looking forward to the side printed version:

Forget "ninja". The new buzzword is "gothic".

davkol · 08 Mar 2014, 23:42

scottc wrote:
Muirium wrote:Lolita Goatse! [...] What a name. And it's not even a 60%. Must be out of high school already…
Well that's enough internet for one day...

I'm twelve years old and what is this?

Muirium · 08 Mar 2014, 23:45

Adjusts tuxedo, finishes martini and walks up to the microphone: "That's what she said."

imQi · 09 Mar 2014, 14:09

Muirium wrote:Lolita Goatse!

http://www.weistang.com/thread-24-1-1.html

What a name. And it's not even a 60%. Must be out of high school already…

some chinese don't like the name either.
the name seems from a net game LOL

Daniel Beardsmore · 06 Apr 2014, 17:10

webwit wrote:Conspiracy theory time!

Indeed! The Matias switches have mysteriously vanished off the Gaote website … (but not from hktdc.com yet)