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Best space-saving/compact keyboard 2013

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 01:52
by webwit
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Please suggest nominees for the Best space-saving/tenkeyless/compact keyboard or keyboard family in 2013. You have to give a short motivation for each suggestion. It is not a requirement that the keyboard was released in 2013. If you think a vintage keyboard was the best, you can suggest it.

Current suggestions (this list is frequently updated):
  • Ne0phyte's 40% Tiny Hacking Keyboard
  • PJE's 20% OneHand chording keyboard
  • IBM industrial SSK
  • Ducky Nordic Mini
  • Filco Minila Air
  • jdcarpe's 40%
  • IBM "Kishsaver"
  • Ducky Mini v2
  • Code Keyboard TKL
  • WASD V2 TKL
  • Photekq TEK-80
  • HHKB Pro 2
  • Access-IS AKC090
  • Matias Mini Tactile Pro

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 02:01
by Muirium
If homemade custom boards are eligible, then I nominate Ne0phyte's 40% Tiny Hacking Keyboard:
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A fine minimalist take of the already fine and minimal original! Less, less, less is more.

Even more minimalist and inventive is PJE's 20% OneHand chording keyboard:
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Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 09:46
by tinnie
IBM industrial SSK.

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 13:02
by Ekaros
Ducky Nordic's Mini... One of the first commercial ISO mini-keyboards...

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 13:05
by matt3o
as much as I hate that keyboard, the Filco Minila Air is a great news in the keyboard panorama (compact layout+wireless).

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 13:11
by 7bit
Even though it is from over at GH:
jdcarpe's 40%:
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:o

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 13:13
by Muirium
GH isn't the problem. It's that huge spacebar!

But Spock tells me to shut up with my illogic. So…

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 14:35
by 7bit
Ne0phyte's is more radical, but there is no fun when people only have s limited choice for the contest.
:P

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 14:40
by Ekaros
7bit wrote:Ne0phyte's is more radical, but there is no fun when people only have s limited choice for the contest.
:P
I hope next year we have more new options ;D

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 15:06
by mashby
jdcarpe's 40% board

Hopefully next year we'll be able to nominate HyperMicro!

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 15:26
by rindorbrot
How about the Kishsaver?
Maybe it's too early to tell since most of us don't have theirs yet, but 60% Model F sure sounds promising.

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 16:34
by Parak
Kishsaver:
  • Unlike other Fs that suffer from plastic cases that crack, the entire case here is made out of thick metal.
  • Weighs a metric ton as a result.
  • Is capacitive buckling spring. Can survive the nuclear holocaust.
  • The only F aside from other 4704 boards that has extra two modifier keys. Way ahead of its time in that regard, since even Ms didn't have them.
  • Can easily be modded to ISO or ANSI like other Fs
  • Will finally be had by those that wanted one, thanks to tin.
  • Is technically now more common than even the Unsaver.

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 19:21
by Findecanor
Nobody wants to nominate the GH60? :P
I'm not doing it either.

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 19:35
by Halvar
Parak wrote:Kishsaver:
  • Unlike other Fs that suffer from plastic cases that crack, the entire case here is made out of thick metal.
  • Weighs a metric ton as a result.
  • Is capacitive buckling spring. Can survive the nuclear holocaust.
  • The only F aside from other 4704 boards that has extra two modifier keys. Way ahead of its time in that regard, since even Ms didn't have them.
  • Can easily be modded to ISO or ANSI like other Fs
  • Will finally be had by those that wanted one, thanks to tin.
  • Is technically now more common than even the Unsaver.
  • doesn't work
Nominate all you want, but I think I'll wait for a controller before I vote for it... 8-)

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 19:46
by Muirium
  • Halvar doesn't have one.
We have a winner!

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 20:13
by mashby
Findecanor wrote:Nobody wants to nominate the GH60? :P
I'm not doing it either.
Well, since it hasn't been released yet, I didn't think to nominate it.

However, the Duck Mini v2 was released and is the first 60% I've come across with both MX and ALPS support*, so I'd like to throw that up for a nomination.



*I'm still kinda new here, so there may be other boards that have done that that I'm unaware of.

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 20:15
by JBert
Findecanor wrote:Nobody wants to nominate the GH60? :P
I'm not doing it either.
Oh, I though this category was for commercial builds. I just nominated Komar's keyboard (or GH60) in two other categories.

Posted: 22 Nov 2013, 20:57
by jdcarpe
mashby wrote:
Findecanor wrote:Nobody wants to nominate the GH60? :P
I'm not doing it either.
Well, since it hasn't been released yet, I didn't think to nominate it.
There exist several prototypes. :D

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 01:07
by HaaTa
Halvar wrote:
Parak wrote:Kishsaver:
  • Unlike other Fs that suffer from plastic cases that crack, the entire case here is made out of thick metal.
  • Weighs a metric ton as a result.
  • Is capacitive buckling spring. Can survive the nuclear holocaust.
  • The only F aside from other 4704 boards that has extra two modifier keys. Way ahead of its time in that regard, since even Ms didn't have them.
  • Can easily be modded to ISO or ANSI like other Fs
  • Will finally be had by those that wanted one, thanks to tin.
  • Is technically now more common than even the Unsaver.
  • doesn't work
Nominate all you want, but I think I'll wait for a controller before I vote for it... 8-)
Might be considered a troll, but I'm typing on mine to make this post...

Re: [Call for nominees] Best space-saving/compact keyboard 2

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 13:44
by mtl
I nominate photekq's aluminum TKL: http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=5365. The case is beautifully designed and executed.

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 13:57
by Muirium
Absolutely. It's stunning.

How many votes do we get, by the way? This is going to be a tough category.

Re: [Call for nominees] Best space-saving/compact keyboard 2

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 15:04
by Belfong
Code Keyboard TKL? Or WASD V2?

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 16:15
by photekq
Well, thank you for the nomination. I'm also going to be voting for the GH60.

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 19:12
by jdcarpe
7bit wrote:Even though it is from over at GH:
jdcarpe's 40%:
Image
:o
Thanks for the mention, 7bit!

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 19:24
by Muirium
And the definitive caps to put on it! If my SPH topped 60% is anything to go by, they will be awesome-sweet.

Posted: 23 Nov 2013, 20:33
by Dubsgalore
My vote goes towards Photekq's tek80..that thing is gorgeous and took a lot work, time and effort to complete

Posted: 24 Nov 2013, 23:33
by dustinhxc
PFU HHKB Pro 2

Best experience Ive ever had and I cant stop typing on it! Sounds like raindrops. The build is superior and the craftsmanship really shows.

Posted: 24 Nov 2013, 23:57
by webwit
Belfong wrote:Code Keyboard TKL? Or WASD V2?
Is this a nomination or a question?

Posted: 25 Nov 2013, 00:26
by dustinhxc
Nomination!

Posted: 25 Nov 2013, 13:49
by zulios
I would like to nominate the Access-IS AKC090 keyboard.
Compact, programmable, with for once a well designed matrix layout (15*6 and not 12*8 like similar tipros) that allows to get a slightly modified standard layout.
http://www.access-is.com/pdf/Programmab ... boards.pdf