Test the keymat!

[levi]

Funny, I always had edgex004 down as being yurpean, what with that bike.

 

[rygD]

That means we're within a few weeks of the keymat samples & case being in Omaha Nebraska. If anyone is interested in meeting up with it here, send me a PM and I'll set up a place to meet up.

If you are sending round trip plane tickets, count me in!

 

[ible]

well, my sister will be in Minneapolis this week, but i'm not sure you'll get it in time for us to pull double duty... (but would be excited if so ).

 

[slaeshjag]

I would personally guess early next week.

 

[edgex004]

@ible : It arrived today!

First impressions:
I can see why ED has spent so much time on the feel of the keyboard. The smaller keys mean that the travel and stiffness are very important in ensuring as few mis-types as possible. The current version seems to support very quick and easy typing. I absolutely love that the number keys are now easier to press. This combined with having four shoulder modifiers will be GREAT for navigating i3wm.

It is hard to tell without working click function, but the shoulder buttons do not feel natural to me as they are. However, I am sure I will get used to them.

The d-pad feels great, but the ABXY keys could maybe be lower and/or rounder.

I initially was very concerned about the increased thickness of the unit, as I have smaller hands. I was pleasantly surprised that it is extremely comfortable to hold. This is a huge positive for me, as it feels much more comfortable in the hands than the Pandora. I've never had a problem with the feel of the Pandora, but the Pyra has made me see just how much better this same form factor can be made to feel.

The nubs feel GOOD. Super good.

 

[EvilDragon]

@ible : It arrived today!

Ah, I'll send you the informations about what you got there

It is hard to tell without working click function, but the shoulder buttons do not feel natural to me as they are. However, I am sure I will get used to them.

Well, the shoulder buttons are not fixed on this version yet, so hard to test.

The d-pad feels great, but the ABXY keys could maybe be lower and/or rounder.

There's a reason they have the height: If they're lower, you often accidentally hit the backspace key

 

[ible]

@edgex004 i'll pass on the trip down there (too bad it didn't work out last week )...

glad the keys feel great!

 

[edgex004]

Thanks for the update. Post some videos if you have not already.

Maybe... maybe... I am not much of a photographer or videographer, but I may try to. I'm still waiting for the information @EvilDragon mentioned earlier. (No rush)

 

[comradekingu]

Could the next person that gets it try to see how it works in complete darkness?

Plugging in headphones and so on.

 

[levi]

The keymat test unit? It should work pretty much the same in any lighting situation given it doesn't turn on so is purely a mechanical test. Similarly, there's limited advantage in plugging in headphones.

 

[PowerGod]

Could the next person that gets it try to see how it works in complete darkness?

Plugging in headphones and so on.

You could call this "The Silent Hill Test"

 

[rygD]

You can probably put a flashlight behind the different revisions just to compare.

Plugging in headphones in the dark probably varies by person. Some people will get lucky right away, and some will never find the hole.

 

[Grench]

Could the next person that gets it try to see how it works in complete darkness?

Plugging in headphones and so on.

You are aware that this test mule has no screen, power to the back lights or audio, right?

 

[rygD]

Since he already had it, my guess is he knows.

 

[Pyramancer]

Plugging in headphones in the dark probably varies by person. Some people will get lucky right away, and some will never find the hole.

This is a good argument for doing it with the lights on.

 

[rygD]

Finding the nubs and stuff will also be easier with the lights on. Then again, with the right technique rubbing all over the place to find those areas can have its own benefits.

 

[PCXT]

Plugging in headphones in the dark probably varies by person. Some people will get lucky right away, and some will never find the hole.

Because the techniques are different. In my case, years of using laptop in dark environments, I found that I never look for the jack using plug - I find connectors by touch first, then plug the cable to the one closest to the front (Asus, dell) or edge (old Toshiba).
So, if there will be one jack - good.
Two - also good, it's only needed to remember which one, left or right.
The problems may emerge when there will be 3 jacks, as another reference point has to be detected by touch, or if we use headphones with cellphone-like flat connector which goes in one way.

Now the biggest problem is which is left and which is right headphone .

 

[edgex004]

Since I'm not great with photos/videos, I'll probably take it into work tomorrow so some of my coworkers can try it. Then I'll ship it back out at the end of the day!

 

[Grench]

Since I'm not great with photos/videos, I'll probably take it into work tomorrow so some of my coworkers can try it. Then I'll ship it back out at the end of the day!

The earlier recipients did a great job on the photos. Anything you can give for feedback from you or your friends is good.

 

[rygD]

Pics or it di...oh, yeah, what Grench said is fine. Plus, with the white version, the pics and such aren't really accurate for what we will be getting anymore, but the feel should be mostly unchanged.

 

[Grench]

Pics or it di...oh, yeah, what Grench said is fine. Plus, with the white version, the pics and such aren't really accurate for what we will be getting anymore, but the feel should be mostly unchanged.

Maybe the setup needs a newest keymat to catch up to it on its next stop?