Tag Archives: wireless keyboard

Keychron B1 Pro: Ultra-Thin Wireless Keyboard for Minimalists on the Go

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It may not have the mechanical joy that the Lofree EDGE offered as the world’s slimmest mechanical keyboard, but the Keychron B1 Pro does offer an incredibly slim design that’s portable enough to slide right into your backpack. Boasting a minimal aesthetic bundled within a portable design, the B1 Pro is an ultra-slim wireless keyboard that comes with a whopping 1200 battery life and a rather commendable $39.99 price tag.

Designer: Keychron

The B1 Pro deviates from Keychron’s usual mechanical keyboards by opting for scissor-switch keys, similar to those found on laptops. This design keeps the profile incredibly thin, measuring just 5.2mm at the front and reaching a maximum height of 14.5mm. It’s incredibly lightweight too, at only 425g, making it a perfect companion for tossing in your bag and working from anywhere.

Despite its slim profile, the B1 Pro doesn’t compromise on performance. With a 1000Hz polling rate on the 2.4GHz wireless connection, you can expect smooth and responsive typing. It also offers Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, allowing you to seamlessly pair it with multiple devices. This is also accompanied by a battery life of a staggering 1200 hours on a single charge. Translated to real-world use, that translates to roughly 8 months of typing for 5 hours a day – a near elimination of charging woes.

The keyboard has a Mac layout while remaining functional with Windows and Linux. It even features the same multimedia and function key functions as Apple keyboards, providing a familiar experience for Mac users with the added benefit of a more comfortable typing experience thanks to the scissor-switch keys. For added comfort during extended typing sessions, the B1 Pro features a 3.2-degree tilt angle and concave keycaps designed to improve accuracy. It even comes with a dedicated emoji shortcut key and a protective silicone keycap cover for increased durability.

The B1 Pro supports ZMK firmware, allowing users to program keys, macros, and shortcuts directly through a web interface. This eliminates the need for complex software installations and provides a user-friendly way to tailor the keyboard to your specific needs.

At an affordable price point of $39.99, the Keychron B1 Pro offers a compelling combination of portability, functionality, and battery life. Whether you’re a minimalist on the go, a student juggling classes, or someone who simply prefers a low-profile keyboard, the B1 Pro is definitely worth considering.

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Logitech Debuts Wave Keys for Mac: Ergonomic Keyboard for Apple Enthusiasts

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In an exciting announcement today, Logitech expanded its “Designed for Mac” lineup with the introduction of the Wave Keys for Mac, an ergonomic keyboard crafted to provide comfort and enhance productivity for Mac users. This launch, set to coincide with the release of other Mac-centric peripherals in Logitech’s portfolio, underscores the company’s commitment to creating seamless, user-friendly experiences within the Apple ecosystem.

Designer: Logitech

Ergonomics Meets Mac-Specific Design

The Wave Keys for Mac stands out as Logitech’s first ergonomic keyboard specifically designed for the Mac, adapted from the Wave Keys that launched at the end of last year. Emphasizing comfort and usability, it features a signature wave shape that ensures a natural typing posture. This wavy design positions the hands, wrists, and forearms in an optimal manner, reducing strain and promoting comfortable typing throughout the day.

A key highlight of the Wave Keys for Mac is its cushioned palm rest, which comprises three layers: memory foam, high-density foam, and a knitted fabric covering. This thoughtful design offers 57% more wrist support compared to traditional Logitech keyboards without palm rests, making it an ideal choice for prolonged use.

Compact and Versatile

The compact layout of the Wave Keys for Mac is not only space-saving but also strategically designed to promote a more natural shoulder position while using a mouse. This makes it a practical addition to any desk setup, particularly for those who prioritize ergonomics without compromising on functionality.

Further enhancing its appeal, the keyboard includes easy-to-use +4° tilt legs, allowing users to adjust the keyboard’s angle to their preference for maximum comfort.

Seamless Integration and Personalization

Logitech’s commitment to enhancing user experience is evident in the Wave Keys for Mac’s seamless integration with macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices. Users can connect up to three Apple devices simultaneously and switch between them effortlessly with the tap of a button. This multi-device capability is complemented by the Logi Options+ app, which enables users to personalize their keyboard shortcuts and optimize their workflow.

The Wave Keys for Mac also boasts an impressive battery life, capable of lasting up to three years on the included AAA batteries, reducing the need for frequent replacements and ensuring consistent performance.

Sustainable Design

In line with Logitech’s dedication to sustainability, the Wave Keys for Mac is made with 48% post-consumer recycled plastic, excluding the plastic in the printed wiring assembly, receiver, and packaging. This eco-friendly approach aligns with Logitech’s broader initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of its products and promote environmentally conscious manufacturing practices.

This launch is part of a broader initiative by Logitech to cater to the needs of Mac users. Alongside the Wave Keys for Mac, Logitech is also introducing other products such as the MX Keys S for Mac, MX Keys S Combo for Mac, MX Anywhere 3S for Mac, and MX Keys Mini for Mac. These additions are designed to enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and ensure ergonomic comfort for Mac users.

Delphine Donné, Vice President and General Manager of Personal Workspace Solutions at Logitech, highlighted the company’s focus on integrating user-centric solutions with the Apple ecosystem while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability. “With a focus on optimizing workflow, productivity, and comfort, our Designed for Mac portfolio empowers Apple users to unleash their creative potential and enjoy day-long comfort at the desk without sacrificing Mac compatibility and look,” said Donné.

The Wave Keys for Mac will be available for purchase in May 2024 at a price of $59.99.

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Lofree EDGE – The World’s Thinnest Mechanical Keyboard is just 16mm, less than two iPhones thick

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You don’t associate mechanical keyboards with sleek portability… and you don’t associate portable compact keyboards with great tactile feedback or mechanical travel. Lofree’s somehow managed to blur both those worlds into a keyboard that offers the best typing experience while weighing just a pound and being 0.6 inches (16.5mm) thick at its thickest point. Crafted from a combination of magnesium and carbon fiber, the Lofree EDGE reinvents the wheel. It uses unique aerospace-grade materials for their strength-to-weight ratio, redesigned keycaps that are thin but still feel ergonomic, and redefined Kailh mechanical switches that provide a great tactile feel that gives you the mechanical feedback of a much thicker keyboard, but in a highly portable, sleek form.

Designer: Lofree

Click Here to Buy Now: $129 $249 (48% off) Hurry, only limited units at a discounted price. Raised over $270,000.

Over the years, Lofree’s developed its brand reputation for designing wonderfully retropunk tech peripherals. Whether it’s the Touch mouse with PBT buttons, the Wavy Chips mouse that looks like Italian automotive design from the golden ages, or even its Foundation and Block wireless keyboards that reinvent classic designs from decades ago to give them a proper modern revival, the company’s always pushed the boundaries of visual aesthetics, striking a fine balance between classic and contemporary. It’s no wonder that they have, as a result, developed a viciously loyal fan base of design enthusiasts and tech nerds who coalesce around the company’s vision for making great-looking tech that performs remarkably too.

The EDGE is unlike anything Lofree’s ever made before, given that its design brief is distinctly different from the company’s previous approaches to industrial design. Lofree’s thinnest mechanical keyboard yet, the EDGE boasts an ultra-low profile, with a design that’s equal parts utilitarian and aesthetic. Every material is chosen carefully, and every design detail has meticulous thought behind it, resulting in a keyboard that’s just 485 grams (1.06 pounds) light and just 15mm at its thickest point – making it both thinner and lighter than the Corsair K100 Air, which previously held the title of being the thinnest mechanical keyboard. At its thinnest point, it’s a staggering 5.4mm, making it just marginally thicker than Apple’s newest M4 iPad Pro.

The title of the thinnest mechanical keyboard doesn’t come without some intense design and engineering, backed by solid R&D. Lofree basically designed the entire keyboard from the ground up, removing non-essential components, choosing materials like magnesium and carbon fiber for their strength and low-weight, and even using custom switches. The EDGE’s construction removes components like the positioning plate, silicone pad, and IPXE foam that you’d find in most keyboards, instead opting for a unique PCB gasket structure that holds the keyboard’s internals in place. The base of the keyboard is made from machined magnesium alloy, which then gets capped off with a 3K twill weave carbon fiber upper plate that not only gives the keyboard a solid upper surface but also gives it the distinct carbon fiber aesthetic that people know and love.

The keys themselves have a unique redesigned profile that’s a combination of thin yet ergonomic, and come made from grease-resistant PBT polymer. They come with a concave top, allowing for error-free typing, and have a specially formulated Kailh POM Switch 2.0 that’s just 9.8mm thick (your average mechanical keyboard switches are 18.5mm) – and even though it’s just half the size of a mechanical switch, it still boasts a healthy amount of travel so you feel like you’re using a mechanical keyboard and not one of those uncomfortable keyboards you’d find on slim laptops. The EDGE’s wedge design does, however, reinforce a sense of slimness, which means you can even carry your wireless keyboard with you in a laptop bag.

The EDGE works in both wired and wireless formats, and is compatible with Windows as well as Mac devices. In wired mode, the keyboard operates at a staggering 100Hz polling rate, practically making latency a thing of the past for gamers. The wireless mode helps keep desks clean, and reduces cable clutter, suitable for all other professions. The EDGE also comes with Lofree’s Configurator software, which lets you change the RGB backlight, remap keys, and set macros/shortcuts (the Configurator is only available for Windows, with a Mac version rolling out at the end of this year). A built-in 2000mAh battery offers 10 hours of wireless use with the backlight on, and a staggering 130 hours if you switch the backlight off. A USB-C port charges the keyboard in just under 3 hours.

Lofree’s products don’t come without a design twist. While their previous keyboards and mice boasted quirky retropunk aesthetics that gave a distinct flair to your workplace, the EDGE comes with its own carbon fiber vertical stand that holds either the keyboard or your laptop when not in use. Each stand comes cleverly machined from the blank rectangle that gets cut out of the center of the EDGE’s carbon fiber upper plate, helping reduce waste and repurpose the material to create something functional. Each EDGE comes with the stand flat-packed, which can easily be assembled in under a minute, giving you a convenient place to dock your device when you’re done with it, so your table remains clean and clutter-free. The $129 EDGE also ships with a connecting cable, extra keycaps, and a keyboard sleeve that’s only available to people who back the keyboard on Kickstarter. The world’s slimmest mechanical keyboard ships globally starting July 2024.

Click Here to Buy Now: $129 $249 (48% off) Hurry, only limited units at a discounted price. Raised over $270,000.

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Innovative Bluetooth keyboard turns its surface into a giant touchpad

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Wireless keyboards are nothing new. Whether you’re on a desktop trying to escape the tangle of cables or on a laptop wanting to expand your limited set of keys, a wireless keyboard offers a bit more freedom and flexibility than other keyboards. That said, they still have the same limitations, namely, requiring a separate mouse or touchpad to move the computer cursor around. Not only does that take up more desk space, it also means another device you might forget or lose along the way. Some Bluetooth keyboards add a tiny touchpad off to the side, but that comes at the cost of reducing the number of keys available on the keyboard. This ingenious solution gives the best of both worlds by practically turning the entire keyboard into one giant touchpad you can swipe and pinch, just like any other touchpad.

Designer: Igor Solovyov (Industrial Designer, Clevetura)

Laptops have the advantage of having both a keyboard and a pointing device in a single body, but their arrangement is hardly the best in terms of ergonomics and flexibility. Wireless keyboards with built-in trackpads, on the other hand, try to cram this component in an already small space but still manage to sacrifice keys like the numeric keypad. It’s almost as if there’s no ideal design that solves this problem, but the CLVX 1 boldly tries to think outside the box while offering a keyboard that, at least on paper, matches the functionality of many Bluetooth keyboards in the market today.

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In a nutshell, the middle area of the CLVX 1 keyboard is touch-sensitive and functions like a giant touchpad. Thanks to a special slippery coating, you can effortlessly glide your finger across that area to move the mouse around without snagging on the edges of the keys. You can even pinch to zoom or perform any other touch gestures, just like a normal trackpad. As a bonus, the top row of function keys also functions as a slider that you can smoothly swipe without even having to look, making it just as easy to control the volume or any other function you program into the gesture. The keyboard promises that it won’t mix up typing and gestures, as it automatically disables touch detection once you press a key. And in case you’re wondering about mouse button presses, the keyboard has dedicated physical buttons below the spacebar for those actions.

In all other aspects, the CLVX 1 boasts a laundry list of features available on many wireless keyboards and then some. It has a 110-key layout, which is far more than your typical Bluetooth keyboard, and uses scissor switches. The RGB lighting also has a few tricks, like following your finger as you glide over the keys. You can pair up to three devices with it via Bluetooth, but you can also connect to a device using USB-C for a fourth connection.

The CLVX 1 is definitely an intriguing design, but its mettle still needs to be tested in real-world use. The smoothness of swiping over keys will definitely be the biggest point of concern, but the typing experience of having those keys so close together is also an important consideration. Nevertheless, it definitely deserves some praise for thinking outside the box to deliver a design that doesn’t compromise just to mix two functions in one.

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Logitech G launches its tiniest wireless keyboard – The first with a 60% layout

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If you’re anywhere near a laptop, spend a second looking at the keyboard it contains. Chances are, the keyboard you’re looking at has a 65% layout, featuring the QWERTY keys, the number row above it, and function keys. Not all laptops have num-pads on the side (unless they’re 15-inch laptops or more), so what you’re left with is perhaps the most condensed keyboard layout ever. However, you CAN go smaller. Remove the function row from the top, and you’re now left with a bare-basics 60% keyboard layout. It gets the job done, it’s compact, and is ideal for portability – all of which are the Pro X 60’s most prized features. Debuted as Logitech’s first 60% wireless keyboard, the Pro X 60 Lightspeed is deviously tiny, but doesn’t trade size for functionality. It’s still got great mechanical travel at its heart, making the keyboard perfect for pretty much everyone, but ideal for gamers, who revere that mechanical feel.

Designer: Logitech

Click Here to Pre-Order Now

At a glance, the $179 Pro X 60 Lightspeed is a study in meticulous design and technological advancement. Offering a choice between tactile or linear GX optical switches, and available in three colors—black, white, or pink, the keyboard seeks to envelop gamers in a bespoke gaming experience. The keyboard’s compact size is a deliberate choice, offering ease of transportation without compromising on the essential features that gamers have come to expect from Logitech’s G Pro X series.

Unlike its predecessor, the G Pro X TKL Lightspeed, the Pro X 60 Lightspeed opts for optical switches over mechanical ones, offering a distinct feel with a 1.8mm actuation point and a travel distance of 4mm. This choice underscores Logitech’s pursuit of providing gamers with precision and responsiveness in a form factor that defies convention. The keyboard’s versatility extends to its connectivity options—wired via a USB-C cable, or wireless through Bluetooth or Logitech’s proprietary Lightspeed dongle, ensuring a seamless gaming experience with a 1000Hz polling rate.

Gamers can customize the keyboard and assign macro shortcuts, adjust lighting, and tweak audio effects to their liking, with each key capable of performing up to 15 different functions through Logitech’s G Hub software and the new Keycontrol tool. The inclusion of Lightsync RGB lighting, pre-set to a static blue to minimize distractions, further enhances the gaming atmosphere, allowing for a personalized color palette and lighting sequences to radiate through the keyboard’s dual-shot PBT keycaps.

Beyond its technical prowess, the Logitech G Pro X 60 Lightspeed is designed with quality-of-life improvements that cater to the gaming lifestyle. A strategically placed volume roller, a Game Mode switch that disables potentially distracting keys, and a carry case for easy transport all contribute to a gaming keyboard that understands the rhythm of competitive play and travel. For gamers for whom every second and every key press can make the difference between victory and defeat, the Pro X 60 Lightspeed is a mobile command center that bridges the gap between performance and portability. The Pro X 60 Lightspeed is available for preorder, with deliveries starting April 17th.

Click Here to Pre-Order Now

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Wireless Keyboard Inside An Altoids Tin Is Perfect For People Missing Their Blackberry Phones

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Remember the Clicks Keyboard from earlier this year? What if you could somehow build your own and carry it around in an Altoids tin??

YouTuber ‘Flurples’ decided the Altoids tin was honestly the perfect vehicle for this miniature keyboard. It was roughly the width of your standard Blackberry phone, which means the keys would be perfectly thumb-sized, and it had the added benefit of coming with its own metal case and lid that made carrying it around incredibly easy. The only thing left was to actually build the keyboard.

Designer: Flurples

Dubbed the Mint Board, this tiny keyboard is quite the tactile dream come true. It fits in your pocket, has an on/off switch, and wirelessly connects to any Bluetooth-capable device to turn into a keyboard. While it’s incredibly small, it’s perfectly usable (even more so than those godawful touchscreen keyboards) although most people will sorely miss the presence of a number row on top. The Mint Board also charges via USB-C, although Flurples didn’t mention what the battery life of the keyboard is on a full charge.

The Mint Board works with an iPad, allowing you to type on a tactile surface and have the letters appear on screen

Initially conceptualized as a 60% layout keyboard, the Mint Board’s design journey was marked by meticulous planning and adaptation to spatial constraints, ultimately settling for a 40% layout that would only feature the essential Qwerty and special keys (no numbers either). Key spacing and switch selection were pivotal considerations when it came to choosing this layout, ensuring optimal utilization of the limited space within the tin.

At the core of the Mint Board lies a meticulously crafted PCB, meticulously designed to accommodate switches, diodes, a microcontroller, and an on/off switch. Firmware development was a strategic endeavor, with Flurples opting for a Nice Nano microcontroller and ZMK firmware to enable Bluetooth connectivity. Despite the transition from the familiar QMK firmware, Flurples found solace in the shared conceptual framework, facilitating a seamless integration process. The assembly process proved to be both a challenge and a triumph, as Flurples meticulously soldered each component, including the microcontroller and battery, with precision and finesse. However, unforeseen challenges arose, such as tight keycaps, prompting Flurples to undertake a redesign.

Once the inner workings were ready, Flurples built the outer housing, relying on a 3D printer to make the upper and lower halves of the keyboard body, as well as the 41 individual keys. The keyboard was secured together using four screws that sandwiched the PCB in between the plastic components, and glued into the Altoids tin, whose sides had cutouts made to coincide with the ports and switches on the Mint Board’s PCB.

Yet, the true pièce de résistance of the Mint Board lies in its personalized keycaps, each painstakingly crafted with legends created in Illustrator, cut using a Cricut Machine, and finished with a layer of clear-coat resin to give it its signature domed shape. Using the keyboard proved to be gorgeously tactile too, with satisfying click sounds that most Blackberry users will fondly remember. The best part, the entire keyboard could wirelessly connect to pretty much any device, giving you a familiar typing experience on everything from your smartphone to even your iPad.

Flurples should seriously consider building a screen into the lid and turning this into a miniature laptop!

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