Adding/Including Memories
I lost my dad last year (2023) and have been finding ways to include keepsakes/memories in my workstation. I've dabbled here and there with doing small woodworking projects and attempted a wrist rest from a piece of oak I picked up with him from my great uncles wood shop. I milled it to fit a 60% keyboard as I hadn't decided what keyboard I would be using it on and thought that's where most of my wrist would be in contact even typing on a full keyboard. I gave it a torched/burn appearance as I really was lost in what to do. I found an old shell casing from going hunting with my dad in my hunting pack and decided to imbed it into the end of the wrist rest so it would just have a little difference and a small story behind it as well. I have other things around my workstation from family and friends, but it just feels a little more special having worked on it and adding something small that has a memory for me to it. (Purple was my grandmothers favorite color and I have kinda now...
Apr 8, 2024
While I was never the fanatic over mechanical keyboards, my wish to get a portable wireless keyboard that ran well on the stack of rechargable AAs that I have, and have a slot to hold my phone while I typed led me to give this relatively low cost drop a try. The moment I started typing, I immediately understood why some people swear by mechanical keyboards: each satisfying click seemed to beckon the next in my mind, and before long, one can almost imagine oneself going at it like a traditional typist (or for the imaginative ones, a pianist on a piano of an extremely limited range of chords). This little keyboard is a dream to type on!
The keyboard itself is lightweight, though it is rather thick for something marketed as a portable tool; with rather odd dimensions. If you have the means to muffle the loud keys and prevent accidental keypresses (or fix your own on-off switch as wangofett mentioned earlier), it should work fine as a portable keyboard for use in public. The plastic body could probably take a few light knocks, but don't expect it to shield you from any serious blows.
All in all, while it isn't completely ideal, it comes plenty close to what I wanted - in fact, it probably is the only one that fits most of my requirements without absolutely destroying my bank account! So, durability concerns aside, I am satisfied with this drop. Thanks MassDrop!
Side note: Unfortunately, it did not play well with my relative's BlackBerry Classic - would have been rather interesting, and possibly quite hilarious if it did!
While the keyboard and mouse continues to work marvelously till this date, one tends to notice other aspects of the build of the keyboard with use.
1) The keys have a slight wobble to them - though I do not know if this is characteristic of the switches and keycaps used for this keyboard; or if this a consequence of manufacturing flaw. Regardless, it is not much of a concern; It has made me more conscious of the way I place my hands and fingers when I type though.
2) The mouse's all plastic construction makes it very lightweight, and it uses 2 AAA batteries instead of the AA that is used by the main keyboard itself. It does not seem to have a bluetooth module of its own, so it works only with the included dongle as far as I can tell. Battery compartment layout could be done better as well.
The difference in battery size might be a concern to some, who might find it a hassle to stock both types of batteries. While it doesn't bother me with my routine use of both types of rechargeables, I see this as a valid concern. Some wouldn't also like the lightweight, but I find that to be a bonus in terms of portability. If there is a concern, it would be with the flimsy buttons themselves, which probably wouldn't last too long. The additional buttons on the side and the centre (behind the mousewheel) do not seem to be programmable as well. So it really is just a basic lightweight wireless mouse. Just don't lose that dongle!
Other thoughts: - Some of the reviews mentioned the keyboard not working after a few uses. While that has yet to happen to mine, I believe there are justified concerns about a lack of rigor in quality checks and controls for the production of this keyboard. In a sense,you get what you pay for, and a keyboard with these features going at very low price point compared to other mechanicals on the market, there has to be a catch somewhere; I suppose that gamble on QC is part of it. - Battery life is excellent, keyboard still goes strong on my rechargeables, haven't had the need to take them for a recharge yet. - Connection is excellent for most part on my piece, barring the occassional lag. Most of the time though, I can trace the input lag back to my PC, because my phone has far less issues with input lag than my PC does.
As they say, YMMV (your miles may vary), but I still find this a fairly good value for the money, assuming what you get isn't a dud.
Happy typing folks!