deskthority

Nice one, Matt

if you have suggestions for a typeface we are still in time to change it (please, no Helvetica)

Comic neue?

The current font's quite nice. It reminds me of Uber.

Yeah, me too. One of the reasons Mu Want Smash!

Did they turn down Gill Sans? That's a classic with as much elegance and personality as Gotham. Speaking of which: you know how hot I am for Granite style legends on Topre!

Mmm... Granite...

I'd also like Moar Granite colours in general. Something tells me a full suite of orange mods would be irresistible!

Or yellow. Or blue. Or red. Or AND!

True. But Topre isn't Signature Plastics. I think we're likely looking at "ISO Return, Shift and appropriate blanks" or no ISO support whatsoever.

Incidentally: blanks are ugly on a legended board. They stand out like mistakes. I'd rather a few inaccurate legends than an eyesore, if I had an ISO Topre. Fortunately I do not.

It's been long enough since I last caught up on this thread that I can't remember the current plan re: colours and legends. So I'll just dream happy dreams and assume we went with Olivetti!

still waiting for feedback from Topre. Things are moving at Japan Speed. It's like watching kabuki... in slow motion.

Japan speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee <breathes> eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!

Hi everybody. Matt3o noted that the groupbuy for this project is happening soon. I didn't see where on DT he might post this update, but wanted to throw it up here for us. Yes, he confirmed it will be on "THAT" site *ahem Murium , but hey at least we're getting close to having a nice new set of caps for our Topre Realforce board. It won't be for HHKB (this time at least) as its strictly Realforce boards at this time. Nothing was mentioned about the Hi-Pro board yet, as I'm pretty sure the Hi-Pro uses a different profile from the 87/104 key setup.

I'll leave it for Matt3o to post his render on here for our review as he's the OP

A Magic Mouse!?!

Looks like the set could almost work on the HHKB (with the exception of the Right Shift and Fn keys). I suppose the HHKB would also be lacking yellow caps for the number row to emulate the yellow F-key row on the RF.

there will be some spare key that could be used to spice up a HHKB layout, but still you'll miss some keys.

It looks like I'm late to the party, but what I'd really want is a normal style (not weird bubble style) Windows key, but with the Mac option-key symbol printed on it; and the Mac command key to replace the Alt key.

Both in the stock color (for a white keyboard, not the black-on-black). Just the 4 keys. I wouldn't mind an entire Mac set with the option-key alternates printed on it, a la the Matias keyboards.

In any set I'd prefer subdued colors, nothing bright or jarring. No weird font. Some blank keys.

Ah, my apprentice!

I've been badgering Matteo for a classic, elegant design for this set since the beginning. Think of something as subtle and Mac friendly as the legends on the HHKB. Brilliant.

He has two people to refuse now!

matt3o wrote:

What did I just see?! Novatouch sliders or real sample from Topre! Omfg!!!

Oh, I'm pretty sure it's real! The font and icon mods are straight out of Matteo's original post in this thread.

What I find hard to believe is that he's using a fullsize board… on a Mac. Whatever you do, don't try to wake that beastie from sleep with the keyboard. I try the same every bloody day myself!

It's a render.

the image is photoshopped. I do not use silly iMac, I do not use stupid magic mouse.

arguing about the design now that production has already started is pretty pointless. the process that brought us to this design is pretty clear. Topre asked for something a little "eccentric", we tried to do something that Topre could have liked trying to keep it as simple as possible.

With complete freedom I would have done it differently but at the end I like the result. If you don't like it, don't worry, it's like with women (or men if you are a lady): there's one for each of us.

Don't worry, I was teasing again. I know you don't have final cut on this project. I'm honest about what I'd prefer, but unicorns are unicorns.

Very nice Photoshop fakery. Round 5 caps do look just as pearly as that. And in those colours, it instantly reminds me of Skull Squadron:



Just on a much better keyboard!

Is there any indication of price point?

when will this be up on massdrop?

Just noticed that the set is on Massdrop now:

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/custom-top ... guest_open

Not sure what I expected really. Maybe Input Club ditching MD for the K-Type gave me too much hope others would do the same.

Meh, Massdrop...

Hmm. Seems strange that Topre had final say on this when MassDrop is (presumably) putting up the dough for production.

If it was an Olivetti blue or Red Alert, I'd be tempted. But those small alphas really don't put me in the mood.

Is that a cheer from my back pocket?

Agreed. It's nice that Topre are open to trying out something a little different (well, to /some/ extent at least), but the design just isn't for me.

I wish they'd follow our advice and offer something elegant, a modification of their stock theme, rather than Honeywell colours that were designed for doubleshots and really need white legends to truly pop, and that they had used the same typeface and weight as on the stock Realforce so we can mix and match.

These ones clash with stock Topre caps. That undermines their potential, badly. I like the red and the yellow, but I can't make them work with the alphas I already love. And the cursors aren't available separately in any case. Ungh.

I don't get the feeling that Topre is interested in catering to the keyboard customizer community. They just want to sell you a complete keyboard product and then be done with you. Mix and match? Nonsense. Just buy a keyboard and type on it you weirdo.

If they really cared about customizers, they would put MX stems on their switches and not cede that market to the NovaTouch. Everything about Topre, as a company, just makes me go "feh". Sure, they make nice products, but they are of no use to me if I can't turn them into something I actually want to use.