Soft press keys for locked-down devs: Three new models of old school 60-key Happy Hacking 'board out next month
- Reference: 1594389371
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/07/10/fujitsu_happy_hacking_keyboards/
- Source link:
The three latest models — all including USB-C, with two using Bluetooth — are available to pre-order today, with units shipping from July 16 across Europe (including the UK).
The first, dubbed Classic, is an update of the iconic Happy Hacking Professional keyboard, packing a USB-C. The Hybrid and Hybrid-S versions include Bluetooth 4.2, allowing users to wirelessly connect to their computers, and switch between devices with a keyboard shortcut. The latter uses a silent switch.
[1]
Click to enlarge
As you’d expect, the Classic is the cheapest model on offer, with a starting price of £219.99. This comes in black and white variants, and interesting punters can choose between printed and blank keycaps (ideal for those who prefer to use esoteric keyboard layouts, like DVORAK or COLEMAC). For Bluetooth, you can expect to pay a premium, with the Hybrid costing £259.99. The Silent version is more expensive still, retailing at £299.99.
As the name implies, the Happy Hacking keyboard is aimed at the developer market, and aggressively emphasises ergonomics by reducing wrist movement to as little as possible. By design, it’s perfectly symmetrical. It also reduces the number of keys from the typical 104 to just 60. Not only does it lack the “tenkey” numberpad, it also ditches the function, navigation, and arrow keys.
[2]
Classic: a view from the side
Unlike other mechanical decks — which largely use Cherry or Cherry-knockoff key-switches, with the exception of Razor and Logitech who use their own in-house ones — the Happy Hacking keyboard uses capacitive key switches from Topre.
It’s worth noting Fujitsu seldom updates the Happy Hacking keyboard, with the last proper refresh of the Professional keyboard (ie, a material change to the design) in 2006. There have been subsequent limited edition releases, as well as the inclusion of bluetooth, but we're not counting those.
[3]
Blue in the tooth: The wireless Hybrid version
It’s perhaps pertinent to note that since the first Happy Hacking keyboard launched in 1996, other ergonomic mechanical keyboards have entered the market, such as the ErgoDox EZ, Planck Ez, and the Matias Ergo Pro. It’ll be interesting to see how the refreshed Happy Hacking series can compete, particularly given the inherent learning curve each keyboard provides.
We mention the learning curve because a Happy Hacking keyboard should be winging its way to Vulture Central in the coming weeks. We'll keep you posted.®
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[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/07/10/classic.jpg
[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/07/10/classic_side_view.jpg
[3] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/07/10/hybrid.jpg
[4] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Alternatives?
You may want the "Lenovo ThinkPad Compact USB Keyboard with TrackPoint"
There's a bluetooth version as well I believe.
Re: Alternatives?
You could try Redragon Gaming Mechanical Keyboard K552
It's quite loud, so I put some o-rings on too to quieten things down a little. Still quite loud thogugh!
Re: Alternatives?
I bought a Durgod Taurus K320 TKL with Cherry MX brown switches a month ago to replace a decade old Steelseries 7G with black switches and I'm loving it. However, it's twice your ideal price at £99.
Re: Alternatives?
If you go to your lots-of-items-selling site of choice, you can almost guarantee that you will find various budget mechanical keyboards around and even below your price range. I have experienced good results with some of these, but with each you will have some drawbacks. There are those who will not accept any switch type other than the well-known manufacturer they have used before, for example, and budget keyboards tend to use some manufacturer you've never heard of. I tend not to care, but if you do, the budget might not satisfy. Similarly, at that price range you are unlikely to find keyboards with extra features like Bluetooth, detachable cables, or extra ports. If one does contain such a feature, it's likely the only one.
Re: Alternatives?
I have a good collection of Sun keyboards that I've used for years, and really like. Plenty of them available on auction sites. Just beware that there are two US types, with Control & CapsLock swapped (and a few other keys moved), make sure you pick the type you prefer.
Re: Alternatives?
I went for the TeckNet gaming "mechanical feeling" USB wired UK layout keyboard - the key backlights are ridiculous but the typing experience (I'm a dev) is good. At £22 you can buy plenty of these before you've spent the sort of money these keyboards cost... so even if the keys wear out, it'll be years before you regret it from a cost perspective.
Re: Alternatives?
Yeah, I think £25–30 would probably be max what I'd spend on a keyboard. I don't even own a functioning computer except for a headless media box, so I'm only considering getting one in anticipation of working from home permanently (I've been doing fine with the laptop but I do miss having a numpad and a Break key). Most interesting-looking stuff in that price range seems to exist solely on Amazon though, which is a shame.
Re: Alternatives?
Look at the various offerings from KeyChron. They make very good mechanical keyboards for under $100 USD.
For the benefit of the younger crowd he is talking about the HP2645 Display Station not the printer,.
OP I was using a TI Silent 700 back then.
Ah..
"aggressively emphasises ergonomics by reducing wrist movement to as little as possible"
So, pr0n sites are by definition unergonomic? I thought that was only by the ones involving chains and leather and stuff.
It's a good thing I learned that just before the weekend.
:)
I used to use L,H,J,K lad, and I were lucky to even have that!
No cursor keys? That's certainly a... bold move for a "developer" keyboard.
Only zealios are better
I have a HHKB Pro 2 (Blank caps) as my daily driver. It’s a real nice typer.
These last forever
I bought one when they first came out, and it's been used daily ever since - it came with cables that allowed it to be used with Sun SBUS, ADB, or PS/2. Used it on my Sparcstation 5, then Ultra 10, then SGI Octane, and it's now plugged in to my Thinkpad via a USB adapter.
Over £200 for a keyboard might seem outrageous, but these are perfect if you have RSI, and will last forever.
Is "BS" a Backspace key
or does it invoke a customisable macro that inserts a random snarky code/pull request comment?
Alternatives?
Friday afternoon question for fellow developer-commentards: What alternatives are there at a more affordable price level, say around £50?
I'd be looking for a KB with cursor keys, though.
FWIW I'm quite a "heavy" typist and therefore a big fan of old-school Thinkpad keyboards. My all-time favourite keyboard is the one on the HP2645 (yes, that dates me more than a little bit!)
Mark