I just learned my favorite custom keyboard maker has announced a new 60 percent HHKB. Mode Designs is going to start taking orders for the Tempo on September 9th.
I know several folks here have shown interest in HHKB keyboards, though they wouldn’t seem for me (can’t imagine using the caps lock as the control key). But different strokes.
Mode is like the Apple of keyboard makers. Build quality is amazing. I’ve got their 80 percent Sonnet and their 65 percent Envoy. Love them.
Anyway, if you want to know more just ask, I don’t have any connection to Mode other than being a big fan.
For a while, I thought that Fujitsu is really coming out with a new HHKB with arrow keys. I still have their V1, which is really nice to type but I now feel the loss of a dedicated arrow keys cluster.
I’m the same, I don’t think I can comfortably use a keyboard without arrow keys. Not having a numpad annoys me sometimes though I can live with it, but I cannot part with navigation keys.
A thread about mechanical keyboards would be nice. I’ve been using an Alice layout for a number of months now, and I don’t think I’d like to go back to a regular keyboard. (Alice is a keyboard where the keys are split in two halves. They keep their arrows usually!)
Mode Designs make very “Apple aesthetic” keyboards (keyboards that look like they could’ve been designed by Apple). They’re sleek and pleasing to look at!
The HHKB uses Topre switches (hey, my MPU username!) and as such, they feel and sound very good - different from MX switches. But these days, there’s tons of other switch types which I can’t even keep up with, so who knows whether Topres are still a favoured switches. But, I remember they had a tag line which people used to make fun of: “oneness of cup and rubber”, or something like that.
You post reminded me of my own Realforce 87U, which is a ten keyless and I took it out of storage to try it again. Ooooh! SO good! And it has dedicated arrow keys. How I missed the feel of Topre.
My own favorite has been Glorious Pandas which are tactile switches. But my new favorites are the Mode Anthracite silent tactiles. They are almost completely silent, but they have that bump us typists love.
Mode is doing a limited release TKL next month. But the interest on their Discord server makes me think they are going to put them in full production. That will be my daily driver if I can get my hands on one.
. Good keyboard as I recall.