Recommendations for a mechanical keyboard?

Not sure if that is the case since I no longer have an Intel Mac to try.

In my QMK findings, I found that some Apple feature only work with their own keyboards, namely the fn key that’s now a core part of iPad’s multitasking keyboard shortcuts.

The solution is to make QMK identify the Keyboard as one from Apple by setting its vendor # to Apple’s code.

Here’s how a gist on how to implement it.

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Today I learned.
Thanks!

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As a web developer, I find it hilarious how often the solution to a technology problem involves instructing your software to lie about what exactly it is. :slight_smile:

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Yeah, definitely not the most elegant and possibly not legal way to fix it, but…

That’s to blame on Apple for not only chipping away from standards but also keeping such system crucial keys as exclusives for their own keyboards.

That’s a good thought, but beyond kbd firmware
there is no specific driver. Anyone know if the
Keychrons work natively?

Hey @jsamlarose, I’ve got a pair of nice!nanos 2 (and batteries, sockets and many shenanigans) and now am looking forward to build my first wireless sweep.

However, I’m still missing on a power switch and a reset button. As I was looking for a way to transport my keyboard around without using the power switch, I found two ways: a transport layer to be exited by a combo toggle and a patch that would enable the &suspend behavior.

Since I saw a few comments of yours on GitHub regarding this patch, I wanted to ask how well are you dealing with this feature on your Corne.

Just wanted to check out before deciding to solder the batteries directly to the nanos.

Hi! YMMV may vary with that “soft power off” patch— I’ve had a fair few cases where my board has switched itself back on in transit. Haven’t figured out how that’s happening yet.

For peace of mind I’m back to the first of the two options you found: a transport layer (all &none keys) toggled via a combo keypress (the four corners of my keyboard, as you can see from the keymap I posted, so very unlikely to be unintentionally invoked when packed away).

This has proven to be the most reliable way to pack the keyboard away without having to worry about random keypresses. There’ll still be some drain if the keys are pressed, but shouldn’t be anything more than regular usage. This will also be easier for you if you really want to get something up and running without having to install dedicated reset switches.

I’ve found the &suspend keys useful for disconnecting my keyboard without having to turn off bluetooth, but that might be another story… :wink:

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A bit late to this, sorry, but it’s also possible to map Apple’s Fn key to a suitable key on a mechanical keyboard which doesn’t have a physical Fn key at all and which doesn’t use QMK — like the first version Kinesis Advantage.

It’s a two stage process:

  1. On the Kinesis, remap a key from the number pad layer and remap it to a modifier key on the standard layer. I remap ‘Insert’ from number pad layer to Ctrl on the top right of the right thumb cluster.[*] So, you know have a top level ‘insert’ key, which is completely useless, of course.

  2. So now you need to use Karabiner Elements to tell the Mac to treat the Insert key as a Fn key. This is a simple remapping in KE’s “Simple Modifications” tab.

I’ve not come across any problems at all with this method.

[*] I customise the thumb clusters heavily as they’re poorly designed in the standard configuration – I have 3 other control keys, so this one isn’t missed. Why they waste such import thumb space on unnecessary keys like Page Up/Down and Home/End is a mystery…

I tried holding Option on my Keychron Q10, and it was not recognized at boot of my iMac Pro.
I haven’t tried spoofing the Apple keyboard ID or anything.
I always have an Apple keyboard lying around, so not a problem for me.

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Karabiner is awesome. The only problem I see with this approach is that this fn-made key will not work in iPadOS.

A workaround is to change iPadOS settings to remap Caps Lock into fn and do the same in macOS either trough karabiner or system settings.

I don’t use that Keyboad with the iPad, so that’s not been a problem for me, fortunately.

But I definitely wouldn’t remap CapsLock to Fn, because it’s needed for Control, which is used hundreds of times a day. Even better if you dual-map it – I have CapsLock as a dual Control/Escape key, (and Return as dual Control/Return).

On the iPad (Magic Keyboard), you can only have CapsLock as Control, but that’s still much better than the default.

All these are personal preferences of course…

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FWIW, with my keyboard and iPad, I’ve mapped the Caps Lock key to Globe/Fn (via iPadOS settings), and my right shift key is a Caps Word key when double-tapped (via my keyboard firmware)…

As I stated elsewhere, I sort of semi-accidentally bought a Keychron K3 Pro low profile (on Kickstarter), and I kind of love it :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Still in love with my Ferris Sweep, now wireless, and with a case that I got from an Etsy vendor who called this color banana milkshake.

Now I feel the urge to recommend a split keyboard to anyone who cares about ergonomics and comfort. It’s really great to keep an open chest on the desk and that alone far surpasses the learning curve hasle.

If you don’t want to go as minimal nor ortholinear as I have, there are some keyboards that keep the traditional staggered layout but in a split format, such as the Dygma Raise.

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Progress report. I finally bought a white Keychron Q1 pro. The standard english ANSI version, not the barebones ISO version. It was cheaper that way, and less of a hassle.
IMG_0015

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That’s a good looking keyboard. My Varmilo VA87M Mac White keyboard is on the shelf for the moment as I have a hard time tearing myself away from the well-integrated keyboard of my M1 MacBook Air!

wtf is that on upper right? A joystick?

It’s a Programmable Knob –

Designed to enhance your creative workflow, the aluminum rotary encoder allows you easily customize the knob to your desired key or macro commands like zooming in/out, adjusting screen brightness, brush size, volume, selecting video clips or photos, or backlight hue.

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It seems well-integrated enough. I haven’t encountered major annoyances for now. The function key doesn’t behave like the Globe key on my MacBook Air, but there’s probably a way to replicate it somehow.

I would have preferred a proper French Canadian ISO layout, but it’s not a huge deal. (BTW, I believe Apple is one of the rare companies who offer that layout as an option. Other companies like Dell or HP only offer standard ANSI keyboards, but with French accents on them.)

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I agree with you. No argument here. If my MBA’s built-in keyboard broke in some way, I would happily switch back to my mechanical keyboard. But since getting my M1 MacBook Air, I so love having an all-in-one device with nothing extra to charge or connect via cable or Bluetooth that, at least for the moment, my beautiful Varmilo is on the shelf. :slightly_smiling_face:

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