Figure 1: Zeal's own photo of the first production bags of Zealios switches...
I’m guessing that a good number of you reading this article right now clicked on with some sincere degree of confusion from the title. There can’t possibly be any way that ThereminGoat – the guy who has personally tried over 3,000 different switches – is claiming that there won’t ever be another switch like the Zealios, of all things. (I’m sure a few of you are further listing off at least a dozen other medium-heavy tactiles that you can think of that are close enough to Zealios on top of this, too.) While you would be right in calling me out for saying something of the sort about Zealios, the switches, what I’m talking about here is something bigger and more impactful – Project Zealio, a.k.a. the initial groupbuy announcement and ‘Round 1’ release of Zealios switches. I’m here to argue that not only did Project Zealio fundamentally changed the way that the mechanical keyboard community thought...
So in my previous write-up, while highlighting the benefits of alternative and custom layouts, I declared without much evidence that QWERTY is not that bad at all, and also that it is in the top 2% of all the possible layouts. Well, like so many times in life: it depends.
I did my original research many years ago - the exact value was in fact 1.82% -, but I forgot to mention that this is only valid in a special case: using my personal corpus and ruleset. It makes sense since back in the day I did this to support the design process of my own custom keymaps.
Anyway, it was high time to redo my original experiment, dive in this topic a bit deeper, and reveal the logic and method behind my calculations. Spoiler alert: I was wrong! Or was I? ;)
QWERTY
Everyone knows QWERTY I guess. Christopher Sholes, Remington 2 typewriter, preventing jamming of type bars, path dependence, whatever. I'm not going to cover it here, check this previous write-up of mine if you are interested...
Hall Effect: What is a Hall Effect switch and will it turn you into a gaming god?
TL;DR: Nope, but there are reasons why you may want to use a Hall Effect Keyboard.
Hall Effect switches are the newest trend in mechanical keyboard switches. From Gateron to Geon, switch manufacturers are starting to release HE switches. With Wooting at the forefront and seemingly the best implementation of Hall Effect technology, many other brands seem to be playing catch-up. We’ve seen releases like the RAKKA, BOOG75, DrunkDeer, and MOD007 HE start to stir up competition. But do you need another keyboard? Is this one going to be the end all be all for you? Is HE Endgame? If you’re like me, a keyboard enthusiast, your answers will probably be: no(yes), no, and no. Do I think that an HE board deserves a spot in your collection? Maybe… Let’s dive into the latest technological update to mechanical switches in a long time, and you can make that decision for yourself.
First, we need to know...
Finding your groove: getting into vinyl with Audio-Technica
I’d like to think that I could’ve been friends with the late Hideo Matsushita, founder of Japanese Hi-Fi powerhouse Audio-Technica. If I could, I’d travel back in time to 1960’s Tokyo, where a young Matsushita curated “vinyl listening sessions” at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts, exposing visitors to the sounds and possibilities of high end audio and the warmth of vinyl records. I imagine sitting with him in a mod coffee shop, listening to the stories of what he witnessed in those sessions, the conversations he had with visitors, and what ultimately motivated him to head back to his small apartment above a ramen restaurant and start an audio company of his own.
In the histories I’ve read regarding AT’s humble beginnings, Matsushita’s motives seem clear. Produce high end audio at affordable prices, bringing audio excellence into spaces and to customers that simply didn’t have access to it before. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3 phono cartridges did exactly that, and...
Work around for firmware/configuration update error "command not recognized"
I spent more than an hour attempting to update my Drop Shift keyboard. I'm not sure what has changed, but I was not able to do it entirely from the Drop website as I had previously done. I have most of the keys configured how I would like, but the default LED function was a very bright, distracting, rainbow wave going across the keyboard. Every time I turned the computer on I had to manually adjust the lights how I liked.
Using the online version or the locally installed app, you first have to install the QMK XAP interface. You then have to flash your already configured firmware file, which can be done on the Drop website. If you are logged in your last configuration is saved under your account and you can alter what you like, so you don't have to start from scratch.
So, following the instructions I selected the appropriate board, entered bootloader mode, but when attempting to flash the file, I would get an error that the C:/Users/Mike C..... command is not recognized...
I absolutely love the Lord of the Rings collection, so far I have 2 desk mats, and the Edoras Keyboard. I plan to get a few artisan keycaps to add to my keyboard in the next coming months, and what I would really love to see is Lord of the Rings inspired Mice! Right now I am running a Logitech G505 Blue Gaming Mouse and I thought to myself man what would really go well with all my Lord of the Rings gear is a gaming mouse to go with it!
so ive tried to order a few iems and heaphones and other stuff and i notice i cant order im from israel
i used to order some time ago and i had not problem if any one got an idea to what happen i would appreciate it
Create Engaging Videos with Doodle Animation from Simply Explainer
If you're looking to make your presentations or videos more engaging, Doodle Animation is a fantastic option! I came across Simply Explainer and they do an amazing job creating fun, professional animations that really capture attention. Check them out if you need to add a creative touch to your content! Has anyone else used their services?
My wife wanted a keyboard that is themed after her college colors. It was exhausting/fun searching around for options. This hobby has expanded so much that the options are almost endless. I settled on the Daring Run DR-70f, Gateron EF Curry Linear Switches and DROP DCX Sapphire. She was very happy with the end result and most importantly, I got to build another keyboard. I love the layout of the Daring run and it was crazy affordable! Think I might take on the Flip 6 next.
Why haven't I received a shipping code or response from customer service for my order in over 3 weeks?
Hello,
I apologize for using the community to post a customer service ticket essentially, but I haven't gotten any update from this website for my FIRST ORDER regarding some headphones I ordered. Essentially, my partner ordered me some gaming headphones ( Drop + EPOS PC38X) a few weeks ago. I have an attached screenshot of the confirmation code on this post.
Normally I'd expect a shipping code to be provided, at most, a week later, but I decided to give this website a little bit more patience because to begin with, my girlfriend was skeptical, but after reading some posts on Reddit recommending this site, I convinced her it wasn't a scam. 3 weeks later, lo and behold, we still have not gotten any kind of shipping update.
I am just wondering, on average, how long it takes for an order to get to the buyer here. I have ordered from websites like Shien and etc, so I am not really stressing anything, but considering the fact that I sent customer support an e-mail 10 days ago and have...
My order number is DROP-5120899088519. I did not receive the cargo tracking number of the product I ordered. I wanted to ask if there was a problem. Because I bought it for my friend's birthday gift and if it does not arrive soon, I will not be able to surprise my friend on her birthday. Please contact me.
You know the story.
3 rings to the Elven-kings.
7 to the Dwarf-lords.
9 to mortal men.
And 1 to the Dark Lord.
What will your fate be? Spin the Wheel of Power to see where you land on the ring of prizes. Regardless of the outcome, be sure to take a look at the Lord of the Rings collection after claiming your prize.
You can spin the wheel a maximum of three times, but much like those who have worn the Ring of Power—there's no turning back after that button is clicked.
How did the journey go for you? Share your spoils below.
I've given my trusty old DROP ENTR keyboard a fresh makeover with my brand new DROP+MATT30 3277 keycap set and coil cable! Now, I can really feel like I'm back at the mainframe console where I started my tech career!
First impressions:
* The plastic is high quality, and the injection moulds are clean and consistent across all keys. The larger space bar appears VERY slightly bowed, but not enough to be noticeable when typing.
* The keys are a few millimetres deeper than the original DROP ENTR keycap set. However, they still sit very nicely on the switches, and there is no wobble or play at all. In fact, the extra height, combined with the gentle slope emulating the old original 3277 keyboard, makes typing on this keyboard even more enjoyable than it was with the original keycap set!
* The tops of the keys are very nicely concave, which makes finger positioning much easier than the more flat surfaces of the original keycaps. The home keys are slightly more concave, making hand...
Where are the LOTR Keycaps? It used to be availble without buying the whole keyboard! I got myself another brand of keyboard and wanted to get the Rohan keycaps and to my surprise they're not on the store anymore.
Years ago, this was a place to find some cool new keyboard stuff and a fresh rotating catalog of group buys. Now, it's basically the same exact items for sale that they had 2 years ago, along with a couple of updated models.
Compared to before, there is now zero urgency to buy anything because most of the stuff is always available. In fact, you are a sucker if you pay the usual price and don't wait for things to go on sale! It was cool when you could actually expect to get a decent deal up-front on a solid variety of stuff in the group buys and not need to feel like you should wait a few months for there to be a sale. I feel like I see very few new items whenever I check back here, and of the things that are not exclusives many can be found for cheaper from a place that has free 1-day shipping.
At least they stopped trying to push those all those ugly, tacky, lame superhero themed keycap sets so hard all the time. It got to the point where I just stopped opening the Drop emails...
I bought this keyboard three years ago from DROP, and it's been 100% dependable ever since. As you can see, here, I've substituted some of the original double-shot keycaps with spares from another old keyboard I had, just to give it some variety. But in the coming weeks, I'll be replacing the entire set with a new Drop + Matt3o MT3 3277 Custom Keycap Set (Because I'm a bit of a computing grey-beard).
The anodised aluminium base, the key switches, and all the original caps remain in nearly the same condition as when I purchased this, back in 2021 (I think it was). I am a software developer in test, and I do a lot of writing for my philosophy hobby. Yet, this old workhorse just keeps on galloping along just fine! Best value-for-money ever, as a computer peripheral.
Having just returned from That Windy City Keeb Meet (a long-winded way of saying "The Chicago Meetup"), still recovering from the whirlwind that is a meetup weekend, I wanted to quickly put keeb to talk post (as they say) and share a bit about the event.
Drop's vendor table at That Windy City Keeb Meet 2024
First off, if I ran into you at the meetup, it was great to meet you! I had a blast (as always) getting to know and reconnect with keyboard fanatics from all around the country. It never ceases to amaze me how many overlapping and interconnected hobbies we all share—certainly helps keep the conversations interesting as we veer off into retro gaming, photography, music, and anything else that comes up.
All eyes on the announcement podium for giveaways 🫡
We were joined at the vendor tables by Sneakbox, Switch Oddities, and Tactile Zine—all run by amazing individuals. I wish I had taken pictures of all of their setups to share here. The only one I have is of...
Hello Everyone!
It’s that time of year again. Summer is in full swing, we’re enjoying time with friends and family, and most relevant to our shared hobbies—it’s Prime Time for more sales! We’ve got lots going on, so read on for more info.
Following the trend of the last couple of years, the complete list of sales is too large to list here (check the promo landing page when it goes live for complete info). Listed below will be some particularly noteworthy deals as a sneak peak to what’s coming. :)
▪️ #1 Sitebusters live at 11pm PT on 7/15/2024
▪️ Drop CSTM80 Mechanical Keyboard $99 limited to 100 keyboards (MSRP $149)
▪️ Drop CSTM65 Mechanical Keyboard $79 limited to 100 keyboards (MSRP $129)
▪️ Drop + Sennheiser HD6XX $169 (MSRP $219)
▪️ Drop + EPOS H3X $39 (MSRP $79)
▪️ Wobkey Rainy 75 Keyboard starting $99
▪️ GMK Mecha-01 Keycap Set $99 limited to 200 sets (MSRP $149)
▪️ DCX White-on-Black keycap set $49 (MSRP $99)
▪️ Campfire Audio Orbit Bluetooth Earphones $99 (MSRP...
Drop everything you're doing and go to your streaming account (I prefer Spotify and Tidal) and pull up (search for) Ulrich Schnauss & Jonas Munk then find track 7 (Chasing Rainbows). Strap in and plug in your amp, and hit play. You can thank me later! No streaming account? Try this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_mE0TE9a-Y&t=1715s
We hosted our first mech keys meetup in years about a month ago (see here for a photo recap). Our team was furiously videoing everything during the event, and posted a bunch of shorts/reels to socials since then. Now they've compiled an excellent recap video showcasing the event.
Grab a coffee, sit back, and enjoy the meetup. :)
We'll see you at the next one! 🫡
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