mechanical keyboard newswire
daily mechanical keyboards, firmware & tools
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MID.1, a folded stainless steel 40% board I’ve been building for a long time¶
Showcase of the MID.1, a folded stainless steel 40% board by A.Okay!, now open for reservations.
Happy Topre Tuesday!¶
Showcase of a JustSystems 91U with 86U internals.
Oh no, I became the guy with two of the same board¶
User shares their two Mode Tempos and the reasoning behind the duplicate purchase.
[GB] DCS Grass Valley | Live now till June 1st¶
DCS Grass Valley group buy is live, hitting MOQ with price drops at higher tiers.
New to keyboards!¶
OP found a vintage Cortron terminal keyboard (possibly from the USS Lexington) and is seeking info.
Finally bought new switches¶
Review of BSUN Strawberry Cheesecake R2 switches on a Rainy 75 Pro, noting quieter/muffled sound.
Akko has good after sales support¶
Positive experience with Akko's support regarding a Bluetooth connectivity issue on the Mineral board.
QK80 Brown in 2026¶
Showcase of a second-hand QK80 with PBTFans Retro 100 caps and HMX Orange Grape switches.
I admit I've become dependent on this little guy.¶
Long-term review of the Geonix Rev.2 compact keyboard, praising its weight and portability.
Glitter Q4¶
Showcase of a Keychron Q4 with PC plate, PBTfans Neon R2 Glitter caps, and Gateron Oil King switches.
Flat keyboard or go all in?¶
Discussion on choosing between Glove80, Charbydis MK2, ZSA Voyager, and Sofle for an ergonomic setup.
“Casual”/“Non-Typing” ergonomics¶
Discussion on ergonomic keyboards for developers who use hands for navigation/mouse tasks more than typing.
[US-WI] [H] Ataraxia wireless trackball keyboard [W] PayPal, Venmo¶
Sale of a pre-programmed Ataraxia with ZMK Studio firmware support.
Trackpads! Who’s got the deets?¶
Seeking advice on wiring and sourcing trackpad modules for a KLOR Polydactyl build.
Keychron Q9 Plus - is it dead? Split space suggestions¶
Concerns about the future of the Q9 Plus split space model and suggestions for alternatives.
Anyone know about this kit? Good? Bad?¶
Inquiry about a specific split board kit for gaming/macro pad use.
Keychron J2 HE stuck in a 'bootloader mode'.¶
Troubleshooting a Keychron J2 HE stuck in bootloader mode after a firmware glitch.
I can't find the AJAZZ AK980 V2 Pro Software¶
User unable to find official software for the AJAZZ AK980 V2 Pro keyboard.
Keyboard and switch compatibility¶
Question about compatibility between Keychron C3 Pro and Akko Penguin Silent switches.
Double typing characters on keyboard¶
Troubleshooting double-typing issue on a Legion S7 laptop keyboard.
There is an update to the Galaxy XR firmware as of today, May 5, 2026¶
Major Android XR update rolling out with auto-spatialization and improved hand/eye tracking.
Evergreen
ZMK - Double Tap Hold for momentary layer¶
Discussion on implementing complex double-tap-hold behavior for momentary layers in ZMK, specifically for the Night layout.
Recent Ergodox Infinity keymap example?¶
User seeking a modern Ergodox Infinity keymap example with `visualizer.c` support after updating QMK.
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Inline hardware device for host-independent remaps/macros: useful niche, or useless?¶
Discussion on validating a hardware USB device concept for host-independent remapping, comparing it to software solutions like QMK/VIA/Kanata.
If you had to choose between Home Row Mods or Auto Shift, which one would you choose?¶
Debate on input method preferences (HRM vs Auto Shift) among ergonomic keyboard users.
Evergreen
Mx mechanical mini qmk¶
User shares a GitHub repo with working QMK code and individually addressable backlighting for the MX Mechanical Mini.
Omnitype restocks Dualshot Substance Deskpad and GMK Dualshot Accent kit¶
Omnitype has restocked the Dualshot Substance Deskpad and GMK Dualshot 2 keycap accent kit.
NuPhy releases WH80 wireless 8K magnetic gaming keyboard¶
NuPhy launched the WH80, a wireless gaming keyboard featuring 8K polling rate and Hall-effect magnetic switches.
Kanata brings firmware-level remapping to any keyboard—even laptops (I made a UI for it)¶
Author highlights Kanata's cross-platform capabilities and layers/tap-hold features as an alternative to flashing firmware.
Breaking
It's all wired up. Now all I have to do is learn to code.¶
OP is a complete beginner who just finished their first build and is now tackling the firmware coding aspect. High engagement due to the "journey" narrative.
HoldTap software only to re-create ZMK/QMK on Mac¶
Creator of "HoldTap" announces a new macOS application designed to bring layer/hold-tap functionality to standard keyboards without flashing firmware. Relevant for Mac users who want ZMK-like features.
Evergreen
Finally designed my own shell, PCB and top plate!¶
Custom build running KMK (Kaleidosaurus Microkernel) on an RP2040. Interesting technical discussion on the design process and sound test.
Free your minds! DIY no-stabs build.¶
DIY ortholinear build using a Pi Pico running ZMK. Discusses the challenges of a no-stabilizer layout and the "jank" involved in the build.
Keytogo, yet another keyboard navigation tool for macos (open-source)¶
New open-source, Rust-based macOS daemon for keyboard-driven mouse navigation. Alternative to Mouseless/Warpd for users who prefer CLI/menu-bar tools.
Breaking
List prices on many websites are borderline false advertising¶
Community discussion on Shopify configuration issues causing misleading kit pricing.
Levels54 is now fully open source!¶
Creator released all files for the split 54-key dual-trackball board, including PCBs.
Evergreen
macOS Utilities for Identifying Apps Hijacking Global Keyboard Shortcuts?¶
Tooling discussion for debugging global shortcut conflicts — relevant for remapping software users.
How to use QMK's matrix implementation as a custom lite matrix?¶
Technical discussion on leveraging QMK's matrix scanning code for custom firmware.
No Code Reviews by Default¶
Raycast on shipping without mandatory code review — adjacent to keyboard-tools workflow culture.
ScottoAcademy enrollment closes May 3rd¶
Joe from ScottoKeebs is offering 3 spots for a live, handwired macad build session to support his channel.
Keyreative Santa Llum keyboard now in stock¶
Keyreative announces the Santa Llum keyboard is available for purchase in two colors.
ZSA releases Zapp CLI tool and Classic Books mode for typ.ing¶
ZSA introduces Zapp, an open-source terminal tool for flashing firmware, and a new Classic Books mode on typ.ing for typing practice.
Treasure announces TYPE-9 Series IV and 3 new projects¶
Treasure is launching the TYPE-9 Series IV along with three additional new keyboard projects.
Omnitype Firsty Thursday: GMK Dracula under $88¶
Omnitype is selling a GMK Dracula keycap set for Firsty Thursday at a price under $88.
Omnitype releases GMK Burgundy keycap set¶
Omnitype has released the GMK (CYL) Burgundy keycap set, coinciding with the end of the Bauer 65 preorder.
Keyboard Builders Digest #210: IQUNIX EV63 HE, Laika, MMOrtho, Alatus, Krteq, and more¶
Newsletter highlights IQUNIX EV63 HE review and open-source projects including Laika, MMOrtho, Alatus, Krteq, Leonardo KeycapRio, Lemonshark, and PISIC.
Omnitype Bauer 65 groupbuy ends soon¶
The Bauer 65 groupbuy is closing in one day, with the Dune colorway available.
ScottoAcademy live workshop: build a 3x3 macropad¶
ScottoKeebs is hosting a live workshop to build a direct-wired 3x3 macropad from scratch, with enrollment closing May 3rd.
Mode Designs announces 2026 Encore with Crown Mounting System¶
Mode Designs released the 2026 Encore keyboard featuring a new Crown Mounting System, with pre-orders open and fulfillment starting in July.
Keyreative KAP Capo Soda keycap group buy¶
Keyreative has opened a group buy for the KAP Capo Soda keycap set.
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Evergreen
Breaking
New Geonix teaser photo¶
Teaser image for a new Geonix—looks like a PC case variant; sparks discussion about a new revision/production.
Evergreen
You may not like it, but THIS is peak split keyboard¶
High-engagement photo/post showcasing an eye-catching split build — good visibility in the community.
Built the keyboard — what do you use for a pointing device?¶
Active discussion about pointing devices for split/ZMK setups — practical community input on peripherals and workflow.
Self designed ISO MX PCB to fit Holy80¶
Small couple-designed ISO PCB that uses QMK — notable because it’s a custom ISO PCB + full RGB and shows a DIY ISO QMK build that others may reuse.
Breaking
Krteq (Open source)¶
New open-source 61-key unibody using Raspberry Pi Pico and QMK/VIA — notable for Gateron LP 3.0 compatibility and hotswap support.
Evergreen
My first split keyboard: Keyball61¶
High-engagement photo/build post of DIY split board using Remap for keymaps — good signal for ergonomic board interest.
Krteq 5x12 (+2)¶
Same Krteq board cross-posted to r/MechanicalKeyboards (build pics) — community attention on PCB/switch choice.
Copilot Key on My Keyboard¶
If you'd like, I can expand to broader HN searches (remove the 24h filter) or run this again tomorrow.
Connecting Issues¶
First-build connectivity problems (Supermini MCU + ZMK) — several troubleshooting replies (worthwatch if ZMK USB/bluetooth fixes emerge).
Breaking
Marshmellow UI goes wireless!¶
Marshmellow UI adds wireless/Bluetooth support (v0.6.4 required) and mobile support — notable tooling/firmware UI update.
Evergreen
Is it possible to make holding space shift and I want to rebind my ctrl with alt¶
User asks about remapping (mentions Kanata) and where to learn Kanata — kept for Kanata monitoring.
Evergreen
Evergreen
Breaking
Open-sourced My Corne Eclipse Design w/Dual Encoder & nice!view¶
Custom Corne MX build with dual encoders, dual nice!view screens, ZMK firmware, and ZMK Studio support now open-sourced on GitHub.
Evergreen
Binepad BNK-16 - Review and issues¶
Detailed review of BNK-16 with VIA/QMK issues — JSON save/load breaks layer switching, modifier+mousewheel combos don't work, poor vendor support.
kanata backtick shows as "§" and tilde as "±"¶
Solved issue with kanata on macOS where backtick/tilde keys displayed wrong characters — fixed by changing keyboard type in settings.