The wonderful and deeply weird world of modded keyboards is one that never fails to deliver. Enthusiasts constantly ask, ‘What if we did this thing nobody else thought of?’ It’s a good question. Because of that, it frequently spits out builds that are, well, a little like a comedic bit. If you’re into that, then you’re going to love this incredibly small keyboard.
In the quest to achieve the dinkiest typer ever, Reddit user Fidepus has crafted a keyboard with just 30 switches. While it mostly looks like your standard QWERTY with the surroundings cut off, it’s actually a German QWERTZ layout. There are normally other differences aside from the single key swap, too, but not on a keyboard this small. Despite the tiny size of the thing, it actually uses normal-sized keys. Better yet, the standard spacing means it should feel the same as most other models.
In fact, according to the creator, it doesn’t even cause cramps because of the way they’ve chopped it all up. We’re not sure this thing would be any good for gaming or even working in the long term. It’s especially useless for anyone who needs a number keypad, or regular old symbols for that matter. Still, if you’re just looking to do a bit of writing on the go, this size is actually pretty tempting.
Fidepus also put up a video of them using the adorable little keyboard to show off the way it sounds. Seeing it in action, it sounds like a fantastic typing experience. Recordings aren’t always accurate, but the light click-clack feels a little less weighty than a lot of big mechanical keyboards. We can’t tell how satisfying it is to use, but it could be a good choice for those typing in a crowded area. One thing’s for sure: it’s not the IBM Beamspring tearing up the office.
It uses a Puchi BLE microcontroller by Keycapsss that’s very much in keeping with the rest of the downsized design. There’s also a poop button on it. We’re not sure what it does, but maybe it’s a dedicated macro for putting the computer to sleep while you go to the toilet. It’s almost definitely not that, since there are four custom caps and the need for space, enter, and either delete or backspace, but maybe it should be.
I think the keyboard needs a touch more weight to keep it from moving around. Thicker rubber feet or an extra layer would go a long way to help ground it a bit more. It’s a cool little device, though, and is a nice bit of inspiration if you’re looking for a smaller keyboard.
