Our competitors in the floating island type in the keyboard - powerzi/adapter GitHub Wiki
"Floating island type keyboard" difference
When you see this picture, you might wonder: "this is ThinkPad keyboard?" Please you can count on it. Many customers in completing the user testing, through the Internet, magazines and user comments tell us: "it is ThinkPad keyboard." I hope you not only to look at these pictures, but more to hand to touch the keyboard.
I'd like to talk about the new trend in notebook computer, floating island type keyboard. On the keyboard, the name of the people have not reached an agreement. They is now referred to as floating island type keyboard, keyboard, cheese, non-isolating's keyboard, etc. In lenovo group, we put them called "floating island type keyboard". Floating island type keyboard is not a new thing. The trend began in apple, at present a lot of competitors products also USES the keyboard.
ThinkPad keyboard key not higher than the actual framework notebook computer, this and many competitors products the same. There is a frame fixed our keyboard, lenovo group, we call it "frame type keyboard". Naturally, we have worked hard to achieve in case apart under the premise of replacement keyboard, to keep maintenance of simplicity.
Floating island type keyboard are generally deemed "design is very simple and modern", and we often hear "the key is separate, so easier to identify and typing". However, compared with the traditional keyboard, the keyboard in the "easy typing sex" has both advantages and disadvantages. The availability of the keyboard by many factors common decision, such as the shape of the button, spacing, rap, layout, handle and ruggedness, etc. Our goal is to create the best floating island type keyboard, a worthy of ThinkPad keyboard.
ThinkPad floating island type keyboard and rival keyboard have why to distinguish?
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Key shape: key top is concave, help accommodate fingertip.
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Knock: 2.5 mm (X100e is 2.0 mm).
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Handle: the keyboard has been adjusted in the same pantograph type design realize feel good.
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Strong sex: the keyboard overall strong, equipped with stainless steel plate, the plate use bath crock type design and permanent framework.
These four things make us different with competitors. In other words, ThinkPad design concept remains unchanged. The keyboard is through the same quality standard. X100e key stroke is 2.0 mm, many floating island type keyboard keys is less than 2.0 mm, so we in this respect basic similar. In the user test, the keyboard and ThinkPad original keyboard 2.5 mm key comparison, both in the usability almost no difference. However, these are the result of X100e small size keyboard, and full size keyboard Edge E30 2.5 mm knock and ThinkPad original keyboard the same.
Our competitors in the floating island type in the keyboard use completely square buttons, and in order to keep products with other ThinkPad the integrity of the design, we chose the front have arc button. This is based on the following ideas: to make it look like the original ThinkPad keyboard in front of you "bud". Our designers in keeping the ThinkPad traditional features is very serious.
And classical keyboard different several places, we spent a lot of time to design around the little red point G, H and B key shape.
The little red dot design and former design have why to distinguish?
- The height of the little red dot.
Lower than before 0.4 mm.
We extend the little red dot LCD and the spacing, makes the LCD not be downward pressure damage.
G, H, B key concave.
Because we took the little red dot position to reduce the 0.4 mm, so the little red dot may interfere with the key.
The three key is necessary to design from the little red dot.
The little red dot position to reduce, but the usability is still very good. Of course, the little red dot is still keep the original design, and keep the availability of the key point is to surround the little red dot G, H, B the shape of the button. Although only dropped by 0.4 mm, but we know: people sensitive finger can feel the 0.1 mm small differences. The researchers suggest many design proposal, we choose the best scheme. The future user tests proved that our choice is correct.
To be frank, we in the process made many difficult choice. In the ThinkPad this title, "bad keyboard" is a fatal injury. During development, we again and again ask yourself: "it is really a kind of be worthy of the title of ThinkPad keyboard?" Luckily, the hand touch the X100e E30 user gave us very positive response, we finally can rest assured.