Recommend Keyboard for iMac? (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

 

[Johnny Angell]

Got an email saying the keyboard could begin shipping in October.

The latest email says they hope to begin fulfilling orders first week of January.

 

[Johnny Angell]

A recent email says they'll be shipping in February, of course, who knows if that will happen. Even when the keyboard arrives, the software won't support Mac yet. It will work with the Mac, but apparently the software to do all the fancy stuff isn't ready for the Mac yet.

I checked out Kickstarter on this last emailing and the natives are restless. Some really pissed off people. One guy is threatening a class action lawsuit, another commented they aren't honoring requests for a refund.

At this stage, asking for a refund strikes me as silly. I've waited this long, I'll wait longer. I'm sure glad I didn't get rid of my WASD keyboard (which I had just bought) believing this one was just right around the corner.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I have kind of said this before...

This is the problem with Kickstarter campaigns. You never know when you are going to actually get the product or if you will get it at all.

I waited two years for my Navdy car display. After a year, the company went belly-up.

The difference, in this case, is that DasKeyboard is a well-known company. Some say they used the Kickstarter funds to manufacture another keyboard and put us on hold.

I also asked for a refund --- just to see what would happen -- and was declined.

For me, it's no big deal. I don't need the keyboard. Thought it would be a cool thing to have. Had no idea there would be no software release with this for Mac. That's disturbing to find out.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I have kind of said this before...

This is the problem with Kickstarter campaigns. You never know when you are going to actually get the product or if you will get it at all.

I waited two years for my Navdy car display. After a year, the company went belly-up.

The difference, in this case, is that DasKeyboard is a well-known company. Some say they used the Kickstarter funds to manufacture another keyboard and put us on hold.

I also asked for a refund --- just to see what would happen -- and was declined.

For me, it's no big deal. I don't need the keyboard. Thought it would be a cool thing to have. Had no idea there would be no software release with this for Mac. That's disturbing to find out.

On the Kickstarter site Das made it clear the keyboard will work with the Mac out of the box. I think it’s just the software that allows all the fancy stuff that won’t be ready.

I dig that I took a chance, but this is an established company and I did expect better. Part of the problem is that they kept pushing the date a little at a time. Surely they knew better and could have been more truthful. Did they give a reason for refusing the refund?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

The reason they gave everyone was that they were too close to shipment date to offer refunds.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I enquirer of DAS via their Help Desk when my keyboard would ship. Got a fairly quick reply with a FedEx tracking number. But it’s not shipped and she couldn’t say exactly when.

It’s approaching 2 years since I ordered. Wow!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Yeah, it's kind of disgraceful.

Unfortunately, this is how Kickstarter programs work.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I do get that I “invested” in a product not yet developed. I was relying on a better performance from an established company.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Just found a notice on their forum (not an email) that a problem was found in a production batch. Das is suspending shipping for 4-6 weeks to fix the problem, and others. Oh brother.

I do realize that users posting on forums are predominately those unhappy with the product, because happy customers don’t usually bother to post. It is still alarming to see how restless the natives have become. I’m not sure I’ve seen anything like it before. There was one poster wondering what they did with the Kickstarter overfunding.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I haven't received an update email in over a month. Beginning to think the keyboard is vaporware.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

They sent out an update last week. It's going to be a few more months --- just what we expected.

 

[Johnny Angell]

They sent out an update last week. It's going to be a few more months --- just what we expected.

I didn’t get it, or I missed it. What a cluster-%#@$

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I didn’t get it, or I missed it. What a cluster-%#@$

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1229573443/das-keyboard-5q-the-cloud-connected-keyboard/updates

 

[Johnny Angell]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1229573443/das-keyboard-5q-the-cloud-connected-keyboard/updates

Oh boy, after reading the comments, the natives are restless. According to DAS there is a ringing sound when a key is struck with extra force and nothing can be done about. Some posters say it doesn’t take extra force. I’ll bet some of the DAS people are feeling like Davy Crocket at the Alamo, near the end.

I notice on the website that you can preorder the keyboard. I think they ought to be more worried their backers. Even if I could cancel, I wouldn’t. I’m too curious, I want to see this piece of shit when it finally ships (with minimal Mac functionality).

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Johnny,

We definitely got taken for a ride. This is a chance one takes when dealing with Kickstarter, though I never expected this from an established company like DAS KEYBOARD.

However, the silver lining in all this is that we did not get the initial keyboards that were defective. The longer we wait, the better the chances that all the bugs are worked out and we get a keyboard that has been perfective. Too many issues with them right now.

There really is no other solution. You can't get your money back.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Hell has frozen over, even here in hot and humid Arkansas. The 5Q Keyboard arrived today. I am shocked...shocked.

I plug it in and the mac says unrecognized keyboard but provides a two step process to get it working. It's working.

I'm trying to decide if I like the feel of it. It's ok so far. The mac software is not ready yet. If I wan't to be a beta, I can get it now. Gotta think about that.

I have read that when striking the keys there's a ringing noise and I hear it. It's very subtle. If I hadn't know about it I would have spent some time wondering "what is that sound?" I don't think the sound is a deal breaker, but it's not an intended sound, so after two years, they've got a defect that they can't fix.

I'll post more as I learn about the keyboard. I do thing DAS deserves a big black eye for this. I think it was supposed to be delivered within six months. From the moment I paid my money it was almost two years!

 

[DaveF]

So...two years to get a mediocre keyboard? Well, it’s been an interesting ride for the outside observer.

 

[Johnny Angell]

So...two years to get a mediocre keyboard? Well, it’s been an interesting ride for the outside observer.

Well, some of the tone of my writing is being pissed about the wait. Right now, maybe it’s an ok kb. If they ever get the Mac software going that should help a lot, maybe.

I rolled my dice and it came up snake eyes so far, but the dice could change.

 

[DaveF]

Well, if you're still hunting for a mechanical keyboard, The Wirecutter recently had a big review.
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/our-favorite-mechanical-keyboards/