Well there is actually just one thing I would pay so much money for… a better mouse control.
I use the trackball and I was testing the touchpad module for that and they are just not a complete replacement for a real mouse…
And the issue is not the modules, it is that you need to steer the mouse pointer with your thumb which even after years of “training” I am not close to the precision with a normal mouse…
So for me the only solution (which I know is absolutely unrealistic) is to have all keys on the right side be touch sensitive. So that you can use the complete right part of the keyboard as a touchpad without moving your hand… if there is not patent on this hurry up!
I am not sure if the UHK Agent can handle multiple keyboards but this is definetly something which I need since I am waiting to buy my “travel” UHK when there is a new model (even though I am completely satisfied with V2)
… ahh and yes please add blank key caps with different colors (and the transparent dot) in the shop I need more color in my keyboard game…
well I think the idea is smart but I would never touch a keyboard where the keys are without any gaps and flat aligned…
Maybe there is another solution for the UHK to solve the mouse issue - moving the mouse with you left index finger without moving your hand… not sure how though
The thing I would ask for is more keys. Particularly the ability to use arrow keys and function keys without needing to layer. This is the thing missing to me.
I use both arrows and functions in layers and as stand-alone keys, depending on the context. While typing I use the layered ones. While using the mouse (browsing) I often use the stand-alone keys.
I do come with an attitude to force a way of using your keyboard. Since I did once wished the same as you. But, I forced myself adopting to the new layer (the right space became mod though, meaning I’ll use space with my left thumb and mod with my right thumb.) I really love it because the moving path of my fingers stay in the same location when I use arrow keys. It takes time but it is well worth.
Minimal breakout board system for MKL03Z32VFK4 (Left side) and MK22FN512VLH12 (Right side) for upgradeability and ease of further maintenance and durability hence all capabilities of the keyboard depend on these MCU’s.
This idea came when I was fixing (And still fixing in true Open Source fashion) ESD and Water-Damaged UHK60v1 of four years and what to say, well changing and soldering MK22FN512VLH (Right side) is quite an stressful endeavor even with hot air gun for it’s fragile LQFP-64 package and fragility of the MCU itself not talking about MKL03Z32VFK4 (Left side) which has QFN-24 package, with which it is hard to know if you have not fully soldered it or you have damaged the MCU with hot air gun and yes you can only solder QFN-24 with hot air gun.
Sorry for my reply that it may seem a bit too technical for you.
That direct mounting of thumb mouse would be a huge negative for me. Southpaw gaming relies on IJKL. Sure we’re only 10% of the population but those market forces have locked me out of numerous peripherals.
My v1 has been the best thing I ever bought and it lasted for 4,5 years now.
My only wish is for a built-in usbhub so i can plug in my yubikey and carry it everywhere… even better if it can support usb 4, usb 3.1 so i can plug in my external drive.
piggy back on previous usbhub idea, maybe an even bigger wish is to have fully built-in KVM and able to switch output between 2 different usb output ports and i can switch between laptop/desktop XD (i do have an external usb hub at the moment but it would be pretty sweet if it is built into the keyboard).
It would be cool to have Mill-Max style hotswap sockets for the microswitches, which would allow for easy modding or switch replacements. I know they produce quite a few variants of these sockets.
That said, I’m not sure how realistic that is since the sockets would be the only thing holding in the microswitches. When these sorts of sockets are used for MX switches, the plate holds everything in place.
I am very happy with my U.H.K. My only dissatisfactions have been:
I can’t use the trackball module with my thumb while keeping my fingers on homerow. This feels like a significant design compromise to me, but it was not a surprise-- I fully anticipated it when I pre-ordered.
The trackball’s tracking is horrible with the only ball that’s heavy enough to not clack around in the (perhaps oversized) enclosure.
Some of the cracks, such as below the leaver buttons built into the bezel and under the front buttons of the key cluster module, are prone to collecting grease and are a bit inconvenient to clean.
The non-slip pads on the bottom of the keyboard don’t work very well. This may be due to collecting dust over time, which I simply wipe off rather than fully washing. The excess mobility sometimes has its advantages though.
Wishlist features I would personally like to see in a new version include:
O.LED or E-paper displays (symmetrical between halves). It would be cool if both were available but I’m sure most people would go with the O.LED. I probably would too. Perhaps some day they could also accept touch input.
More appealing design of the translucent panels on the backlit blank keycaps.
Better support for chord-based typing. This seems more like a software wishlist item.
Symmetrical USB ports so either half can be cabled to the computer or both can, eliminating the need for an interconnect cable.
Bluetooth support would be nice. I liked the ability to switch between devices with my Majestouch. Batteries should be removable and ideally hot swappable while the halves are connected to each other or a computer. Wireless charging also seems like a good idea if it wouldn’t decrease life expectancy or waste energy constantly.
I thought the Optimus Maximus’ individual keycap displays were silly but I often wish I had something like that now, to indicate the functionality of my keys in various layers and depending on the application with focus. I’m sure it’s not worth the money but perhaps the longevity issue will be solved with time (and a repair-friendly design). It seems Polykybd is trying again.
Another one that isn’t very practical is the depth sensing Wooting. I can think of some practical uses for this, like detecting soft taps separately from key presses. I do wish I had that sensor data but I don’t know how much it’s worth to me and I also really like my blue switches.
Some sort of super-claw tool to quickly remove all the keycaps for cleaning and then put them all back on again.
A more rectangular body, so it would be a little easier to design things like mounting brackets the keyboard halves recess into.
I’m not sure I would use this feature myself but I imagine a lot of people would like capacitive sliders on the front and sides of the keyboard. I don’t mean on the top surface, I mean literally on the full length of the sides. Those would take up very little space, be practically invisible, and could be useful for media controls and such.
I thought the Optimus Maximus’ individual keycap displays were silly but I often wish I had something like that now, to indicate the functionality of my keys in various layers and depending on the application with focus.
I’ve personally found that using a consistent color scheme with the RGB backlights to fill this need. I’ve posted the LED colors I’ve used here:
Each color represents a class of functionality and so I know what maps to what based on the context. I’ve now just committed this all to memory, but it was super helpful when I was just getting started.
Thank you so much for such a fantastic product. I bought almost all the most popular split keyboards on the market during my journey. Corne, Zsa’s, kinesis, glove80, and Dygma’s, but I always return to my uhkV2. Love it. Here’s my 2 cents to the v3 wishlist:
Please leave the wires (at least make’em optional). If we say that UHK is a keyboard for professionals, there shouldn’t be room for bugs, slowness and glitches connected to Bluetooth.
let’s go ortho-linear!!! (Zsa’s Moonlander and Voyager, to me, are in 2d place precisely because of that)
the UHK right now is near perfect. Please don’t make it worse :)))
I, for one would love a PCB compatible with UHK v2 with hall effect sensors to be able to test/experiment with HE switches as I never tried those but seems to be quite nice for my usecases (software-defined actuation point).
I’ve never used HE switches either. I think it’d be cool to check some out, but I don’t really like linear switches. I know there’s a few clicky/tactile HEs available, but it would be a bit silly to use those for variable actuation heights .
If you’re interested in using HEs for something like Snap-Tap (SOCD, Null bind) or whatever, here’s some macros to do something similar with the UHK. I use this all the time for games that don’t block it:
(even though I am completely satisfied with V2)
every time I have to type on a laptop, so I imagine that thing feels absolutely atrocious.
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