Progress

Progress I’m making on the keyboard

This is just for the keyboard nuts and the obsessives (of which I’m one).

For everyone else: there’s far too much information here.
TL;DR: You can just assume a lot of work has gone into the development of the bloomin thing!

By the way: “IU” is my main contractor and all-round tech expert.

18 August 25

My test PCBs arrive

The parcel from Hone Kong arrived today. It took hardly a couple of days to get from the manufacturer to my house in the UK, which is pretty amazing considering the distance (6,000 miles or 10,000 kilometres).

Now I have to wait for them to arrive with IU, and for him to install the firmware.

My test PCBs arrive.

24th July 2025

The test PCBs have been manufactured 

The PCB assembly company says they aim to despatch the 10 PCBs on 10th August 2025. That’s pretty exciting!

20th July 2025

PCB company payment is insufficient 

When I paid the PCB company’s pro forma invoice, the amount they received was $50 short.

That’s because their bank charges them $50 for each international payment… 

If I paid the $50, it would need to be $100, because the second payment would also have a $50 charge. 

So the PCB company now advises me to pay by Paypal, as a much reduced and rather more reasonable charge of $2.95.  It makes you wonder about price gouging behaviour of some banks.

4 July 25

Mechanical vs. membrane?

I’m having more conversations with IU about mechanical versus membrane keyboards.

Membrane is expensive to create, but cheap to make in bulk. And the clicks are not as precise (though ordinary users can’t tell the difference).

But using a mechanical keyboard lets me add more functions.

People who buy a conventional keyboard do so because it’s a cheap price. They aren’t interested in modifications. That’s the theory, anyway.

But right now I don’t have enough information to make a decision. I need more feedback, which means spreading the word. But I can’t do that until I have a working model and an end in sight. 

And I have a feeling that while keyboard experts and geeks scorn the membrane keyboard, 99% of the population have no idea what they’re typing on. And is that 99% a bigger market?

3 July 25

We fill out the complicated PCB forms

IU says he will fill out the PCB manufacturer’s form for me, because it’s complicated. I’ve sent him the access details.

I’ve also added this content – the record of the progress I’m making on the project, into the website here. Not being a developer, I use Elementor (in case you were interested) despite its many flaws (or maybe I’m just not very competent).

1 July 25

UK companies ignore my request

I check in with IU to see if his typhoid is easing.

I also let hm know I’ve contacted several UK PCBAs, but none of them has responded. Maybe my job is too small or too complicated for them? One of them has said they don’t make PCBs any more.

I’ve asked him to send me screenshots of what options I should choose in the PCBWay order form?

Alternatively, I said, please let me know if we should do it a different way.

30 June 25

I look to Asian PCB assembly companies

None of the UK companies I emailed or phoned has replied, despite me sending then detailed information and files when they’ve asked for them.

I guess they aren’t hungry enough, my product is insufficiently interesting, or the product may not be profitable for them. Or maybe they’re just incompetent?

I’ve emailed PCBway (a PCBA firm) for advice. They replied saying I should send a request for a quote.

But their assembly form, only part of which is shown here, is beyond my technical knowledge. I’ll have to ask IU’s help.

The PCB assembly form, only part of which is shown here, is beyond my technical knowledge.

13 June 25 

I’ve received the Gerber files

IU has given me the Gerber and other files.
He has also added three LED lights for the keyboard to show the status of Caps Lock, Num Lock and Tab.

12 June 25

Is my tecj expert still around?

I have chased IU for the files. I’m nervous that I have paid for the work, which he could then take away with him, and not give them to me. I know that’s improbable, but at this state of development I get a bit nervous. And they’re always stories of people giving away their intellectual property rights.

So I’ve told IU that I’ve been in touch with a couple of PCBA companies who could do the job v(which is true). And so I’m asking him for the files I need.
I’ve also asked him for a few words about what the PCBA needs to do.

9th June 25

IU, my tech expert, has typhoid

IU has been infected with typhoid. He is on antibiotics, and is resting. 
Link: Typhoid is unfortunately rampant in Pakistan

Also, his mechanical engineer – the guy who would print the PCB, is not available. I will look for one, and we will share the files with them.

23 May 25 

We’ve agreed the casing

We’ve agreed a rigid plastic casing. Not as nice as aluminium, but less expensive for the consumer, and …

20 May 25

I move towards getting a quotation for PCB assembly.

The next stage will be ordering this PCB and also to assemble it from a PCBA manufacturing company. A single company can do this Job. We will get a quotation from different PCBA companies and will compare it which is best for us. IU has 4-5 companies with whom he is currently in contact.

There is the transportation cost and custom duties, but one of the companies will help us to reduce the custom duties and also the courier transportation and after the firmware development and PCB verification we can easily send it to the US or UK from Pakistan.

20 May 25

Backlighting will be in the spec.

We’ve agreed to have a white backlight.

19 May 25
The PCB schematic is complete.

29 March 25

I’ve received the market research findings.

I’ve commissioned independent market research into people’s attitude towards computer number pads.

Of the 100 respondents, 30% said they would be interested in the keyboard. And the remaining 70% said that, while they weren’t keen on the backwards upside-down number pad, they couldn’t bear to change.

30% is a big number. I don’t for one minute imagine this project will turn the keyboard world upside down. But the research says plenty of people agree with me that the current number pad has a ridiculous and illogical layout.

As for the 70%, I know it’s just too much intellectual effort for people to stop using the one they’re familiar with.

And I’m aware that when the project comes to fruition, most people who say they hate the current layout will remain with it.

Some won’t feel the sufficient need to change their keyboard, or that mine is too expensive (because there are some very cheap boards out there), or because it’s just too much effort.

30% of respondents said they preferred the logical number pad. This is just one of several pieces of research we’ve carried out.

22. 4.25
I’ve prepared a list of steps, starting with finding a coder, and ending with adding more regional boards.