Game Changer: Analog Switch Technology On The Aimpad R5 Keyboard

[scolaner]

Analog keyboards could become gamers’ most indispensible weapon of choice. One of the few outfits fervently working on developing the technology is Aimpad. We took a look at its R5 prototype keyboard.

Game Changer: Analog Switch Technology On The Aimpad R5 Keyboard : Read more

 

[DarkSable]

Okay, see, here's my thing with all these analog keyboards.

They're very cool, and I'm sure the feeling is, in fact, revolutionary...

But why do they have to be a _keyboard_?

Instead of having to switch between modes so that you can type, why not make this be a stand-alone gamepad?

I'd buy one in a heartbeat if it were; it would let me use it as a numberpad when not gaming, so that I could go with a tenkeyless board, and give me the benefits of analog switches when it actually matters.

 

[therealduckofdeath]

Darksable, there are a ton of gamepads with analogue buttons. I have an Xbone controller and a logitech gampad with them.
This is (probably) useful because a lot of PC gamers use the keyboard for gaming as you get a ton of keys right at your finger tips.

 

[apple020997]

Why the driving profile uses WASD? I'd hope that, with the final revision, you could use the arrow keys...

 

[DarkSable]

Darksable, there are a ton of gamepads with analogue buttons. I have an Xbone controller and a logitech gampad with them.
This is (probably) useful because a lot of PC gamers use the keyboard for gaming as you get a ton of keys right at your finger tips.

Oh shush, not those kind.

And yeah, I do get that, but... I dunno. I suppose my use case is mixed enough that it would drive me bloody insane to have to worry about switching back and forth.

 

[kmepie]

I think DARKSABLE means something like a gaming keypad. This technology is actually useful for typing because you can type different characters based on how far you push a key. It could completely remove the need for caps lock or shift, by pressing lightly to get lower case letter and bottoming out to get caps.

So that's why this may be better as a full-size keyboard rather than a keypad.