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Show HN: I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard

231 points · 197 comments · aemerson_

  1. ary · · focus · HN ↗
    To everyone who is about to pile on regarding the lack of a fingerprint sensor: you know it's not possible, we all know it's not possible, the creator of this project knows it's not possible.

    What are you adding to the conversation when you complain about it? So it's a dealbreaker for you, don't buy it.

    To @aemerson_: Congratulations on taking a risk. On first look this is great work. The attention to detail on both the keyboard and the website is really impressive.

    1. Andrew6rant · · focus · HN ↗
      Fingerprint sensor is technically possible: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;geekhack.org&#x2F;index.php?topic=120964.0" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;geekhack.org&#x2F;index.php?topic=120964.0

      CC @gtsteve

      1. naikrovek · · focus · HN ↗
        fingerprint sensor is easily done. Touch ID-compatible fingerprint sensor from someone other than Apple is not possible as I understand it.
        1. Andrew6rant · · focus · HN ↗
          I just linked you a post with a Touch ID-compatible mechanical keycap.

          Reverse-engineered from the Apple Magic Keyboard and requires a donor board, though

          1. naikrovek · · focus · HN ↗
            “requires a donor [Apple Magic] keyboard” is not the same as a third party making a Touch ID-compatible sensor. That’s Apple making a Touch ID-compatible sensor and a third party taking it out and putting it in another keyboard.

            This does not qualify as a third party Touch ID compatible keyboard.

            1. notpushkin · · focus · HN ↗
              Yeah, but it’s a third party mechanical keyboard with a Touch ID sensor.

              I suppose if one came across a pile of old &#x2F; broken Magic keyboards, they could extract a bunch of Touch ID sensors and sell those to a keyboard manufacturer (or in their own keyboard). This does not scale, obviously, but including it as an option could work.

          2. asdff · · focus · HN ↗
            You could do all that and maybe after many hours it might work, or you could also solve this in 5 minutes by just plug in the magic keyboard to the computer, stick it in a box with a cut out for the touchid sensor, and just stick your mechanical keyboard on top of the box.
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