Keydock is already an awesome mechanical keyboard, with all the best features you could want of it. But we would not be on Kickstarter just for that!
Keydock have 2 different awesome uses !
Today, our cell phones have replaced so many devices that we used before : GPS, cameras, music players, game consoles and so much more thanks to countless apps available. They got so powerfull that today your smartphone is probably more powerfull than your current computer.
The only problem? Their small screen size and limited mobile interface that limits our productivity.
That’s why we created Keydock! But I found that it could also be used another way!
Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, 4 USB, SD, SSD, mechanical keyboard. All you need to have a desktop productivity out of your ultrabook!
Keydock is a docking keyboard that unleash your smartphone (or tablet!) power and brings you a whole new experience!
Once you connect your smartphone to Keydock, the Android interface is presented in Windows-like desktop environment, with resizable windows, mouse cursor, file manager, web browsers…
You can then do pretty much anything you would do on a computer:
The complete Office suite, and the Open-office suite are both available on Android. Create and edit documents, presentations, spreadsheets.
Besides the tons of games available for android, you can also enjoy classic windows games through emulators like Exagear, Limbo. Or if you need the latest most demanding windows-only video games, or others windows-only demanding softwares, there’re cloud computers (like shadow.tech) that will run them for you at highest performances.
Get your work done with real productivity.
Android has integrated the Mopria Alliance standards to bring a native and no-thought-requiring printing function to all Android devices. As long as you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network as a Mopria-certified printer (Mopria says 97% of printers sold nowadays do), all you have to do is tap the print command in any app that offers it.
Same for scanning, Mopria offers an app supporting most scanners brands making the whole process seamless.
And so on…
Going one device has several advantages :
Besides turning your smartphone into a desktop computer, Keydock is very handy in a lot of situations!
Recent laptops tends to offer little connectivity. Some, such as Macbooks offer only USB-C and let you bring an external hub. Keydock brings you that hub together with a sleek prenium keyboard.
The same way Keydock can turn your phone into a desktop computer, you can do the same with android tablets!
As you’ll see below, we made Keydock the best keyboard possible so that even if you don’t plan to use it for your smartphone it can still be awesome for you!
In order to create THE ultimate working station for your smartphone or tablet, we brought together :
Our plan is to create at the same time THE ultimate keyboard, so that even if you’r not planning to use KeyDock as a docking station right now, it can still be most usefull for you!
We struggle to fit our docking module inside the keyboard without increasing the dimensions of the keyboard while still having all the connectors you would need on a desktop computer.
At your home Keydock-station you can stock some movies and backup your pictures. At your office Keydock-station you can stock your work folders.
Specially handy if your smartphone don’t have an audio jack ;)
To the smartphone holder? There’s a Hole for easy and clean connection.
To the front to use your smartphone as touchpad mouse?
Using with your PC computer you can choose if cable goes out left, right, middle… Giving you a better cable management and cleaner desktop.
When I started this project, I never paid attention to the keyboard I was using. At work I was using an old crappy keyboard for years. The backspace button was not clicking correctly which was driving me crazy. Interestingly I never thought of getting a great keyboard. Which is stupid as I spend most of my time typing on a keyboard! Investing in a good keyboard was definitely something I should have done years ago.
So when I started this project I discovered the different kinds of keyboards. There are two main famillies :
When you take interest in the question, mechanical keyboards usually become the obvious choice, the investment is not so big considering the time spent on computers. It’s like having a good mattress: if you think about it you spend about a third of your life on it. It’s worth getting a great one.
So obviously when I designed Keydock I decided to go for a mechanical keyboard with Brown Switches (silent tactile feedback).
Then I thought about what would make a great keyboard and decided to go on the quest of making the best one possible.
So first we go for a full size keyboard with standard layout. Available both in ANSI 104 keys QWERTY (USA standard) and ISO 105 keys AZERTY, QWERTY, QWERTZ (European standard).
Backlight are really usefull. Typing in the dark without is really annoying. So, backlight yes definitely.
Now the question is, single color backlight, or RGB backlight? I thought a lot about it, but if we’re going for the best keyboard possible, then it’s a must. And you don’t have to use it if it’s not your thing, you can just use the white backlight, or none.
This is a basic of a good quality keyboard. This means that the keyboard register all the keys you press simultaneously. So that each keypress is correctly detected regardless of how many other keys are being pressed or held down at the time. Immuning to both key ghosting and key jamming.
KeyDock is also compatible as a keyboard with Windows, MacOS, Linux and will provide a nice hub along.
Note, while the keyboard, USBs ports, sd card reader will work with any android, to use the HDMI or VGA video output you need a phone that has a USB-C port supporting the “DP alternate mode” (a list can be found here).
On the edge of the keyboard we added discreet rulers. Need to take a dimension quickly? It’s right there. Centimeters on bottom and left side, Inches on right and top side.
Note the rulers did not print out on 3D samples cases of the prototype. So the following pictures are 3D models and 3D renderings. The rulers will be discreet because it will be carved in the mold, such that it can be seen when looked at but without catching the eye.
Because the 3D rendering don’t show clearly the rulers, here are some 3D pictures where edges are outlined so that you can see more clearly :
The 3 usual LED (caps lock, Num lock and ScrLk) and one additional LED called “Win LED”. On Keydock you can disable the windows key with “fn+window key”. So that when you use a full screen software or game with Windows OS, pressing the Windows key by error won’t bring you back to desktop.
The usual Fn+F1 … shortcuts really suck. They are hard to press with one hand. So we decided to use good ones accessible easily with one hand.
Keydock is here to help you keep your desktop clean and sleek to boost your productivity. Store all your small things in those two cavities. USB keys, microSD, paper clips, sharpener…
People usually don’t pay much attention at back of keyboards. But we do. We decided to find out what to do with the extra space available at the back of the keyboard to make the most out of it!
Our cable channeling allows you to run the USB cable out 7 different exits for better cable management. Including :
Another storage to help you keep your environment clean!
Want to hide your locker’s key maybe? Who will thought to check the back of your keyboard? This small hidden storage (190*40*10 mm) let you store all those small things.
Two pencil slots are available on the side of the Keydock. Easy to access and use this enables you to always have pencils at hand while keeping your dekstop clean.
Keydock use double legs, enabling you to choose the tilt of the keyboard between 3 positions.
To make sure you keyboard will not move around, we designed big rubber pads.
A beautifull protractor. This might not be very usefull at the back of your keyboard you may say. But if you need it at some point it’s right there! And it does not increase manufacturing cost, so why the hell not?
Having one device is so much more convenient that it will be the future for sure. Why bothering with multiple devices that just take so much time to maintain? And why spending so much money purchasing so much devices when one can do the job of all? With Keydock you will never have to buy another computer again. Everytime you get a new smartphone you’ll be enjoying a new computer!
Why big manufacturers companies have not released yet a desktop mode you may ask? Well obviously some brands want you to buy their smartphones AND their ultrabooks. Obviously going one device means less sales for them..!
But a lot of users understood that and that’s why there are a lot of projects aiming to bring the best desktop experience. And the good news is that Google understood that it’s the future. That’s why they integrated a first desktop mode to Android 10 !
Keydock is compatible with smartphones which have a USB-C port supporting the “DP alternate mode” (a list can be found here). The video over USB-C (DP alternate mode) is quite a new standard. So not all old phones will be compatible. That’s why we designed Keydock to be also the best keyboard possible. Such that even if your current phone is not compatible, you can still get Keydock to use it as an awesome keyboard, waiting for your next phone.
Some devices support DP-alternate-mode but don’t offer desktop interface mode. Currently only Samsung and Huawei developped specific desktop modes for their flagships, DeX and Easy Projection respectively . For other phones there’s android 10 native desktop mode and some projects such as SentioApp OXI, Mura and others will give you such desktop experience.
That’s something I often hear. Lot of kickstarter project are scams and never deliver their promised product. But that is because lot of them are selling ideas that are not ready to industrialize. Sometime you can even see their pictures are just 3D modeling, meaning they don’t even have prototypes. Or they can have prototypes that are not ready for industrialized production.
As my 5 first Kickstarter campaigns (see Raspiboy, RetroStone, RetroStone2…) can attest I am as transparant as I can be, my prototypes are really ready for production. And I did delivered all my backers!
Please check on 8BCraft website for reviews of those first products and also on Youtube you can find lot of reviews of RetroStones and Raspiboys, showing you they do exist for real! :)
Joining me on kickstarter is not only about this awesome Keydock. It’s also about the journey of the project! As you can check on my two three Kickstarter campaigns Raspiboy and RetroStones, I made a point to give good updates (check for yourself here and here). With interesting facts on production.
Here are exemples of what people thought of them!
End of crowdfunding
2019 : Injection mold making and production.
: Product certifications (CE and FCC certifications)
: Shipping to you guys!
The main challenge is that enought people are interested in the project.
Everything is done on electronic design, 3D models, keycaps design and so on. We have a partner factory that is ready to make the production, and the logistic side is also prepared as I already doing it for the RetroStones!
So really, all Keydock needs now, is to find enought people interested! :)