Quite new project, but would be interesting to see and learn from themm and have a prototype concept with their keyboard, IMHO. Opinions?
1 Like
If you couold post a reference (link) to point to what you talk about…
Feels preemptive. Let’s see them ship a keyboard first, then hear some reviews. They mention in the kickstarter comments trying to solve stability issues with the keys.
Some links with a bit more than just a flashy youtube video (not a whole lot more though) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fluxkeyboard/flux-keyboard-the-keyboard-reinvented/
https://fluxkeyboard.com/
The magnetic solution that they are using, and the modularity could be useful to the Framework solution too. They are telling to the people at Australia Keyboard summit, that they are using multiple magnets to define keys, and seems to me that we have similar thing already - just the keyboard is one or two piece only if I remember right.
1 Like
Honestly, I just don’t see how they’ll be able to get the action feeling good, smooth and stable, while also looking close to how they’ve presented. But it would be great if they can manage something usable.
To be truly honest
I think it’s a scam. AKA, they knew from the start that they will not be able to produce what they’ve shown. And the point is just to get as much money as they can while they claim they are trying to work through issues.
3 Likes
I think, electrically controlled magnets. If you saw in your life magnetic floating toys, you can control magnetic force, and with that the press feelings IMHO. But yeah, let’s hope, even if the modularity can be turned into a useful idea in Framework laptops.
My first impression was: I bet that’s gonna be costly, otherwise ppl would already have done that.
Then I went to their website and configured a conservative pre-order including all their features just as extras: $684.25 (!) 
And even without any extras, it’s still $535.50 for a keyboard… 
…what a luxury.
1 Like
How would magnets above RAM and storage be a good thing?
Cool keyboard for sure, and it would be awesome to have something like this, but unless I’m missing something I don’t think this would even work in a laptop with the mainboard and components under the keyboard.
There isn’t any worry about magnets around laptops these days. With hard drives, spinning disk drives, there was risk because they record magnetically, but magnets have no effect on SSDs, RAM, or anything else in a Framework. Or other solid state memory like flash drives or SD cards. The FW16 has a line of magnets along the input deck to hold the upper input modules.
Only thing that comes to mind is that you might not want to place any credit cards, ID or access cards with magnetic strips on your keyboard. But these days, a lot has moved to NFC or RFID and contact chips. Credit cards often have 3 options, contact chip where you insert your card, non-contact “tap to pay” using NFC, and an old magnetic stripe as a last resort where you side that edge through a reader.
3 Likes
Apart from the lid sensor there isn’t much magnetic sensitive on the board these days. Unless some madlad makes a m.2 harddrive XD.
1 Like
That honestly seems brilliant if they can pull it off, but would be hard to do in a laptop
Doubt they don’t seem very interested in Linux support, and it requires a custom driver, I’m pretty sure even for Windows.
Ironically, Framework Laptops are already loaded with magnets. There are magnets all around the keyboard cover and the display bezel.
Other laptops also have magnets. It’s normally used for the lid open/close switch. And they can be quite strong. Awhile ago, someone found that the magnet in their MacBook Pro was strong enough to trigger the Framework lid switch, if one was placed on top of the other. [Solved, Magnets] Strange electrical behavior? On occasion I’ve used the magnet in the palmrest of my Thinkpad to hold screws when I’m dissembling something.
Honestly, the most common thing people have, credit cards, will probably be just fine laying on the FW16. They use HiCo strips, which require a stronger magnetic flux to affect them. I suspect the line of magnets across the FW16 input deck will be weaker (at the external surface) than lid switch magnets which have been present in other laptops for many years. But if you use old “vintage” magnetic media (like diskettes), you might want to be careful. Some might be LoCo, less resistant. Magnets under keyboard (top deck) and credit cards - #2 by MJ1. This applies to all laptops.