ranzware
My better judgment tells me that I can’t scoop up every novelty keyboard I clap eyes upon. One only ever has limited funds after all, to say nothing of my increasingly crowded and very much limited space. Alas, every now and then I’m confronted by a keyboard find that overrides such sensible notions, leaving me alone with just one powerful thought: “Oo, shiny!”
This is one of those times, with ‘better judgment’ found dead in a ditch somewhere. The offending keeb in question is Dry Studio’s Petbrick 65 model, featuring a fluffy outer frame that’s not only pettable but also a darn sight easier to wash than an actual animal companion (via The Verge). Handmade and washable preferably by hand, the soft outer shell can be easily popped off in the event of a messy lunch at your desk.
The fluffy outer frame promises to be as plush as it looks, as Dry Studio claims it’s a comparable texture to Jelly Cat’s toys, saying that they’ve teamed up with a toy factory boasting two decades of experience to get it just right. The frame and keyboard come in two adorable colourways: ‘Calico’ with toebean-inspired design flourishes on the keys, and ‘Odd-eye’ which brings a more ‘mysterious black cat with heterochromia’ vibe to the function. Now, that’s totally non-heinous.
But as much as I love them both (with more fluffy, less feline-inspired designs apparently on the way too), I can’t justify scooping up both with a price tag of $239 per keyboard. Cost aside, furry tech threatens the worst kind of conversation starter, though at least these come with detailed wash care guidelines—though rattling all of those off may just beg further questioning. To add to my ill-advised spending decisions, there are yet more cat-themed keebs afoot… a-paw?
I never saw the appeal of a screen on my keyboard of all places, but James’ review of the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 gave me one reason to reconsider. QwertyKeys’ QK80 MK2 gave me another. The QK80 Mark 2 is a wireless mechanical keyboard with RGB lighting and a leaf spring mount. It comes in a variety of colourways, but I’m personally pining after this long-since sold-out Neon Genesis Evangelion limited edition. So, what’s the cat connection?
Wheeling back around to that little onboard screen, what caught my eye wasn’t just the possibility of loading up that bad boy with cat GIFs. Instead, enter Bongo Cat mode. As this TikTok demonstrates, one screen theme gives you a kitty companion that tap-a-taps in time with your own keystrokes.
@ty_cottle
♬ original sound – Ty Cottle
Accessed via the buttons directly under the screen, the Meow theme offers playful though limited reactivity. For just two examples, rapid typing makes the keyboard cat quickly smack his paws with a determined expression, while stepping AFK for long enough sends your feline friend off to sleep.
While not exactly reinventing the keyboard wheel (cuboid?), cat cliches are unfortunately a reliable tactic for parting me from my hard-earned money. The base QK80 MK2 directly from QwertyKeys is technically available from $134, though the price varies depending on which of the robust roster of colourways you pick, and what other build features you opt for. It’s just as well the Neon Genesis Evangelion edition is sold out, as that would’ve cost more than twice as much. Talk about saving me from myself.
Kurt Indovina
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