My newest keyboard: a Keychron K11 Max (Alice Layout) QMK/VIA Wireless Custom Mechanical Keyboard

I just got back from Malmö, Sweden, where I spoke at the amazing ØREDEV conference. I love that show! I'ves spoken there various times over the years, including waaaay back in 2013 where I had the pleasure of meeting XKCD creator Randall Munroe.

Here's the obligatory selfie:

I was there in 2013 and got to hang out with my friend, AWS developer advocate, hero, and industry legend James Ward. So imagine my delight - delirious delight! - in being able to speak at this year's event with him! I adore that guy and whenever we hang out, I always learn new stuff from him. Such a privilege, so I was very, very grateful for that.

Anyway, I got back home after a fairly uneventful flight, and found waiting for me my new Keychron keyboard. I've been a fan of ergonomic keyboards since 2002 when I got my first job doing computer science. The work was fun, but it turned a thing I did as a hobby and during study into a chore. An exercise. Suddenly, I was writing software for eight or ten hours a day, and my wrists hurt! I went to the Frye's electronics (RIP, amazing store!) store in Los Angeles and got a Microsoft Natural keyboard. It was a giant, heavy, ergonomic keyboard. Like a barge with keys split down the center. It made all the difference in the world. Suddenly I could code as long as I wanted. I've never looked back. I loved those keyboards so very much! I went and bought a handful of 'em and took 'em home so that, if ever they stopped making them, I'd have them handy. Well, eventually those stopped working and I had to find something else. I don't know upon what I settled. Perhaps the new generation of the Microsoft Natural Keyboards.. which were bigger and bulkier and loaded with all these stupid buttons that only worked on Windows. But it still served my wrists well. I've had countless other ergonomic keyboards over the years. A few years ago, I discovered the bliss that is clickety-clackety keyboards and fell in love with Keychron as a company.

I've been rocking the Keychron V10 (Alice Layout) QMK Custom Mechanical Keyboard, which is a bulky (though less bulky than the old Microsoft Natural Keyboards) and ergonomic keyboard. Really nice! But, it's heavy and, I think, didn't support bluetooth. Not sure on that, to be honest. Anyway, I really like it! But it's as heavy as an anvil and took bulky. I live in San Francisco! You don't get a ton of space in San Francisco so my desk(s) are small and I'd prefer to waste less time with them. Also, my USB-C hub thing is pretty darned great, but I'd live to free up some space on it for other peripherals. If my keyboard can work via Bluetooth, I'd appreciate that benefit, too.

And it seemed, finally, that my dreams were answered when I discovered this keyboard earlier this year. Except that it was sold out! Apparently it was possible to buy it in Canada, but with the whole noise around tariffs and shipping and finding someone who'd take delivery for me, and since I had a lot of upcoming travel which would mean I wouldn't be able to stay home and enjoy it, I just waited.

Finally, a few weeks ago it was available on the Keychron store. Bought it and here we are. It's amazing.

Here's the keyboard on my desk, next to a Logitech MX Masters mouse (pictured slightly off screen) and my finger. It's small, but mighty!

Types like a dream. Fast, portable, wireless, etc. It's taking some work to get comfortable on it, of course. I'm much more familiar with the slightly larger, older model. I'm also very comfortable on my Macbook Pro keyboard. I can get to more than 100 words per minute on my Macbook Pro (but then my wrists hurt after a day or so of sustained use), where as on the ergonomic keyboards I tend to hover around 80 wpm.

I am getting ahead, however. I have successfuly gotten the new keyboard over 100 wpm on TypeRacer.com and - since I was hovering at so much lower in my previous attempts on the new keyboard, it prompted me to prove I'm not cheating.