Month: July 2023
OnePlus’ debut mechanical keyboard is a Keychron with a twist
You get extra keycaps and a combination switch/keycap puller in the box.
OnePlus’ debut mechanical keyboard, the Keyboard 81 Pro, may be little more than a redesigned Keychron Q1 Pro with a couple of tweaks. But the Keychron Q1 Pro is one of the best mechanical keyboards available today, and the tweaks OnePlus has made to its design range from “inoffensive” to “actually kind of neat.” I wouldn’t go as far as to say the Keyboard 81 Pro is better than the Q1 Pro, but it’s a nice alternative version with its own strengths.
As a reminder, Keychron’s Q1 Pro is a wireless version of the Keychron Q1. It’s made of a solid aluminum chassis, with a gasket-mounted switch plate that gives it a premium typing feel and is packed with extra features like hot-swappable switches (helpful if you want to change its typing feel without needing to solder) and the ability to reprogram it using the powerful customization software VIA.
Depending on which design and switches you’re after, the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro costs between $219 and $239 (the version I’ve been testing), compared to $199 for the knob-equipped Q1 Pro it’s based on. For many people, I suspect that will be the end of the conversation — why pay a premium of between $20 and $40 extra for this keyboard unless you’re a OnePlus superfan?
The OnePlus branding is relatively minimal.
The kickstand is probably the biggest addition OnePlus has made.
It’s a fair point, but the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro has more going for it than just the OnePlus branding and color scheme. For starters, there’s its added kickstand, which allows you to adjust its typing angle in a way that’s surprisingly not possible with the standard Q1 Pro. The adjustable bar is reassuringly stiff, and once I set it to the height I wanted, I didn’t feel it shifting over time. It’s a neat addition, even if it’s able to elevate the keyboard to a height that’s past the point of being comfortable to type on.
Second, OnePlus has opted for a more traditional keycap shape compared to the Q1 Pro that I personally really like. As standard, the Q1 Pro comes with Keychron’s spherical-angle (KSA) keycaps, which you could describe as having a retro-inspired look to them. But the OnePlus keyboard instead ships with cylindrical keycaps, which have a more modern look and feel.
The exact style of keycap you get varies depending on which switch type you go for. The $219 tactile switch version (aka Winter Bonfire) gets you largely darker gray double-shot PBT keycaps, while the more expensive $239 model with linear switches that I’ve been using (Summer Breeze) comes with more lighter gray double-shot keycaps made out of a material OnePlus calls “marble-mallow.” Hold one of these keycaps in your hand, and it’s possible to squeeze and flex them before they pop back into their original shapes.
The “marble-mallow” keycaps have a weird amount of flex to them.
On the board, the flexibility of the keycaps isn’t nearly as obvious.
They don’t flex like this when attached to the keyboard, but otherwise, the “marble-mallow” keycaps have the nice matte roughness I’d normally associate with PBT and also feel a little bit tacky like rubber. They’re pleasantly grippy with legends that are good and crisp. The big question is how this material will hold up over time. PBT plastic has a reputation for not developing a shine as it’s worn down with use, but it’s difficult to know if the same is true of this flexible marble-mallow, at least in the amount of time I’ve had with the keyboard. You get Mac keycaps installed on the Keyboard 81 Pro by default, but there are extra Windows keycaps in the box, and like the Q1 Pro, you can switch between the two operating system layouts with a small switch on the top edge of the keyboard.
Third, the Keyboard 81 Pro actually feels quite different to type on compared to the Q1 Pro. They both have switch plates made out of polycarbonate, but OnePlus has opted to use custom-branded switches that correspond to the color scheme of the overall keyboard. So the Winter Bonfire color scheme comes with “Winter Bonfire” switches (which are tactile and have red stems), and the Summer Breeze color scheme comes with linear “Summer Breeze” switches, which have navy blue stems. (Yes, it’s confusing that the keyboard uses blue to denote linear, which is commonly used on clicky switches, and red to denote tactile when it is usually the color used for linear).
The keyboard’s lettering is crisp and clear.
The translucent volume dial is another change for the OnePlus keyboard.
The Keyboard 81 Pro’s spec sheet doesn’t offer many specifics on the linear “Summer Breeze” switches that came in my review sample. But they share some similarities with the linear red Keychron K Pro switches in the Q1 Pro. Keychron’s name is printed atop each switch, and they have a similar medium weight and a smoothness. The big difference is in how the keyboard feels when you bottom out a switch, which is less crisp and bright and more of a muted thud. I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse, but it’s certainly quieter, which may appeal to anyone who needs a keyboard for office use or for use on video calls. I can’t speak for the tactile “Winter Bonfire” switches, but here’s a typing sound test of Summer Breeze.
Otherwise, yes, the Keyboard 81 Pro is just a Keychron Q1 Pro with a OnePlus-inspired makeover, and some parts of the redesign work better than others. I like, for example, the overall color scheme, the alert slider-style controls on the top side of the keyboard, the red USB cable, and the shiny raised section around the volume dial, which obscures the messy square cutout you’ll find on the Q1 Pro. But I’m less of a fan of the transparent volume dial itself (it looks a little cheap), and I could take or leave the OnePlus logo on the escape key. I’d love if OnePlus had included an alternative escape key with a standard “Esc” legend.
The wired / wireless switch has been tweaked to look more “OnePlus.”
There’s RGB lighting, but it’s not particularly visible.
Although you can get a full rundown of the Keyboard 81 Pro’s features in my review of the Keychron Q1 Pro, here’s a summary of some other specs worth knowing about:
The keyboard is hot-swappable, meaning you can replace its switches using a simple pulling tool with no need for soldering. You get a combined switch and keycap puller in the box.
The keyboard is remappable using VIA, an excellent app. The software recognized the OnePlus keyboard immediately and worked as well as with the Q1 Pro.
Yes, it’s RGB, but the keycaps aren’t shinethrough, so you’re only going to see the light between each keycap, which is relatively underwhelming. I’d recommend leaving the keyboard’s RGB lighting turned off because…
Using RGB will significantly cut the keyboard’s battery life. Even with its RGB turned to its lowest setting, you’re looking at a battery life of 100 hours versus 300 hours with the lights turned off entirely. Best save them for when you’re using the keyboard wired.
As you can hear in the typing sound test above, Keychron has done a great job on the keyboard’s stabilizers, which I can’t hear rattling at all.
The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro is neither better nor worse than the Keychron Q1 Pro that it’s based on, nor is it a simple rebadge. It’s quieter, feels different to type on, and it’s height-adjustable for good measure. I’ll leave the decision of whether these changes are worth paying a $20 to $40 price premium up to you.
Photography by Jon Porter / The Verge
You get extra keycaps and a combination switch/keycap puller in the box.
OnePlus’ debut mechanical keyboard, the Keyboard 81 Pro, may be little more than a redesigned Keychron Q1 Pro with a couple of tweaks. But the Keychron Q1 Pro is one of the best mechanical keyboards available today, and the tweaks OnePlus has made to its design range from “inoffensive” to “actually kind of neat.” I wouldn’t go as far as to say the Keyboard 81 Pro is better than the Q1 Pro, but it’s a nice alternative version with its own strengths.
As a reminder, Keychron’s Q1 Pro is a wireless version of the Keychron Q1. It’s made of a solid aluminum chassis, with a gasket-mounted switch plate that gives it a premium typing feel and is packed with extra features like hot-swappable switches (helpful if you want to change its typing feel without needing to solder) and the ability to reprogram it using the powerful customization software VIA.
Depending on which design and switches you’re after, the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro costs between $219 and $239 (the version I’ve been testing), compared to $199 for the knob-equipped Q1 Pro it’s based on. For many people, I suspect that will be the end of the conversation — why pay a premium of between $20 and $40 extra for this keyboard unless you’re a OnePlus superfan?
The OnePlus branding is relatively minimal.
The kickstand is probably the biggest addition OnePlus has made.
It’s a fair point, but the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro has more going for it than just the OnePlus branding and color scheme. For starters, there’s its added kickstand, which allows you to adjust its typing angle in a way that’s surprisingly not possible with the standard Q1 Pro. The adjustable bar is reassuringly stiff, and once I set it to the height I wanted, I didn’t feel it shifting over time. It’s a neat addition, even if it’s able to elevate the keyboard to a height that’s past the point of being comfortable to type on.
Second, OnePlus has opted for a more traditional keycap shape compared to the Q1 Pro that I personally really like. As standard, the Q1 Pro comes with Keychron’s spherical-angle (KSA) keycaps, which you could describe as having a retro-inspired look to them. But the OnePlus keyboard instead ships with cylindrical keycaps, which have a more modern look and feel.
The exact style of keycap you get varies depending on which switch type you go for. The $219 tactile switch version (aka Winter Bonfire) gets you largely darker gray double-shot PBT keycaps, while the more expensive $239 model with linear switches that I’ve been using (Summer Breeze) comes with more lighter gray double-shot keycaps made out of a material OnePlus calls “marble-mallow.” Hold one of these keycaps in your hand, and it’s possible to squeeze and flex them before they pop back into their original shapes.
The “marble-mallow” keycaps have a weird amount of flex to them.
On the board, the flexibility of the keycaps isn’t nearly as obvious.
They don’t flex like this when attached to the keyboard, but otherwise, the “marble-mallow” keycaps have the nice matte roughness I’d normally associate with PBT and also feel a little bit tacky like rubber. They’re pleasantly grippy with legends that are good and crisp. The big question is how this material will hold up over time. PBT plastic has a reputation for not developing a shine as it’s worn down with use, but it’s difficult to know if the same is true of this flexible marble-mallow, at least in the amount of time I’ve had with the keyboard. You get Mac keycaps installed on the Keyboard 81 Pro by default, but there are extra Windows keycaps in the box, and like the Q1 Pro, you can switch between the two operating system layouts with a small switch on the top edge of the keyboard.
Third, the Keyboard 81 Pro actually feels quite different to type on compared to the Q1 Pro. They both have switch plates made out of polycarbonate, but OnePlus has opted to use custom-branded switches that correspond to the color scheme of the overall keyboard. So the Winter Bonfire color scheme comes with “Winter Bonfire” switches (which are tactile and have red stems), and the Summer Breeze color scheme comes with linear “Summer Breeze” switches, which have navy blue stems. (Yes, it’s confusing that the keyboard uses blue to denote linear, which is commonly used on clicky switches, and red to denote tactile when it is usually the color used for linear).
The keyboard’s lettering is crisp and clear.
The translucent volume dial is another change for the OnePlus keyboard.
The Keyboard 81 Pro’s spec sheet doesn’t offer many specifics on the linear “Summer Breeze” switches that came in my review sample. But they share some similarities with the linear red Keychron K Pro switches in the Q1 Pro. Keychron’s name is printed atop each switch, and they have a similar medium weight and a smoothness. The big difference is in how the keyboard feels when you bottom out a switch, which is less crisp and bright and more of a muted thud. I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse, but it’s certainly quieter, which may appeal to anyone who needs a keyboard for office use or for use on video calls. I can’t speak for the tactile “Winter Bonfire” switches, but here’s a typing sound test of Summer Breeze.
Otherwise, yes, the Keyboard 81 Pro is just a Keychron Q1 Pro with a OnePlus-inspired makeover, and some parts of the redesign work better than others. I like, for example, the overall color scheme, the alert slider-style controls on the top side of the keyboard, the red USB cable, and the shiny raised section around the volume dial, which obscures the messy square cutout you’ll find on the Q1 Pro. But I’m less of a fan of the transparent volume dial itself (it looks a little cheap), and I could take or leave the OnePlus logo on the escape key. I’d love if OnePlus had included an alternative escape key with a standard “Esc” legend.
The wired / wireless switch has been tweaked to look more “OnePlus.”
There’s RGB lighting, but it’s not particularly visible.
Although you can get a full rundown of the Keyboard 81 Pro’s features in my review of the Keychron Q1 Pro, here’s a summary of some other specs worth knowing about:
The keyboard is hot-swappable, meaning you can replace its switches using a simple pulling tool with no need for soldering. You get a combined switch and keycap puller in the box.
The keyboard is remappable using VIA, an excellent app. The software recognized the OnePlus keyboard immediately and worked as well as with the Q1 Pro.
Yes, it’s RGB, but the keycaps aren’t shinethrough, so you’re only going to see the light between each keycap, which is relatively underwhelming. I’d recommend leaving the keyboard’s RGB lighting turned off because…
Using RGB will significantly cut the keyboard’s battery life. Even with its RGB turned to its lowest setting, you’re looking at a battery life of 100 hours versus 300 hours with the lights turned off entirely. Best save them for when you’re using the keyboard wired.
As you can hear in the typing sound test above, Keychron has done a great job on the keyboard’s stabilizers, which I can’t hear rattling at all.
The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro is neither better nor worse than the Keychron Q1 Pro that it’s based on, nor is it a simple rebadge. It’s quieter, feels different to type on, and it’s height-adjustable for good measure. I’ll leave the decision of whether these changes are worth paying a $20 to $40 price premium up to you.
Photography by Jon Porter / The Verge
Apple reveals new App Store rules to stop devs tracking users
Apple has set some new API standards to prevent developers abusing them for fingerprinting
Apple has laid down some new rules governing the use of APIs on its App Store in the name of preserving user privacy.
The change means developers will be required to provide a reason for using data-gathering APIs in their apps, which can determine the identity of a user based on information about their device and how it is used.
This process is known as fingerprinting, and it is used to track a user across their online activity. Apple said that it is aware of a small number of APIs that can be misused in this way, which is prohibited under its Developer Program License Agreement.
Fingerprinting
In an announcement on its developer site, Apple noted, “to prevent the misuse of these APIs, we announced at WWDC23 that developers will need to declare the reasons for using these APIs in their app’s privacy manifest.”
Developers will have a list of valid reasons to choose from which must correspond accurately to how an API will be used in their app, which can only make use of the API for the stated reasons alone.
From this Fall, developers will receive an email asking for a valid reason once they have submitted their new app for Apple’s approval or updated it via App Store Connect. From Spring 2024, the reason will have to be included in the privacy manifest.
Apple also told developers to contact the company if their reason for using the API isn’t covered in the pre-approved list but is still of benefit to the user. The list of APIs that require a reason can be viewed here.
The new requirement follows in the footsteps of other security and privacy features Apple has released as part of iOS 16, which came to market in September 2022. Lockdown Mode was announced in July 2022, aimed at protecting prime targets from cyberattacks, and was used for the first time in April this year to foil a spyware campaign.
Another is Safety Check, which allows users to block contact with those who may be a threat to them, and turns off location tracking on their device.
These are the best privacy tools and anonymous browsers
Unesco Recommends Against Great Barrier Reef ‘in Danger’ Listing But Australia Warned More Action Needed
UN scientific advisors have recommended the Great Barrier Reef not be placed on a list of World Heritage sites “in danger” but stressed the planet’s biggest coral reef system remains under “serious threat” from global heating and water pollution. From a report: Unesco said in a report that the Australian government had taken positive steps to protect the reef since a UN monitoring mission visited Queensland in March last year. But Unesco has in effect put Australia on notice, as it recommended the government provide a progress report in February before the reef is considered for inscription on the “in danger” list again in 2024. The government said the report was confirmation it was acting on climate change and “working hard to protect the reef, and that the rest of the world has taken notice.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
UN scientific advisors have recommended the Great Barrier Reef not be placed on a list of World Heritage sites “in danger” but stressed the planet’s biggest coral reef system remains under “serious threat” from global heating and water pollution. From a report: Unesco said in a report that the Australian government had taken positive steps to protect the reef since a UN monitoring mission visited Queensland in March last year. But Unesco has in effect put Australia on notice, as it recommended the government provide a progress report in February before the reef is considered for inscription on the “in danger” list again in 2024. The government said the report was confirmation it was acting on climate change and “working hard to protect the reef, and that the rest of the world has taken notice.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Dell is all in on generative AI
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
It isn’t just software companies looking to enter the generative AI fray.
Dell, the PC maker, is going all in on generative AI and offering hardware to run powerful models and a new platform to help organizations get started.
The company released what it calls Dell Generative AI Solutions for clients to set up access to large language models and create generative AI projects. The company will offer new hardware setups, a managed service platform, and computers to run generative AI projects faster.
Dell is known for releasing laptops and monitors, but the company also produces server racks and other enterprise hardware. While the more public face of the AI arms race is between developers of large language models like Meta, OpenAI, and Google, another group of tech companies is looking into how to cash in on the technology.
The hype — and curiosity — around generative AI made it so all kinds of tech companies cannot ignore it
From hardware providers to cloud providers, everyone believes they need an AI service to keep up as clients want to add more AI capabilities to their businesses.
Dell is following companies like Amazon that offer managed services platforms and faster infrastructure setups for companies looking to experiment with AI. Even consultancies like Accenture have targeted generative AI services for clients.
The company partnered with Nvidia for the infrastructure side, bringing Nvidia’s Tensor Core GPU and Dell’s enterprise AI software and data storage together so companies can run AI models faster. Dell will release new computers with built-in AI capabilities that it says will be small battery-efficient machines.
It also announced Dell Professional Services, a managed service platform that will help users begin experimenting with generative AI models and troubleshoot issues once integrated into businesses.
“Generative AI represents an inflection point that is driving fundamental change in the pace of innovation while improving the customer experience and enabling new ways to work,” Dell co-COO Jeff Clarke said in a statement.
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
It isn’t just software companies looking to enter the generative AI fray.
Dell, the PC maker, is going all in on generative AI and offering hardware to run powerful models and a new platform to help organizations get started.
The company released what it calls Dell Generative AI Solutions for clients to set up access to large language models and create generative AI projects. The company will offer new hardware setups, a managed service platform, and computers to run generative AI projects faster.
Dell is known for releasing laptops and monitors, but the company also produces server racks and other enterprise hardware. While the more public face of the AI arms race is between developers of large language models like Meta, OpenAI, and Google, another group of tech companies is looking into how to cash in on the technology.
From hardware providers to cloud providers, everyone believes they need an AI service to keep up as clients want to add more AI capabilities to their businesses.
Dell is following companies like Amazon that offer managed services platforms and faster infrastructure setups for companies looking to experiment with AI. Even consultancies like Accenture have targeted generative AI services for clients.
The company partnered with Nvidia for the infrastructure side, bringing Nvidia’s Tensor Core GPU and Dell’s enterprise AI software and data storage together so companies can run AI models faster. Dell will release new computers with built-in AI capabilities that it says will be small battery-efficient machines.
It also announced Dell Professional Services, a managed service platform that will help users begin experimenting with generative AI models and troubleshoot issues once integrated into businesses.
“Generative AI represents an inflection point that is driving fundamental change in the pace of innovation while improving the customer experience and enabling new ways to work,” Dell co-COO Jeff Clarke said in a statement.
A great idea or sacrilege? We test a Jaguar E-Type converted to EV
Electrogenic’s powertrain suits the 1960s sports car, but this is no restomod.
Enlarge / Replacing the XK engine in this Jaguar E-Type won’t meet with everyone’s approval. but if it’s not your classic car, who cares? (credit: Electrogenic)
Few things are as wonderful as classic cars. They come with pretty lines and tactile switches. They make people of a certain age think you’re living some sort of dream, and people on the Internet will celebrate you. Having a kickass car from years gone by sitting on the drive is awesome… so long as you’re cool with wrenches, oil, and getting to know a mechanic. They need work, and depending on whether you get one that was well-built 60 years ago, some need more than others. This is mostly because of the big sweaty engine up front. If you have time and money, or like spending hours looking for that one ratchet that everyone uses, bully for you. If you’re a little more pressed for time, Electrogenic has a solution.
Electrogenic has two methods of electrifying your car.
The Kidlington, UK, company will take your classic, remove all the fragile oily bits, and replace them with an electric setup. If you have a classic that hasn’t had the full EV treatment yet, your car will be taken in, scanned, and options will be presented to you. Your preferred balance of range and performance will be weighed up, and an ideal solution found.
Teen Competitive Cyclist Dies After Being Hit by Car
Magnus White, 17, who competed internationally in cyclocross racing, was killed in Boulder County, Colo., the police said.
Magnus White, 17, who competed internationally in cyclocross racing, was killed in Boulder County, Colo., the police said.
Power Your Laptop and More on the Go With This High-Capacity Anker Power Bank – CNET
This Anker 737 portable charger has a 24,000 mAh capacity, supports 140W fast charging and right now you can pick it up for $50 off.
This Anker 737 portable charger has a 24,000 mAh capacity, supports 140W fast charging and right now you can pick it up for $50 off.