GENUI Acquires Mechanical Keyboard Switch Maker CHERRY

[oliwarner]

"Hooray, somebody has acquired the company that makes a product that I already considered perfect" -- Nobody, ever.

I've only every bought one Cherry keyboard. 15 years ago, used daily still. I think that's their main failing as a business. They're too good.

I just hope their new owners don't try to fix this.

[alexeiz]

The demand for mechanical keyboards and switches is as high as ever. Countless Cherry MX clones are flooding the market. Cherry just can't keep up with the quality and the lower cost of clones. They could only be profitable while holding the patent for their switches. When the patent expired it was the beginning of the end for them.

[pcunite]

Typing this response using a Filco Majestouch tenkeyless keyboard ... with "black" cherry switches.

Keep it real ...

[bad_alloc]

This is wierd, ZF primarily builds gearboxes and car parts. What can they do with a keyboard company?

[notatoad]

Cherry is hardly a keyboard company, they make industrial switches, sensors, and control systems. mechanical keyboard switches are just one product.

[hexane360]

I mean, one of the largest manufacture of generic Cherry switches is Kailh, who manufactures thousands of automotive limit and button switches.

[cloudsloth]

Sell keyboards I expect.

They presumably have engineering and marketing staff so they should do great.

[mrmondo]

Very long time cherry appreciator, I hope their staff and products are well looked after by the new owners.

[neves]

Long life to Cherry. The world need more Mechanical Keyboards!

[DiabloD3]

Welp, I'll have to find someone else to source my switches from, so hard to find good mechanical switches.

Cherry MX Reds for life.

[ocdtrekkie]

Given that the company they just bought is the industry standard for this part, I'm sure they intend to keep making them. Doesn't make sense to cancel a star product.

[krylon]

I am not a big fan of Cherry keyboards in terms of typing experience - on those I have used, I had to push the keys pretty hard, and there was little tactile or acoustic feedback. It feels like dipping my fingers into cold honey.

On the other hand, those things pretty much last forever, I have two of 'em still sitting on my shelf that must be 16 to 18 years old, and they worked perfectly the last time I used them. They are still PS/2, so I can no longer attach them to any of my machines, but something inside me refuses to throw away gear that still works.

[tinco]

Take off the caps and throw the rest of the keyboard away, what you have are likely worthless membrane keyboards, not the mechanical ones Cherry is famous for.

(When throwing away do of course break them open to see if there's actually a membrane there, if there's not then you might have Cherry blacks which some people do appreciate.)

[TheSpiceIsLife]

PS/2 to USB adaptors aren't very expensive.

[traverseda]

That seems... weird.

What are you comparing them to in terms of feedback? Was it some bizarre switch like the cherry MX red?

[hibbelig]

My private machine is an MBP and I like the feeling of the keyboard. So I bought a Cherry Clean Desktop, and it's a pretty good approximation of that MBP feeling. Slightly more force is needed, but only slightly.