Whenever I reviewed an Angry Miao keyboard in the past , I always wondered what the company would be able to do if it brought its engineering and design chops to a more affordable segment. The typical Angry Miao keyboard, after all, is excellent but overdesigned to the extreme — with a price tag to match. But now, the company has launched what is essentially a sub-brand for more affordable mechanical keyboards: Dry Studio . Led by Angry Miao product designer Stan Fu, Dry Studio is now launching the Black Diamond 75 , a 75% pre-built gaming-centric mechanical keyboard that promises low-latency wireless connectivity (though you can also plug it in) combined with a unique design.
It’s currently available on Indiegogo for less than $300 for a fully built “advance” model with support for wireless charging and a full set of keycaps, stabilizers and switches. For $240, you can also get the base model. The boards are expected to ship in November.
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
Those may seem like high prices to pay for a keyboard, but they are modest in the overall scheme of highly designed mechanical keyboards. And while Dry Studio is aiming the keyboard at serious gamers (it uses “esports-level” a lot in its marketing), it’s also a joy to type on and you’d be remiss to ignore it simply because of the e-sports marketing.
Dry Studio says the Black Diamond 75’s design was inspired by the Lamborghini Aventador Carbonado from Mansory . The design does lean heavily on the car’s carbon fiber look, especially with its built-in wristrest on the black model, though beyond that, I admit I don’t see much of a likeness. Like with the inspirations of Angry Miao’s keyboards, I find it best to ignore all of that and judge the board for what it is.
Let’s talk about the design first, because this is definitely not your average cookie-cutter keyboard — and I wouldn’t expect anything less from a studio that’s affiliated with Angry Miao. The board features a see-through acrylic top that allows the design to emphasize the leaf springs — a system Dry Studio brought over from Angry Miao. The “carbon” black version, which Dry Studio sent me to try, features gold springs.
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
While I’m usually no fan of gold accents, they work here, especially in combination with the dark blue double-shot PCB keycaps that feature dark yellow lettering and that use the same dark yellow as the main colors for the arrow keys and escape key. The “mithril” silver version, which leans less on the e-sports marketing, features silver springs which, based on the images I’ve seen, also work very well.
No matter the color choice, though, the leaf springs work quite well to give the board some flex, but while you can exchange them for springs with different strengths, you won’t quite get the extreme cushioning you may find in higher-end custom keyboards. Still, I’ve found Angry Miao’s system, combined with relatively flexible plates that allow the PCB to flex a bit, to be superior to many gasket systems I’ve tried in the past.
The hand-polished acrylic also helps to show off the Black Diamond 75’s bright LEDs, which you can, of course, customize to your heart’s desire.
The fact that Dry Studio partnered with the switch specialists at Gateron to build a custom, pre-lubed linear switch with transparent housing definitely helps here, too. For day-to-day typing, that switch is just a little bit on the light side for my preference (40g actuation force, 45gf bottom-out force), but it felt great while gaming. The mithril version features the KTT Wine Red Switches with a 43gf actuation force and 55gf end force.
The PCB is hotswap, so you can always slot in whatever switch you prefer.
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
Dry Studio uses pre-lubed Gateron screw-in stabilizers for the larger keys and, at least in the model I tested, there was zero rattle. Indeed, the pre-lubing on both the switches and the stabilizers is top-notch.
To accent the design, Dry Studio added carbon fiber elements around the board. The most obvious is the built-in wristrest on the black model, which also features built-in LED “headlights” (which you can turn off, if you prefer). Whether you like that aesthetic is a matter of taste, but by Angry Miao standards, the design is almost restrained.
Between the large silicon pad that fills out the bottom of the board, the IXPE switch pad and the Poron foam between the plate and PCB, nobody is going to be able to accuse this board of sounding hollow. The sound is relatively bright, though. While I typically prefer a deeper sound, it wasn’t unpleasant, and all of the foam does seem to mute it. I’m sure that with different switches and a bit of modding, you should be able to tune it closer to your preferences, but if you’re looking for the deepest possible sound, this may not be the keyboard for you.
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
On the connectivity side, there is standard Bluetooth 5.1 and a USB-C port for wired connection, but because this is all about e-sports and that means you need the lowest possible latency, the Black Diamond 75 also offers a 2.4GHz wireless connection that promises a 2ms latency. I can’t say that any of this has allowed me to win more PUBG chicken dinners in recent weeks, but it definitely didn’t hurt either.
Dry Studio powers all of this with a 5,000mAh battery, which the company says should last for 60 days with LEDs disabled and eight hours of daily usage. I haven’t had the board long enough to test that, but I have used it wirelessly for well over a week without any issues. There is also wireless Qi charging (on the $295 Advance edition), too, and since we’re still in the Angry Miao ecosystem, that’ll work nicely with the Cybermat .
The one thing the board is missing is a knob. Somehow, that’s become standard in recent years and while it’s not something I ever found myself missing, for some potential buyers, that may be a dealbreaker. Also missing, best I can tell, is software support to customize the layout or LED color scheme. There are some limited options to change the colors and LED effects (of which there are plenty), but if you’re looking for GMK/VIA support here, you’ll be disappointed.
Overall, though, the Black Diamond 75 is an easy recommendation. At this price, there really isn’t a board on the market that has the same design wow factor and build quality. In many ways, it’s the board I always hoped Angry Miao would make. One that combines the group’s mechanical keyboard expertise and high build quality with a more standard layout and at a more affordable price . That price, it’s worth noting, even undercuts some of Razer’s recent gaming keyboards , and while I’m sure those work great, too, their design isn’t going to win any prizes.
The next-generation of Meta Quest hardware is here, and Meta announced a bunch of software news alongside the Quest 3 VR headset hardware reveal at its Connect conference . One such announcement was the debut of Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service on Meta Quest 3, which is actually a huge boon for fans of the Facebook owner’s mixed reality gear.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming implementation in Quest resembles a lot of how Apple showed its own vision for mixed reality with the Vision Pro headset: It’s primarily a virtual screen that can float in either a virtual or mixed reality space, which appears to be reposition-able and resizable, but which basically works exactly as you’d expect an Xbox game to work with a large TV. This is a key acknowledgement on the part of Meta that while immersive, native gaming is undoubtedly a draw for users, so too is a more traditional gaming experience that basically just benefits from taking place in your own private face-mounted theater.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted that it’ll arrive some time in December, but didn’t provide a more specific date of when to expect the launch.
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Annyeong, or hello, friends! While I’m typically based in New York City, this week I’m reporting from Seoul, South Korea for Korea Blockchain Week.
The week has been jam-packed with a number of conference events as well as offsite side events and networking happy hours. I’ve listened to a number of panels surrounding topics like web3 gaming, enterprise blockchain adoption ( I moderated one ), institutional adoption, regulatory climate and investing in Asia.
I also kept busy with a bunch of interviews with local experts on the market evolving out east as well as people who flew in to meet with startups based in the region. This means I’ll be putting out more articles on TechCrunch based on these conversations in the coming days and weeks…so keep an eye out for that.
Meanwhile, there was some news that transpired in the web3 world, so let’s get into it.
For this week’s episode , Jacquelyn interviewed Charlie Shrem, founder of the Bitcoin Foundation, general partner at Druid Ventures and host of the Charlie Shrem show.
Before all that, he was the co-founder and CEO of BitInstant, which was a bitcoin payment processor that started in 2011. Shortly after founding the company, he was charged with operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, and for allegedly attempting to launder over $1 million through the now defunct dark web marketplace Silk Road. He spent a little over a year in a low-security prison as a result.
Now, Charlie is a vocal advocate for clearer crypto regulation, he’s a crypto investor, podcaster and even a movie producer.
We discussed how the bitcoin and crypto ecosystems have changed (and stayed the same) over the past decade as well as how his incarceration shaped his view on the industry.
We also talked about:
Subscribe to Chain Reaction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite pod platform to keep up with the latest episodes, and please leave us a review if you like what you hear!
This list was compiled with information from Messari as well as TechCrunch’s own reporting.
Want to branch out from the world of web3? Here are some articles on TechCrunch that caught our attention this week.
Follow me on Twitter @Jacqmelinek for breaking crypto news, memes and more.
NEW YORK, Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for AICOF, FULC, SLGG, RIVN, and NGRBF.
To see how InvestorsObserver’s proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver’s PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
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InvestorsObserver’s PriceWatch Alerts are based on our proprietary scoring methodology. Each stock is evaluated based on short-term technical, long-term technical and fundamental factors. Each of those scores is then combined into an overall score that determines a stock’s overall suitability for investment.
InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
The firm explains in a new resource that the surge in digital sales and event planning emphasizes the need for modern group sales and event management (GSEM) systems, highlighting the importance of data collection in businesses.
TORONTO, Aug. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – The hospitality and gaming industries are witnessing a revolutionary impact from new and emerging technologies. However, a pressing challenge organizations face is the digital transformation of their sales and event management processes to meet the modern expectations of their customers. These challenges include the difficulty of selecting the right vendor with suitable features and functionalities, as well as the lack of understanding about the potential opportunities of implementing a new sales and event management system. To help the industry address these obstacles and realize the value of an effective group sales and event management (GSEM) system, Info-Tech Research Group has released its latest blueprint, titled Transform the Sales & Event Management Lifecycle to Strategize and Digitize Events.
Info-Tech Research Group’s blueprint, “Transform the Sales & Event Management Lifecycle to Strategize and Digitize Events,” outlines the benefits of group sales and event management (GSEM) in the hospitality and gaming industries. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group)
“The rise of digital sales and event planning has signaled the importance of data collection and the need for a modern GSEM system, as manual and legacy systems can no longer meet the new business objectives,” says Elizabeth Silva, research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. “To achieve success, organizations must look past the basic functionality of their present systems and consider the advanced and strategic functions needed to create cost and competitive advantages for the business.”
According to Info-Tech’s research, implementing a GSEM system can significantly enhance business processes within the gaming and hospitality industries, bolstering competitiveness and cost effectiveness. However, effective deployment can be challenging due to substantial skills gaps and resource shortages within the event industry triggered by rapid economic changes. Moreover, a tendency for both business and IT sectors to overly focus on immediate returns often results in overlooking a project’s long-term, comprehensive value.
Info-Tech explains in the new resource that industry leaders should comprehend GSEM system trends and the importance of having a system to create a competitive edge in the gaming and hospitality industry. A robust system not only automates procedures but also offers several tangible benefits, including:
Improved efficiencies:
Save time with future planning
Reduce administrative tasks
Eliminate missed communications
Centralize all tasks
Create automated workflows
Cost savings:
Digitize event planning
Maximize space usage and flexibility
Improve ROI by visually tracking financials to compare registration with expenses
Reduce manual labor
Analytics and improvements:
Access detailed reporting and analytics
Make changes based on customer behaviors and engagement metrics
Customization to the unique brand and event
The firm’s blueprint shows that while GSEMs were once a nice-to-have software, they are now a must-have system for the digital age. Improving efficiencies, costs, reporting, analytics, and streamlining the processes of sales and event planning allows businesses to maximize their return on investment as much as possible.
For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world’s leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].
