Michael K JohnsonJul 20, 2023

My Thinkpad is freezing up when I pick it up or touch the lid.

I'd pre-order a @frameworkcomputer 16 if they had a Thinkpad-like keyboard and track pad (with real separate physical buttons) available.

But having experienced the keyboard and track pad on the 13, I could not use their layout and track pad on my daily driver. 😭

So I guess it's another Thinkpad for me, and I can just hope that the newer generation have better battery life...

And curses, IPU6 webcam. Oh well, I don't use it much on my personal laptop anyway.

Show threadDave AndersonJul 20, 2023

@mcdanlj @frameworkcomputer I have my name down on a Framework 16, but I share your pain re: being addicted to the thinkpad input methods.

My reasoning is that I really want to help framework succeed, and also given the inputs are all modular, maybe another idiot like us out there will produce what we crave... I can dream :)

Show threadMichael K JohnsonJul 20, 2023

@danderson @frameworkcomputer https://community.frame.work/t/input-module-keyboard-switches/28294/26?u=michael_k_johnson

That's my dream...

Input Module Keyboard Switches

What I would love would be something that would adapt a T-class Thinkpad keyboard and track pad to the framework 16. Given that they are plentiful and inexpensive in the aftermarket this doesn’t seem entirely impossible. Might have to do a bit of soldering to replace the existing flex cables with a new design that handles the signaling and connects to the right place, and I haven’t measured whether there is enough space, but I can dream. I wonder if any of the aftermarket clone vendors would d...

Framework Community
Show threadDave AndersonJul 20, 2023
@mcdanlj @frameworkcomputer Exactly! If I had more time to think about hobbies... how hard can it be, the thinkpad modules have flat flex connectors with a small amount of pins, the framework has a modular hookup... Surely an adapter board would be fairly simple... And then some 3D printing to polyfill up to the right shape...
Show threadDave AndersonJul 20, 2023
@mcdanlj @frameworkcomputer I actually have a spare Thinkpad keyboard module kicking about from an old aborted replacement, if Framework wants to send me a DVT Framework 16 to work on that, HINT HINT
Show threadMichael K Johnson

@danderson @mcdanlj @frameworkcomputer

Is it thin enough for the 16? 3.7mm max space from bottom of keyboard unit to the tops of the keycaps... I don't have a spare to measure, myself. (Though, if this computer keeps dying, I guess I might! 😢)

[alt account d/t server outage]

Jul 21, 2023 at 2:22amWeb
Show threadDave AndersonJul 21, 2023
@mcdanlj @mcdanlj @frameworkcomputer oh, hmm, dunno offhand. Maybe not.
Show threadMichael K JohnsonJul 22, 2023

@danderson @mcdanlj @frameworkcomputer

Found the mechanical specs:

https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/InputModules/tree/main/Mechanical/Large

The USB connection is through pogo pins, no need to source some weird low profile connector that sells in minimum 1000s...

https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/InputModules/tree/main/Electrical/MinimalSmallInputModule

InputModules/Mechanical/Large at main · FrameworkComputer/InputModules

Reference designs and documentation for the Input Module system in the Framework Laptop 16 - FrameworkComputer/InputModules

GitHub