The time has finally come! We've assembled a couple of thousand Defy keyboards, and we're getting ready to ship them 💃🏻
But, before you go...
...let me explain a few of the things that need to happen before those long-awaited keyboards are out the door and on their way to your desk.
As you might know, we've been shipping the first 100 Defy keyboards to our early-bird backers.
The reception has been incredible! We're so thrilled to see many people enjoying them 🥰
And apart from the thrills, these first units have also helped us detect minor issues.
Most are firmware-related, which we're continuously improving. But we also found a few things about the hardware that needed fixing 🪛
Let's start with...
The Travel Case Mystery
One of the first things we realized as people started sharing their first impressions and unboxing videos of the Defy was that the Neuron was nowhere to be found! 😰
It popped out from its slot and went ballistic inside the case, leaving customers playing Where's Neuron.
In some rare cases, it damaged the low-profile keycaps.
Our first solution was to tuck the Neuron in with the cables, but having this empty slot in the center of the case is not a great user experience.
Some users rightfully thought that we had forgotten to include it.
On top of that, we still got a couple more reports of damaged or popped-out keycaps.
We also noticed that some keyboards had moved during shipping and would hit each other, leaving tiny scratches where they bumped 🤕
How was that possible? We had tested our travel case to oblivion, throwing it around and shaking it like crazy. Nothing. But we underestimated the intense movements and rattle the keyboards would endure during transport.
We didn't have time to redesign the travel case completely, so we had to think fast.
After attempting a few makeshift solutions that didn't work, we finally created a custom-cut foam that fits over the keyboard and provides protection during travel.
We had to try different foams, as well as design and test a custom dye cut.
But that's all done now. The samples are validated, the foam is being manufactured, and it'll be ready next week 💪
Now, let's talk about what's been keeping us awake at night...
The Misleading Cables
Since day one of shipping the first keyboards, some users started mentioning connectivity issues that didn't seem firmware-related 🤔
They didn't appear with RF or Bluetooth but with the keyboard wired, especially while updating the firmware.
At first, we thought it had to do with the firmware update process, but the problem was too inconsistent. Some users also reported the keyboard disconnecting while using it wired, which made no sense.
After a lot of trial and error and calls with our patient early-bird backers –thank you 😍– we realized that the cables were not connecting properly to the Neuron.
It turned out that some of the cables had slightly shorter metal connectors than we specified.
And since the Neuron has such a precise fitting for the cables –we didn't want the metal part of the cable to be visible– the cables with shorter metal connectors ended up being slightly loose.
What made it difficult to detect was that the keyboard would work and charge with this loose connection, but it would fail to update the firmware 😞
In other scenarios, the cable would move a bit out of the socket, causing the keyboard to disconnect and switch to RF mode.
To solve this problem, we had two options: do more strict quality control on the cables and reject the shorter ones. Or redesign the Neuron's case.
None was a great solution by itself: the first one implied ordering more cables and waiting for them to be manufactured; the second required even more time because we would need to make a new mold for the Neuron.
To avoid delays, we decided to go with both: we've started sorting the cables, and we're working on the new mold.
That way, we can ensure a strong cable connection for the keyboards we ship now, and soon, we'll have the redesigned Neuron ready for those cables with the ever-so-slightly shorter tip.
Okay, so if everything is sorted...
When are we Shipping?
As we mentioned, we already have a couple thousand keyboards assembled 📦
Manel, our Lead Product Manager, is in China with Aitor, our Supply Chain Manager, setting up all the packaging procedures and ensuring that our quality standards are met.
Once the foam is ready next week, those keyboards will be packaged and sent to the fulfillment facility. If everything goes as planned, we should start shipping on September 18.
Please be sure you check your inbox next week. We'll send an email to confirm your address and explain how to update it in case you've moved.
We don't want the Defy to be stranded in a home where it's not loved 😓
We know we were all expecting the keyboards to be shipping this week. But we couldn't risk sending thousands of keyboards that could get damaged during shipping.
It's been too hard of a journey to fumble the ball just by the goal line.
Of course, we'll continue assembling more keyboards so the shipping doesn't stop. Our goal is that all of them will be shipped by the end of October.
As always, thank you so much for your support 🥰
Let me cheer you up with some new images of the Dygma Defy in Egyptian Gold, Royal Purple, Atlantis Blue, and Daredevil Red.
Köszönöm 🇭🇺
–The Dygma Team
