What just happened? Programming website Stack Overflow's April Fools' day mechanical keyboard that became a real product is getting an update. The Key 2.0 introduces RGB lighting and hot-swappable switches for its three keys while keeping the same $29 price tag as its predecessor.
The project started in the Spring of last year when Stack Overflow kept showing a tongue-in-cheek pop-up notifying users that they were almost out of free copies every time they used a keyboard command to copy characters from the site.
"If they wanted unlimited access to copy and paste from Stack Overflow, all they needed to do was purchase The Key," said Ben Popper, director of content for Stack Overflow. The Key was a jokey 3-key keyboard consisting of Ctrl, C, and V keys, designed for copying and pasting.
But people liked the keyboard idea so much that Stack Overflow teamed up with keyboard enthusiast Cassidy Williams and Drop to produce a real working model. Despite the limitations of its functionality, The Key sold over 10,000 units, likely explaining why we're getting a new version.
The Key 2.0 comes with the same three keys as before, which can all be customized to perform other functions, but this time we're getting that defining feature of all great keyboards these days: adjustable RGB lighting. It also has an acrylic case that allows all those colors to shine through.
Another upgrade is that the keyboard's three Kailh Black Box switches are now hot-swappable with others, such as the Cherry line. It also comes with a coiled USB cable.
You can pre-order The Key 2.0 keyboard from Drop for the same $29 as the original model. The initial run is limited to 3,900 pieces, which are estimated to ship on July 20, 2022.