OCT.24.2026 - #86

Hi all 👋, this week while writing clicks 'n clacks I've been reading about how the heck Shazam works, frantically making sure my Plex server was safe from vulnerabilities, wishing I had yet another OG iPod to test this modern motherboard replacement on, and learning about a single file and tiny projects that make up the backbone of the internet.

Nuphy released a super limited edition of its Air75 board this week, Atari announced a recreation of its classic 800XL 8-bit computer, Snack Clacks wrote up an amazing piece on LAZYDESIGNERS (a tiny keyboard collective and storefront that I've wanted to feature for some time now) and their Duo40 keyboard, and CannonKeys is holding a huge clearance sale for this weekend only!

Let's dive in!

→ If you come from the world of Linux, you may have heard of window management systems like PaperWM or Papersway that transform your apps into a horizontally scrollable strip. It's an interesting layout that I've never seen effectively executed on Apple devices, but ChainYourMac brings it all right here, with all the speed and polish of a native Mac app. No more losing windows behind one another or crowding a grid of apps onto a single monitor — each new launch gets its own dedicated space on the infinite chain. The website here also acts as a demo for you to test out most features and get a feel for ChainYourMac without paying for anything. Even keymaps — the biggest learning curve for any new piece of software that I test out — are on display with an interactive keyboard shortcut section that visually shows what each key does while you press it.

→ Xbox has done a great job at creating a fun — and accessible — lineup of controllers that covers almost every level of enthusiast and aesthetic, and now they are adding one more into the mix. The Nano is a micro-controller made for on-the-go play or for players with smaller hands. It still has the classic Xbox design, a full-size d-pad and joysticks, all the same face buttons, just… smaller and cuter. Xbox seems to be marketing this as both an entry-level device for young ones, and as a controller for non-Xbox Xbox's — apparent as they are bundling the Nano in with smart TVs for use with their cloud streaming services. Overall, I'm just a sucker for shrink-ifying things and I can't wait to see more colours and themes come to the Nano (maybe it'll even get its own spotlight in the Design Lab).

→ An interesting new concept from GMK is bringing HE-like features to MX-style switches. These funky and colourful keycaps — called TriggerKeys — come in a pack of four and are aimed at adding adjustable actuation points to your WASD or arrow key clusters. It uses a pivoting system, where the keycap hinges on a pin that acts like a lever with two screws to customize height and tilt that adjust how much the stem of the switch is “pre-loaded”. This pre-loading, where the switch starts partially depressed (hence changing the actuation point) is a bit of an inference on my part behind the physics of how this works since GMK doesn't provide too much detail. This also doesn't change the internals of your existing switch — spring weight, total travel, force curve, and reset points remain untouched. TriggerKey only changes where along that original force curve your press starts at, and the force you feel in your fingertip with the adjustable tilt. There are not many hands-on reviews of this yet, but it'll be interesting to see how this affects the longevity and lifespan of the switches it modifies.

→ MelGeek is a great company if you are looking for gaming and hall effect boards that perform exceptionally and feel enthusiast level without diving too far into the ultra high enthusiast price range. Viva63 is a new addition to their already extensive lineup and captures a modern “gaming” aesthetic without going overboard — transparent body, tasteful RGB/diffusion zones, and keycaps with a simple font and modest accent colours. What caught me by surprise about the Viva is the touchscreen panel built into the righthand side of the board, which MelGeek markets as 325 PPI and the “same as the Apple Watch”, which should provide crisp colours and deep blacks considering it's an OLED panel. It's a high quality little screen that adds readouts, data on each key's actuation point, or just a simple wallpaper display.

That’s all for this week! I hope you enjoyed it, and now it’s time to hear from YOU 🫵. I want to know your opinion—what you liked, what you loved, what you didn’t like, what you skipped. Email [email protected] (or reply to this issue!) and have a great weekend!!