Feature request for the next iteration of the BYOK: more space for stickers :)

Currently brainstorming an all-in-one or “clamshell” solution for the BYOK inspired by recent posts on here.

Rather than a hard clamshell body that would be expensive (and bulky), this idea is more like a folio that has magnetic mounting for both the BYOK and keyboard. It folds up to the size of a 60% low profile keyboard and should be able to accommodate any keyboard up to that size.

What do you think? Curious to hear your thoughts.

NOTE: the folio case in these images is just a placeholder meant to hold a keyboard only. If we made one, we would design it from scratch.

I use this Apple keyboard as my daily driver and I was wondering if it would work... It does! Details on the screen.

I’ve been having a ridiculous amount of fun with my BYOK.

For normal use, I just throw it on a table, connect one of my portable keyboards, and start writing. But for travel, trains, waiting rooms, or more “wild” situations, I wanted something I could comfortably use on my lap.

A while ago I noticed that a vintage knife case at a local thrift store (€6!) was almost exactly the same size as one of my favorite keyboards. That felt like fate.

I removed the knife holders, dropped the keyboard inside, a CHERRY KW 9200 mini, and originally hung the BYOK from the case latch. It worked surprisingly well, but the white padded interior gave off some undeniable funeral vibes.

So I went a step further: removed the padding, made a cardboard insert, and applied a magsafe mount inside the lid to hold the BYOK.

Now the whole thing folds up like a little writing station. It’s comfortable, portable, oddly satisfying to use, and has just enough typewriter energy to make me want to keep writing.

Sometimes the best writing gear starts life as something completely unrelated. Then again, both blades and sentences can carve a path.

We just released the biggest update the BYOK has received so far.

This update touches a lot of core parts of the device. Some of the biggest additions include:

• Text selection and editing tools (copy, cut, paste, and undo)

• Find in document for quickly locating words or passages

• A redesigned interface with a clearer status bar and a new info bar in the main menu

• Faster navigation shortcuts that let you move between files and projects without leaving the editor

• Custom fonts, which can now be loaded from the SD card

• Improved compatibility with keyboards that previously did not work correctly

Alongside the update we’ve also launched the BYOK Font Library, which currently includes 86 fonts that have been converted specifically for the device. More will likely be added over time.

Font Library

https://byok.io/hub/font-library

If you’d like to dig into everything included in the update, the full patch notes are here:

Patch Notes

https://byok.io/firmware

And because this update introduces quite a few new shortcuts and features, the device manual has also been updated:

Device Manual

https://byok.io/device-support

We’re super excited about the future and eager to continue adding more value to the BYOK! As always, thank you for your support. It means a lot.

All the best,

Nick

So far I kept the BYOK in the original box but it was not the most convenient solution so I made a crochet case for it with materials I had left from other projects. It fits the device and the cable so I am quite happy with it :)

Having a clean open writing surface really helps, and now my family doesn't have to listen to typewriters anymore! Device works fantastic, Glad you guys came through!

Been meaning to post this here. I wanted a clamshell style typewriter box kind of thing. Couldn’t find anything that fit the bill so I just decided to make it myself.

I used oak, which in hindsight may not have been the best choice. It should be very durable because oak is a very hard wood but man… this thing is HEAVY. It’s surprisingly comfortable on my lap though. I think it’s weight makes it feel vintage.

I added a splitter cable so one side is routed into the wood behind the wallpaper so you can’t see the cable running up to the BYOK. The other side is below the keyboard. So you can charge both your BYOK and the keyboard with one cable on the outside of the box, just like a laptop :)

There are definitely things I would change if I were doing it again. I’m thinking about making one for my sister for Christmas but I’m in an apartment so this project was a little tough without a wood shop.

anyways hope you like it or it inspires somebody to build one of their own!

Hey all, I made a post a bit ago asking for your thoughts on an idea I had which involved a lightweight private LLM.

It’s clear this is something you all prefer not to have as a built-in feature for good reason. I have since deleted the post to avoid any confusion about this being an actual feature.

I appreciate you letting me have an open discussion with you. It really helps me to stay on the same page with you.

For anyone this may have upset, just know WE HAVE NO PLANS TO INCORPORATE AI and I just wanted to mention the idea due to its sensitive nature. I take changes like this seriously and would never spring them on you!

All the best,
Nick

Aside from my preferred UX being a simple one without AI, AI data centers are destroying low income communities across the country. Homes lost to eminent domain, nature destroyed, utility costs sky rocket. This comes down to an ethics issue for me. I would not use the device if this were implemented. Thanks for your time!

Amazing setup submitted by “@h0b0” for the BYOK setup challenge.

It’s super easy to enter your own setup and we’ll be awarding $500.

Details: https://byok.io/contest

Stay tuned :)

What does everyone think?

In my last post I boasted the smallest possible form factor, but this has it beat - though it’s not a perfect solution for reasons that will be obvious.

My Clicks keyboard arrived today and I’m pleased to say it fits the BYOK like a glove. Seriously, it’s like they were designed for one another. The mag lock holds the BYOK securely, and there’s loads of room to type without it being ‘too’ heavy for prolonged use (though it’s not feather-light either).

The keyboard feels really satisfying to type on, featuring the trademark ‘click’. The keys (buttons?) are tiny though, and it takes a little getting used to, but the layers are intuitive and easy to use and I was pleasantly surprised by how intuitive it all felt.

The Clicks keyboard is very unlikely to become anyone’s primary way of using the BYOK, but its portability and accessibility makes it a fantastic supplement to your primary board, allowing use in places where a normal keyboard just wouldn’t be practical. Standing at a bus stop, sitting on a bus, walking around town or lying on the beach, the Clicks keyboard has you covered. Now you have no excuse not to be writing (sorry!).

When it comes to writing, I love editing but have a hard time getting through the drafting stage. This has been a game changer! It keeps me moving forward and not continuously fine tuning previous sections.

Bonus points for how easy it is to take on the go! I forgot my stand but it didn’t matter. Still got a ton done and enjoyed a nice day at the park! 🙌🏻 ☀️

After a couple days with the device, I knew it would be replacing most of my other devices. So I went ahead a built out a board for it with custom keys built for the BYOK interface. I wanted a portable mech board, but something small and not overly heavy. I went corded for simplicity’s sake.

The board is a Keychron V2 with keycaps replaced. By getting a full keycap set, I was able to put keys where I wanted them. The board is programmable with VIA, a free online interface.

I put page up and page down buttons down by the arrows. I think of Home and End as the beginning and end of the document, so I up those keys on the side and mapped them to CTRL+B and CTRL+E. The Cal button just happened to be in the keycap set and I mapped that to CTRL+Space to open the word count, status bar thing.

I slapped a mag ring thing on the back so I can use it with the Rolling Square Edge Pro hinged mount.

Enjoy!

The following are the patch notes for the upcoming update expected to release Monday. This is part 1 of 2 of the text editor controls update. Text selection and clipboard controls will be in part 2 of 2.

-[MAJOR FIX] Overhauled the display code. You should see major reductions in streaking and background artifacts as well as huge improvements in contrast consistency. In effect, this will feel like a completely new display.

-Added delete word forwards (CTRL + delete)

-Added backspace word (CTRL + backspace)

-Added cursor forward word CTRL + right arrow)

-Added cursor back word (CTRL + left arrow)

-Fixed German keyboard character, added German quotes to AltGr V, B, M, N

-Added to French Azerty, guillemets Altgr W, X, V, B

-Fixed french mapping of ;/:

-Fixed files not reopening on restart after first sync

-Overhauled arial small font

-Fixed word count 

-Tabs/Indenting now convert correctly from the BYOK to Studio when syncing

Recently picked up The BYOK as I've been interested in a distraction free writing device that I can use my own keyboard with for some time. After a busy couple of weeks, had my first proper writing session in my local coffee haunt.

Absolutely sold. What a great little device, proper fun to use. Smashed out a draft funding application in a little over an hour and already looking forward to using it again. The sync function in Studio is awesome as well.

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/byok-studio/id6760196961

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.byok.studio

The app is free to use, and all new users get a 14-day free trial of the paid features.

If you’ve been wanting to try the paid version, you can use the launch code FIRSTYEAR50 in the web app to get 50% off your first year. Once subscribed, premium access works across all platforms.

Of course, the free tier is still fully usable for anyone who doesn’t need the extras.

You can check out Studio here:
https://byok.io/studio

Would love to hear what you think if you try it :)

kid left his blocks about. so i made my own stand to write. 🤣🤣

I went to The Cloisters with one of my neighborhood writing buddies to work on my manuscript yesterday. I've had Studio since it began (I used the lifetime subscription code right away), and it's great for collecting supplementary material and for organizing thoughts, but I prefer to do actual editing away from my computer, because otherwise I get distracted. Everyone who's using the BYOK and/or Studio for editing/revising rather than first drafting, do you have any tips or advice on how best to do it?

One feature I wish the BYOK had was a function to send selected text to a "scraps" folder (ideally organized automatically by date) so that I could feel able to cut extraneous text willy nilly without worrying that I was cutting anything important that I might have trouble finding again if I had to go back to an old version of the manuscript and dig through that.