In the interest of improving ergonomics, I've been experimenting with different keyboard placements. I have some ideas about attaching keyboard to my chair instead of my desk, and a wireless keyboard would eliminate concerns about routing wires. Especially wires that could get pinched or rolled over when I move my chair. Since this is just a starting point for experimentation, I wanted something I could feel free to modify as ideas may strike. I looked for the cheapest and smallest wireless keyboard and found the MageGee TS92 Wireless Keyboard (Pink). (*)

This is a "60% keyboard" which is a phrase I've seen used two different ways. The first refers to physical size of individual keys, if they were smaller than those on a standard keyboard. The second way refers to the overall keyboard with fewer keys than the standard keyboard, but individual keys are still the same size as those on a standard keyboard. This is the latter: elimination of numeric keypad, arrow keys, etc. means this keyboard only has 61 keys, roughly 60% of standard keyboards which typically have 101 keys. But each key is still the normal size.

The lettering on these keys are... sufficient. Edges are blurry and not very crisp, and consistency varies. But the labels are readable so it's fine. The length of travel on these keys are pretty good, much longer than a typical laptop keyboard, but the tactile feedback is poor. Consistent with cheap membrane keyboards, which of course this is.

Back side of the keyboard shows a nice touch: a slot to store the wireless USB dongle so it doesn't get lost. There is also an on/off switch and, next to it, a USB Type-C port (not visible in picture, facing away from camera) for charging the onboard battery.

Looks pretty simple and straightforward, let's open it up to see what's inside.

I peeled off everything held with adhesives expecting some fasteners to be hidden underneath. I was surprised to find nothing. Is this thing glued together? Or held with clips?

I found my answer when I discovered that this thing had RGB LEDs. I did not intend to buy a light-up keyboard, but I have one now. The illumination showed screws hiding under keys.

There are six Philips-head self-tapping plastic screws hidden under keys distributed around the keyboard.

Once they were removed, keys assembly easily lifted away to expose the membrane underneath.

Underneath the membrane is the light-up subassembly. Looks like a row of LEDs across the top that shines onto a clear plastic sheet acting to diffuse and direct their light.

I count five LEDs, and the bumps molded into clear plastic sheet worked well to direct light where the keys are.

I had expected to see a single data wire consistent with NeoPixel a.k.a. WS2812 style of individually addressable RGB LEDs. But label of SCL and SDA implies this LED strip is controlled via I2C. If it were a larger array I would be interested in digging deeper with a logic analyzer, but a strip of just five LEDs isn't interesting enough to me so I moved on.

Underneath the LED we see the battery, connected to a power control board (which has both the on/off switch and the Type-C charging port) feeding power to the mainboard.

Single cell lithium-polymer battery with claimed 2000mAh capacity.

The power control board is fascinating, because somebody managed to lay everything out on a single layer. Of course, they're helped by the fact that this particular Type-C connector doesn't break out all of the pins. Probably just a simple voltage divider requesting 5V, or maybe not even that! I hope that little chip at U1 labeled B5TE (or 85TE) is a real lithium-ion battery manage system (BMS) because I don't see any other candidates and I don't want a fiery battery.

The main board has fewer components but more traces, most of which led to the keyboard membrane. There appears to be two chips under blobs of epoxy, and a PCB antenna similar to others I've seen designed to work on 2.4GHz.

With easy disassembly and modular construction, I think it'll be easy to modify this keyboard if ideas should strike. Or if I decide I don't need a keyboard after all, that power subsystem would be easy (and useful!) for other projects.

(*) Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.