KEEB JOURNAL looks at trends in the keyboard community through last month’s traffic data.
Greenkeys recorded 178,539 page views in October 2026.
That was a 12.3% increase from September’s 158,961 page views.
The daily average was 5,759 page views, up from 5,299 in September.
In October, the most-read stories included HHKB’s new product teaser, news of the Lofree Flow Lite 2 launch, and beekeeb Toucan’s Good Design Award win.
Alongside interest in new products, readers also responded to topics Greenkeys continues to cover, such as split keyboards and trackballs.
Top 10 Most-Read Articles
Last month’s 10 most-read articles were as follows.
- HHKB Teases New Product Announcement for October 22
- Lofree Flow Lite 2 Goes on Sale November 1
- beekeeb Toucan Wins 2026 Good Design Award
- Two Perixx Trackballs Operated with the Index Finger
- Keychron Orca echo 3D Files Released
- FMV Keyboard X Goes on General Sale
- NocFree Lite V2 to Get a Built-In Trackball
- Keychron Carbon 60 HE 8K
- Ulanzi AU05 Vibe Key
- NocFree & Short Review
The top 10 articles drew a combined 61,138 page views, accounting for 34.2% of the total.
Let’s take a look back at last month’s traffic.
No. 1 | HHKB Teases New Product Announcement for October 22
Share of total monthly page views: 5.49%
October’s most-read article covered a new product teaser posted on HHKB’s official X account.
With HHKB’s 30th anniversary as a milestone, readers came to find out what was coming even before the official announcement.
A media briefing was held on October 21, and Greenkeys attended for an early look at the HHKB Professional Elite.
The aluminum case has drawn attention, but the change in typing feel from the metal switch plate is also worth watching.
No. 2 | Lofree Flow Lite 2 Goes on Sale November 1
Share of total monthly page views: 4.91%
An article announcing the release date and preorder campaign for the low-profile Flow Lite successor ranked second.
The article reported that the keyboard comes in 84-key and 100-key models, with several layouts to choose from, including a Japanese layout, and that buying a $2 pass in advance gets you $40 off at launch.
As of now, there has been no announcement about availability through Lofree Japan, operated by SANYO., LLC., the Japanese distributor.
Along with the Japanese layout, the release of the much-requested “black” color is also worth watching.
No. 3 | beekeeb Toucan Wins Good Design Award
Share of total monthly page views: 4.22%
An article covering the 2026 Good Design Award win for the Toucan split keyboard and an in-person demo in Tokyo ranked third.
Toucan combines a touchpad and memory LCD in one device, with a 17 mm key pitch and portability in mind.
The design brought renewed attention to how it combines a split layout and pointing controls in a device that can also be used on the go.
News of the award may have introduced Toucan to people who don’t usually follow split keyboards.
KawamuraSince the dissolution of Kurumi LLC (beekeeb.jp), no specific sales channels have been announced. We’ll be looking out for further updates.
beekeeb Toucan Wins Good Design Award
No. 4 | Two Perixx Trackballs Operated with the Index Finger
Share of total monthly page views: 3.33%
Coverage of the release of Perixx’s new 40 mm index-finger-operated trackballs—the wired PERIMICE-522 Iron and wireless PERIMICE-822IR—ranked fourth.
Although they use the same control method, they differ in connectivity and power specifications.
In October’s rankings, readers showed interest not only in trackballs built into keyboards but also in standalone trackballs.
I feel that trackball mice are gradually gaining wider acceptance.
Perixx’s Two Index-Finger-Operated Trackballs
No. 5 | Keychron Releases 3D Data for the Orca echo
Share of Monthly Pageviews: 3.16%
The story that design files for the case, plate, and other parts of the split keyboard Orca echo, jointly developed by Keychron and GIZMODO Japan, had been made public ranked fifth.
This also offers a glimpse of Keychron’s commitment to fostering a user community through open source.
Keychron Releases 3D Data for the Orca echo
No. 6 | FMV Keyboard X Goes on General Sale
Share of Monthly Pageviews: 2.95%
The news that the FMV Keyboard X—which raised around ¥75 million from more than 2,900 backers through crowdfunding—had gone on general sale ranked sixth.
I found it interesting to see a new approach that reframes the flexibility of magnetic keyboards’ actuation points in a business context.
KawamuraIt’s also highly instructive from a marketing perspective.
FMV Keyboard X Goes on General Sale
No. 7 | NocFree Lite V2 to Get an Integrated Trackball
Share of Monthly Pageviews: 2.79%
The story that a trackball is planned for the right-hand side of the spacebar on the in-development split keyboard NocFree Lite V2 ranked seventh.
The plans also include tri-mode connectivity, including Bluetooth, as well as revisions to the key layout and kickstand.
However, the article noted that the keyboard was still in development and testing, and that plans—including the shipping timeline—could change.
In light of the recent success of the Keychron Orca echo, the story also hints at the possibility that keyboards with integrated trackballs are being developed behind the scenes.
KawamuraOn the other hand, looking at recently released commercial products, simply adding a trackball doesn’t seem to guarantee a hit.
As someone who works in marketing, this is something I’m always thinking about, too.
NocFree Lite V2 to Get an Integrated Trackball
No. 8 | Keychron Carbon 60 HE 8K Unveiled
Share of Monthly Pageviews: 2.63%
Coverage of the release of Keychron’s wired 60% magnetic keyboard bearing the name “Carbon” ranked eighth.
Carbon-fiber composite is used for the case, plate, and keycaps, and the keyboard supports polling rates of up to 8,000 Hz and Rapid Trigger.
What stood out to me was how the material shaped the product’s overall appearance and construction, rather than the focus being solely on competing over raw speed figures.
One concern is PFU’s earlier attempt to use carbon in keycaps.
PFU also considered the risk of dust from the carbon material reaching the PCB when using it for key tops.
HHKB Professional Elite Released | Greenkeys
Given that, I’m curious how Keychron has addressed this risk.
Keychron Carbon 60 HE 8K Unveiled
No. 9 | Ulanzi AU05 Vibe Key Appears on GREEN FUNDING
Share of Monthly Pageviews: 2.63%
An introduction to the AU05 Vibe Key, a desktop controller with a microphone, a knob, and three customizable keys, ranked ninth.
It is not a keyboard, but it brings voice input, input for AI tools, and PC controls together at your fingertips.
It speaks to an interest in organizing a workspace with methods that go beyond typing on keys.
A similar concept had also been making the rounds on social media in connection with Keychron, and this device seems to bring that idea to life.
An input device that seems to embody the vibe-coding era.
Ulanzi AU05 Vibe Key Arrives on GREEN FUNDING
No. 10 | NocFree &: A Short Review of the Japanese Layout
Share of monthly page views: 2.14%
A short review of the NocFree &, a 75% split low-profile keyboard available with a Japanese layout, ranked 10th.
It retains the familiar row-staggered layout while working either as a split keyboard or as a unibody keyboard.
The review considers not only its advantages but also issues evident in the first batch.
KawamuraThree days after this article was published, NocFree also released content featuring user feedback on the first batch.
The feedback almost entirely matched the points we had raised, suggesting that users had identified much the same issues.
NocFree &: A Short Review of the Japanese Layout
Summary | What October’s Traffic Revealed
At the top were news stories covering different stages of a product’s journey to market, including teasers ahead of new-product announcements, layout and pricing information just before launch, and general sales after crowdfunding campaigns.
Readers are interested not only in news about products after launch, but also in following what happens next.
Of the 10 ranked articles, nine were news stories and one was a review; no columns made the list.
KawamuraGreenkeys seems to be gaining recognition as a source of keyboard-related news.
We publish only a limited number of reviews and columns each month, but we will continue to put them out.
At Greenkeys, we’ll continue to bring you both the enjoyment of following the news and information that helps you imagine using the products.
Stay tuned for next month.
※ About the data: We removed groups of abnormal visits suspected to be spam from the September and October traffic data. Some regular visits may have been included. The September comparison figure was recalculated using the same criteria, so it differs from the figure in the previously published September edition.
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- Methodology: Greenkeys traffic data
- Sources and references: Greenkeys traffic data
- Conflict of interest: No products provided; no monetized links in this article
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