Das Keyboard has created their Q Desktop software to allow its users to fully customise how the keyboard looks and works. At present, the software is compatible with their X50Q and 5Q keyboard.
What the Q Desktop software does is allow its users to add functions that you couldn’t on an ordinary mechanical keyboard, we mentioned this briefly in the introduction, but essentially the suite gives you access to enable your keyboard to receive notifications from a variety of different sources. Some of the built-in features include having any key light up whenever someone mentions you in a tweet, or if you’ve just got an email, or even notify you if your favourite Twitch streamer has gone live. These are just a few of the basic features that it can do, but if you want, you can delve much deeper and add even more complex notifications.
How it works - The basics
Firstly you have to download the software which can be found on the product page; the next step is to then install the software and create an account. For this, you’ll need to create an account for both the Q suite and for IFTTT. What we would advise at this stage is to use the same email address for both as that way the two services can communicate easier. Once you’ve made an account for the services you then can begin to add the different functions, the video below shows you the basics on how to set up these additions which are called Applets. Within the software there are around 70 different forms of notification that can be received, these include Twitter, Twitch, BMW, Gmail, Youtube and Nest just to name a few. What you do have to keep in mind is that you will need to grant permission for both the Q Desktop software and IFTTT to gather your notifications so this can work, but if that is something you don’t wish to do, then this part of the software will not work to its full potential, and you’ll only get notifications from services that don’t need permissions.
Once you’ve got familiarised with how to add Applets you can then go to IFTTT’s website, log in and access hundreds more Applets to further customise the notifications on your keyboard, so if there isn’t one already done, you can select from the Applets there or even create your own. This adds to the customisation factor and allows you to tailor the keyboard to exactly how you want it.
To create a custom Applet you need to head over to IFTT’s site and log in. You’ll then go to the section marked `My Applets’ and then press `New Applet’. Once there you’ll select the +this link to begin the process. Next, you choose a service you want to use, for this example we’ll pick YouTube. Bear in mind that some of these functions will only work in the US. Here there are five presets triggers to choose from and you can also suggest your own if you want to recommend one. We selected the trigger for notifications, but you can pick whichever suits you best, once done you’ll then be presented with a list of your subscriptions or something different if that is what you have selected.
After that is completed you’ll be directed to a page that shows an icon of the trigger you selected with the words if (logo) then +that, what you want to do is select +that and choose an action service. Next, you want to search for Das Keyboard Q and pick that, this will allow what you have set to be synced to your keyboard. Then select create a signal zone and fill in the on-screen selection tool making sure to select the X50Q at the end. After completion click `Create Action’ then `Finish’ and it should pop up in the `My Setup’ area of the Q Desktop software after a few hours.
