The world's most pointless keyboard now has a version 2.0

Stack Overflow The Key 2.0
(Image credit: Stack Overflow)

Stack Overflow has released The Key v2.0, a sequel to the novelty keyboard it released last year in the wake of an April Fool’s joke.

The popular programming resource’s first foray into the hardware market, ‘The Key’, apparently found a niche in the market, selling over 10,000 units despite having only three keys, “Ctrl, C, and V”.

The joke referenced the longstanding stereotype of programmers boosting their productivity by merely copy and pasting lines of code from online resources such as Stack Overflow.

What do buyers get?

The new product, now available on Drop for $29, still only has three customizable keys out the box.

However, unlike the original, The Key V2.0 is hot-swappable - which means you can change out its switches without soldering them.

If users want to further customize the keyboard's look, they can now play with their colour settings via the hardware's RGB lighting.

In addition, Stack Overflow  V2.0’s acrylic case will apparently help user’s color schemes shine through.

The new piece of kit is also equipped with custom XDA profile keycaps sporting the Stack Overflow logo.

A portion of all proceeds from the sale are set to go to digitalundivided, a US-based charity for female black and Latino entrepreneurs.

The Key V2.0 is available to purchase now with an available date of July 20, 2022, with 3,900 pieces initially up for grabs.

“Remember, good artists copy, great artists steal, greatest artists copy, then paste,” said a Stack Overflow spokesperson.

Stack Overflow continues to be big business, as the company was acquired by Amsterdam-based tech investment firm Prosus NV in a deal valued at $1.8 billion back in June 2021. 

Will McCurdy has been writing about technology for over five years. He has a wide range of specialities including cybersecurity, fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, cloud computing, payments, artificial intelligence, retail technology, and venture capital investment. He has previously written for AltFi, FStech, Retail Systems, and National Technology News and is an experienced podcast and webinar host, as well as an avid long-form feature writer.