This is a barrier of a higher order, and is enough to make the micro-mechanical switch dramatically more reliable in extreme conditions.

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On the original Storm, SurePress consisted of a single mechanical switch mounted below the center of the display, leading to wobbly, uneasy clicks and -- far more devastatingly -- an inability to actuate more than one screen element at a time, which made the keyboard more of a hassle to use than it should've been.

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That's where Matias's wireless Laptop Pro keyboard for Mac comes in. (The company makes a wired version for PC, too.) Its switch technology confers the tactile response of a traditional mechanical keyboard, but sounds no louder than the office standard issue.

WSJ: Keys That Really Click

Helping Komatsu persuade the mine operator to switch was a new drive system that instead of the conventional mechanical axle and cogs uses rear-wheel-mounted electrical motors.

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When you slip the stubby gear selector (an electric switch, actually), you can hear and feel satisfying mechanical clunks and shudders coming from the six-speed, dual-clutch transaxle, signaling that the fuse is lit.

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With a mechanical keyboard, on the other hand, each key press triggers an actual on-off switch a feeling as solid as flicking on the lights.

WSJ: Keys That Really Click