This blog post was originally sent as an email update to our mailing list on 4/02/2024.
Hi,
Atompalm is coming to an end.
I started Atompalm four years ago because I was frustrated that mouse performance was stagnant for years. Mouse companies would upgrade to the latest PixArt sensor each year, but that's about it — no one was focused on improving the other crucial aspects of the mouse, the most important being latency.
With no experience in PCB design, manufacturing, CAD, injection molding, or even running a business — but armed with my vision and the confidence that I could learn all of it — I decided to quit my job and try my hand at building the best possible mouse. After about a year of working in secret, I finished the first prototype Hydrogen mouse and announced it to the world.
It took a couple of years to progress that prototype into a real product, but with the launch of the Hydrogen 2, I was able to achieve what I had set out to do four years earlier. The Hydrogen 2 offered the lowest possible latency, the most supple cable, and snappy clicks, all in a beautiful, super light package. I made mistakes along the way, but I am proud of what I was able to accomplish with the Hydrogen 2. That being said, I will be shutting down the business.
In order to maintain control over every single detail, I did not use an "all-in-one" factory. Instead, I invested my time and money in finding suitable manufacturers for each component (e.g., the cable, the feet, the boxes, the plastics, the wheel, the PCB, and even the manual packets). Every single detail on the mouse was carefully designed, down to the choice of screws (we use special trilobular screws designed to resist vibrations in plastic). The task of coordinating so many different manufacters, where any issue with any one would delay the whole project, was ultimately too much to bear. There is much more to this story, but I will leave it at that.
Even though Atompalm is closing shop, our legacy will live on in the impact we made on the industry. The native 8,000 Hz capability we were the first to demonstrate is becoming the industry standard as more and more companies follow our lead. Our Zero Latency click technology has put the Hydrogen at the top of the latency charts, and granted it the position of the benchmark for others to hit. Even though we explained in detail how to implement switches to achieve our latency numbers, the click latency numbers that I'm seeing from most companies are still weak. There's really no excuse for this poor performance, so I hope they step up to meet our standard.
Another important area which we innovated on was offering a web-based utility for firmware updates and mouse configuration, which replaces the need to download and install software. We were the first to offer that for mice, and I'm glad to see that some other companies are starting to follow our lead there, too, as it is the superior user experience.
Since I'm shutting down the company, I will not be ordering any more Hydrogen 2 stock — what I have left from my last production run is all there will be. I will continue to sell on the website until I'm completely sold out. Currently, I have the lowest stock available for the "Mantis" and the "Mana" colors, so those will likely sell out first. I will continue to honor all warranties for the full warranty period, but I won't offer returns for this remaining stock.
So what now?
If any of my newsletter subscribers works at a competitor or are otherwise interested in buying the entire company, I can be reached at dimitar@atompalm.com. It would be a shame if all of this cutting-edge technology I built didn't end up in some productive hands.
As for me, I'm not sure what I'll do next. I'm actively thinking about what my next endeavor will be. If anyone has an interesting opportunity, you can also reach out to me at the above email. I have a deep interest in technology, philosophy, and education. If you'd like to follow me personally, I can be found here on twitter:
I've also started writing on Substack. I published two articles so far:
"Cheaters never win — but that's not their goal"
"In the beginning, there was nothing — but who created the earth worth living in?"
And as always, I'd like to end my email by thanking everyone who reads my emails and otherwise has supported my project for so long. Having you all share my vision has always been a source of encouragement for me. So, thank you!