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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

$1,200 keyboard. Nope, it isn't April 1st!

By | November 30, 2006, 4:12am PST

Still looking for some holiday stocking fillers … how about a keyboard?  It has 103 keys and can display images on each key using OLEDs (Organic LEDs).  Price?  If you need to ask the price, this keyboard isn't for you! 

Introducing the Optimus Keyboard by Art Lebedev.

Optimus Keyboard - well, as it used to look

If you need to ask the price, this keyboard isn't for you! Well, that's not really it.  That's what the concept keyboard looked like about a year ago.  Back then each key had a full-size color OLED display.  Since then a lot of features have been dropped.  Gone are the color OLEDs, full-key images, and the launcher keys (shown in the image above).  For anyone who's been following the Optimus keyboard with an idea of buying one (as I was initially), Lebedev over-promised and then later under-delivered on features (that's the danger of pre-announcing a product to generate buzz - if you can't deliver, you're open for attack).  The price is just the final nail in the coffin of this project.  The price is set to come down to sub-$1,000 some time next year but even then this is still way overpriced in my opinion.

My guess is (and this is backed up by feedback to Lebedev himself on his blog) is that people are going to hold out until the price comes down or for the color version to be released. If that ever happens … I'm not holding my breath! 

If you like the idea then Lebedev also makes a 3-key version called the Optimus mini three.  This has a slightly saner pricetag of $121.  But it’s only three keys.  (I wonder what three functions I would choose for these keys???)

Optimus mini three

So, a $1,200 keyboard.  Whaddya think?  It's gotta be a geek's toy, and since the "geek quotient" here at ZDNet is way above average this particular bit of kit is aimed squarely at you.  To get an idea of what you think about this project, I've attached two polls to this post:

Poll

$1,200 keyboard. Interested?

Poll

At what price point would you buy a 103 key OLED keyboard?

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Topics

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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languages
nick@... 4th Dec 2006
I type away in different languages, and change the key arrangements to suit. That means I type "[" to get a German u Umlaut. It also means I have to remember where thekeys are.
My immediate thought about this new keyboard was: If this thing can change my keyboard layout to suit the language I select, I can type the letter that appears on the key and not guess.
How about that?
0 Votes
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only $1200?
Arnout Groen 30th Nov 2006
is that with VAT included or excluded?

BTW, maybe it has some use at the office/house of the future..
0 Votes
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Man, You Are REALLY Late On This ZDNet
itanalyst 30th Nov 2006
I saw this keyboard two years ago on geek.com and slashdot...

Next thing you'll know you will report Elvis just died.
0 Votes
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Contributr
Rewind
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 30th Nov 2006
Two years ago thos was a different keyboard and no price. Did you actually read the article?

Oh, and by the way, Elvis is dead.
0 Votes
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note:
glocks out 30th Nov 2006
That was the showpiece, this is the actual product.
0 Votes
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This keyboard has some awesome potential. From a gaming point of view you could set up the keyboard for games. Right now you can buy keyboards for games that allow you to change the keys but they are hassle.

Also thing of this from a language point of view. Want an Arablic or Chinese key board? No need to swap keyboards just change the display and character sets.

For business and kioks you could configure the key board with specific keys to suit the business task.

This has lots of uses, I'd buy one if the price get to be around $100. Right now I can buy an old style keyboard for $11 and Microsoft sells the expensive internet keyboard, useless, for $69 with extra buttons that you can sort of configure but not really.
0 Votes
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Those big square keys look nasty, I bet it's not nice to type on...
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Cool use of OLEDs
DarthRidiculous 30th Nov 2006
Its a great concept, just too much money. If it were sub $500 and had a need for it, I would get one. I think OLEDs have a lot of potential.
0 Votes
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cheaper solution
andg 30th Nov 2006
.. would be to use your UMPC (ie, something with a touch-screen) and apps like "TouchBuddy"
http://www.touch-buddy.com/
Maybe, less tactile pleasure (of feeling keys click under your fingers), but definitely much more freedom. Once I have done playing game, I just disconnect UMPC from a game PC, and use it for something else.
0 Votes
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...!
aussiedawg 30th Nov 2006
Elvis is dead?!
0 Votes
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Contributr
Yeah man ...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 30th Nov 2006
... you heard it here first! wink
0 Votes
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One question
John Zern 30th Nov 2006
Elvis' death had nothing to do with the keyboard, right?

Seriously though, would something like this power from a keyboard/usb jack as standard keyboards do, or would it require it's own separate power adapter (translation: Even more wires)
0 Votes
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Contributr
It's USB
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 1st Dec 2006
It's a USB keyboard ... no extra wires.
0 Votes
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Debugging
Justin James 30th Nov 2006
I would LOVE to have the three key one for debugging (particularly if I could have a wireless version). Assign one key for break, one for step into, and one for step over, it would be a truly cool thing, especially when showing code flow to a group of people!

Then again, I just spent $160 on eBay ($300 list) for a Kenisis Keyboard (http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/programming-and-development/?p=345) and another $700 or so just on monitors...

J.Ja
0 Votes
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Contributr
That would be sweet
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 30th Nov 2006
Yeah, that would be pretty sweet use for the mini three - and a wireless variety would be a really good idea.
0 Votes
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Not for real workers
carmilevy@... 30th Nov 2006
No one who really knows how to type ever looks at his/her keyboard anyway.

It would be far more impressive if it were integrated into a laptop. That way, you could show off the capability to people you meet. Here, you need to invite them into your bedroom in your parents' basement.

Which explains why uber-geeks are pretty much the only people silly enough to buy into this dubious technology. Still, the tech world needs bling, too, and there's a sucker born every minute.

And if this doesn't fly, there's always the diamond-encrusted cell phone.

Carmi
http://writteninc.blogspot.com
0 Votes
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And we need this because?
HunterShoptaw 30th Nov 2006
from a billion different perspectives, i can't see how thisis going to be actually useful, or (god forbid) cost effective. As a gamer, why would I want another keyboard? as a businessman, what is there that this can do that I can't do with the peripherals I already have? Heck, if I wanted something useless and expensive I'd go buy a robosapien or something.
0 Votes
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because u can write only in one language
Gene(ius):) 30th Nov 2006
You need such a keyboard if you can write in more than one
language - it is very obvious! Americans have no need for it.... but
Asians and Europeans do!
0 Votes
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because you need a $1200 keyboard
RIAAsucks 30th Nov 2006
so they can post a big idiot sign on your forehead for buying such a stupid keyboard
0 Votes
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Contributr
Maybe ...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 30th Nov 2006
... it's a $20 keyboard, but the sign costs $1180.
0 Votes
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its worth 150 bucks....
Gene(ius):) 30th Nov 2006
bloody foreigners like me have a need to have such keyboards.
As mentioned: 200 mio. Americans have no need for it - all
other americans plus those from OLD Europe, Asia etc. who
speak more than just ONE language, can see the potential
behind this keyboard.
JUst the IBM Lab Japan and the Aussie Patent Ofiice in Canberra
(as far as I remember) didn't grasp the idea in 1985-1986 to
have dynamic keyboards (called FDK using illuminated ICONs to
represent any charater set, so you could switch from an english
keybaord layout to a french, german one etc.). maybe someone
else before me came up with such a thing before 1985 - god
knows :)) I didn't get the patent Downunder when I tried to
register it.
0 Votes
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Stereotypcial of Americans?
nucrash 30th Nov 2006
I myself speak two languages. Though I am of the younger generation, this will quickly become the standard.

There are those of us who have to work in multilingual environments. Especially since immgration seems to be the old and new again trend.
0 Votes
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monotypical
Gene(ius):) 30th Nov 2006
nucrash... I am glad you made some progress :))
0 Votes
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I'm saved by the price
Stephen Borchert 30th Nov 2006
I remember the original article, but I'm glad that it's ridiculously priced now. I'm a keyboard junkie, but my habit has limits.
0 Votes
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Practical, But Too Pricey
itanalyst 30th Nov 2006
Gamers will drool over this, but shy from it due to its high price tag...

I think it would be awesome for the ******** gamer to switch between their regular keyboard and this one for gaming for WoW, EQ, BF2, Counterstrike...it would also come in handy for web developers to assign keys to certain functions in Dreamweaver...

But $1200...that's a lot for a keyboard dude...
0 Votes
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DID YOU KNOW what IBM Japan MISSED
Gene(ius):) 30th Nov 2006
Did you know that the idea of such keyboards is very old? AROUND
1985-86 I personnaly proposed this idea to IBM JAPAN! THe
Australian Patent Office in Canberra did not allow to patent this
concept/design... both of them were fools.... not taking up the
'FDK' (first dynamic keyboard) concept...
0 Votes
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I thought it was made by Apple...
NonZealot 30th Nov 2006
and I was expecting to read tons of replies from Mac zealots about how this $1,200 keyboard was cheaper than the $20 keyboards you get with most PCs. wink
0 Votes
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Form over function?
etschuetz@... 30th Nov 2006
This is a case of the geek trying to be chic. I embrace my geekdom with a Sony Clie, Laptop with CRT dual screen setup, and a Onyx DS Lite, I also have the occasionaly goody here and there. The difference? Everything has a function. After the function is in place, I consider form. This keyboard has nothing but form, and it is useless. What is so great about a key that has an image on it? For one, if you took typing in High School, you are taught to NEVER look at the keyboard. When I had a multifunction keyboard, I practically memorized the keys and never looked at them to hit what I wanted. I can see the points to LCD screens on some keyboards (gaming Keyboards), and backlit keys (late night computing). Beyond those, very little is needed with OLED's. SOmeone wants to be innovative? How about perfecting waterproof keyboards, keys that are more resistent to impact, or perhaps one that keeps carpotunnel to a minimum?
0 Votes
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agree
pablito@... 30th Nov 2006
I agree -- this keyboard is just a gimmick. A keyboard where you could actually move the keys around would be interesting.
0 Votes
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The polls lack choices.
John_Doe69 30th Nov 2006
How about a choice of "under $30" for question 2. happy
0 Votes
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Contributr
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 1st Dec 2006
The makers would love that!
0 Votes
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Patents pending. ???
Gene(ius):) 30th Nov 2006
What patents? Why give any patents at all since this is a very old
idea! It is good that such a device is on the market but it is not
worth any patent.... the Aussie Patent Office would not accept a
patent on this idea in the 80ies either.
0 Votes
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Who looks at their keyboard?
mahlon 30th Nov 2006
The important sense in evaluating a keyboard is touch! What's important is how the keys feel, how your hands rest on the surface, key position and what the resistance of the key press. This is an utter wank - good design is not about gimmicks, it's about elegance.
0 Votes
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... only with fancy graphics on the keys, and a bloated price tag.

I got may AnyKey at an area flea market for $5. Other than a "stiff" G-key it works perfectly, at least good enough for my needs.

I'll pass on this board until they come in color OLEDs, and with a better price.
0 Votes
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They are color OLED's
diatonic 30th Nov 2006
They are color OLEDs... RTFA:
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/
0 Votes
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Contributr
Uhhhh, no it's not ...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 1st Dec 2006
Lebedev'd blog:

http://community.livejournal.com/optimus_project/11850.html

"Optimus-103 will use black and white displays (B&W is perfect for 95% of all tasks a keyboard requires). Color will come later at a greater price."
0 Votes
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Since so many people said they would pay $100 for the keyboard, I'll bet most wanted to say they wanted a lesser amount. If a $50 option was available, I'd say most of the $100 responders would have taken $50 instead. We're just not that hungry for the 'toy.'
0 Votes
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Contributr
I don't see an OLED keyboard ...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 1st Dec 2006
... being $50 any time soon. Be noce tho. I'd buy two.
0 Votes
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CTRL, ALT, DELETE
3dguru 3rd Dec 2006
I could get a touch screen LCD for less than that.
0 Votes
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languages
nick@... 4th Dec 2006
I type away in different languages, and change the key arrangements to suit. That means I type "[" to get a German u Umlaut. It also means I have to remember where thekeys are.
My immediate thought about this new keyboard was: If this thing can change my keyboard layout to suit the language I select, I can type the letter that appears on the key and not guess.
How about that?

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