You know you want it (the greatest keyboard in the world)

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2005-07-16 12:44am

Damn thats just fucking sweet...even if its just CGI.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-07-16 01:21am

A Big Flying Fish wrote:Uh, you do realise it's just a 3D model and not a working keyboard don't you?

You sure?

Instant Sunrise · Post by **Instant Sunrise** » 2005-07-16 01:25am

I'm...torn....

Forgive me Model M, for I have coveted another keyboard.

Unless, they could figure a way to make that keyboard have buckling springs....

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2005-07-16 01:39am

I would love to have one of those. Think how useful that could be for a language-trainer.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2005-07-16 03:28am

Aside from customizable language keys...what's the big fucking deal? Who gives a flying fuck about keys displaying commands? Any gamer worth his/her salt will know what the keys are after he/she gets used to them. It's nice, but I'm not in awe over it.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-07-16 03:39am

It's a geek's dream, man.

You could download and map popular key configurations for games... and not have to spend time reading the list in menu to learn what everything does.

You could design and use your own custom keys, for a truely unique keyboard look.

If you worked in a multi-lingual workplace, say an embassy or translator service, being able to switch it over to whatever language you need to type in on the fly would be invaluable.

And then there's just the coolness factor of possessing such a thing.

Xero Cool Down · Post by **Xero Cool Down** » 2005-07-16 03:58am

I bet the thing breaks and/or starts to fuck up after a few months.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2005-07-16 04:29am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:
A Big Flying Fish wrote:Uh, you do realise it's just a 3D model and not a working keyboard don't you?
You sure?

He's right, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't make something like this. Although the sheer number of TDMS's you'd need would be mind boggling.

A Big Flying Fish · Post by **A Big Flying Fish** » 2005-07-16 07:18am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:
A Big Flying Fish wrote:Uh, you do realise it's just a 3D model and not a working keyboard don't you?
You sure?

It's a design studio's website, with credits for a modeller and an art director. Plus most of their other stuff is advertising or design related. So, yeah I'm sure.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2005-07-16 08:38am

IRG CommandoJoe wrote:Aside from customizable language keys...what's the big fucking deal? Who gives a flying fuck about keys displaying commands? Any gamer worth his/her salt will know what the keys are after he/she gets used to them. It's nice, but I'm not in awe over it.

Do you know how many shortcuts you have to memorize in order to have a sufficiently fast workflow in some programs?
It´s not like every key is a shortcut. It´s more like every key is a short cut plus it´s a different shortcut if you press that key in combination with alt, ctrl, shift, alt + ctrl, alt + shift, ctrl + shift or alt + ctrl + shift.
If the keys displayed what the shorcuts did this would be a huge benefit for work speed.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2005-07-16 05:26pm

DPDarkPrimus wrote:You could download and map popular key configurations for games... and not have to spend time reading the list in menu to learn what everything does.

What if you don't like "popular" key configurations and want to customize it yourself? How else do you think you are going to map the keys to your keyboard? The same exact way as you do currently. Like that's so freaking hard to do?

You could design and use your own custom keys, for a truely unique keyboard look.

Aside from having different words or icons on keys, you already can re-bind your keys and customize them.

If you worked in a multi-lingual workplace, say an embassy or translator service, being able to switch it over to whatever language you need to type in on the fly would be invaluable.

This is the only strong point of the keyboard, IMO. This is where the LEDs come in handy.

And then there's just the coolness factor of possessing such a thing.

Eh, I guess. But it's just a novelty, really.

salm wrote:Do you know how many shortcuts you have to memorize in order to have a sufficiently fast workflow in some programs?
It´s not like every key is a shortcut. It´s more like every key is a short cut plus it´s a different shortcut if you press that key in combination with alt, ctrl, shift, alt + ctrl, alt + shift, ctrl + shift or alt + ctrl + shift.
If the keys displayed what the shorcuts did this would be a huge benefit for work speed.

Like you said, there's a lot of combinations of keys. So having a description/icon on each key is useless when you have to memorize key combinations. There's no way for key combinations to be displayed, unless there is some elaborate system of color coding key combos. Or unless you can bind key combinations to a single key, but I don't know if there would be enough keys to do that. And if that's the case, one could already do that on a traditional keyboard.

In short, I think the traditional keyboard is perfectly adequate for using any sort of program.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2005-07-16 05:29pm

Xero Cool Down wrote:I bet the thing breaks and/or starts to fuck up after a few months.

For what it costs, it'd better not. Else you'll have streams of angry customers demanding refunds.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2005-07-16 05:32pm

Shit that thing's sweet.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2005-07-16 05:53pm

weemadando wrote:Optimus - its awesome knows no bounds.

Holy.....the Motherland strikes again!

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-07-16 06:01pm

General Zod wrote:
Xero Cool Down wrote:I bet the thing breaks and/or starts to fuck up after a few months.
For what it costs,

Ironic, considering that it's not an actual commercial product and doesn't even have a patent yet.

Post by **RogueIce** » 2005-07-17 01:00am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:
General Zod wrote:
Xero Cool Down wrote:I bet the thing breaks and/or starts to fuck up after a few months.
For what it costs,
Ironic, considering that it's not an actual commercial product and doesn't even have a patent yet.

For what it's likely to cost, then.

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2005-07-17 01:08am

Well, either this is new or I just didn't notice it before. Emphasis mine, of course.

Frequently Answered Answers about the Optimus keyboard

It's in initial stage of production
We hope it will be released in 2006
It will cost less than a good mobile phone
It will be real
It will be OS-independent (at least it can work in some default state with any OS)
It will support any language or layout
Moscow is the capital of Russia
Each key could be programmed to produce any sequence
It will be an open-source keyboard, SDK will be available
Some day it will be split ('ergonomic')
It will most likely use OLED technology (e-paper is sooo slow)
Our studio is located two blocks from the Kremlin
It will feature a key-saver
Keys will use animation when needed
It has numeric keypad because we love it
There's no snow in Moscow during Summer
It will be available worldwide (why not?)
OEM will be possible (why not?)
Contact us for hi-res images, or interview inquires

We want to thank everyone for the support. Stay tuned for our next projects

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-07-17 01:40am

engadget update
Theyre saying it will be available for about 200-300 $

mauldooku · Post by **mauldooku** » 2005-07-17 02:04am

That's pretty sexy. I'm reminded of a set of custom stickies that you can put on your keys to correspond to Starcraft shortcuts, but that just pales in comparison to this. On the other hand, I'm sure it'd be useful for a Starcraft geek like myself. Link's here if interested.

Secondly: 200-300$?! Sorry, I'm not paying that much for a keyboard. Ever.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2005-07-17 04:00am

the .303 bookworm wrote:engadget update
Theyre saying it will be available for about 200-300 $

I'll believe it when I see it, no matter what they are saying, OLED's aren't that cheap.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2005-07-17 07:16am

IRG CommandoJoe wrote:Aside from customizable language keys...what's the big fucking deal?

It's shiny.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2005-07-17 09:48am

Sharp-kun wrote:
IRG CommandoJoe wrote:Aside from customizable language keys...what's the big fucking deal?
It's shiny.

Realy fucking shinny.

You under-estimate the shear geek appel of this device. Most true geeks can be sold a box which does nothing but boop and beep, with lots of lights and has a few dials and nobs on it.
As long as it LOOK's like it fell of the back of the ST prop truck, people WILL buy it.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2005-07-18 11:33pm

Of course. Because the average person is an asshole.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2005-07-19 11:34am

OLEDs don't have much life to them, though, which can be a turn-off.

/includes obligatory IBM Model M or ThinkPad keyboard wanking

InnocentBystander · Post by **InnocentBystander** » 2005-07-19 12:58pm

This keyboard does not peak my interest. Nifty idea I suppose.

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You know you want it (the greatest keyboard in the world)

Re: You know you want it (the greatest keyboard in the world