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Comments: 166 +-   Eee Keyboard Details Released on Monday October 12, @02:02PM

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday October 12, @02:02PM
from the now-accepting-review-copies dept.
inputdev
hardware
technology
Details on the new Eee keyboard, previously held secret during the FCC filing, have now been made available. You can now take a look at the innards and a full spec sheet detailing exactly what is being promised. "Beneath the 5-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touch panel (with stylus) we'll be getting Windows XP Home running on an Intel Atom N270, 945GSE / ICH7-M chipset with Broadcom AV-VD905 video decoder, 1GB of DDR2 memory, either 16GB or 32GB of flash storage, 4-hour battery, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and VGA outputs, integrated stereo speakers and mic, 3x USB, headphone and mic jacks, and external WiFi / UWB antenna. The Eee Keyboard's on-board Ultra-Wideband (UWB) throws 720p content to your TV within a 5-meter range (10-meters for non-video transmissions) via a UWB receiver packing 2x USB ports, another mini-USB port, audio out, and HDMI."
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Submission: Eee Keyboard Details Released by ScuttleMonkey (55)
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  • Just when you thought releasing another "Eee" branded product would be like flogging the skeleton of a dead horse

  • How hard would it be to build a cheaper version to teach kids programming?

    • Re:The C64 is back! (Score:5, Funny)

      by Scutter (18425) on Monday October 12, @02:09PM (#29722621) Journal

      How hard would it be to build a cheaper version to teach kids programming?

      6? Maybe 7? I don't know, what scale are we using?

      • A scale from 1 to 10 with 4 being the most difficult. 7 sounds about right - More difficult than installing programming tools on a regular computer or laptop and restricting the kid's permissions, but less difficult than naturally breeding a man-bear-pig.

    • Probably depends on whether you are Jeri Ellsworth [wikipedia.org] or not. More broadly, it really depends on whether you actually want "a C64 to teach kids programming" or "to teach kids programming" and whether you insist on building it or not.

      There are several modern remakes of the C64, usually sold for gaming, some of which can have a keyboard modded on. Those are probably your cheapest bet and definitely your best bet if you actually want a C64. Second cheapest(at least in the developed world) would be your bog-sta

      • Re: (Score:2, Offtopic)

        by Abreu (173023)

        Seconded, contrary to the Anonymous coward, I believe that Python is the best programming language for kids.

  • Shadowrun (Score:5, Funny)

    by vertinox (846076) on Monday October 12, @02:09PM (#29722617)

    Does this remind anyone of the Shadowrunner decks?

    Maybe if I get this, Vuzix Wrap Eyewear [engadget.com], a neon green mohawk, and leather jacket I can start calling myself a "Decker" ;)

  • Wow, it's my TRS-80 Color Computer 2! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by ClayJar (126217) on Monday October 12, @02:12PM (#29722661) Homepage

    My very first computer was a TRS-80 Color Computer 2. It was basically a computer in a keyboard that I connected to the TV. Now, decades later, I will soon be able to buy a computer built into a keyboard that will display on my TV.

    "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NIV)

    Of course, if this can handle "HD" YouTube, Netflix streaming, and other online sources, it might actually be worth looking into as an alternative to building my own low-power box for the TV. At least worth keeping an eye open, I suppose.

    • Well, I for one think its very cool. I might buy one just because its shiny.

    • My very first computer was a TRS-80 Color Computer 2. It was basically a computer in a keyboard that I connected to the TV.

      Presumably an SDTV, over RF or composite cable.

      Now, decades later, I will soon be able to buy a computer built into a keyboard that will display on my TV.

      Perhaps your TV is an HDTV and will work with one of the video outputs (VGA, HDMI) on the computer. But a lot of the U.S. market still uses SDTV, and in order to connect the VGA output to an SDTV, you need a special $40 cable [sewelldirect.com] that I don't think is included.

    • I had one of those too! (I even pestered my parents for the cassette deck for saving programs!)

      This sounds like a good idea for a "living room" computer, using Mythbuntu or something similar...

  • What would you use this for? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Unoti (731964) on Monday October 12, @02:19PM (#29722753) Journal
    Sorry, my creativity is running a little dry here. Why would I want this? Is the idea to keep this by the couch and use it as my living room computer, and run video off it to my TV wirelessly with UWB?
    • touchtypetutor?

      • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward

        touchtypetutor?

        Parsing... parsing... ah! You said "touch type tutor." Not "touchy petutor."

        I was wondering what the heck that was.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Chickan (1070300)
      Basically yes, use it to play your cartoons or movies of choice, while checking your email. I'll stick to my mythbox personally though. Screen is too small to be useful without hooking it up to your TV, and if you are doing that its main advantage is size alone.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Bat Country (829565)

      Educational gaming machine go!

      Let your kid browse the internet in the living room while you read - thus glancing up regularly and supervising to make sure nobody has goatse'd them.

      Show your friends the latest stupid thing you found on Youtube.

      Attached USB + Controller [slashdot.org] + Stella [wikipedia.org] = Living room Atari 2600 which can be easily attached and put away when you're done (less easily accomplished in these days of LCD TVs without coax).

      Cheap television + keyboard computer = information kiosk. Tired of your friends gett

  • So, if it's not sending a video signal, I presume that I'm getting audio only? And this would be useful how...

    Okay, I just RTFA. Unlike the "cool" option of actually transmitting low power ATSC on an (unused) channel, which would make this potentially useful, it requires a hardwired dongle (UWB receiver) at any TV you want to connect. So the "any TV" just turned into "any TV you decide you want to buy a dongle for and manually wire up to receive the proprietary signal." An, of course, that's where the 10m comes in, since the UWB receiver has USB ports on it (for those who are cool enough to have one of these, and so antiquated that the have a wired printer).

    • I know it's Slashdot and we don't read the articles, but at least read the first sentence of the summary:

      Beneath the 5-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touch panel (with stylus)

    • "the UWB receiver has USB ports on it (for those who are cool enough to have one of these, and so antiquated that the have a wired printer)"

      Or, more plausibly, one's interest in having a DVD/blu-ray/big HDD loaded with rips drive is limited when walking around the house; but significant when next to the TV...

  • XP? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by clang_jangle (975789) on Monday October 12, @02:23PM (#29722823)
    Just the other day there was a story about how MS was refusing to patch a vulnerability in XP's ssh implementation (ISTR it was particularly bad for paypal users). Plus we've all heard the crowing about 7 being good to go on netbooks (though as someone who's been testing the RC for work, I do find that one a bit hard to believe -- it's still bloaty and takes more resources than the average netbook can provide). Yet MS is going to continue to push XP for the EEE? I'm confused... Is this their acknowledgement that win7 is not fit for netbooks? Then shouldn't they be patching the problems in XP, if they're going to keep pushing it?

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by lambent (234167)

      SSL, not SSH. And the SSL vulnerability in XP in supposedly worked-around by running a firewall (for the purpose of this discussion, the POS that ships with XP is supposed to be a firewall).

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by cenc (1310167)

          If you figure out how to do it, Please post. It would finally be a secure connection to pay pal I can trust. Now if I could just trust pay pal.

  • No one escapes the commodore amiga/64/128 form factor all in one.

    No one.

  • too many outputs (Score:4, Insightful)

    by viridari (1138635) on Monday October 12, @02:41PM (#29723081) Homepage
    The computer should just be a small non-descript box in the entertainment center rack. The keyboard/touchpad should operate without cables, on commodity AA rechargeable batteries. I know this thing has some wireless capabilities but the ports on there are pretty useless to me. Put the expensive stuff in the rack, and let me have a cheap disposable keyboard/pointer on the table where it's likely to have beer or coffee spilled on it from guests.

    • Mac mini, bluetooth keyboard and mouse. It is small, doesn't look ugly under your TV, has a super quiet fan, and you can get plenty of video adapters for whatever TV you have. It also has a DVD drive, so you can toss your DVD player. You can even get an EyeTV USB-stick add-on for DVR capability and export capability to your iPod/PMP. If you really want, you can even run a long USB extension cable to your couch so you can plug in a joystick and play video games. Likewise, you can also set it up as a home med

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by RzUpAnmsCwrds (262647)

        The only problem with the Mac Mini is that it's pricey. You can get a similarly-small ION-based dual-Atom box for $330 (including 2GB of memory, disk, and DVD drive), just over half the price of the Mac Mini.

        Or, if you're even cheaper, you can build a full-size Pentium Dual-Core box for around $250, which has the added advantage of multiple SATA ports and plenty of room for extra disks (presumably you want your media box to be able to store media). Of course, it won't fit nicely under your TV.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Nerdfest (867930)
      I keep saying ... "All computers should be black and rack mount". Curvy cases that you can't stack are pretty on their own, but useless around other equipment. The same goes for routers (Linksys 160N, I'm looking at you). You'd think we'd be at the point where manufacturers would not be charging a premium for rackable equipment. It doesn't even need to be truly rack mount, just a similar form-factor, like audio/video equipment.

  • Good choice going with SSD (Score:3, Insightful)

    by BikeHelmet (1437881) on Monday October 12, @02:43PM (#29723105) Journal

    I don't know about you, but my HTPC's wireless keyboard gets beat around and dropped quite a bit. I wouldn't want to subject an HDD to that.

    My personal feelings... I question the usefulness of this over a dedicated Ion box with a wireless keyboard.

  • it's got a fan! (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Locutus (9039) on Monday October 12, @02:49PM (#29723161)
    holy cow, they still need a fan on those things? Can't wait to hear these things rattling around after a couple of years when the bearings start going out. They should release an ARM version IMO.

    LoB

  • 800 x 480? (Score:3, Funny)

    by sfled (231432) <sfled AT yahoo DOT com> on Monday October 12, @02:54PM (#29723219) Homepage Journal

    Dude, if this keeps up, screens will soon have the height and width ratios of freakin' banner ads.

    Just saying.

  • I'm back in the 80's!!!

    http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/radio-shack-trs-80-model-100-mobile-computer.jpg

    http://www.phys.uwosh.edu/mike/calcs/pc1.html

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Sharp-PC1500-IMG_0306.JPG

    All they need with that thing is a thermal printer and someone with frizzy hair!

  • Major obvious flaw (Score:3, Interesting)

    by davevt5 (30696) on Monday October 12, @02:56PM (#29723249) Homepage Journal

    This is built for people who are right handed. That vast majority of people that matter to me are left-handed.

    Any chance there will be a version sold at the Leftorium?

  • I like the idea of the keyboard only form factor PC like 80's boxes wired to TVs, but do you think they could do the Amiga like thing and put in a 1GB kick butt graphics card into it... :-)

  • I always wanted an IBM PCjr. keyboard with a touchscreen and a way to hook it up to your TV.

    I mean, I know the 80's retro look is in, but do they have to bring back all the crappy stuff from the 80's too?

  • Why not Linux? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Jim Hall (2985) on Monday October 12, @03:19PM (#29723569) Homepage

    I was excited until I read Windows XP Home.

    Look, I know a bunch of people run Windows. But on an Atom CPU, 1GB memory, 16GB (smallest) flash drive, I just don't see Windows being that great. I'm sure Windows will run, but how well?

    Ah well, I suppose I can easily wipe this and put Fedora on it ... I just wish Eee put a Linux option on more of their gear, installed out-of-the-box. Even if I wipe whatever Linux they give me and put another distro on it, I'd love to send a message by buying the Linux option.

    To compare, I'm running an older Dell subnotebook with 1GB memory, booting Fedora 11 from an 8GB consumer flash drive. Works great, very fast!

    • Re:Why not Linux? (Score:4, Informative)

      by dbIII (701233) on Monday October 12, @07:52PM (#29726979)

      I just wish Eee put a Linux option on more of their gear

      Well, there was that trade show where the CEO was singing the praises of the eeepc with linux in the morning, had lunch with some MS people, and then apologisedto the audience and press for selling pre-installed linux machines instead of XP. Whatever happened in that meeting was enough for a CEO to publicly embarrass himself so you can bet that it's a policy handed directly from the top to not have linux on these things for as long as whatever promises, threats or inducements hold.
      It's a pity because while people complain about the distro (xandros) it was actually set up with a very good interface for people that are not very familiar with computers.

      • Windows is the easy option BUT MS puts all sorts of restrictions on it, it is the reason Intel is pushing Moblin, so that powerfull netbooks can be made without the cost of Vista/7

        The incentive is that 90% (statistic pulled out of my ass) of the customers just want something they are familiar with.

        A shop isn't going to stock 1 linux netbook for 9 windows netbooks, unsure of wether it will ever sell it. It is just simpler to ship 100% windows boxes knowing that large group of Linux fans will simply wipe wi

    • Re:Don't bother (Score:4, Insightful)

      by ickleberry (864871) on Monday October 12, @02:07PM (#29722593) Homepage
      Yep. Asus brought Linux into the mainstream with the Eee 70x series 'netbooks' (as much as I hate that term, 'tiny laptop' is better) and promptly stabbed it in the back.

      • Re:Don't bother (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 12, @02:47PM (#29723141)

        Would it have been better if they had just not bothered with Linux at all?

        Seriously, all you people do is whine.

        • Re:Don't bother (Score:5, Funny)

          by Nerdfest (867930) on Monday October 12, @03:17PM (#29723539)
          Completely untrue. Sure, some of us are whiny, but a good percentage are also bitter and vengeful.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Would it have been better if they had just not bothered with Linux at all?

          Seriously, all you people do is whine.

          I am posting anonumously to preserve my spent mod points in this article. Why is this a troll? It is a valid question. Asus tried with Linux and the hand of MS smacked them across the face for it and they relented. Do they not deserve some praise or at the very least some sort of acknowledgement that they even tried to begin with? I am sure Asus would be happy to continue to sell the Linux versions because there is a customer base with demand and very little cost to Asus to meet that demand. You all m

    • In this application, the UWB interface basically replaces two wires. It goes from the computer to a breakout box with 1 HDMI and a few USB ports. Essentially, one HDMI cable and one USB cable going to a USB hub.

      If the whole mass is implemented as a "UWB interface device" linux support would be a real surprise. I'd probably be just like wireless in the bad old days, only worse. However, they could also, in principle, have encapsulated the whole UWB bit behind standard looking interfaces. If all the host c

    • Re:Mechanica Stress and Spilt Milk? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by NotBornYesterday (1093817) * on Monday October 12, @02:15PM (#29722695) Journal
      Not quite. There is a tiny niche product called a laptop that not only combines keyboard and computer in one, but the display too. Really poor design.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Al Dimond (792444)

      I think the target is something like the iMac and Mac Mini markets. As for keyboard-integrated computers, what about laptops, which are practically the only computers sold today? And, while we're on the subject, I've lately been wondering why so many good laptop technologies have never made it onto desktop machines. I, for one, would love to have a small battery in my desktop box for when the power went out (I've lived some places that had really crummy power connections) and something like a laptop batt

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