Optimus Keyboard Starts Shipping 309
Tom's Hardware is reporting that the Optimus keyboard that everyone was so anxious for (although maybe less so when they saw the price tag) started shipping this week. "According to an announcement made on the Optimus project blog, keyboards are now shipping to customers who pre-ordered the $1564 keyboard nine months ago. Keyboards with passive keys are delayed and will be shipping in about a month, the manufacturer said. [...] Earlier this month, one of the first Optimus Maximus keyboards was sold for $2750 on Ebay." Engadget even got the chance to test one of these expensive toys out.
Review summary (Score:5, Informative)
-Key Image Editing is quick and painless (use your graphic editor of choice)
-Still some quirks to work out with Macs
-High-quality parts and construction
-Requires extra strength for keypresses, so unsuitable for typing more than a few minutes.
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Re:Review summary (Score:5, Informative)
Apple bought them and incorporated their tech into the iPhone, iTouch, & MacBook Air. I suspect 2 finger scrolling and right click on the Intel laptops also came out of this.
You can find iGestures on eBay, but they're fetching a pretty penny last time I checked. They even have a macro editor and such so you can assign any finger gesture to almost anything.
Re:Review summary (Score:5, Funny)
Any finger gesture? I have a finger gesture I'd like to map to "send nasty e-mail". Could be useful.
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If I'm doing a lot of typing I prefer a heavier keyboard; I find accuracy and action of the keyboard more than compensate for the increased "work" of typing.
That being said, I can't imagine paying for a keyboard with the LED picture ke
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I used to use a Deck [deckkeyboards.com] keyboard; they've got a good heft, and though the keys aren't sitting on mechanical switches, they still have a nice solid action and a good sound, but the backlit keyboards have exactly the opposite ef
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I used to use a Deck keyboard; they've got a good heft, and though the keys aren't sitting on mechanical switches, they still have a nice solid action and a good sound...
Just a correction - Deck boards do use mechanical switches, that's one of their major selling points (other than the backlighting). What the deck switches don't have is the clicky tactile feedback, they use linear Cherry MX switches (which do make some noise). I've got one, and you can definitely hear when someone types on it.
The switch
Re:Review summary (Score:5, Interesting)
When using modern clickless (and mushy) keyboards I often find myself 'bashing' keys harder the faster I type. It has something to do with the lack of tactile feedback while touch typing.
Re:Review summary (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, I thought so, and used IBM M-type (the old clicking type), than switched to multiple ergonomic ones, and could not understand why they are so soft and why they switch well known key placements...
Then the new Apple "keyboard" arrived. Same feeling as a laptop keyboard. Not much feedback, but very sleek feel.
I just wish someone put out a new keyboard which is as sexy as the apple, same feeling as a laptop, but
Hmm, I guess for now I live with the apple, and maybe someone comes up with something like that.
Now on the Optimus : great idea for gamers and maybe video editors to highlight stuff. For the typist/programmer/technical-technician: useless. I do not look at the keyboard too much, so for me that is really overkill.
just my 2c
Not MORE resistence.... heavy is bad, old or new. (Score:3, Insightful)
You have to be careful when talking about resistance. Old skool keyboards are considered good because there is a significant difference in force from before the key has activated to after it has been activated. So if you just nudge a key, it has some firm resistance, then when it clicks, it has almost no resistance at all (at least until you h
Re:Review summary (Score:5, Funny)
Phew! Good thing I wasn't planning on using my keyboard for that.
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* A public terminal at the U.N. or other international agency. You wouldn't expect (or encourage) long use-times at public terminals and venues like the U.N. could really make use of a keyboard that can change character sets quickly and easily.
* Gaming. Now, most of my gaming experience is with FPSs and real-time strategy, but the keyboard use (although important) was
Re:Review summary (Score:5, Funny)
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I was talking with a friend about this and while I type really fast and need a keyboard that will keep up with me, he's a touch typist (or hunt-and-peck I guess) and he said he wouldn't care about that, considering the rest of the features. He used to be a fan of the old Gateway programmable keyboards and that's more important to him than key switch strength since he doesn't really type that much. Come to think of it
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if you can type long strings of words without ever looking at the keyboard and know how to align your fingers to the home keys then you are a touch typist...
if you look at every key you type and tend to use 1-2 fingers to type...then you're a hunt and peck...er
Re:Review summary (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Review summary (Score:5, Funny)
Principal: Well, what about all the super resistant Optimus Maximus keyboards we gave them to repress internet usage?
Assistant: That backfired and merely created a generation of hackers with super strong fingers. We've got them trapped in the gymnasium but you can only approach them in specialized suits with extra padding so they can't get their fingers around your limbs or any part of your body. Several teachers have had their arms and wrists broken after attempting to block all gaming ports
Principal: Damnit, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this
Assistant: But
Principal: Simple, we just increase the depressants being injected into the goth kids and the problem will eventually take care of itself, we might even be on the news!
Re:Review summary (Score:4, Insightful)
-Still some quirks to work out with Macs
-Requires extra strength for keypresses, so unsuitable for typing more than a few minutes.
Erm, uh, the summary gives no indication whatever why this sucker costs more than a new computer. Is the damned thing made of gold and diamond studded?
Some people have too many dollars and no sense.
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That reminds me of the Model T. You get your choice of color so long as it's black.
No thanks (Score:5, Insightful)
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In no way would I expect something like this to be 'comfortable' to type on, no matter who makes it.
Re:No thanks (Score:4, Informative)
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Re:No thanks (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No thanks (Score:4, Funny)
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http://www.engadget.com/photos/optimus-maximus-at-long-last-we-bring-one-home/656819/ [engadget.com]
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The latest official word on this [livejournal.com] that I can recall says: "The main idea behind the Optimus Maximus key design is that the part with the display is fixed, while the transparent cap is moving, pressing a Cherry switch underneath[..]"
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The is still no reason why the spring can be designed better. Sure IF you were right about the keys being displays, then the spring would need to be harder, but only as much harder as the additional weight needs. So it could require the EXACT same amount of force from your fingers.
Of course all this is moot bacause you decided making a fool out of yourself was better then actually getting information about the topic you posted.
Personally, I wonder.... (Score:5, Interesting)
You know the ones I mean.
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Personally, I wonder.... (Score:5, Funny)
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That and they are more fun to drive...
is this keyboard more fun to use? Or is it just bling to look at?
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One that randomally re-arranges the keyboard every 10 seconds. try to touch type with that running.
One that rotates the characters displayed on the keycaps whenever you type the character. Useless, yes, but entertaining to the little ones.
Or the German code machine, wherin when you type one character, and the corresponding cypher character lights up for a second.
Or a program that tries to anticipate what the next character you type is likely to
Re:No thanks (Score:5, Funny)
I can just see it now... press ctrl, suddenly alt and del light up
Lawsuits? (Score:4, Funny)
I think I have some good ideas for some more keyboard names:
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Sorry, I was with you right up until
which would, of course, violate certain laws of thermodynamics and cause the universe to implode.
On the plus side, if his gun ever jammed, he could simply toss a bullet into the air and roundhouse it into the terrorist's thigh.
I Shall Not Leave My Tin Foil Lair (Score:3, Funny)
In fact, you can get on a plane...
Woh woh woh ... woh. Slow down. Are you actually suggesting I leave the basement and expose myself to natural light?
You must be new here. I know that that's right when the government satellites will get me, why do you think the planes fly at such a huge altitude when they don't have to?! Duh, so that its easier for the satellites to brain scan you!
But in all seriousness, I believe most of that movie (The Gladiator) was fabricated. Yes, there was a 'Maximus' (if that was his name) but the eve
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Um, we're talking about one of the most common epithets for the god Jupiter. If you're really feeling confident in your Latin skills, feel free to go back in time 2000 years or so and explain to the Romans that their pathetic attempts at using their native language "don't make a whole lot of sense", but if you'll forgive me I'll just go on accepting it as standard Latin and translating it "Best and Greatest" like everyone else...
Re:Lawsuits? (Score:5, Funny)
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I'm pretty sure Rome is still there, too.
Design flaws (Score:5, Insightful)
Why couldn't they have a split end on the keyboard cable with the DC input and USB connections, that way you would have no DC cable in sight.
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I think there are more serious flaws with this "customizable display on key" concept. One issue is if the keys are dynamic (they change function) then in order for the user to recognize the function of the key, the user has to look at his keyboard. Many typists no longer look at the keyboard when they're typing and even if they do, they don't "hunt" for keys. People can do this and type fast because they have built the necessary mapping in their brain to not have to process things like finding where each k
If I had an optimus... (Score:2)
To be outdated within a few month. (Score:2)
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While it is cool and all. I think Multi-Touch displays may make these keyboards obsolete and perhaps cheaper too.
I was going to say that those would be horrible for touch-typing. Then I remembered the review saying that it's actually horrible for doing proper typing on anyway, so you're probably right.
If the intended use was sporadic keypresses (a la Photoshop shortcuts), then a multi-touch display (*) *is* probably just as good. So although this keyboard is cool-looking and all that, ultimately it's going to do better at being a "real" usable keyboard, or it's just going to be an overpriced piggy in the middle.
(
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Optimus fails it. (Score:4, Insightful)
So, the keyboard is painfully inadequate at doing the one thing keyboards are suppodes to be doing: data input. Kinda like a solid gold mouse that won't track, or a 80-inch monitor that won't display better than 800x600. Pretty pointless.
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Those exist, they're called HDTVs.
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Stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
This thing is the dumbest thing ever. Even more useless than the display on the G15 gaming keyboard. Who fricking watches the keys while typing or gaming?! And according to the review typing sucks on this keyboard. WTF? A keyboard that does not allow you to type properly has no reason to exist. And what looney pays $2750 for it?
Made by idiots, for idiots.
Flame on!
Re:Stupid (Score:5, Funny)
Haha, I bet the one who modded me as a troll actually pre-ordered one. Poor schmuck.
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That was actually great for two reasons. First off, it let me see what was playing in iTunes without leaving WoW. Second, it had all my WoW stats when I wanted to see them. Really handy when changing armor. (Which I did often, since I played a druid.)
The G15 LCD is great for stuff that you don't want to see most of the time, but would like to be able to get to quickly occasionally.
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There are even some miranda-im plug ins that show what people are chatting to you (so you can view while gaming) and I believe there is a teamspeak plug in that will show who is currently talking.
There are just a ton o
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A lot of fricking people.
Plus it's designed to make things you would be mousing with a little easier.
the G15 is killer when gaming. It's not as good a a keyboard that has memory for on board programming, but still macros are very handy, and considering most macro languages in games get castrated soon or later, I would rather right a keyboard macro.
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My current work flow has me using 3DS Max, Photoshop, Illustrator, Combustion and a few smaller miscellaneous programs. I'd be shocked if between them there are less than a thousand hotkeys. In the past, I have used Lighwave and Maya. Those 2 and 3DS share 90% of their possible commands (in the same way that all word programs have
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Well that, and, as others already mentioned, unfamiliar apps with thousands of keyboard shortcuts.
Re:Stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
I know a WHOLE LOT of hunt-and-peck typists. Doesn't everybody?
The idea of having a customizable display on each key is a sound one. A modern keyboard has five or six different shift keys, but at most two or three different glyphs on each keycap. A user can only discover other keyboard behaviors from cues provided away from the keyboard (looking at shortcut hints in menus, RTFM, etc.).
But if the stuff printed on each key changed when you press the Ctrl key? The user will be exposed to so much more functionality! And that's not even mentioning Function keys, or modal software (like vi), or...
The decisions to use high-resolution full color OLEDs on each key, and require a external power source beyond USB's +5v, and cost twice as much as the computer it's hooked up to, and to make it suck at being a keyboard are all less defensible.
If they had made a keyboard that felt like a typical $20 OEM keyboard but had a 16x16 monochromatic LCD built into each key, and cost $100, I'd own one for each computer I use regularly.
pwned keyboards coming soon... (Score:5, Insightful)
I can see it now. Grandma is surfing for recipes and all of a sudden her nice new keyboards starts showing all sorts of inappropriate text and images.
And plus apparently it sucks as a keyboard.
-WtC
*** $!g +yP3d 0n 0p+!^^u$ k3Yb0@Rd ***
Yes, I *am* a sarcastic git (Score:2)
it's only a matter of time before somebody releases as script-kiddy utility for pwning your friends' and enemies' keyboard OLEDs. I can see it now. Grandma is surfing for recipes and all of a sudden her nice new keyboards starts showing all sorts of inappropriate text and images.
That's a nice idea- but what'd be even cooler is if the displays weren't so small and you could *really* go to town with offending Grandma. We need something huge, like 17" or more- Grandma's just sitting there and she sees "inappropriate text and images" in 1024 x 768 or larger. Right in front of her!
*Sigh* It'll never happen... how many people (especially Grandma-types) have esoteric things like 17" LCDs or CRTs attached to their computer? We'll just have to stick to offending them through their Optimu
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Most of the ones I work with would just laugh, many of them would be doing this to their friends keyboards on purpose.
Me, I would make the CEO's keyboard do it, then ask for a promotion so I can 'fix it' so it won't happen again.
If I was still corporate.
No longer vaporware... (Score:2)
CmdrTaco sez: (Score:5, Funny)
Article is dumb (Score:5, Informative)
Speaking of which, the full blown 103 programmable key version is $1564, but with less programmable keys it is cheaper. As follows [artlebedev.com]:
We don't need no stinkin title! (Score:3, Insightful)
Also there's the Catch-22 that no geek actually looks at the keyboard whilst typing, so the demographic most likely to think it's cool is also the least likely to need it.
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One of the three signs of the pending Apocalypse (Score:5, Funny)
Then the Destroyer will plug the Optimus into the Phantom, boot Duke Nukem Forever, and the universe will come to an end.
Re:One of the three signs of the pending Apocalyps (Score:2)
THEN the universe will end.
Early buyers must be pissed (Score:2, Insightful)
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Sorry, lame and played out, couldn't resist.
tom's hardware (Score:2)
Hard key clicks? (Score:2, Funny)
Wouldn't it have been better / cheaper /easier (Score:2)
Of course, that may be a US-centric view of what a keyboard should look like, but I bet that since most of the standard alphanumeric keys don't need to be changed often, it is a waste of OLED functionality. We just want to make our programmable keys prettier.
So I take it... (Score:5, Interesting)
So you either:
Type with gloves on;
Use in a clean room;
Spend a painstaking amount of time cleaning it.
The Optimus is best at home among all those other impractical gadgets, usually found in HOUSE OF THE FUTURE! exhibits, that aren't used by real people...
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How many people use your keyboard? Plus it comes apart for cleaning.
Keyboard is dead (Score:2)
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No Shit. Sadly, Gates is often late to the table, sitting at the wrong table and ends up realing on Contact and bullying instead of quality.
How will they do it? I suspect it will be predictive computing. Something the will be awrward at first, but the more you use the system the better it gets.
Third hotkey down on the right... (Score:5, Funny)
Firefox, Youtube link, Lesbian porn link!?
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With trends like this (Score:2, Funny)
An interesting novelty. (Score:2)
a novelty, nothing more (Score:2)
Obviously it'll get most use out of games where re-mapping keys is essential. But how often do you look at your keyboard while playing a game? I know I never do. I memorize the mapping.
Maybe the keyboard would make it easy to switch to different mapping sets.. but I'm sure there's software that will do the same thing, and not cost $1800.
Wait, I just realized... (Score:2)
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hunt and peckers?? (Score:3, Insightful)
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