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Optimus Keyboard in 11 Days!

Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
edited May 2007 in Games and Technology
omg.jpg

Behold! The Optimus Maximus!

Well, not exactly. It seems the manufacturer's of the OLED keyboard seem to have sat down and got this thing off of the ground. They are making 200 models of this "Optimus Maximus" keyboard which is a slightly different model from the one we've seen before. This one is actually coming out on the market however. Only problem, it is first come-first serve, 200 are only being made as of right now, and they are selling for about $1,500!

Not that much more information has been handed out at this time but I think we can draw a conclusion from the price itself. A grim conclusion. It seems the cost of this piece of machinery comes from the actual OLEDs themselves and other set backs the manufacturer had to face.

Engadget also has more information. Anyways, thoughts?

Lucky Cynic on
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    Inigo MontoyaInigo Montoya Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    More like Optimus Pricimus m i rite?

    Inigo Montoya on
    "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
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    STATE OF THE ART ROBOTSTATE OF THE ART ROBOT Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Yeah, noone in their right mind would pay 1,500 for a keyboard. i don't care how cool it is, no keyboard is worth $1,500 dollars

    STATE OF THE ART ROBOT on
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    JorilJoril BelgiumRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Meh.
    I never even look at my keyboard.

    Joril on
    bonesnacksig.jpg
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    harvestharvest By birthright, a stupendous badass.Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    That is so badass. I have loved it since the first time I saw it years ago. Here's hoping OLED manufacturing technology gets 90% cheaper fast.

    harvest on
    B6yM5w2.gif
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    GrimReaperGrimReaper Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    When I originally heard of this donkey years ago I thought, this is the best idea for a keyboard ever.
    "I'm definitely gonna buy this".

    Then I started hearing things about the price.

    Shame really, it's a truly great keyboard. Puts the Logitech G15 to shame.

    GrimReaper on
    PSN | Steam
    ---
    I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
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    fragglefartfragglefart Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Looks cheap.

    fragglefart on
    fragglefart.jpg
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    FreddyDFreddyD Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Joril wrote: »
    Meh.
    I never even look at my keyboard.
    I had the exact same thought.

    FreddyD on
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    CarnivoreCarnivore Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    harvest wrote: »
    That is so badass. I have loved it since the first time I saw it years ago. Here's hoping OLED manufacturing technology gets 100% cheaper fast.

    Carnivore on
    hihi.jpg
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    zerg rushzerg rush Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I don't seem to be up to date with the new fangled pokemans and jazz music. What the hell is it that makes this keyboard cost 1500 dollars? It's just got lights in the keys, right?

    zerg rush on
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    DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    zerg rush wrote: »
    I don't seem to be up to date with the new fangled pokemans and jazz music. What the hell is it that makes this keyboard cost 1500 dollars? It's just got lights in the keys, right?

    Each key is basically a programmable OLED screen, which I imagine isn't cheap at all.

    Darmak on
    JtgVX0H.png
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    CarnivoreCarnivore Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    the keys all have tiny screens on them, meaning they can change icon, or animate.


    utterly, utterly pointless waste of money.

    Carnivore on
    hihi.jpg
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    MalkorMalkor Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Wait, so it's in color again?

    Malkor on
    14271f3c-c765-4e74-92b1-49d7612675f2.jpg
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    harvestharvest By birthright, a stupendous badass.Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Darmak wrote: »
    zerg rush wrote: »
    I don't seem to be up to date with the new fangled pokemans and jazz music. What the hell is it that makes this keyboard cost 1500 dollars? It's just got lights in the keys, right?

    Each key is basically a programmable OLED screen, which I imagine isn't cheap at all.

    Yeah. It's a keyboard made out of 100 tiny LED monitors.

    harvest on
    B6yM5w2.gif
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    SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    zerg rush wrote: »
    I don't seem to be up to date with the new fangled pokemans and jazz music. What the hell is it that makes this keyboard cost 1500 dollars? It's just got lights in the keys, right?

    Every key on the keyboard is a collection of LEDs, and you can set those to display icons and such.

    For instance, you could remap every key to display your WoW interface on your keyboard.

    SanderJK on
    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
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    ThreepioThreepio New Westminster, BCRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    lol Sony.

    Fuck, sorry, kneejerk reaction.

    lol Lebedev

    Threepio on
    142.jpg
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    WyndhamPriceWyndhamPrice Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I'm pretty sure I can wait 5-10 years when this is commonplace.

    WyndhamPrice on
    WyndhamPrice.png
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    STATE OF THE ART ROBOTSTATE OF THE ART ROBOT Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I mean, I would like one, just $1500 is way too much. I would probably buy it if it was like $300, but man, for $1500, I can build a good computer!

    STATE OF THE ART ROBOT on
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    Doc HollidayDoc Holliday Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Wouldn't this need some pretty hard core drivers to work with applications the way we're envisioning it will? Hopefully they've got the drivers all figured out for that $1500 price tag.

    Doc Holliday on
    PSN & Live: buckwilson
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    AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Well. Awesome idea, at least.

    I like how the space bar says "Space Bar"

    I think that is the one key that on traditional keyboards is never labeled.

    AbsoluteZero on
    cs6f034fsffl.jpg
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    kriegskriegs Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    $1,500? I'd rather put that toward a new rig.

    Besides, if it's not Natural Ergonomic, I don't care about it.

    kriegs on
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    MalkorMalkor Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    To be fair though this was originally designed by 'artists', not neccesarily the most practical of thinkers.
    Lebdev wrote:
    Our job is to find the most comfortable, beautiful, and simplest solution to a problem and make sure the meaning doesn’t get lost.
    lies

    Malkor on
    14271f3c-c765-4e74-92b1-49d7612675f2.jpg
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    DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Yeah, these things are pretty fucking cool and everything but I don't have that kind of disposable income. I'll just wait till they're commonplace, as someone above me stated.

    Darmak on
    JtgVX0H.png
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    zerg rushzerg rush Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Every key is a miniature monitor? Holy hell, now that sounds cool. Not $1500 dollars cool, but cool.


    I hope they have a really nice warranty though, because I'd cry like a little child if one of my keys went out after purchasing this thing.

    zerg rush on
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    DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    zerg rush wrote: »
    I don't seem to be up to date with the new fangled pokemans and jazz music. What the hell is it that makes this keyboard cost 1500 dollars? It's just got lights in the keys, right?

    It has a small, programmable OLED screen inside each key. You know the letters and images on every key? Completely reprogrammable.

    Still, the only big use I see this thing getting is for people who have to switch keyboard languages often, like professional translators, who can write it off as a business expense.

    edit: ULTRA BEAT'D

    Daedalus on
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    PataPata Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Cups42 wrote: »
    Yeah, noone in their right mind would pay 1,500 for a keyboard. i don't care how cool it is, no keyboard is worth $1,500 dollars

    It'll be sold out within the hour.

    Pata on
    SRWWSig.pngEpisode 5: Mecha-World, Mecha-nisim, Mecha-beasts
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    arod_77arod_77 __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    Itd' be cool if there was enough resolution on the keys to watch a whole season of house at the same time

    arod_77 on
    glitteratsigcopy.jpg
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    FreddyDFreddyD Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Malkor wrote: »
    To be fair though this was originally designed by 'artists', not neccesarily the most practical of thinkers.
    Lebdev wrote:
    Our job is to find the most comfortable, beautiful, and simplest solution to a problem and make sure the meaning doesn’t get lost.
    lies
    I think that would have been removable stickers, or hell, even removable keys. You could buy a set of WoW themed keys in a bag for like $5. Why hasn't anyone done this yet?

    FreddyD on
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    DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    FreddyD wrote: »
    Malkor wrote: »
    To be fair though this was originally designed by 'artists', not neccesarily the most practical of thinkers.
    Lebdev wrote:
    Our job is to find the most comfortable, beautiful, and simplest solution to a problem and make sure the meaning doesn’t get lost.
    lies
    I think that would have been removable stickers, or hell, even removable keys. You could buy a set of WoW themed keys in a bag for like $5. Why hasn't anyone done this yet?

    They have. You're thinking of the ZBoard, which a different company does.

    Daedalus on
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    CarnivoreCarnivore Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    arod_77 wrote: »
    Itd' be cool if there was enough resolution on the keys to watch a whole season of house at the same time

    Id just have Houses face spread across all the keys, like a mosaic, and the spacebar reading ITS NOT LUPUS

    I would laugh all day long.

    Carnivore on
    hihi.jpg
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    Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I was thinking it was awesome until I heard that the screens are not actually built into the keys themselves, but instead are under the keys if you will. The keys are transparent shells, the screens are stationary that you see through the keys.

    Lindsay Lohan on
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    mntorankusumntorankusu I'm not sure how to use this thing.... Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Herby wrote: »
    I was thinking it was awesome until I heard that the screens are not actually built into the keys themselves, but instead are under the keys if you will. The keys are transparent shells, the screens are stationary that you see through the keys.
    What I don't like about it is how small the screens appear to be compared to the keys.

    mntorankusu on
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    arod_77arod_77 __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    This is just dandy until you spill your orange juice in it

    arod_77 on
    glitteratsigcopy.jpg
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    CarnivoreCarnivore Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    OR you get dead pixels so one key always says Firefo

    Carnivore on
    hihi.jpg
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    LorkLork Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    If there are only 200 of these then nobody is going to make any custom icons for it. Have fun playing Quake 3 all the time if you buy this.

    Lork on
    Steam Profile: Lork
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    ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    The Warlock wrote: »
    FreddyD wrote: »
    Malkor wrote: »
    To be fair though this was originally designed by 'artists', not neccesarily the most practical of thinkers.
    Lebdev wrote:
    Our job is to find the most comfortable, beautiful, and simplest solution to a problem and make sure the meaning doesn’t get lost.
    lies
    I think that would have been removable stickers, or hell, even removable keys. You could buy a set of WoW themed keys in a bag for like $5. Why hasn't anyone done this yet?

    They have. You're thinking of the ZBoard, which a different company does.

    And the ZBoard is a piece of shit... :|
    Carnivore wrote: »
    the keys all have tiny screens on them, meaning they can change icon, or animate.


    utterly, utterly awesome waste of money.

    Shadowfire on
    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
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    paco_pepepaco_pepe Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    besides looking pretty, how is this usefull??

    paco_pepe on
    Paco+Pepper.png
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    JensenJensen Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I remember seeing this a LONG time ago thinking - wow cool! Now I'm seeing it and still saying "wow cool!" but unfortunately I'm going to have to forget about it again until someone makes another thread about it being reasonably priced, then i can say "Wow cool!" but buy one.

    Jensen on
    signaturedisgaea.png
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    DusdaDusda is ashamed of this post SLC, UTRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    For fucks sake, how long does it take to release a keyboard? I remember looking at this my senior year in high school. I'm now a senior in college.

    Dusda on
    and this sig. and this twitch stream.
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    GrimReaperGrimReaper Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    paco_pepe wrote: »
    besides looking pretty, how is this usefull??

    For people who do lots of work with programs like Quark, Photoshop.. essentially graphics/dtp people it's a godsend. (think keyboard shortcuts)

    For gaming it's pretty damn spiffy too, but realistically the only people who can afford it (well justify the costs for it) are the rich bastard graphics artists.

    EDIT: Look here to see what i'm talking about. (look at the images to get an idea)

    GrimReaper on
    PSN | Steam
    ---
    I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Carnivore wrote: »
    harvest wrote: »
    That is so badass. I have loved it since the first time I saw it years ago. Here's hoping OLED manufacturing technology gets 150% cheaper fast.

    fix'd

    M O N E Y P A R A D O X

    LewieP on
    SavyGamer.co.uk / Twitter
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