Optimus keyboard

Submitted by Ivan on Fri, 2005-07-15 12:57.

Miscellaneous

Wow. This is gonna be an expensive but great keyboard. Wish Apple adopted something like this. Looks at the PS layout:

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Yeah, that is nice

Submitted by webdav@creative... on Fri, 2005-07-15 13:50.

That is one sweet concept. I saw this on MacNN and loved the idea for helping me learn Dvorak. :)

But, as much as it is cool to think about, how often do I really look at my keyboard? Hardly ever. I just touch type. I know that to choose the Marquee tool in Pshop I press "m."

Where the tiny screens would be HUGELY helpful is as some sort of variation on the old Key Caps. For use with new OpenType fonts with so many options.

Of course, me not getting full use out of it would never stop me from wanting it. :)

Yeah, I agree. I don't look

Submitted by geoff on Fri, 2005-07-15 13:58.

Yeah, I agree. I don't look at my keyboard very much at all. Although, it would be great when you're starting to learn a program. Gaming would really benefit from it too - especially flight/space sims.

It is really nice looking though. I'm surprised they made it in colour - you would think it'd be cost prohibitive. I'd imagine there's going to be hacks that'll turn the keyboard into a display/monitor. Could you imagine watching The Matrix on this thing? ;)

It looks to me like

Submitted by JimD on Fri, 2005-07-15 14:48.

the beautiful mock-ups people do of new Mac designs that will never, ever see the light of day.

But yes, it is cool

Get your fix of design software tips, tricks & commentary.

Definitely looks like

Submitted by Korteenea on Fri, 2005-07-15 19:40.

Definitely looks like mockups.

Great idea, but a bit unrealistic. I'd rather see a flat touch-panel that displays various keyboard layouts, with no physical keys at all. That'd make more sense to me.

???

Submitted by coded on Fri, 2005-07-15 20:54.

except for the fact that the millions upon millions of people that type using nothing but the tactile feel of the keys will not be able to use a keyboard like that.

--
Blog: Electricity & Adrenaline

Yeah but putting a tiny LCD

Submitted by Korteenea on Fri, 2005-07-15 21:51.

Yeah but putting a tiny LCD display inside each key isn't very practical.

Why not compromise and make a flat, 1-screen device on which the software keyboard is displayed, but have tactile indicators on the plasic surface.

To be honest, when I type, I don't look at the keys. The fact that they're physical plastic keys doesn't really matter to me... the only thing I need is the couple of bumps on the F and J keys so I can correctly align my fingers to Home Row. Muscle memory takes care of the rest. Add a nice software "tap" sound when a key is pressed, and you've got instant audio acknowledgement that you've indeed typed the letter.

Fast Food

Submitted by iancorey on Fri, 2005-07-15 20:23.

When I show up at McDonalds, or wherever, I see that their cash register consists of a panel with squares drawn on it. I'm sure, somewhere, there's some type of 'button' or 'key' under the plastic covering. Combining that with the "human energy" responsive of Apple's diplays and iPods and sometype of 2sq cm LCDs, we could have something really nice. And prohibitively expensive.
I'll just, like, shut up now.

membrane...

Submitted by coded on Fri, 2005-07-15 20:59.

sounds like a membrane board... something like what was used in TI speak & spell toys back in the 80's.

--
Blog: Electricity & Adrenaline

Very cool. While I never

Submitted by majamaki on Fri, 2005-07-15 21:56.

Very cool. While I never look at my keys when typing or using every key combination/command at all times, it would be sweet. I hope they go into production with it, I'd buy if the price is fair.

I would...

Submitted by Juice10 on Fri, 2005-07-15 22:22.

I would certainly look if I had a keyboard like that!
Until I know it all by heart (which I don't at the moment).
+ you can customize your keyboard so much until your the only one who can understand :P

It looks kinda cool, but the

Submitted by Phosphor on Sat, 2005-07-16 06:48.

It looks kinda cool, but the first thing I thought when I first saw it was:

"More things to malfunction."

afterglow!

Submitted by Ivan on Sat, 2005-07-16 09:16.

he beat me with his forum post.

btw. this PC I'm typing on is killing me. ;)

under $400

Submitted by Vortex on Sun, 2005-07-17 08:15.

if its under 400 dollars, im there

In fact..

Submitted by Tigerstorm on Tue, 2005-07-26 19:34.

I know that there is Photoshop keyboard avaible today..
In fact you're buying a set of colorful keyboard buttons with Photoshop things printed on them, it's like those Video editing keyboards outthere.. Same company I think..

If I stumble across those again I'll post a link..