The ultimate keyboard

[ysbreker]

Ladies and gentlemen let me present you the ultimate keyboard:

Every key of the Optimus keyboard is a stand-alone display showing exactly what it is controlling at this very moment.

photoshop

quake

Too bad it's still only concept-art, cause I want one!

They have more cool concept art and images on that site. definately worth a look.

[Roderick]

Cool though that definitely is, in the end you're not going to look at the keyboard, instead just memorizing wich key stands for what. But, definitely the thing of the future.

[Salka]

The future is stupid!

I mean, for a start, you either know how to touch type or you look at the keys on an ordinary keyboard. Another thing, if you are playing a game you don't keep looking down at the keyboard, you'll have your fingers on the buttons you need anyway.

A little display in each key? That's excessive.

I kind of like that weapons are shown, but I don't see why every key needs a friggin' display.

[Chris]

I can see the Photoshop one being pretty useful. I mean it's true that you don't spend all the time looking down at the keyboard, but clearly since keyboard do in fact have text printed on them people have to do it sometimes. Of course the product is excessive but being Video Gamers it's not really our lot to cry foul at this level of excess.

[Jake]

I'd love one of those for final cut pro, which has a ridiculously extreme keyboard layout that I still don't know, but it would be far cheaper to just get one of these for instance.

[Nick]

Or on the other end of the scale...

http://www.daskeyboard.com/

[Salka]

Completely blank?! Holy cow. I can touch type, but imagine trying to find... } or & or num lock....

[Erkki]

I've seen nothing that beats the standard KeyTronic (with windows keys).

Das Keyboard looks good (seems very similar to KeyTronic in shape), but I agree with Yufster about blank keys. There is no use for that other than trying to be cool.

Some Microsoft and Logitech keyboards are good too.

[scabb]

But that's the whole point! You'd soon learn how to find find }, & and Num Lock! Then you could SUPER touch-type!

[Ryam BaCo]

hmmm...reminds me somehow to pc dash, a keyboard for games or something...never became widespread.

[JoeX111]

So, when you play a point and click adventure game, like Myst, does the whole thing go blank?

[nsps]

The future is stupid!

I mean, for a start, you either know how to touch type or you look at the keys on an ordinary keyboard.

I don't really see a touch-typing connection. It might not be that useful for video games, but many video editors have custom keyboards (or stickers they put on keyboards) that map out all the control keys, and this sort of keyboard would make sense for people who, say, use Avid or Final Cut Pro AND Photoshop and maybe a few other programs and would like such a keyboard for each program. Even though you'd remember the keys you use most, you won't necessarily remember all the specialty keys. And since you'd be using the mouse a lot, you're not going to be in touch-type position.

[lailoken]

It's not even in prototype. I very much doubt it's going to be out this year, if ever. Of course, as was pointed out, there might be a market for this in the professional sector, but that (as well as the OLEDs in the keys) would put it way beyond "regular folks' " budget for a LONG time. Probably this is only going to come out at an affordable price point once the whole Flatpaneldisplay market finally reaches massmarket level. So probably two or three years...

But of course it's going to be out next month

[n0wak]

Make your own Das Keyboard

http://www.saneasylum.com/articles/590

[Jake]

Hot.

[Erkki]

Actually, I changed my mind and think the original keyboard concept posted here could be useful for some purposes.

For example, translators? I sometimes want to type in Cyrillic, but I do it seldom enough that I don't want to buy a special keyboard for that and can't remember where the keys are.

It would be cool if the keyboard could change the key labels for that purpose. Pressing alt-shift or whatever it was to change the input language would actually update the keyboard as well.

I doubt the production costs would be worth it though...

[Spaff]

can you animate the buttons?

can you could randomise the keys all the time to confuse yourself?

can you make the buttons flash on and off

if so, can you make games that you control on the keyboard that are also displayed on the keyboard?

[Jake]

Think of all the discreet at-work porn browsing you could do with that thing! "Do not look near my hands - either of them!"

[Nick]

Make your own Das Keyboard

http://www.saneasylum.com/articles/590

Can't be bothered to read that whole thing but did his keyboard have this..?

Das Keyboard has 5 different levels of force. The keys are divided into groups and their feedback springs are weighted differently; from 35 grams to 80 grams, which correspond to the strength of the finger that touches the keys. The result is more comfort for your hands.

[ysbreker]

well more news of the ultimate keyboard: an interview with the inventor of the keyboard can be found here

PT: Any approximations on cost yet?

AL: I can hardly imagine it to be less than $200 to $300 (USD). Sounds like a lot for a keyboard, but most modern mobile phones cost about that.