Optimus keyboard to come at lower price

Author: Phil Cogar
Published: 6th November 2007
Comments (20) Stumble
Optimus keyboard to come at lower price

The Optimus keyboard is a thing of beauty, but just how functional is it really?

Two years ago, the world was teased with images of the Optimus keyboards. The images provoked the want need for such a beautiful keyboard from millions around the web - until the price was announced. Coming in at just over $1500, the keyboard became unobtainable for many, but now there is hope. A sub-$500 version has been announced.

Announced in the summer of 2005, the Optimus keyboard was originally a concept design found on designer Artemy Lebedev’s website. They concept featured a sleek keyboard, on which every key is made out of an OLED display. Each display is a 48x48, 10.1mm by 10.1mm display capable of 65,536 colours and a 10fps refresh rate. In addition to the standard 107 keys, all with custom-programmable OLED displays, the Optimus has ten programmable function keys on the left of the keyboard.

After an immense amount of interest from all over the web, production was finally announced on May 20th 2007. Starting in the beginning of December this year, 200 units will be manufactured. By the end of December the 200 units will ship, and by January 2008 another 400 units will be manufactured and shipped.

However, here’s the catch: the keyboard costs $1564.37 and the conversion rate is direct, meaning €1256.86, or £788.25. The first lot has sold out already, so the demand is obviously there.

Luckily for those of us who aren’t hemorrhaging money, the Optimus project LiveJournal has announced that sub-$1,000 and sub-$500 models will be produced, and multiple concepts are to be announced each year.

Unfortunately they’ve also announced that the fust run “will be somewhat functionally limited,” but they are planning on monthly firmware updates to allow owners to upgrade their keyboards. This may come as a let-down to the 200 who have already dropped enough for a MacBook Pro on the original units, but promised firmware upgrades should keep them working at the top of their potential.

Is the Optimus keyboard affordable enough for you to grab one or is it still a little too rich for your blood? Leave your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote TheCherub 6th November 2007, 13:39
$500 dollars is still obscene for a keyboard. I thought I had gone a bit mental spending £70 on a Razor Tarantula!
Quote Cobalt 6th November 2007, 13:42
I don't think my student loans are ment to cover this sort of thing :(
Quote L2wis 6th November 2007, 13:48
invent me a keyboard that doesn't show wotsit fingerprints and i may pay stupid amounts for it... keys with screens, not for me.
Quote Lee @ Scan 6th November 2007, 13:51
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cobalt
I don't think my student loans are ment to cover this sort of thing :(

Good Lad - they are there to fund your addiction to cheap cider, lager and 'protection' from the ladies ;)
Quote proxess 6th November 2007, 14:03
And i thought paying 30€ for my M$ keyboard and mouse was a bit pushy... I must be really poor!
Quote Redbeaver 6th November 2007, 14:05
$69.99Canadian + tax is the most i'll ever spend on a keyboard.
Quote Bursar 6th November 2007, 14:13
I'm sure for the tech involved, it's a reasonable price, but it's too much for me. If they shove one out at around £100 then I'd be tempted.
Quote UncertainGod 6th November 2007, 14:43
It's not that bad a price for what you get, but all I care about is do you get a good 'click' when you press the keys?
Quote Firehed 6th November 2007, 14:59
I'll start negotiations once they hit a 1.0-quality firmware. Even thinking about spending that much on a functionally-limited product is insane beyond measure.
Quote Mister_Tad 6th November 2007, 15:07
Quote:
Originally Posted by Firehed
I'll start negotiations once they hit a 1.0-quality firmware. Even thinking about spending that much on a functionally-limited product is insane beyond measure.

Agreed, if it works properly imo its a no brainer for $500 (provided we get a sensible conversion to £), but the state of the software now is a joke.
Quote crazyg1zm0 6th November 2007, 15:56
my G15 i thought was expensive but wow that is a bit of a strech but i guess if money was no object i would get it as i like the idea of the keys how you can display what they are programmed for as i can never remember which is which on mine
Quote Tyinsar 6th November 2007, 16:30
While this is a great idea for some, others (such as touch-typists and hardcore gamers) might do just as well with the Das Keyboard since having to look at the keys slows you down anyway.

Then again if you have REALY DEEP pockets and want OLED check out the Fairlight Xynergi:
HH4bc1CxReo

I imagine that someday keyboards like the Optimus will be common but for now the cost is insane and the lifespan of OLED is too short to interest me.
Quote mr_carl 6th November 2007, 16:35
For $500 I would bye it in a hert beat, if it wassent for that i want a Wacom Cintiq 12WX and thats about $1700 us with todays currensy, and both are just a bit to much.
Is known when the sub $599 will be on the market?
Quote HandMadeAndroid 6th November 2007, 20:25
Honestly what a complete waste of money, for 599 I'd buy a computer and ask the sales man for a free keyboard. Great material for the land-fill.
Quote DarkLord7854 6th November 2007, 20:50
Be kinda cool though to hit a button, and all the keys start playing a different movie clip on your HD, or all play the same clip spread over all the keys :)
Quote The_Beast 6th November 2007, 23:02
cool keyboard, uncool price
Quote sub routine 7th November 2007, 06:46
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister_Tad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Firehed
I'll start negotiations once they hit a 1.0-quality firmware. Even thinking about spending that much on a functionally-limited product is insane beyond measure.

Agreed, if it works properly imo its a no brainer for $500 (provided we get a sensible conversion to £), but the state of the software now is a joke.

thirded.

I have always liked the idea of having a keyboard where you could light up the keys you wnat and leave the others turned off. If I could put pictures on them too even better.

It would be nice for those late night in the dark gaming sessions where you ned that handy veiw change button but its on the other side of the keyboard and you can`t see it moments.

Yeah I would consider it.
Quote metarinka 7th November 2007, 07:42
depending on how friendly the software/drivers are and how much widespread these become, how long until we get "keyboard" savers, g15-esq plugins, and other interesting things. this is way too much for my meager budget and for the time being I don't thinkt he price can drop to significantly as if you think about it, 118 screens at 48x48 = a decent sized oled screen and even those aren't on the market yet, so that alone has got to be worth $100-$200 worth of eletronics. stillt though this is a novel approach, and I would love to see what ppeople came up with for icons and animated effects (even something as simple as a ripple or blur when you pressed down a key woudl be cool
Quote dyzophoria 7th November 2007, 11:28
well, if you really have need for the keyboard (which many will definitely have) then go :) , if I had the cash why wouldn't I have one, but I think we can't all blame why it costs that much, be surprised if it is cheap
Quote Nedsbeds 8th November 2007, 11:36
Can you imagine it, It's going to look like my little sister's msn contact list....
I think i'll give it a miss
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