Optimus Keyboard shipping February 1st?
by Peter Rojas 
posted Jan 8th 2006 at 12:17PM
Patent controversy or no patent controversy, it appears that Russia's Art Lebedev Studio is pushing forward with its plans to introduce their new buzz-crazy Optimus Keyboard on February 1st. They're a little oblique about what exactly they're introducing -- their site now says "Good Things Come in Small Packages -- February 1, 2006". To jog your memory, the Optimus is that keyboard where each key has a customizable mini OLED display that allows you to tailor the layout -- with color graphics, if you'd like -- so that it's optimized for use with different applications. Still not entirely sure that they'll be able to pull it off (at a price that real people can afford), but we'll have our credit cards primed on February 1st.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this one in]
Filed under: Peripherals
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James Piatt @ Mar 18th 2007 4:41PM
Does anyone have the patent application number, patentee and/or any further information on this? I was a hot two weeks from filing a patent on a far better and cheaper device than this, when the digg articles were brought to my attention.
The information is rather vague in the postings, and the few pictures do not present any view that I have found of a Patent Pending number.
Thank you very much.
Jake @ Jan 8th 2006 12:22PM
Quite sexy, in my opinion. Still smells like vaporware though. Kinda like the PS3.
George @ Jan 8th 2006 12:25PM
The more flashy and colors you get the less productive you behave. Which means I won't buy that.
Eric @ Jan 8th 2006 12:29PM
Ryan said he posted this last month lol but I guess it was so great and it really is!!!
MadaMadaDane @ Jan 8th 2006 12:34PM
The "good things come in small packages" and the earlier discussion of how expensive a full keyboard would be makes me guess that it will be a small 8-16 key OLED addon board, not a full total replacement.
Wild speculation, but that seems a lot more realistic.
Chris Gunton @ Jan 8th 2006 12:36PM
http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/answers/
Its in the initial stage of production.
We hope it will be released in 2006.
It will cost less than a good mobile phone.
It will be real.
It will be OS-independent (at least its going to be able to work in some default state with any OS).
It will support any language or layout.
Moscow is the capital of Russia.
Each key could be programmed to produce any sequence.
It will be an open-source keyboard, SDK will be available.
Some day it will be split (and made ergonomic).
It will most likely use the OLED technology (e-paper is sooo slow).
Our studio is located two blocks from the Kremlin.
It will feature a key-saver.
Keys could be animated when needed.
It has a numeric keypad because we love it.
Theres no snow in Moscow in summer.
It will be available worldwide (why not?)
OEM is possible (why not?)
Fantaz @ Jan 8th 2006 12:50PM
Yeah, they're probably just going to release a Numpad sized version. I'd still buy it anyways.
ripismoney @ Jan 8th 2006 12:52PM
This keyboard amazingly cool. They also sell a mouse on that website for $100! So, this fancy keyboard will probably cost more than a budget PC. I'll just have to dream about it.
rich @ Jan 8th 2006 12:54PM
BBBUUURRRRNNNNNNN, but for me i rather get a new cellphone.
clops @ Jan 8th 2006 1:00PM
Artemi Lebedov stated in a private e-mail that it will cost around 1K $ I wonder how much good mobile phones cost these days ;)
Leo @ Jan 8th 2006 1:09PM
$1K ??
Artemi Lebedov can suck it.
sferris @ Jan 8th 2006 1:15PM
Its about time the keyboard is being redesigned. The keyboard is still the primary input device for a majority of computing tasks, and so far the keyboard has lagged far behind other computer peripherals. Having a programmable keyboard, which is context sensitive, seems so obvious its amazing it took this long. I hope this is the beginning of the end of the dumb keyboard.
jACK @ Jan 8th 2006 1:18PM
A grand is too much for me, but the point is that the product will exist. Recall how much (and how large) the first cellular phones were. This commodity will quite possibly follow that same trend.
Personally, I think it's a beautiful idea.
seventoes @ Jan 8th 2006 1:22PM
clops, your retarted. If he said that, wheres the email? Show me a copy of the email, Headers and all and i will belive you.
Razel @ Jan 8th 2006 1:30PM
Oh come on.Do people really need this stuff?I mean if you are an avid FPS player and you need to look at the keyboard to remember where the rocket luncher weapon is toggled to then you will have some serious problems regarding proficiency.
I am an amateur Photoshop artist and like to think to myself as an experienced Sonar(music sequencer) user.Same goes for this too.While it takes some time to remember all the keys you have bined,the good news is you only have to do it once,that it`s instinctually.
A nice shiny gadged indeed,but I fail to see how it will help PC users to justify the premium price.
Mike @ Jan 8th 2006 1:31PM
#13 -- seventoes
When insulting someone, try not to show your own stupidity by using the wrong form of "you're".
Enjoy Your Life!
A.H @ Jan 8th 2006 1:31PM
A little less than a good celular phone, eh?
A.H
JBaxt @ Jan 8th 2006 1:41PM
He said headers
ZekeS @ Jan 8th 2006 1:42PM
(Thank Zethris from Digg for the following link)
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,818,361.WKU.&OS=PN/5,818,361&RS=PN/5,818,361
Guess it ain't being released in the US, huh ...
Jeff @ Jan 8th 2006 2:06PM
I can tell you just from looking at the pictures of this thing that it breaks almost every ergonomic rule in the book. I would not want to type on this for any length of time.
Sam0r @ Jan 8th 2006 2:23PM
I absolutly love the fact that its obviously designed for mac users.
Kiss my ass microsoft :)
Scott Rubin @ Jan 8th 2006 2:27PM
I hope it's just a numpad actually. I'm quite happy with my happy hacking keyboard and I really could use a numpad to go with my laptop and such. There are some games I'm having a really hard time playing like CivII and such. Also, running Linux here, so yeah.
a soggy waffle @ Jan 8th 2006 2:42PM
hahaha #17
all i have to say is "pwnd"
xevious @ Jan 8th 2006 3:08PM
photoshop will become my bitch. i am
IK47 @ Jan 8th 2006 3:11PM
This keyboard is perfect for people in my trade.
I often work with many files open at a time, and I need to switch to it quickly. If I can assign a tray to a key, than it will increase my productivity and stop my taskbar from filling up 40% of my primary screen.
However, I am concerned about the cost. If I get these for my office, I will need about 15. If the price is $1000US, then I will only be able to buy one for myself. The most I would pay for a new interface set is $10'000 (mouse, kb, aux all together.)
Schong Bamjko @ Jan 8th 2006 3:25PM
Vaporware is even worse when it stems from the motherland of technological vapors. Actually, would these little images on the keys be helpful? I think it sounds good first, but the real usability of such a product may not even be soooo much better than any conventional keyboard, given the fact that I do not look at my keyboard at all when typing. And I still can launch apps by keyboard presses without having the icons show up on the actual keys.
BTW if you want a kickass keyboard, get this one:
http://www.matias.ca/tactilepro/index.php
Matt @ Jan 8th 2006 4:12PM
Could still be quite cool to map an image across it, for all the modders and ppl that don't need to look to type.
IK47 @ Jan 8th 2006 4:14PM
Don't worry, I plan to use this keyboard in my TVR, with 100 bottles of Vodka in the trunk and an AK47 in my left hand.
not to mention hot russian sucking my dick,
Stephen @ Jan 8th 2006 8:00PM
Hey you guys, Engadget had the name of the company making this keyboard wrong. It's not Optimus, it's Awsome. Awsome Keyboard, remember, not Optimus.
Matt @ Jan 8th 2006 9:51PM
#23
Don't need that one if you're like me and have two MS Natural Pro's still in their boxes packed away. As for this OLED keyboard, meh, I'm not imporessed. It's a great concept and I'd love to have it but they went the logitech route and chose form over function. See what the actual keyboard looks like. It just doesn't look comfortable.
Plus, I love natural split keyboards. Why aren't there more of them? Since they don't make Natural Pro's anymore (probably the stupidest decision microsoft ever made), the next best split keyboard is here: http://images.belkin.com/F8E208-BLK/STD1_F8E208-BLK.jpg
While it doesn't have USB, it's (1) black; (2) split key; (3) the keys are springy like those old IBM keyboards; (4) only costs $24 http://www.costcentral.com/proddetail/Belkin_ErgoBoard/F8E208BLK/151237/
machine @ Jan 8th 2006 9:56PM
when will you mac users " betamax" learn, come over to micrsoft already, mac's are worthless.
bentong @ Jan 9th 2006 1:06AM
huh. A emule button. But anyway, it still looks pretty cool.
google nazi @ Jan 9th 2006 3:01AM
(I hate the fact that engadget doesn't save settings anymore.. Ever since the upgrade everything is going to hell script-wise)
Even though it may cost roughly about $300-$500 per keyboard in my assumption it is still an improvement in regards of a good looking / functional keyboard. I would definately love to have this keyboard over my crappy Labtec keyboard which makes my entire setup look bad.
The future is bright, and this company looks like it will at least have a customer or two in Feb. :-)
BTW to those who believe that you do not need this: Well you don't but if every key is customizable and it looks damn good for people to look at instead of a really ugly keyboard then it is a worthy investment. I'd put $300 down on something like this anyday but its not like everybody can do that.
Do you really need to supersize that McDonalds combo? No, actually you shouldn't but its your money so do what ever you like. I will keep that 69c and invest it in this keyboard because it is something I will like :)
Z @ Jan 9th 2006 3:51AM
I like the idea of this keyboard. Every key is essentially backlit (but not too bright) which is long overdue - and hopefully it'll work its way into not only a split-ergonomic version, but laptops as well.
Art Guy @ Jan 9th 2006 10:34AM
I think the most I would pay is $350 for this keyboard. At $200 I'd buy one without blinking an eye, any less and I'd get one for every computer I own.
This is easily the coolest computer gadget in a long time and will become the standard.
T-4 @ Jan 9th 2006 11:35AM
The thing that really gets me hot about this Keyboard is the artistic point of view. Quote "Keys could be animated when needed." [http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/answers/]. If this is completely true I can't wait to see a hacker get into this thing and release screensavers. Imagine a screensaver on your monitor being mirrored, or, better yet, continued on your keyboard. Imagine typing on a keyboard with a moving screensaver and/or gif scrolling over it. Quick idea: Green 'The Matrix' character scrolling/trailing down over keys while you type, not needing the keys to have actual characters. This thing could be so sweet.
WhyNot @ Jan 9th 2006 12:00PM
http://www.eluminx.com/product.asp?pid=5
My favorite keyboard to date. Been using it over 2 years now. Switched to a z-board once for 2 days then returned the z-board because it wasn't really all that great.
Sven @ Jan 9th 2006 12:04PM
Somewhere (I don't quite remember where I read it) a guy mentioned a Spanish newspaper that stated it would ship for around 300 Euros (~360 US$).
cato @ Jan 9th 2006 4:28PM
I'm totally not getting one, as I enjoy drinking coffee when sitting at my computer. The fear of spilling coffee in to a $1k (or even $300) keyboard would prevent me from ever using it.
Chris @ Jan 9th 2006 5:15PM
It sounds like it's going to be expensive, but technological firsts nearly always are :)
What's more exciting is that it will hopefully kick off a trend and other keyboard manufacturers will start producing similar products at a lower price.
Eli @ Jan 9th 2006 7:07PM
Who wants to bet me $5 that this is vaporware and will never see the light of day beyond a mockup at a trade show some time in 2007?
Also, I can't see it being sold for less than $600. But I'm realistic like that.
MD @ Jan 9th 2006 7:30PM
Just animate bouncing boobs, each key has a small section of the picture, and type type type away in bliss. There aint no way I'd have actual numbers or letters on this thing... this is about ENTERTAINMENT.
John Molina @ Jan 10th 2006 2:22AM
This is hot shit! A bit on the long side, though.
And I want mine in all in black, please.
If gone ergo, I'd go for the seamless look.
OLED is sexy.
Drew Noakes @ Jan 10th 2006 5:09AM
I'd like to learn the Dvorak keyboard layout and can really see this help me do so during the transitionary phase.
Surely a keyboard like this opens up new possibilities in keyboard usage. Let's hope the price comes down with time, and that as other manufacturers start making similar keyboards that the same standard is used.
Isaac Sevilla @ Jan 12th 2006 4:56PM
This thing is so awesome, but yet it was just a matter of time right?... Yet it is still exciting. Can't wait until I get my hands on one.
Jerry @ Feb 1st 2006 12:47AM
FEB 1st 2006
NO KEYBOARD just a little device
DISSAPPOINTED
Just a marketing gimmick