The Optimus mini three

We don't know exactly how "mini" this thing really is, but one Mr. Art Lebedev was kind enough to clue us in a bit on what he's been cooking up since rocking the peripherals boat last July with his Optimus OLED keyboard design. If we didn't know any better, we'd think he was going to try and get this three-key beauty out early next month (being that his site claims "good things come in small packages February 1, 2006").

[Erik @ Jan 14th 2006 10:55AM]

Haha, all those people thought it would be the keyboard in February...now do you believe us that it wasn't possible so quickly?

[Bigfat @ Jan 14th 2006 10:57AM]

So, assuming those are Widgets, doesn't physically having Widgets sit on your desk/next to your keyboard defeat the purpose of Widgets entirely? Or is just too damn... literal?

[Quizzle @ Jan 14th 2006 11:05AM]

what's the purpose of this thing? I don't think we'll ever see a keyboard from these monkeys

[akarimco @ Jan 14th 2006 11:07AM]

...and it says they're listening to tatu's new album... yay!

[Luap @ Jan 14th 2006 11:09AM]

That Keyboard foes not exist ..

some 3d Images that everybody belives in ..

will take time to actually develope one .



and imagine how much power it will need to run

..

extra power cord ? .. nice

[Danyy W @ Nov 20th 2006 1:44PM]

I guess you're not too technically inclined considering that comment. OLED draws ess power because it doesn't require back lighting. But I'm sure you already knew that...idiot

[akram @ Jan 14th 2006 11:14AM]

perfect, i can have an CTRL+ALT+DEL button, a ALT+F4 button and RESET button

[Beanie @ Jan 14th 2006 11:18AM]

Is that pr0n on the third key? small packages indeed.

[John Hinds @ Jan 14th 2006 11:29AM]

Why would I need buttons with widgets in them?

And what would the buttons do when I pressed them?

[seventoes @ Jan 14th 2006 11:41AM]

Im gettin it.

[Googleplexer @ Jan 14th 2006 12:00PM]

I think most of us are missing the point. The picture does show Widgets, but theoretically the keys could display anything and activate anything. It is the exact same concept as the keyboard, except on a 3-key scale.



Say you were using Photoshop. One key could trigger the select tool, one could trigger the brush, and one could trigger the clone tool. Each would display a picture of their respective tool.



I think it is more of a proof of concept, anyway. Just to show that it is possible to manufacture a keyboard with OLED screens.



It would have been more useful with six keys, though.

[scottt @ Jan 14th 2006 12:18PM]

You bring up strong points Mart. It would be funny if they gave you 5 dollars in free www.allofmp3s.com credit.

[Josh Glaser @ Jan 14th 2006 12:37PM]

#5 Luap:



It doesn't have two power cords. The picture shows the front and back of the unit.



I agree that this is more of a proof-of-concept product.

[EdZ @ Jan 14th 2006 12:55PM]

"Lebedev has nothing. He is a 3ds max artist who can mock up OLED-Keyboards like no other but he is probably just one of a thousand little IT-Scammers hacking away in their ex-communist bedrooms."

Oh really? Did you even take a look around the rest of the site or google for "Art Lebedev"? Have you even checked wikipedia?



This is an interesting proof-of-concept device (With all the external LCD displays being modded into cases there's definitely demand for small sized external displays). If they can get it to market, they'll essentially have all the proof they need that the Optimus keyboard is viable (which is probably all they eed to secure backing to start production). Seems like a very smart move.

[jeff @ Jan 14th 2006 1:05PM]

they make that look HUGE... not like a key at all... if that square IS roughly the size of a key, then why is only the inner half available as screen real-estate? and wtf resolution are those tiny screens?!



If it's as giant as it looks, then it takes too much DESK real-estate to be worth a crap. (the buttons look like 2 by 2 inches...) we'll see what happens.

[pableu @ Jan 14th 2006 1:09PM]

Well, that's perfect for prev, play/pause, next in your musicplayer ;)

[pableu @ Jan 14th 2006 1:20PM]

Did some math.. if the USB-Cable is 3mm in diameter, then the whole thing is about 4.5cm*11cm. One key is about 2cm*2cm.



And now for the americans:

Key = 0.8 by 0.8 inches

Device = 1.75 by 4.3 inches



Just estimations from the picture..

[PJE @ Jan 14th 2006 2:17PM]

#18 (pableu) - I just did some measurements on the photo, and given a 3mm cable diameter the buttons are 4cmx4cm (7pix Vs 97pix) not 2cmx2cm. This would mean it could use standard mobile phone OLED displays...

[DAN @ Jan 14th 2006 2:30PM]

It's so disgusting to see all of these negative, vitriolic, judgemental comments from people.



I challenge the next person to say what a stupid idea this is, to post a link to some of their work. Otherwise, you just look like some looser jerk with an internet connection. Or do you contend that no one should try to design and build anything unless it meets your dream of absolute perfection? What a shit-hole world that would be!

[Blog Jones @ Jan 14th 2006 2:44PM]

Dang! What's with all the anti-Russia vitriol?

[Don Wilson @ Jan 14th 2006 2:46PM]

You tell them Steve-Dave, I mean DAN.

[Alcaron @ Jan 14th 2006 2:47PM]

Arg, make it tilt dangit....seriously, if that is laying flat on my desk, how the heck am I supposed to see it?



So many companies do this....it's like they forgot that I don't want to have to pick it up and tilt it everytime I look at it.

[Rob Cowie @ Jan 14th 2006 2:54PM]

Could all those who believe Russians aren't capable of anything but drinking vodka and pirating music kindly f**k off and stop polluting this great site with your stupidity.

[skittles @ Jan 14th 2006 3:05PM]

hmm, these are attitudes i expect from gamer forums filled mainly with enraged teens, but from a tech site based towards grown men and women? pathetic.

[Special_K @ Jan 14th 2006 3:08PM]

Art Lebdev is not some wackjob 3dsMax artist making trojan horses and vapourware while smashed on vodka, they are a serious design firm. They've done work for a company that you may be familliar with... korean, starts with an 's'... ring any bells? SAMSUNG! Observe: http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/samsung/sweetheart/



Cummon guys, just because it may look too good to be true, doesn't mean that it is. Like the Viliv P1, no one though that they had actually created a product with all of the features and design we want in a PMP, but now it won't be long 'til they ship.



Look into something before dismissing it a vapourware, it'll make everyone's job a lot less flame-ridden.

[Nope @ Jan 14th 2006 3:38PM]

Some of the anti-russian comments made above are just appalling to me as a european, and would in many countrys be prosecuted as being racist. I would've hoped that the US made some progress since McCarthy...

[vectorbug @ Jan 14th 2006 3:44PM]

Boy they really dropped the ball with this one.



But really, lets say they DO make an oled keyboard, what are you going to do about bad pixels or faulty keys?

[Rod Edwards @ Jan 14th 2006 3:51PM]

Seems to me this is a display extension device, not a 3 key keyboard. Much like the ambient dashboard:



http://www.ambientdevices.com/cat/dashboard/



By the OLED's are way better than analog.



Mystery solved.

[XData @ Jan 14th 2006 4:04PM]

This is an interesting proof-of-concept device (With all the external LCD displays being modded into cases there's definitely demand for small sized external displays). If they can get it to market, they'll essentially have all the proof they need that the Optimus keyboard is viable (which is probably all they eed to secure backing to start production). Seems like a very smart move.





I would buy one to check it out and see if I really wanted to fork out $200 - $400 (US) for the Optimus keyboard. I would consider it an investment in them and hope it could help work some bugs out and get the Optimus into production.

[Echo_ @ Jan 14th 2006 4:05PM]

if its coming out feb 1st shouldnt they have real pictures of this by now?

[EdZ @ Jan 14th 2006 4:51PM]

Ah, so you weren't basing you opinions on predjudice, just inability to do some simple research.



So, what exactly is it about this keyboard that is so much of a technical impossibility that it cannot possibly be developed?

[XData @ Jan 14th 2006 4:57PM]

These guys rock because this rendering of a keyboard with tiny monitors rocks!!!

[pyro @ Jan 14th 2006 4:57PM]

it looks like it's the size of a mouse judging by the wire in the picture.

[Wolf @ Jan 14th 2006 4:57PM]

It's so disgusting to see all of these negative, vitriolic, judgemental comments from people

[Gamer @ Jan 14th 2006 4:58PM]

Personally I don't like ArtLebedev design. He is thinking he is doing epoch-making thinks when he really doesn't.

[Timofei Voronin @ Jan 14th 2006 6:06PM]

I have been watching Artemiy's progress for about 8 years, he is very dynamic being - usualy coming thru with promices.

[pableu @ Jan 14th 2006 7:04PM]

CTRL-ALT-DEL :p

[clarkitekt @ Jan 14th 2006 7:26PM]

This is actually a brilliant idea. 3 little keys that can tell you how many e-mail you have, news headlines, weather, or display a live tv feed. When you see that you have new e-mail...press the button. Simple, functional, intuitive. Nice!

[clarkitekt @ Jan 14th 2006 7:35PM]

It's actually a brilliant idea. 3 buttons that can display current information like unread e-mail, current news, stocks, weather, tv shows. When you want to see more detail/switch tasks, press the screen/button. Simple, functional and intuitive. Nice!

[Ilya @ Jan 14th 2006 8:18PM]

ART Lebedev Is my hero. Because Im Russian(live in USA) and Its always good to see great stuff from my home country. And whats with the hate?

[Neo @ Jan 14th 2006 8:36PM]

you can find out more here...



herechapter two.

[Ron Amadeo @ Jan 14th 2006 9:19PM]

BOOOOOOOOOO!!! COP OUT! release the damn keyboard.



It'll be interesting to see how much the little thing costs, because no matter what they claim, i dont think the keyboard can be made for less than $500.

[Scott @ Jan 14th 2006 9:34PM]

I personally would like to thank Russia and Sweden for hosting some of my favorite BitTorrent Tracker sites.

[ST @ Jan 14th 2006 9:54PM]

I can bet, if the news about keyboard published on first page of Art lebedev's homepage, this keyboard will be released. I've seen enough news there, promising the interesting, and it always does. What's about russians? Who were first in space? :) I hope they also release the first OLED keyboard.

[PodMonkeys @ Jan 14th 2006 10:49PM]

At the very least, release a 25 key (5x5)pad for gaming. Thats all I really want.

[Scott Rubin @ Jan 14th 2006 10:49PM]

Dang, I was hoping it would be a full numpad. I really need a USB numpad in the worst way. This I don't really have a use for.

[Echo_ @ Jan 14th 2006 11:22PM]

really if this is coming out in february why dont they have actual pics of this?

[Peter McCaffrey @ Jan 15th 2006 3:44AM]

can someone tell me where to get the engadged favourite icon? i won't show up in Opera browser... i know how to add the image i just can't find it anywhere.



Thanks

Peter

[Matt D @ Jan 15th 2006 4:11AM]

Peter McCaffrey: http://www.engadget.com/media/favicon.ico

[neg2led @ Jan 15th 2006 4:57AM]

this will SO rock! i imagine in the shown photo, the left key would open youre email program, the middle one a weather prediction webpage and the right one the media player.



Who says they are tall keys? they may well be more pad-like - maybe rise a millimeter or two above the rest of the mini-3....



--neg