Given that we've already seen some
rather strange memory card readers, it's high time that a company came out with one that's actually convenient to use. We've always thought that a card reader directly built-in to a keyboard would do the job nicely, no? Fortunately Ainex has used its engineering powers to read our minds, and has released the AKB-88, a new compact keyboard with four, count 'em four, card slots on the far side of the keyboard, featuring all your favorite types, including
CompactFlash,
Memory Stick,
SD and the oft-neglected
SmartMedia. Sadly, this flashy little keyboard is Windows-only, even though we think it would compliment the
MacBook nicely, given that it comes in both white and black. The AKB-88 was just made available on the company's website for the ever elusive "open price," but if these 'boards ever surf across the Pacific, we'll let you know.
[Via
Akihabara News]
posted Sep 27th 2006 8:45PM
Wait... how can a USB keyboard (and, indeed, a USB card reader) not be mac-compatible?
Cool, now I can stick memory cards in my Ainex!
Wow. That was terrible. I should be banninated. Even I am ashamed of that one.
because they didn't make a driver for the mac...
I think this is cool, much more useful than some of the other stupid card reader and something else in one gadgets.
Yeah, but they shouldn't *need* a driver. It should just show up to the computer as a USB hub with a keyboard and a Mass Storage device attached to it.
That's great.
When are you gonna announce the Commercial Contest winners?
hahahah
you said ainex.
jokes aside this is cool
I was thinking the same thing. I would assume that the Mac should see this as a USB KB and other Mass Storage devices. Unless there are some included applications?