Optimus-103 keyboard pre-orders start December 12
By Conrad Quilty-Harper 
posted Nov 18th 2006 9:00PM
posted Nov 18th 2006 9:00PM
Reporting on the Optimus-103 keyboard is rapidly becoming one of our guilty pleasures -- guilty because the Optimus guys seem averse to giving us anything more than tiny nuggets of information at a time, and pleasure because... well, we shouldn't have to explain why the Optimus-103 is intriguing to us. The latest piece of news from the Optimus project is an announcement that the company will be taking pre-orders for the Optimus-103 on December 12. That will hopefully also mean an unveiling of the price, and if we're lucky, some specifications for the keyboard. We're not getting our hopes up though, because these guys could reveal nothing and still fill their pre-order slots.[Via Slashgear]
http://community.livejournal.com/optimus_project/8800.html
are they really gettin rid of those 11 keys on the side!
are they planning to update the iTunes logo?
looks cool, but the iTunes icon is for iTunes 6, not iTunes 7
great minds think alike eh? :P
And perhaps more importantly, have they fixed the problems with color and quality loss in the keys? The small version they released as somewhat of a preview some time ago had that problem that after not too long time of usage colors (first yellow if I remember correctly) started to fade more and more in the keys. Would be a shame if that's not fixed on this, considering that the sale price isn't anywhere near what a regular keyboard lands at, so you would expect that you're getting what you pay for at least.
I have a sinking feeling it's not Mac-compatible
re: mac compatibility
My guess would be that it's a distincy possibility
http://community.livejournal.com/optimus_project/9121.html
Sounds great. Just too bad it's probably going to be a wired keyboard. I don't think I could ever go back to a wired keyboard again.
Oh wait I was wrong, it is wireless. Excellent.
@embee
Actually I think they may have mac compatibility. My Russian's rusty (read: I don't know a single word), but their website has a picture with the good ol' command key.
it will be mac compatible. i'm pretty sure the mini 3 is, and even if the 103 isn't, it attaches itself as mass storage and stores all the key icons so you can still take advantage of custom designs.
mini 3 not mac compat. hence my worries. otherwise, stick the 103 with a mac-mini and you'd have some unstoppable hawt-ness.
believe me, it will be mac compatible. mr. Lebedev use mac himself.
they also need to updat the IE logo, thats for ie 6 not IE7, haha all u firefox users missed that one hahaha
I was looking at buying a new keyboard. I was really planning on buying Logitech's new Dinovo Edge keyboard, which I must say is one of the sleekest out there. I remember seeing this keyboard a long time ago, but now that it's going to be released soon, maybe I might wait. This thing is going to be crazy expensive, Logitech's Dinovo Edge is already $200, how much will this possibly cost?!
bah i stay away from anything wireless if your a gamer.
i guess for office use or Media player lag infested keyboard is ok
hope they make a model like the Microsoft Natural Keyboard
Gamer. Ha! Like it's a freakin' profession. You losers are so funny. Gamer. (shakes head and rolls eyes).
Just call em Game Fanatics or obsessed person's with no life. Let's get real.
I like it! I want it!
"looks cool, but the iTunes icon is for iTunes 6, not iTunes 7"
"a picture with the good ol' command key."
"they also need to updat the IE logo, thats for ie 6 not IE7"
you guys DO realize that the entire point of this keyboard is that you can change the icons and keys at a whim, right?
$1200.00 - believing or not
GOD i hope they ship internationally!!! saw this in T3 mag or sumthing about a year ago ( thats why the itunes logo is so old, because it is an old photo) looks amazing but the price and durability of mini lcd screens being smashed by giant-by-comparison fingers make me weary.
Digg It
http://digg.com/gadgets/Optimus_Keyboard_Pre_orders_on_12_12/
@ willyolio: And you do realize the reason that was mentioned was to point out that this keyboard has been "in the works" _forever_?
I'll stick to my superb Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 thanks.
This has always been a fascinating idea, at it's price and with it's problems it's going to be novelty for a while, but it's entirely possible that it will be a standard one day, much like Wireless or Function keys.
well if its inexpensive why not, it looks really nice!
Looks like a great keyboard, but I'm used to a split-designed keyboard. The non-split keyboards are too cramped for me now.
Once this is released in a split-design, I'm all over it. But for now, since it isn't, I can't see myself being able to use it.
That they have old logos dosent mather as u program the keys urself
can you put a big picture of porn on your key board?
I'm not a fan of over-complicating (and over-pricing) what should be a simple, cheap device.
To me, the same thing can be accomplished with transparent keys with a little slit on each key to accept slide-in paper squares. Sure, it won't glow in the dark. But chances are it can be seen in the bright light a lot better. (it can be made to glow with simple modification, anyway...far less expensive than a small display on each key.
To make things easier on the masses, you could bundle a dedicated printing application. All you need to do then is cut into little squares where the dotted lines are. Slide paper into each key's slit. Re-configure your 'dedicated' keys in software. Done.
And no tears if/when the keyboard/ dedicated keypad fails. A future version could use e-ink that requires no power and backlight to stay on.
I prefer wired keyboards to wireless, too. Sure, wireless is handy sometimes, but not as my main device.
Do you look at your keys when you type? What's the point of this? Absolutely none...
Deep down, we all know this product is destined for failure. I would bet the farm that it will be riddled with shortcomings and compromises if it even makes to market at all. The technology just isn't there to build these commercially at a reasonable pricepoint.
Wait for Logitech to figure it out. Speaking of which, how about a new G15 w/ color LCD. Am I right?
And the question we all await the answer to:
How long will it take for the "keyboard saver" programs
to start to arrive for linux?
Since at least 80% of open source code (by volume) is
screensavers, can keyboard savers be far behind? :-).
I'm growing sorta bored about this keyboard late. It's surly very nice and everybody would like to have one but after having seen the iphone nothing avoids me to think that a keyboard with that touchscreen technology would be able to be available before Optimus-103.