Optimus Maximus gets price and date
By Ryan Block 
posted April 27th 2007 12:34AM
posted April 27th 2007 12:34AM
posted April 27th 2007 12:34AM
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Yeah, OK, whatever you say. Is that who they said their target audience is?
First of all, spending this kind of money on something that's as low on the list of priorities as a keyboard, would most certainly be foolish. And yes, you'll find people who are foolish with their money regardless of income bracket. But part of what makes wealthy people wealthy, is their ability to hold onto their money and not spend it on stupid things. So if you're suggesting that this company is placing their hopes for success in the hands of wealthy people, who ALSO happen to be foolish with their money, AND who just so happen to have an aching desire to own an OLED keyboard that they don't need to get their work done, then they might as well close up shop right now. Because this company isn't going to find a broad enough audience who fits THAT category, in order to sustain their business.
An HDTV and a game console, or a vacation for that matter, or whatever else you could spend this kind of money on, wouldn't be classified as needs, either. But if I have the money to spend on whatever frivolous items I choose, it's not going to be this keyboard. So it really doesn't matter whether someone is wealthy or not, because if that kind of discretionary income is available, there are always going to be an uncountable number of areas where the money would be better spent, no matter what income bracket you're in. This isn't a piece of art or jewelry or anything else that would stand the test of time and appreciate, and it's not anything that would meet needs and desires like any other big ticket item would (a high-end phone, HDTV, laptop, etc.). This is just a keyboard, remember? It's a niche item that is absurdly expensive and that won't answer any need that the crop of affordable and attractive keyboards out there can't currently handle.
Comprende?
It's not that I don't appreciate the progression of technology - I do. It's got to start somewhere. But don't expect anyone to be excited about these types of prices on an item such as this, no matter how much money they have.
Please Engadget, please stop giving these people more press! VAPORWARE! You're a quality site, stop giving them any attention until they actually come out with something. IE - NEVER.
I'm going to laugh when this comes out and it gets AAA reviews in all areas except the usefulness category. I can see right now that the keys use recessed sinkhole graphite contacts, like those you find in crappy "laptop style" illuminated keyboards.
And if you've ever used anything with those types of keys, you'd know that the keys wear down to the point that they stick and/or won't press unless they are perfectly vertical. Honestly, this keyboard screams "I'm for gamers!" yet it wouldn't ever stand up to a gamer's motions.
I'd pay a tall price for quality. But if I know it will degrade faster than salt in water, I'd never pay more than $50 for a keyboard, and maybe $200 for one with loads of bells and whistles like this one. I'm totally disappointed in Lebedev.
For 1.5k you can have 1500 ladies for 1500 days .... or better yet screw this keyboard... lolx
Torn, while your comment makes perfect sense in a normal market, this is anything but normal. Art Lebedev is an overhyped design shop. Their claim to fame is a stupid little heart logo on a microwave. This keyboard, had it been more reasonably specced and priced, could have found its niche in the uber-high end of gaming: the next step above the Logitech G15. That would have restricted it to $200-250 at the most. Beyond that, there are specialized products that do things far more concisely and efficiently than this wet dream ever could. There are touch-sensitive LCD panels available from Wacom (think Tablet-PC)... a full 17", 19" or even 21" display, primarily designed for pen-based graphic editing, but there are also multi-touch varieties for controlling audio by means of an on-screen touch interface (like a virtual mixing board).
The other problem with the Optimus keyboard is its dependence on 3rd-party plugins. If the keyboard costs $1500, how many programmers will actually buy one and develop plugins/themes for various applications/games ? $1500 buys a whole lot of Red Bull and beer, with a bit of change left over for hookers :P
Just giving this article the time its worth, i can't tell what's so special about this thing. But for 1500 i'd expect it to type what i'm thinking.
OLED's ? how about i just put some florescent paint on it and turn on my black light.
All things considered keyboards would be a lot better if you could press a button and change the letter layout on the keys. So that when I want to use Colemark layout I can just press a button.
Also the number pad should just slide out the side of the thing, so I can put it away most of the time.
Of course the biggest improvement would be if they would include a thin rubber seal over the keyboard so than I can take it out and clean it up and keep all the ickies from getting inside.
Lastly, I'm thinking an arm rest that vibrates would keep your finger loosened up nicely. But I digress.
$1500, God damn. And I thought I got ripped paying $200 for the Logitch Divino. I was hoping the Optimus would come out around $500 so I could even hope to save up for it. At $1500, I might as well forget it even exists (provided it does actually exist). Thats just way too much for a keyboard.
For those who don't see the advantage to this keyboard - I just want to say this. The Art Lebedev company has designed the perfect keyboard to make the creative arts, writers(multi-language) TV, Film, Engineering, Photo ,web and other multitasking industries more efficient! AVID, Final Cut, Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk, Motion, Protools, Boris, Leitch...more - will benefit from this keyboard in many ways. Some like myself - use more then one application that requires to remember other 100s of keystrokes. This keyboard has over 100 LCD screen and software to control this wonderful piece of equipment. Think about it - over 100 small LCD screens and some expect it to be under $200?
Logitech and other major manufacturers will more likely pass on this technology (for a few years), due to the fact of its impact will on affect 5%-10% of the retail market.
For those who only see the price tag and not the advantages, maybe you shouldn’t criticize before you actually understand what it does and how it benefits others besides you. Professionals will pay the price tag if it benefits his/hers business and workflow! Comparing it to PS3, Xbox360, Wii and other mass produced electronics is completely irrelevant and ignorant!
New technology is always more money but at least it wasn’t invented by Microsoft or Apple – then everyone would have one for no reason at all!
I happen to work in the new media field, so I am very much aware of professional needs. Although I don't work with video currently, I have used Avid workstations with the special color coded keyboards and I am familiar with ProTools, Final Cut and many other pro-apps. So yes, I see the benefits of this keyboard. I didn't expect it to be $200. I was hoping it would be in the $500-600 range (which Art hinted at last year), because I really can not justify the purchase of a keyboard that costs more than that. Although seeing as the Wacom Cintiq costs $2500, $1500 almost seems like a good deal. But again, even so-called 1337 users will not be paying $1500 for a keyboard. I love the concept, don't get me wrong. If anything, I am more disappointed that I won't be getting one.
It would seem more economical to have just one big LCD/OLED multi-touch screen with a fully programmable API. Something like that could probably be mass-produced for around $500 and would have even more benefits than the Optimus. For example, dynamic movable keys, alternate key configurations, widgets, etc. I agree that many people just look at the price, but that is because they were planning on buying on (so they obviously see the benefit). And like I said, I'm typing on a $200 logitech divino keyboard so I obviously am willing to part with some cash for a quality keyboard. But $1500 is just in a whole 'nother league.
I'll be seeing about a larger order of these - we've got 20 ultra high end MacPro workstations, used daily for everything from Photoshop to Final Cut Pro, from After Effects to Shake - and these keyboards will come in as one of the most useful purchases ever. We'll have no issue paying $1500 each, considering the benefits they bring.
All you home user fanboys should stop venting about how silly these are. Unless you're the same people who hate Ferraris and Lambos because you can't afford them.
Waaa.
It's like the saying goes: If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it.
All the people that want one but can't afford it will have to either make their own or wait until some company in Taiwan makes a cheap ripoff.
I personally would not even consider buying one of these until I know EXACTLY what it can and can not do. Software support for something like this is critical. I can't imagine that all the bugs are already worked out or that the keyboard is as customizable as people wish it could be.
Well if any of you pay any attention, Art lebedev is a company on designing artistic pieces of technology, its not always about functionality, art is about bringing new ideas to the table in a way no one else has or even thought of. If it wasnt so expensive I would buy this without thinking twice, the only problem is blue OLEDs dont last long, unless they have found a way to get around that with a different chemical. I have a G15, and i love it, its great for gaming and multimedia, and i believe this keyboard will be also.
Like a few people mentioned, I too use many apps like the entire Abode creative bundle, editing apps, sound mixing apps, 3D graphics, etc. I never feel like I can learn all the keyboard shortcuts.
I had hoped for around $500 for this and would have jumped right on it.
Absolutely.
$1500ish is pretty steep. I will wait on this and see if it comes down over time.
I am amazed at all the wankers on this forum who probably use their computers for gaming and watching porn. Guess what, you are probably not the target audience for this product.
Get over it and get a life.
I hear it doesn't interface with my Magna Doodle. No sale.
1532? William Shakespeare was thought to be born in 1564.
Be prepared for a price hike.
@ all complaining about price
You are st00pid!!
If you think Logitech or Microsoft can make one for $500-$600, you clearly don't know shit about making product. If I remember correctly, this keyboard has around 114 keys. At $1536, that equates to around $13.47 per display. Try to get a replacement screen for the back of a RAZR that uses LCD and tell me you can do it cheaper with state of the art OLED.
If you can't swallow the $1536 pricetag then STFU, cuz no one is gonna do it cheaper for a long time!
"due in November" - what year? 2020?
It was "Vaporware of the Year" in 2006 and I nominate it for "Vaporware of the Year" in 2007 also.
I was searching for such a keyboard... I'm gonna pre-order. Uh, $1500 ? I'd better buy tens of keytronic usb keyboards for all keymaps.
What about Linux/Unix support ? This keyboard might work with a driver...
And what about the keymap used before the system starts ? (in the BIOS, ...)
"Remember when the most basic of computers was $6k? Now you can buy one that's many multitudes faster that costs only $300 with a monitor.
This is first-gen technology. First-gen technology that IS NOT CATERED TOWARDS CASUAL USERS. It is geared towards workstation users who demand a LOT from their computer in a serious working environment. What's a $1500 keyboard on an $80k audio workstation? Stop and think, people - you don't scoff at the price of a $140k Jaguar saying "oh, nobody's ever going to buy that", because people do, and the product isn't even geared towards people who can't afford it."
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Yeah, we understand, Tom. We also understand when computers first came out, they were very expensive. But during that time, personal computers had never existed before, and back then they were still too expensive to justify buying at those prices. Of course, all technology (providing enough companies back it and enough consumers buy it) just drops in price over time. And we understand that the OLED-in-the-keys is first-gen technology, but keyboards themselves HAVE been around for a very long time now, and people get by and have gotten by just fine with what's been available. I mean, look at all that mankind has accomplished creatively utilizing the keyboards we have and have had. Considering the variety of input devices we currently have, in terms of equipment, it's the computers and software that are most important here - not keyboards. Granted, OLED keys are a cool concept, but $1600? Even for a high-end workstation, that's excessive.
And you're analogy about the Jaguar doesn't make a lot of sense to me, because we're not just talking about the price, we're talking about what you're getting for the price. You say that a high-end product is not geared toward people who can't afford it. Well, when would any product be geared toward someone who couldn't afford it? And sometimes, products aren't geared toward even the people who CAN afford it. Which means we have to establish whether this product serves a truly practical purpose, and suggests why some of us are critical of it. I understand what you were trying to say when you used the Jag to analogize, but keep in mind that a Jag is a car, not a computer peripheral; and a Jag is not first-gen technology; and whatever you'd spend on it would be for an entire car, not just one part of the car.
A keyboard, however, is only ONE part of a workstation, not the whole thing. And the expensive audio workstation example you cited could cost a lot because at that level, that's simply what the equipment may cost after many generations of existence and refinement without superfluous features. But even an $80k workstation doesn't justify spending $1600 on a keyboard, especially considering that anyone could go out and buy a very nice one that would meet their needs for about a fifteenth of the price. When putting together any workstation, the price a person spends on equipment must be reasoned through on a piece by piece basis. The cost of one piece or several pieces of equipment can't and doesn't automatically justify another.
A couple of years ago, they were planning on this keyboard retailing for about $200-300. At that price, it seems they WERE planning to target a much wider audience. But $1600 is a far cry from that. So based on the current pricing, and the fact that they're still trying to bring it to market, suggests they wanted to make it just to make it regardless of who would want it, later realized that they were WAY off in terms of how much it would cost to produce, but went forward with it anyway. So who's to say WHO the target audience is? The company certainly hasn't made any indication as to who they're trying to target, even with all the repeated attention this product has received, which subsequently reveals another reason why some of us are critical of it - "Do they really expect the public to spend that much money on a keyboard?"
Personally, I like that Engadget reports on things like this because they're always interesting to read about. But it seems to me that buying this keyboard would be more for bragging rights and having "the coolest looking backlit keys you've ever seen", than anything truly necessary.
And personally, I CAN afford this keyboard, but first-gen technology is not enough of a reason to justify actually going out and spending that kind of money on it. I mean, is this really going to improve my workflow THAT much?
We have to ask, "What is it that this keyboard will allow us to do that we couldn't accomplish with a current combination of other keyboards, mice, and a variety of other input devices?" This keyboard is going to have to provide solid answers to that question and provide serious solutions to any studio's workflow, before the company can expect it to find a place among enough workstations around the world that they'll be able to turn a profit from it. Because, aside from that, looking cool isn't going to justify the price, first-gen or not. Studios are very practical work environments, with practical people and budgets. I'm one of those people, and I'm not sold.
I am a visual effects artist that uses many applications to make
fx for film and tv. This would be great. I think the idea is perfect. And the fact that someone is figuring out how to make it is wonderful.
So the price is what it's going to be; enough to give a decent profit for providing something fantastic.
When you make mucho $ from the computer, price can be second to productivity and FUN!
HERE IS MY CONCERN!!!
I have the optimus mini 3. All lit up and sitting on my desk. It was expensive
for what it is, 3 screen/buttons. What I can't stand is it's so cool, and
has such potential, and THERE IS NEXT TO NO ONGOING DEVELOPMENT OF PLUG-INS.
I can launch an application. Wow. I can look at the time. Neato. And I can
see real-time feedback of CPU usage. Weeeeeeeee! Big deal...
They need the type of community and support like Pertelian External LCD Display v4 seems to have. Not as pretty but much more useful! And easier to write for.
I'm afraid fo buying the keyboard for fear it will not be supported and continue
to grow in functionality. It'll need templates, add-ons, support, encouragement,
and all other things I don't see happening with optimus mini 3.
would be good in lan centers for the noobs who come in sucking their thumbs and playing on the xboxs. this way they would be able to pick up and play some pc and be able to jump right in. also with people changing key maps during tournaments it would be nice to see if u need to make some adjustments. also would be pure gold for rts pros with units maped to keys. no doubt the technology will get cheaper in future so i am excited to see this product shipping.
I wonder if the people who invented this know that you can buy a pretty good high-end PC for $1500.