Hands-on with Optimus Maximus (at last!)

The legendary Optimus Maximus is chilling out at the Wired Store in SoHo as of this week, so we dropped by to snap a few pictures. We've gotta say we're pretty impressed, the build seems as solid as a rock, the screens are crazy bright and all the glossy keys catch the light just right. We could even say that we're glad they took the time to get everything right, but it has been a painful decade, so we'll see. Everyone's tastes in keys are different, so we'll let you make up your own mind on the clickity clackity the next time you're in NY -- or at least once our crack keyboard review team gets some quality time with a unit of our very own -- but color us impressed so far.

Gallery: Hands-on with Optimus Maximus (at last!)

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[Johnny @ Nov 21st 2007 3:04PM]

Wired store in SoHo? Wish I'd known when I was shopping there yesterday. where's it at?

[DJWhiplash2001 @ Nov 21st 2007 3:09PM]

SoHo

[arron @ Nov 21st 2007 3:23PM]

houston st between broadway and west broadway

[Adoniteking @ Nov 21st 2007 3:30PM]

i have always wanted to ask this..Does it have a function key that makes it TRANSFORM ^_^

[Kurt MacD @ Nov 21st 2007 3:47PM]

Did any of you guys notice the side media buttons shots (Yes engadget, I saw the "E" symbol already in the past 10 pictures of your gallery) the one in the bottom left corner appears to say 745 Ave and also appears to have a glowing orange joint burning under-neath it, web link to the local head shop?

[Billy Fiul @ Nov 21st 2007 4:38PM]

Never seen a keyboard with a Kingston lock slot, but then again I ain't never seen no $1,500 keyboard!

[nih @ Nov 21st 2007 6:28PM]

The Optimus keyboard is available in retail? IT'S THE SEVENTH SIGN! THE END IS NIGHT!

[Johan S @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:28AM]

Ok, I am get two of these, or at least one of them and a regular keyboard. I like the idea of having a separate custom buttons pad (for stuff like photoshop, drawing etc.) in addition to a qwerty keyboard.

[fontendet24 @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:17AM]

I think Apple will buy this whole project with all prototypes and later will sell it under self trademark.
Lebedev is a mac and Apple fanboy - he'll be glad to sell it for them.

[kevjohn @ Nov 21st 2007 3:14PM]

Will this confounded thing not die? Optimus Maximus, I curse thee!

[hp540 @ Nov 21st 2007 3:15PM]

The shots are overexposed for the keys - they're that bright eh?

And what's with the button (again) under the youtube button? Looks like a hotlink to pron.

[Matt @ Nov 21st 2007 3:29PM]

For the price, it had sure as hell BETTER come with a Porn button.

[Eugene @ Nov 21st 2007 4:34PM]

Dudes, you don't understand. You can make ANY key on this keyboard a porn button! You can have a keyboard with 100+ porn buttons if you so desire! ;-) So it definitely doesn't need to "come with the porn button", regardless of its price.

[UnknownSouljer @ Nov 22nd 2007 9:53AM]

It looks like the front women of TaTu. (But I suppose it could be a porn button)
http://www.yehhu.com/haberdetay.asp?id=1302
I would hotlink the image... but I know better.

[Garst @ Nov 21st 2007 5:39PM]

Now we know what these guys do between articles! eewww! X-(

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Nov 21st 2007 6:51PM]

The awesome thing is, YOU CAN DELETE THE CAPSLOCK KEY OR ADD EXTRA ONES IF YOU SO DESIRE! HELL, TURN THE SPACE BAR IN TO A CAPS LOCK KEY!!

[Blackstar @ Nov 21st 2007 11:50PM]

Who cares about porn buttons? For $1,500 bucks you can have a porn star!

[Iain @ Nov 22nd 2007 4:36AM]

The photos wmay not be the most wonderful but if you look at the video that was posted here previously, or the one over on GizModo just now (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/optimus-video/first-video-of-the-optimus-keyboard-actually-working-and-looking-awesome-325615.php?autoplay=true), you'll see that the keys are pretty bright.

[13xforever @ Nov 23rd 2007 2:25AM]

It's link to T.A.t.U site

[James Cameron @ Nov 21st 2007 3:15PM]

Why would I spend $1500 on a keyboard when 99% I spend looking at my monitor?

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Nov 21st 2007 3:20PM]

Precisely my thoughts.

[joe @ Nov 21st 2007 3:36PM]

Yea if I were filthy rich this would be a great needless toy. It is freak'n sweet though!

[James Cameron @ Nov 21st 2007 3:48PM]

I would be lying if I said I detested this keyboard. I'm like many or you gadget whore would love to get a hand on one of this thing. It's all eye candy and I only use the keyboard like only 10% of the time. I have no doubt if the price is right, this would make a killing gaming keyboard with the nice visual and easier to remember the hotkeys.

The infamous pricing is what is ridiculing this keyboard.

[cybersaga @ Nov 21st 2007 6:02PM]

It's useful for people who frequently type in multiple languages as you can change layouts on the fly without having to remember (or guess) which keys are actually what.

It's also useful for other programs like Photoshop (see the Photoshop layout in one of the photos).

[TheWakeUpCall @ Nov 21st 2007 8:28PM]

It's more than my computer is worth... including all peripherals lol.

[roflercopterer @ Nov 21st 2007 3:21PM]

Glossy keys? You have got to be kidding me. Smudge-city, amirite?

[shaliron @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:11AM]

Exactly what I thought - greasy keys.

[Rik @ Nov 21st 2007 3:23PM]

Will this mean the end of Querty? And I've never seen a keyboard with a kensington lock slot before :-D.

[Marty @ Nov 21st 2007 3:33PM]

How did you manage to misspell qwerty? all you have to do it hit 6 keys in a row on the top left.

[PhilJ @ Nov 21st 2007 4:02PM]

Best. Snarky. Question. Ever.

[thethirdmoose @ Nov 21st 2007 4:26PM]

Maybe he uses Dvorak? Or is just stupid...

[Billy Fiul @ Nov 21st 2007 4:40PM]

Dvorak, you say? That reminds me: http://dvorak.org/blog

[Ethan Pack @ Nov 21st 2007 5:28PM]

"How did you manage to misspell qwerty? all you have to do it hit 6 keys in a row on the top left."

Maybe he's using an Optimus...

[intRandom @ Nov 21st 2007 6:04PM]

No, in Dvorak 'qwerty' would look like this: ',.pyf

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Nov 21st 2007 7:14PM]

The awesome thing is, YOU CAN DELETE THE CAPSLOCK KEY OR ADD EXTRA ONES IF YOU SO DESIRE! HELL, TURN THE SPACE BAR IN TO A CAPS LOCK KEY!!

it means the end of the capslock key for some. but rearranging keys is nothing new, cvt avantstellar keyboard has allowed you to do this since the 1980's when it's production began. you can pick one up for a nice cool $150, plus it comes with programmable macro keys that do not require software like logtech's g-series keyboards.

-I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY (MODEL-M KEYBOARD FANATIC)

http://www.cvtinc.com/products/keyboards/stellar.htm

[ethana2 @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:56PM]

Colemak typist checking in-- Querty is more natural than qwerty for my fingers, because, one ISP aside, the only letter that follows a q is a u.

That said, I have no clue what layout he's using.
www.colemak.com

...and I love my backspace key where your 'OOPS I HIT THE CAPSLOCK AGAIN' key is.

[E71 @ Nov 21st 2007 3:28PM]

Damn, why are the shift keys not in line with the surrounding keys? That empty gap where the right shift key is supposed to fill up is where I keep my left left small finger for walking in fps games.

[Ray-- @ Nov 21st 2007 3:29PM]

the engadget button seems awfully close to the lesbian(?) button...

lol

[AlexP @ Nov 21st 2007 7:48PM]

ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID DUR DUR DUR DUR

[Harish @ Nov 21st 2007 3:29PM]

Dear Engadget,
Faster shutter speed.
Sincerely,
Harish

[friko @ Nov 21st 2007 3:57PM]

Amen!

[TheCow5 @ Nov 21st 2007 3:36PM]

1500$ for a keyboard???
Were they smoking something when they came up with this price, because if they weren’t they have reason to start.

[insertAlias @ Nov 21st 2007 4:09PM]

It is in no way marketed to the average consumer (or even the pro gamer) who spends $6-$100 on a keyboard.

That's like saying: "Holy crap! The viper is $85,000!! What were they smoking when they came up with that price!!!"

[Ty @ Nov 21st 2007 4:47PM]

The viper comes with loose women, this gets you laughed at by those women.

[insertAlias @ Nov 21st 2007 5:01PM]

@Ty
Well, seeing as how I can't afford either, where does that leave me?

[LC @ Nov 21st 2007 5:54PM]

Now, you see... that's where you're wrong.

Admittedly, geek women are less frequent than the loose ones, but if you find, and you have a keyboard like this, she's yours.

She'll be wanting to play with your 'Space Bar' all the time!

[TheCow5 @ Nov 21st 2007 6:56PM]

@insertAlias..
Are you actualy defending the price of this keybpard?
a laptop is worth that and more. m8 that's a keyboard may I remind you.
Did I mention its a keyboard and do you know what a keyboard does?
please dont ever compare the cost of any car to a computer keyboard, lets keep it real.

[insertAlias @ Nov 21st 2007 7:21PM]

What I'm saying is that this is a very rich person's toy or that it is worth it to someone that absolutely has to have this feature. (Kinda like the viper compared to any average car.)

I don't think that it's a super fair price or that it's useful to the average person, but that many oled screens are going to cost a lot.

[Tom @ Nov 21st 2007 11:36PM]

The price is spot-on for this project. Immense amounts of R&D, custom OLED tooling, and a small production line. This is not a keyboard for Jo-bob in Illinois who is playing Call of Duty on a $899 Dell. This is for an audio producer working on a $120,000 rack-mounted rig, or a video production studio needing to work on three different editing platforms (all with their own set of shortcut key commands).

$1,500 is a worthy price for something that can increase productivity when working between multiple products and platforms. And on rigs that cost more than most people's cars. Going back to the metaphor of the car (which you so outrightly denied being reasonable), this is like buying a $1500 set of tires for your $80,000 car. Your original tires worked well and did their job, but these new tires are more efficient and more articulate.

Please, don't be confused and compare this to a laptop. Yes, a laptop has more functionality, but this keyboard is an accessory to a workstation scenario. The increase in productivity and ease of switching between platforms while using this keyboard will pay for itself in short time in a production setting.

[TheCow5 @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:10AM]

@Tom.
You made some good points so I will stand down on this one as long as you don't attempt to market this as the jesus keyboard and want eveyone to have one. however if you attempt to market as the jesus keyboard then I will have to LOL at it, you and the price, for this is no keyboard for the end user.
I will hold you to this "This is for an audio producer working on a $120,000 rack-mounted rig, or a video production studio needing"