Optimus Maximus in minimus sub-$1000 configurations

The $1,564, 113-key Optimus Maximus is priced way, way beyond most people's budget for a keyboard. But man, you still ache for those programmable OLED keys. Now's your chance. Starting February 20th, 2008, Art Lebedev comes true to his word with new 1, 10, and 47 programmable OLED key configurations for $462, $599, $999, respectively. How (almost) practical.

[Thanks, James]

[Josh @ Nov 28th 2007 1:13AM]

You can buy the keys individually to slowly collect them all too...

[Reader @ Nov 28th 2007 2:02AM]

Kinda like the Shinto religion, gotta catch 'em all (I love Steven Colbert)

[pinchies @ Nov 28th 2007 7:35AM]

It must have a pretty clever connector to each key to survive the thousands of keypresses, AND be replaceable!

[E71 @ Nov 28th 2007 7:52AM]

I still can't afford it, how much for just the USB cable... I think I gotta start collecting from there.

[fontendet24 @ Nov 28th 2007 3:54PM]

Stupidest idea ever.
Apple will release soon touchscreen tablet PC and you don't needed any keyboard for it.

[Dilan Jay @ Nov 28th 2007 4:21PM]

I think I'd get one with '1 active button' and put a middle finger icon on it.

[Richard John @ Nov 30th 2007 7:21AM]

fontendet24,
You're aware Microsoft has been releasing tablet PCs for many years, right?

[ByronGman @ Nov 28th 2007 1:20AM]

So if I buy this thing to use with an Eeepc, the whole setup will cost about as much as regular system.

Wouldn't that be a world of dual extremes? ;-)

[C. Dunham @ Nov 28th 2007 3:09AM]

your keyboard would have more pixels than your pc display. how sad.

[Billy @ Nov 28th 2007 1:22AM]

What horribly chosen keys for these cheaper versions. Ok, the 10 key one is reasonable, although the price is not. But Who the HELL would buy the one-key edition where you can customize the SPACE BAR OF ALL KEYS. SERIOUSLY - WHO THE HELL. I might as well go wipe my ass with 5 hundred dollar bills, that would be as good use of my money as that keyboard.

The 47 keyboard is also silly. It should be 57 keys, and include the combination of what you get with the 47 and the 10. Just seems like a waste not to get those 10 extra side keys.

Everytime I read a story about this keyboard I just get more and more depressed. Why hasn't a big company with lots of money seen the genius in this and made one of their own? You know, one that could actually manufacture these on a decent timeline and make them reasonably priced?

[David @ Nov 28th 2007 2:56AM]

or...

why hasn't anyone in China come with a cheap knockoff yet?

[Randavance @ Nov 28th 2007 4:49PM]

Realisticly, why do we even need color keys. Why not use monochromatic screens instead? Wouldn't that be cheaper and still server the same basic purpose? I bet one of these keyboards could be hacked togeather at 1/10th the price out of a standard keyboard and 57 original gameboys.

[Leroy Vargas @ Jan 22nd 2008 10:20PM]

Still not suitable for Croatian and many other European keyboard layouts that require an extra key between Left Shift and Z (or Y, if QWERTZ as in Croatian). If Art Lebedev releases a 48-key version (or better, a 58-key version), then I'll buy it. And still, it would still lack that other extra-extra key required by Brazil's ABNT layout, which would call for a 49- or 59-key version.

[Sean O @ Nov 28th 2007 1:23AM]

I am so sick of hearing about this thing. Anyone who's knows what they're doing with Photoshop/Half-Life/Excel etc. doesn't look at the keyboard. This thing is a really cool novelty. Stress the word novelty - meaning it's not worth that kind of bread to just about anyone.

[wasabi @ Nov 28th 2007 1:24AM]

let me get this straight, i can get a keyboard with just one customizable key? soo what's the damn point of that?

[engine @ Nov 28th 2007 1:27AM]

This way you can type without that cumbersome and unsightly five hundred dollars all over your desk.

[ByronGman @ Nov 28th 2007 1:27AM]

It's really just meant for those who need instant access to their porn and nothing else.

Heck, why not just sell a big USB porn button?

[dukrous @ Nov 28th 2007 1:38AM]

Staples could sell the Porn button when business gets slow...

[wasabi @ Nov 28th 2007 1:41AM]

oh yea and it's $500 too. wow, this certainly makes the dnovo more affordable.

[Jimmy @ Nov 28th 2007 1:48AM]

might as well get the $140 optimus mini three..

[rTwelve @ Nov 28th 2007 2:42AM]

A Optimus porn button eh? Too bad it's a simple OLED on a space bar...

[Yankees368 @ Nov 28th 2007 1:26AM]

I'm having a difficult time understanding how the $462 one key option could possibly cost that much. It's one key!

[Neoprimal @ Nov 28th 2007 2:17AM]

Diminishing Retur....err I mean, Developing Gains?

[Craig Brown @ Nov 28th 2007 5:16AM]

At a guess, it's because the 1-key option is actually intended as an upgrade path. I believe they want you to buy the "1-key", then realize how awesome it is and buy some extra keys to install yourself. Presumably, if they're selling the Oled's for $15 each, there's a high cost for the actual production of the keyboard, due to the unique circuitry.

Honestly, the 10-key option interests me, I could definitely see buying that, and then every few months replacing more and more of the keys. On the other hand, the odds of me actually doing that are almost... nill.

[seoultrain @ Nov 28th 2007 1:30AM]

whoever is running this company has no idea what they're doing. Put out the 10-key version for $150 and people will actually buy it. If you can't manufacture it for cheap enough to make a profit from that, then the product wasn't worth developing in the first place. And I second the notion that a large company should get on this. The price on this thing kills the relevance of any "news" about it.

[Neoprimal @ Nov 28th 2007 2:24AM]

I don't entirely agree. I mean, think about it - he's either REALLY smart or REALLY stupid. If it really is mega expensive to make, then yeah, he's dumb - BUT, if it's a situation where he's just selling the board for a premium, then it's pretty brilliant. I mean, I watch the daily 10...yeah, sorry but I do - and I'm constantly bombarded by stored of superstars buying their dogs 10k dollar collars and golden toilets. No? Never heard of that? Or how about D&G Moto Razrs for 3k? I mean, the point is....people out there will buy this keyboard for a while and he'll be making mega money. After that, I bet it drops to $200 for everything OR he'll sell the design to Logitech or something, and they'll sell it for $200.

Risk can pay off, especially when it comes to the Rich n' famous who often buy things to distinguish themselves from those of us who can't or won't.

[TheCow5 @ Nov 28th 2007 1:31AM]

I so agree, I wish Engadget would stop giving this keyboard more press as its a great idea but should never be sold to home users as its a simple keyboard and the price is simply ridiculous.
I must say again that they were smoking something to come up with those prices for a keyboard and if they were not then they should star.
Its a keyboard ppl!!

[pkpowerhouse @ Nov 28th 2007 3:16AM]

i bet at these prices, they can afford the finest of smokes.

[z @ Nov 28th 2007 1:53AM]

Did anyone notice this?

"Configurations with passive keys can be upgraded at any time with additional active OLED keys. "

Is it possible this means you can buy a pack of keys and replace them in whatever configuration you want?

[Blacksheep @ Nov 28th 2007 1:53AM]

Hmmm, $999 for a keyboard or a discount, 42-inch plasma TV, hmmmm, that's a real tough one considering I just typed this without looking at my keyboard.

I'll let you know.

[Linh @ Nov 28th 2007 2:07AM]

So you pay $500 for a space bar that shines.... Nice.

[Daniel Spiegelman @ Nov 28th 2007 2:13AM]

how many people would buy this if it was called the Apple iOptimusMaximus or the Apple iBoard?

[DBrim @ Nov 28th 2007 2:36AM]

I'm gonna have to go with "none" on that.

[Daniel Spiegelman @ Nov 29th 2007 1:58AM]

i know hella people that will buy ANYTHING with a lowercase i before it

there are people that in their quest to be cool will buy anything.

i even had a friend turn down my old keyboard (his was BROKEN) because he thought it was ugly

[Sam @ Nov 28th 2007 2:18AM]

Would a large third party company please hurry up and "rethink" this patent/idea and release it for a sane price.

I would buy the 47 key option, and possibly even the 10 key option...but not for more than oh say...$350-$400.

A large company could sell these at this price, easily, and still make a profit.

Do it logitech. Please. I want my goddamn WoW action bars on OLED's on my keyboard damnit.

[BigDaddyM @ Nov 28th 2007 2:30AM]

I would but the 10 LED keys as a seperate unit. I know there is a 3 key version, but that doesn't really help a workflow, but 10 programable keys would be worth considering. Optimus doesn't look comfortable for everyday use which is why I would prefer to keep my keyboard and then add a LED num-pad device...

and the one prgramable button is silly.
M

[Matt @ Nov 28th 2007 2:32AM]

Seriously. If this was an Apple product people would already be lining up outside an Apple store right now. I am sure there would be all sorts of great claims such as "This will revolutionize the computer as we know it".

And Steve Jobs would be able to use the words "Simply amazing" about 30 times in a 5 minute span while announcing the product.

[Sam @ Nov 28th 2007 4:10AM]

You forgot "We're really excited about this"

[Simo @ Nov 28th 2007 4:48AM]

and "Isn't that cool?"

[Justin @ Nov 28th 2007 9:01AM]

"Oh, and one more thing...if you get the version with 10 programmable keys and like it, and you decide you want the whole thing, you don't have to get a whole new keyboard, because..."

*pause while he fishes a few keys out of his pocket*

"...you can buy keys individually and add them yourself!"

*cheer from the audience*

Except that wouldn't ever happen. Upgrading an Apple gadget...hah!

[Daniel @ Nov 28th 2007 10:11AM]

Each time he presses a key...

"Boom!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8L39UwOS-Y

[Mitch Cerroni @ Nov 28th 2007 2:35AM]

What about using LED-backlit LCD's on each key. Make each key smaller and the keyboard thinner. Sell the whole 104 key keyboard for at least $300

[Rynth @ Nov 28th 2007 5:44AM]

Go patent it, I'll invest in that.

[Matt @ Nov 28th 2007 3:47PM]

You'll have to clue me in on how using LED backlit LCD displays would make the keys smaller than using OLED displays that don't require a backlight and are incredibly thin.

[Sirocco @ Nov 28th 2007 2:39AM]

Cool! But I still don't want one!

[Andrew @ Nov 28th 2007 2:52AM]

This could turn into a very very expensive habit. I do recall reading OLED screens having a 5000 hour lifespan; that's just over 200 days turned on. Alot of people don't turn off their PCs...which means OLED lifespan is actually a factor in this keyboard.

[o rly @ Nov 28th 2007 11:06AM]

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/faq/

"How long does a screen live?
Non-stop glow time at nominal brightness declared by the manufacturer is 20,000 hours. If you work for eight hours every day, including weekends and holidays, the screens will last for about seven years. After that, the display will not die instantly, but begin to fade gradually (like the sun in billions of years)."

[Corey @ Nov 28th 2007 2:57AM]

I would buy this at a much lower price point, because I type in two alphabets, and having the keyboard stickers works but is sort of annoying. I'd love for my keyboard to change when I switch languages. But I only need B&W for that - color on every key seems like a huge waste of money. And I can't see how programmable buttons would help my coding much. Do I need a "build" key instead of hitting Ctrl-F5? I try not to develop any habits that are tied down to a particular machine, because I'm always switching computers. Getting dependent on a set of function keys on a particular keyboard seems like a bad idea.

[L.Rawlins @ Nov 28th 2007 4:17AM]

Could Wacom please hurry up and buy out this hardware. I want my Intuos/Optimus orgasm and I want it now.

Yours sincerely,

The World.

[DjurS @ Nov 28th 2007 6:01AM]

I liked the prototype (apart from the price ofc), because the screens filled out the whole key, this finished product only has a small LCD with a big black frame in the keys,,, logitech, make it better.. ally with sony & alienware and make OLED laptop keys like this and an G15 v3 for the desktops :]

I want a spacebar i can watch movies on O.o