Optimus Pultius: because Maximus just isn't enough

Sensing your deep down desire for more OLED keys, Art Lebedev is busting out the new Optimus Pultius, which adds 15 keys to the mayhem. Sure you could use it all by its lonesome, sans Maximus, but that's just not as fun. The keys are just like the ones on the Maximus, and there's even an extra USB port in the back. And you know what that's for... daisy chaining these suckers. No word on price or release date just yet, other than the vague 2008 / early 2009 timeframe.

[jason @ Jul 21st 2008 10:47PM]

now that is something i would buy.

[Mr. Fax Sender @ Jul 21st 2008 11:16PM]

That does seem more useful that a whole keyboard of them.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jul 21st 2008 11:26PM]

I would buy if they used firewire, it just make much more sense to daisy chain fire wire; especially when you consider the keys are really small video screens, which 1394 is well suited for.

[Augie @ Jul 21st 2008 11:57PM]

ptshhh with firewire you can only daisy chain a mere 63 of these. USB on the other hand i can get a whole 127 of these suckers. hells ya.

[Augie @ Jul 21st 2008 11:59PM]

ptshhh with firewire you can only daisy chain a mere 63 of these. USB
on the other hand i can get a whole 127 of these suckers. hells ya.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:04AM]

Exactly! Hopefully the keys are a lot easier to press down than the full keyboards!

[Haikibutsu @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:27AM]

I found it funny that the troll got ignored.

Back to the topic, I would enjoy some firewire devices. I have only one and that is my external drive. Anyways, who is going to daisy chain that many?

Speaking of daisy chaining, how many 4 port USB hubs can I daisy chain?

[andres @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:49AM]

@haikibutsu
you can daisy chain up to 127 devices per controller.

[boutch55555 @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:29AM]

you can add up to 5 levels of hubs per usb host controller
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

[Chad @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:44AM]

I wrote them a suggestion for a product like this a while ago. Basically, I wanted macro keys like I have on the side of my Logitech G15 keyboard, but I want OLEDs to show me what they're for. Not sure if they took my suggestion, but this product is something I'm very interested in.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 21st 2008 10:49PM]

Dear Art Lebedev,

I pray that you llearned something about price with the full size key board and make this affordable.

Signed, CheapAssPo3t
8^)

[DefPo3t @ Jul 21st 2008 10:57PM]

I also pray that I can come across a grammar/spell checker soon

[Kris S. @ Jul 21st 2008 11:16PM]

Use FireFox.

[cwm @ Jul 22nd 2008 2:41AM]

llookout for llamas

[telepheedian @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:37PM]

and Lloyds

[Frank @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:36PM]

llookout for llllamas and Lllloyds?

[Joshua Walters @ Jul 21st 2008 10:57PM]

Im guessing it will be about $350.

35keysx$10/key=$350

Yep, sounds about right.

[mike @ Jul 21st 2008 11:04PM]

The keyboard only has 15 keys though...

[Tomek! @ Jul 21st 2008 11:05PM]

And I pray that Josh over here learns how to count or read the post, whatever happens first.

[Joshua Walters @ Jul 21st 2008 11:10PM]

Wow

How did I manage to screw that one up?

[El Taco @ Jul 22nd 2008 2:14AM]

Well, I would say Phail, but it's highest ranked.

Succeed?

[Ridgecity @ Jul 21st 2008 11:00PM]

Who names these keyboards? Charlie Darwin Jr?

[Richard @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:29AM]

No, Caesar does. Just wait for the Oled knife called "Brutus".

[paperless @ Jul 28th 2008 3:12PM]

ME!

[Snowman @ Jul 21st 2008 11:07PM]

Hopefully this one is targeted at normal people and not to Sultans of oil rich countries.

[Viator @ Jul 21st 2008 11:30PM]

"vague 2008 / early 2009 timeframe."

So we can look forward to this making it to retail by 2011! Woot!

[Plothole @ Jul 21st 2008 11:09PM]

Huh, this might actually be useful by itself for something like photoshop (*assign all the tools I'd regularly use to a button*).

[The Pepto Pimp @ Jul 21st 2008 11:19PM]

What's wrong with the keyboard shortcuts already built into photoshop?

Snob!

[iofthestorm @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:38AM]

Yeah, I think part of the point of keyboard shortcuts is not having to look to find things. If you're going to have to look at the keyboard to choose a tool you might as well use the mouse to look at your sceren.

[Plothole @ Jul 22nd 2008 2:18AM]

It would mean less "tracking" across the keys. Plus I tend to forget what most of the shortcuts are.

[TavisJohn @ Jul 21st 2008 11:09PM]

I'll be impressed if they release an OLED upgarde kit for laptops.

Untill then, they can keep their overpriced keyboards.

[Alexander @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:44AM]

You realize that the power requirements for the keyboard would make your battery:

A. Melt
B. Catch fire
C. Explode
D. Last 5 Minutes
E. All of the above

Take your time... Don't rush through this.

[TavisJohn @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:46AM]

OK than an e-paper version for laptops.

And the only one of your options that is eve possible is "D. Last 5 minutes."

If my Dual video cards, dual hard drives, and 17 inch screen do not cause an explosion, than that won't.


All that aside... Ever hear of sarcasim?

[Benson @ Jul 22nd 2008 2:42PM]

Considering his effective deployment of it, I'd say Alexander has indeed heard of sarcasm.

But what's this "sarcasim" of which you speak? Sounds like a new game where you can pretend to post seemingly clever things online, and watch nobody else see the cleverness?

[dj496 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:11PM]

Why don't they actually work on making the Maximus a good keyboard to type on?

And lower the price?

Then it might start being the future, not just a proof of concept device (which it pretty much is).

[phrogg @ Jul 21st 2008 11:11PM]

Still not entirely convinced on the Maximus. At first, i was like, "Hey, that's flippin' sweet, i want one!" Then the waiting kind of gave me time to realize, "Wait, they want HOW much for a keyboard?"
If i pay $1500+ for a keyboard, it needs to be able to give me a reach around.

Yeah, it's flippin' sweet, but ultimately a novelty, imo.

[Alex @ Jul 21st 2008 11:32PM]

I, too, aspire to live in a world in which keyboards can give me a reach around.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Jul 21st 2008 11:19PM]

Troll!

[ebola! @ Jul 21st 2008 11:20PM]

This seems more reasonable than an entire keyboard to me.

[yode @ Jul 21st 2008 11:21PM]

Why is there a bar code at the top of it..wtf

[scott @ Jul 21st 2008 11:25PM]

that's their logo.

[geognerd @ Jul 23rd 2008 2:27PM]

What comes up if you scan the bar code?

[Dingis Fargle @ Jul 21st 2008 11:23PM]

iMac.

[Dillon @ Jul 21st 2008 11:22PM]

Fortress Maximus was a pretty massive transformer...

[lol @ Jul 24th 2008 2:34PM]

I'm waiting for the omega supreme tablet.

[Christian Walters @ Jul 21st 2008 11:22PM]

What, no porn key on this one? Kinda a step down from the Maximus because of that fact IMHO....

[BradVT @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:22AM]

Dude, they're programmable keys, you can set them ALL to porn if you want.

[mike @ Jul 21st 2008 11:26PM]

Thats iTroll, remember???

[SFO Kevin @ Jul 21st 2008 11:31PM]

iWish

[andres @ Jul 21st 2008 11:34PM]

iRobot
amidoinitright?