ASUS' Eee Keyboard revealed
By Thomas Ricker 
posted January 6th 2009 7:03PM
posted January 6th 2009 7:03PM
The Eee train won't stop until all consumer electronics have been assimilated. Today ASUS introduced the world to the Eee Keyboard, a full-sized keyboard with built-in PC including WiFi (and Ethernet), speaker, mic, and 5-inch interactive display and touchscreen. It weighs less than 2 pounds and connects to existing displays. Well, it would if it was more than a concept, which, knowing ASUS, means someday soon.
Update: We spoke with ASUS, the Eee Keyboard is a near final prototype and is definitely going production.
Update: We spoke with ASUS, the Eee Keyboard is a near final prototype and is definitely going production.
You *know* you are old when the first thing you think is "Wow...so basically, we are starting over again...it is like a Vic20/C=64 for the new age..."
Then, you see a bunch of, "no no, it is more like a -" posts and realize you owned EVERY SINGLE COMPUTER MENTIONED...during it's original release.
Pass the Geritol now...A QL?!?! Someone actually *remembers* the QL?! Nooooice!
-K
I guess they're going the opposite way from the keyboardless apple with just having a keyboard as the main gadget.
Perfect complement to the Mac Wheel.
You spelled it wrong.
I believe it is the Eeeboard.
THINNOVATION
seriously this isn't innovative it's a laptop without a screen
Actually you guys need to seriously think about this. First, consider the old Commodores and the TI-99/4A. These were the old school systems you hooked up to your TV in 1980. But think about your TV in 1980. It sucked. And while the dedicated computer monitor also took a while to escape suckitude, we recall that once it did its resolutions (VGA and up) and image quality skyrocketed.
So for years (more than a decade, during which time the also-improving TVs got too good for the signals they would receive) we all bought dedicated displays for our computer systems and we all bought dedicated televisions for our living rooms. A PC-in-a-keyboard made no sense because you still needed the monitor and, therefore, a dedicated workspace for it to sit on.
Fast-forward to the mid-2000s. Now they've standardized several EXCELLENT television broadcast standards which change the whole equation. The televisions are huge, and beautiful, with all-digital signal connections almost all the way to the pixel. This time around, the PC-in-a-keyboard, made to drive a display already present in your home, is a well-timed idea.
The "monitor" as we know it might become a high-end graphics-only niche product as the realm of "television" widens to include the average hobbyist's or gamer's computer display. Or maybe the word "television" will finally see its transition to "pasé" and "monitor" will come to mean any display that would be installed in your home.
But what's important to recognize is in foreign markets where space is scarce, or in the US market where home prices fluctuate like a pregnant teenager's hormones, is anything that helps us consolidate our workspaces is great for a lot of us. This would sell like hotcakes, especially if ASUS would make it absolutely wireless somehow so we could all sit on our couches or beds in front of the TV/monitor/whatever-we're-calling-it-then just like that lonely guy in the hotel does; only his computer is wired and certainly could use to be autoclaved. It would still sell in a more affluent market where people had multiple televisions on multiple storeys [English spelling, not American] in their homes, could have the computer automatically appear on the most proximal display.
Maybe the computer should only connect wirelessly to the nearest TV in your home but without messing up the signal. Like some kind of synergy, the transparent menu overlay from the computer interface's top menu would move onto and slide around the screen in such a way as to look like it was physically attached to the computer so the user gets a transparent, totally immersed sense even when travelling from living room to bedroom to bathroom and back to bedroom (oops; said too much).
One day we all expect to be sitting in our living rooms Vanilla Sky-style (sans stupid gloves and maybe the gestures too), but seriously until then I see this as a good way for me to get back one more desk in my home.
I started to read your post, then scrolled down only to realize your post was HUGE, when I started losing the will to finish reading it. I only needed to see, "Vanilla Sky" before I gave up entirely. I'll try again after a coffee or something.
You should be an analyst.
They get paid for telling what they think might happen.
LOL @ vanilla sky; I mean to say Minority Report. :P
QUICHE
I think this is great! we dont really need the touch screen though...
What about this, just making a keyboard with a touch screen, no computer inside... then we can put any icons and shortkey on the touch screen for our editing, 2D, 3D apps...
Go go gadget keyboard!
My first impression when I just looking at the pictures was:
"OMFG, a keyboard that uses a HDMI cable!" xD
This is truly worth seeing in action.
So am I the only one who immediately thought about playing Scrabble and getting all the "E"s?
(There was an awesome cartoon related to the subject).
cool cool idea,
until someone spills Kool-Aid on your new kEEE-board
cool cool idea,
until someone spills Kool-Aid on your new kEEE-board
This isn't likely to be seen, but on the offchance...
What about the new EeeBoxen, B204 and B206? Any word about release date or price?
Wow, seeing that little machine gives me flash backs to having a C64 when I was a kid. I'd be tempted to pick one up if only for the nostalgia factor and load it up with a C64 emulator and some ROMs, especially if it's priced right
I hope it still has USB ports, 'cause the only thing I see missing is one of those mini projectors!
I wonder how high a resolution you can get on one of those!
I was about to say they need to build in a pico projector.
How much of the price of a netbook is related to the actual screen portion? I think this would be a great idea at a $199 price point. Cheap pc for a child or personal use for typical netbook tasks without having to deal with a tiny screen.
It better be multitouch!
And throw in a wireless video adapter so it doesn't need to be tied down.
Ok, nvm, it has UWB HDMI
Cool, the Eee64!
That guy looks like Hiro Nakamura
anyone notice the mini-screen is running Windows Mobile?
i think the optimus maximus keyboard + PC + monitor is close to happening
Combine with a nice screen, and you kinda have a AIO, only that the screen doesn't become obsolete with the PC like it does with other AIOs...
Good idea, Asus.
Me gusta.
Very nice concept indeed.
I'll buy one... as long as its under £500
isnt that the Nvidia tegra, the small pc on the keyboard : ))
it looks like one, its a very similar concept like the earlier post here but bigger screen:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/06/asus-features-modded-g50-with-4-3-inch-secondary-computer-oh-my/#comments
2009 looks very interesting : )
hope there is a phone version of these Nvida devices soooooooooon.
just curious does this mean someone can run around and tap into monitors/public displays and like play porn just to mess with people? some of you guys might think im just a jerk but honestly dont you think someone will do it as a "practical" joke? well i will look forward to the day porn is just everywhere