ASUS: Eee Keyboard to launch in October, C64 fans unite!
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 14th 2009 7:13AM
posted Sep 14th 2009 7:13AM
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It's 1982 all over again.
Engadget keeps getting a woody over this thing, but I think it's purpose has gone completely over my head. What exactly are you supposed to do with this thing and why does a touchscreen in place of a number pad help anything?
I'm not trying to say that it's bad, I've just completely missed the point about why it's good.
@ chefgon-ign
Don't you get it? It's good for ASUS bottom line, all the rest is secondary.
We've got desktops that squeeze everything behind the display, so why not put the bulk of the pc into another essential UI item - the keyboard.
The monitor is probably a more sensible place for the motherboard, but I really like this idea.
Home linux server, for one comes to mind. It has all things needed for one, just add a usb harddisk and its a nas too.
I can see a lot of fun projects for this, like beer dispenser...
If it sells it filled some need out there. At least they are trying something different!
To my mind, this could be big. Just hook it up to any HDMI-equipped TV and go. To Engadget's readers the idea of a living room media center is passe, but a lot of families are not so savvy. This could act as a living room media hub requiring minimal technical knowhow.
I even think the touchscreen is a nice idea. I barely ever use the numeric pad, and I'd always be losing a mouse under the coffee table.
For some reason I dig this.
Ah, I just read a little further and realized that it can't do HD. I may be mistaken, in that case.
something tells me ATOM processors don't make for good servers either...single instruction per cycle = bad server.
@Grammar Delinquent
Actually the Atom makes good for a home server. *pets me frankenatom server
your to young to understand the simplicity of one keyboard and one monitor on your desktop
long live c64
Using a trackpad over a mouse on anything other than a laptop sounds like a chore.
Let's try hooking this up to a classic Commodore 1084 monitor.
The 1084 was a multisync. I doubt there's any easy way to connect to is using HDMI.
Does it come with BASIC? Or a modern equivalent, it should you know.
http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/level1/simulator.html
there now ANY COMPUTER can have basic.
Pfft, you just don't get it, you need something you can do something with (and doesn't run on a goddamn website, as if www is all that exists), but that's OK,we can use autohotkey (www.autohotkey.com) as an ersatz.
@chefgon-ign:
I'm going to pull its pants down and slam it into the wall. Or, you know, use it as a wallmounted media machine. Have the music control on the small screen, and manually switch on a bigger screen when needed.
I have no real need for this but I want it for some strange reason.
Couldn't have put it better...
Why the hell does a keyboard need to run Windows? If you want an all-in-one system with a miserably-slow processor and a small screen why not just get a netbook?
It IS a netbook. Without the screen.
And windows 7 runs just fine on the miserable atom processor.
I agree. How is this thing better than a $300 netbook?
Looks good as a media center type thing but atom processor's dont run even 720p video which renders the hdmi out useless and takes away the only real incentive to use it.
Unless nVidia's Ion is being coupled with it, then it might not be too bad.
Does the key's have backlight as well?
Can this be used as a keyboard for another computer?
( like as if your keyboard would have a windows-sideshow-ish display)
Aaah, this is an all-in-one. I originally thought this was a keyboard with a small AUX screen to show your MSN contact list/media player, etc. I guess I won't be needing this.
More computers need to be built around the input device. Ahh it reminds me of yesteryear. I'm a huge keyboard junkie. It is my all time favorite input device. Right now I'm sporting the logitech illuminated keyboard on my laptop and Das Keyboard on my desktop. Personally I really hated the idea of transitioning to short laptop style keys but the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard and the Logitech Ultra-X (Cheap OEM board now discontinued) are some of the best out there. Also wireless keyboards = waste of material used to produce them.
I don't see how you can say that, when there are such marvels of engineering AND fashion as the Nintendo Power Glove. It's so bad.
What's the matter with wireless keyboards? I just switched to one a couple months ago and I love it, I'm not sure I'll ever be happy using a wired one again.
The geek inside me thinks this is really cool. But the price needs to drop to $250-300, the price of a cheap netbook.
I feel like the screen and the wireless HDMI was just to push the price up. Then this would hit the lower end of the netbook range rather than the upper (same as an eee 701 without cost of battery or screen)
They could have had a nubby instead of trackpad and added a few extra USB ports for HDD, mouse, etc so this was a "one model" item and builds a hacker community. I suppose the wireless monitor and screen make this entirely self contained needing only a power source to connect for things like display kiosks or hobby projects.. literally every other input can be remote.
Wow... uh, spilling coffee in this keyboard would monumentally suck
Isn't that just a netbook without a screen?
This is a very good idea, less wires, less wieght. Great for home users. Netbokos are great for users that moves from one place to another. thumbs up
This is even better than the EEE nettop/touchscreen - whatever they are selling. Just hook this up to a large LCD monitor and you have an instant PC. This could be the most minimalist workspace ever.
I agree with the many who said it: Something about it is attractive, but that price just kills it for most.
Well, now we've had a PEEK at it, and next month we can POKE around to see what it can do. :)
(It's a c64 BASIC ref for the younger ones here).
I LIEK COMPUTAR
Still no news on whether it will have anything inside to actually make use of the HD output, like Ion or that Broadcom card.
And why is it always specifically a C64 this thing is compared to? In terms of shape and size it is more like a Spectrum +3 (with the screen talking the place of the disk drive).
If I could use this as some type of universal remote for my home theater also I might be sold. Also can we get some type of video of this thing actually running on a HD screen?
Looks a lot more like an Amstrad 464
http://jonathanen.com/pages/Computers/Amstrad/CPC464/amstrad-cpc464-large.jpg
Cybernet has been making Zero Footprint PC's for years now.
http://www.cybernetman.com/default.cfm?DocId=602
minimalist is right, and seems really portable (as long as you have TVs/monitors with wirless HDMI).
Would anybody know whether it’s possible to get a regular keyboard of similar design and quality? I have been looking for a slim keyboard for ages, but most of them are either low quality, have weird key layout or missing some keys completely.
this is about as full circle as it gets.
oh, it's got an actual computer in it. All along I just thought it was an ordinary keyboard with an LCD screen and never really looked much into it.
So that's pretty cool :)