Art Lebedev stacks Optimus Popularis keys up against Maximus: smaller, higher res
By Donald Melanson 
posted June 24th 2010 3:51PM
posted June 24th 2010 3:51PM
Art Lebedev gave us an update on its slimmer, long-promised Optiumus Popularis keyboard last month, but the design shop hasn't ever provided many concrete details about it apart from the fact that it won't be OLED-based this time around. We now at least know a bit more about those all-important keys, however, which are said to be both smaller and higher-res than the OLED keys on the Optiumus Maximus -- 15 mm square and 64 x 64, to be specific -- and have a much smaller "inactive" area (as illustrated by the gray border above). Still not much more than that, unfortunately, but this is Art Lebedev, so you can count on a trickle of information to continue right up until the keyboard rolls out at the end of this year / early next year -- assuming it isn't delayed, that is.
Wouldn't this work better with PixelQi or E-Ink screens instead of OLED?
@Teslanaut For all those times you want to take your $1000, full-sized keyboard out on a picnic? Um, sure...I guess.
@CRA1G
Well the Maximus is $1,600. This will obviously be higher than that. As for me, I'm gonna take that money and buy an actual computer, versus just a FREAKING KEYBOARD :/
@CRA1G That's not the reason I'm talking about. For one, it uses way less power. Another reason is that it will last way longer. Another reason is you're displaying static images, isn't PixelQi & E-Ink the best for that?
@Teslanaut
It *isn't* OLED, like the article says.
Just bring it to the market please. I am sick of waiting.
And for only $999, this changes everything. Again.
@Colours
"When i was just a fetus , i had a vision . And today that vision becomes a revolution , that will alter reality.forever"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xgls9IwWUyU
I think the target audience is similar to the Apple "i" , it better have polladium or else....
THE IPHONE 4 SCREAN IS BETTER THAN THISSONE!!
Sorry, couldn't resist....
@treef rt
I was going to say Engadget will pretty much adore it since that's the trend lately. Oh the screen has a higher resolution but it smaller? WE LOVE IT.
@treef rt
What's a screan? And what does thissone mean? OH! OH! Is this a guessing game?!
Maybe you mean "The iPhone 4's screen is better than this one!"
Well in that case... you're right! But, they're two completely different devices, different sizes, and different uses.
As a sidenote: So long as the charicature on the keys is legible for the keyboard, I personally couldn't care less about how many pixels there are =s I'm not going to buy one anyway so, ya know.
@treef rt
What's a screan? And what does thissone mean? OH! OH! Is this a guessing game?!
Maybe you mean "The iPhone 4's screen is better than this one!"
Well in that case... you're right! But, they're two completely different devices, different sizes, and different uses.
As a sidenote: So long as the charicature on the keys is legible for the keyboard, I personally couldn't care less about how many pixels there are =s I'm not going to buy one anyway so, ya know.
@RickStar
Sigh. Engadget, please, an edit or delete own comment button? =[
@RickStar
It's okay guy. Karma can be mean.
Now the difficult choice is... 1 keyboard or 1332 Snicker bars?
@nascasho Not 1337?
@nascasho Assuming a static price for a snickers bar. Its hard telling what the price of a snickers bar will be by the time this thing actually launches. However, given the general upward movement of candy prices in the last few years it stands to reason that in the future you will get less snickers for the same price. I say you just hedge your bets and buy all the snickers now.
@KAL326
Dang, you're right. I'm hungry, and I'm not waiting.
One day Optimus Popularis, one day...
This will probably sell out as fast as the old one.
I see the Optimus Maximus is now running for $2.400 or €1.667
http://store.artlebedev.com/computer_add-ons/optimus-maximus/
Altho Lebedev promissed this one to cost $1.000, I would guess that the final product will cost $5.000 looking at the above.
@FMinus Thats odd, i have it for $1700 here, http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_85_233&products_id=23205
now if only i had the money for this
If it's lower than 300 ppi, they blew it
@Exbloder
no, no, it' ok, this keyboard doesn't have a task manager.
@Exbloder
If you see CTRL+ALT+DEL, they blew it.
This product was relevant then there were no any touchscreens around. Now I cannot see any point to buy 101 mini-screens instead of one touchscreen.
@Pasha Proper feedback? I don't see myself typing whole the time on a touchscreen, or at least not on my computer
@Pasha Compare the Optimus to the Ipad and tell me which one you'd prefer to type your dissertation on.
Many people are probably asking "But will it Swype?"
I guess they will have to wait for this one instead. http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-tactus/
I wonder how long it will be before Smear Typing (TM) becomes the norm.
I think I should go into the keyboard cleaning spray business.
@Tegdagne
That concept is hilarious. They're selling a tablet as an expensive keyboard. Someone at Lebedev must have gone "No! Wrong! Our core business is keyboards! Sell it as a keyboard dammit!"
From the press release:
"We call them... Retina keys. The pixels are more dense than the skull of our head of marketing. You have to see it to believe it. And you have to mortgage your house to see it.
Retina keys... the truly look like regular keys... if you see the difference, we blew it.
You call it magic, we call it art...
Art Lebedev."
@TheAmazingWJV Apple probably patents their speeches, so they wouldn't say that
@Exbloder
I heard Apple's sueing others for infringing their patent on weak signals and random call dropping :)
They even built it in the new iPhone as a feature. It's called Left Hand Hanging. Simply take the phone in your left hand and it magically hangs up.
That said, I quite enjoy my 3GS.
I'll buy one of these keyboards when I decide to live in a cardboard box.