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OCZ rolls out Sabre OLED gaming keyboard
If this OLED-laden keyboard looks a little familiar, it should, 'cause we saw the same one back at Computex when it was known as the United Keys OLED Display Keyboard (itself manufactured by Foxconn). Of course, with the OCZ name comes widespread US availability, although there's unfortunately still no word of a price or release date just yet (the United Keys version runs $260). Otherwise, it looks like this new Sabre model has remain unchanged from its earlier counterpart, with it still packing the same nine user-programmable OLED keys, 128MB of on-board memory, blue LED "sidelighting," limitless macro configurations, some "super tactile, low-noise" key feedback and, unfortunately, a lack of Mac compatibility.
United Keys OLED Display Keyboard and Keypad hands-on
Well, any doubts of legitimacy have certainly been quelled: United Keys rushed us over an OLED keyboard and keypad today, and they're certainly the real deal. We're naturally utterly un-blown-away by the product -- you get what you pay for -- but it's still a relatively unique and interesting product, and wears the mantle of "the poor man's Optimus" quite well. Read on for our full impressions.%Gallery-39198%
United Keys now shipping OLED gaming keyboards
We heard about a United Keys OLED gaming keyboard quite a awhile back, and we were a little skeptical of its chances of coming to fruition, but here it is, in reality, ready to simplify your life. Well... it's ready to try, anyway. The keyboard features 103 regular old, everyday keys, and boasts nine monochromatic OLED display keys on the left side which can be custom mapped and identified by text or images -- really giving the Optimus Maximus a run for its money, huh? This bad boy is 20.5-inches long and 7.25-inches wide, but the good news is that if you don't want the full keyboard (and who can blame you?), you can order just the keypad of nine OLEDs. They're taking orders now, and apparently shipping within two weeks. The full keyboard is going to run you $259.99, while the OLED keypad is $199.99. Shocking photo of the keypad after the break.
Don't hold your breath for OLED key alternative: United Keys guy has a history
It all looks innocent and feasible on the surface, but behind the scenes we have no idea how realistic this gaming keyboard from United Keys is ever going to get. Sure, word of a manufacturing deal with FoxConn is good news, but it turns out a key employee has a bit of a history with false product launches. The man is Valdi Ivancic, of Medison fame -- that $150 laptop that never was. Valdi spent seven months with United Keys in 2005, and then went on to purportedly found his own company named "Swedish Keys." What's unclear is the relationship between the two companies, but we're not going to get our hopes up for much product from either until it shows up on store shelves. Oh, we almost forgot: Valdi's last big move was considering his candidacy for Prime Minister of Sweden. Yeah, really reassuring. [Thanks, Michael N.]
Uh-oh, Optimus: United Keys partners with FoxConn to build OLED gaming keyboards
Man, it looks like all these display keyboards are finally going from vapor to reality -- United Keys, which has been pimping various versions of its Display Keys product since 2005, has just announced that it's signed a deal with FoxConn to build a gaming keyboard with several OLED function buttons, and thats it's aiming to ship by summer. Interestingly, United Keys told us it holds two US patents and several foreign patents on the tech, and that it's searched for Art Lebedev's claimed Optimus patents but "can't find anything." Fair enough, but there are definitely some other similar patents on the books, like Elkin Acevedo's "display keyboard" patent, and Apple's recent filing. Looks like there's a giant, dorky light-up keyboard fight in the works, eh?
