Optimus Keyboard Done: $1564

[sladesurfer]

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39659

http://www.theinquirer.net/images/articles/Optimus_Front.jpg

It only took them 3 years to finally launch the keyboard. Notice that this keyboard needs active cooling. Anyone want to watercooled their Optimus keyboard!? :stick:

If you don't know, each key is a programmable OLED. That means you can change the image on the each key and program what it does.

[p8ntslinger676]

I would never buy one, too much money even if it does have programmable keys.

[m0da]

the thing looks/sounds amazing though!
i would not mind having one if i had the money.

are they joking with the "we can say almost for sure that those guys will sell out first batch completely?" or is there that much demand for this (and thus that many rich people ready to give their $$ for a keyboard)?

[VulgarHandle]

probably a good number of businesses that will buy them

[[XC] gomeler]

I'd buy one just for the super-cool factor of having one sitting on my desk, that is after I purchased 2x R600XT and made twin 2-stage cascades to run them at 1.2GHz :p: Then all I'd need would be one of those wall-unit TVs from bestbuy and I'd have the most expensive gaming rig in existence.

[Mortal]

It looks really weird how the enter key is sticking out. My need for symmetry would mean that it'd drive me nuts.

I know, I'm a petty man. :p:

[IKIKUINTHENUTZ]

SInce it has active cooling and a program of it's own, can we overclock it :p: :rolleyes: :p:



I know this a brand new idea and features never before developed before but really did the inventors think about how much they are selling per keyboard for?
$1,564 comon, if I was a business owner of a major enterprise, ill just buy some cheap $1.99 belige color keyboards for my workers :D
If I was rich ill just probelly awe at it for the moment and get something else much cheaper that looks more attractive than this keyboard even though this board already looks nice itself. lol

[KoHaN69]

If it improves my kill/death ratio in CS $1500 so be it!!

[deathman20]

Insane. It looks cool and surely if they brought it into the $200 range ALOT more people would be intrested in it. Possibley even me.

[kiwi]

It does not look even $30 worth. Sorry but what's so special there, cooling?

[n00b 0f l337]

Every keys a miny screen

[XSAlliN]

24K Gold? - for that cash I'll get a Good 2x CPU + 4GB Ram + High End (nVidia/ATI DX10 card). :ROTF:

[oublie]

It looks really weird how the enter key is sticking out. My need for symmetry would mean that it'd drive me nuts.

I know, I'm a petty man. :p:

You do realise that your sig is not symmetrical? :)

[ineedaname]

hehe they can only think of 1264 reasons why not 2 buy this keyboard.

I can think of 1564 :P

[LowRun]

At this price this is nothing but a dumbassmeter.

[LOE]

the keys are flat and it sux working with this thing

one must be a complete retard to actually buy this junk

[Kasparz]

I heard rumors that this keyboard will cone with this :rofl:
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/vilcus/
For extreme morons.

[szukalski]

Is it April 1st again already?

[LaGUNaMAN]

However, if you do have a high-end sports car or a limousine parked in front of your mansion or in a garage below your penthouse - and you want something different on your desk - Optimus Maximus is one way to go. µ

Hehe.. gotta love the Inq's humor though.

[Celcius]

I'm really liking the look but not even I would pay over $1500 for a keyboard...

[gillll]

so cool!

indeed their vision took form .
i hope other will follow and adopt oled for kb.
it is a break through in kb field, in terms of human "relations".
fully programmable keys are needfull things.

[gillll]

take pictures 4us ;)

[mion]

Vista approved

[WangChung]

I'm ordering one. No, seriously. I find it funny that people here, of all places, complain that :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: is too expensive. Can't get Aston Martin performance and looks on a Fiat budget.

[trans am]

For $1500 it better overclock well.

[JamesBong420]

all i know is when they get cheap.. im gonna love being able to sit my friends down and not tell them what a single key does for a video game. cause they can SEE what each key does in game.. instead of asking "ok what awsd? i thought the arrows moved me around.?" :D :D :D :D

or maybe just have a picture of a hottie sprawled out on all the keys. :p: :p: :p: :p: :p:

[xlink]

the thing looks/sounds amazing though!
i would not mind having one if i had the money.

are they joking with the "we can say almost for sure that those guys will sell out first batch completely?" or is there that much demand for this (and thus that many rich people ready to give their $$ for a keyboard)?

if they only made 5, I'm sure they will sell out.

there have to be atleast 5 really stupid people out there.




it was a ripoff when it was $200 1500 is a bitworse.
better be the nicest keyboard ever.

[Bounc3y]

i just built a machine for a friend for less than that.. and active cooling your keyboard???

[LordofDoom]

My friend is going to buy one, I'll try to get some pics ^^

[Mortal]

You do realise that your sig is not symmetrical? :)

Yep and that's bugging me too. I'll get around to fiving it. :D

Edit: Fixed :D

[Metroid]

This was made specially for the prince Charles. :fact:

[Anavel0]

Wow atleast they finally got it done. How they haven't run out of funding for this is beyond me. And active cooling for your keyboard, yay just what I wanted more fan noise!

[Mortal]

This was made specially for the prince Charles. :fact:

I say Jeeves, do be a sport and buy me one of those delightful Optimus keyboards. I have a desire to take a jaunt on the Internets. There's a good lad. :D

[Ssilencer]

This was made specially for the prince Charles. :fact:

I know he has some "special" tastes, just didn't know that he can "eat" something of that size:shrug:

[PrometheusCon]

Nice keyboard. Better keep the "Angry German Kid" away from this one though.

[XSAlliN]

I'm ordering one. No, seriously. I find it funny that people here, of all places, complain that :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: is too expensive. Can't get Aston Martin performance and looks on a Fiat budget.

The comparison between low budget/top cars and keyboards (like the one above) is ridiculous, Aston Martin proved their quality/potential in time, the Keyboard above looks like it appeared over night, after an early preview released some time ago, another thing that bothers me, and is quite visible - WERE ARE THE ERGONOMICS in that design - at that price should be real smooth and comfortable, I've seen better products based on ergonomics from M$ and Logitech at 10X smaller price. :shakes:

[Fatal Error]

If even one person buy this crap the inventor must be awarded with a nobel price really.
Next step:
oLED programmable mouse~Totally useless edition only 2.500$

I really wont pay even 30$ for this thing.

[Ubermann]

This is far from the stupidest thing you can waste money on.
I have to remind you of the dork here in town that bought a toilet door for 70K.

[LowRun]

My friend is going to buy one, I'll try to get some pics ^^

Try to have him spend that money on a donation to any charity org instead.

[SDatl404]

Imagine one of those days when you get super pissed at a game and your like, "^%$ ^$ $^%$^$ ^$$", while proceeding to bash your keyboard. Talk about an oh man :shakes:

Or if you decide to eat a BK hamburger or have your self a 24 pack while at your pc. That thing would get f-ed up quick.

It's definately cool though. Honestly it should have some more features for that kind of money. Like an automatic nut towel dispensor.

[Kaze06]

Like an automatic nut towel dispensor.

:ROTF:

[awdrifter]

The comparison between low budget/top cars and keyboards (like the one above) is ridiculous, Aston Martin proved their quality/potential in time, the Keyboard above looks like it appeared over night, after an early preview released some time ago, another thing that bothers me, and is quite visible - WERE ARE THE ERGONOMICS in that design - at that price should be real smooth and comfortable, I've seen better products based on ergonomics from M$ and Logitech at 10X smaller price. :shakes:

Yea, the Aston Matrin comparison is not accurate. This is like buying a transformer in term of cars. :p:

[xsbb]

talk about waste of money. Hahaha

[nemrod]

Every keys a miny screen

I believe that just some are OLED. :shrug:

[Daveb2012]

it will sell but it is rediculously priced. I won't ever buy one unless they make a model in the $200> range.

[WangChung]

My analogy is not ridiculous. You people are saying you'd love the functionality of this keyboard, but at pennies of the price it's actually selling for. THAT is what's ridiculous. The guy that designed the keyboard made it monolithic and with a certain "complex simplicity" for a reason. The average geeks like us are either in high school and living on mommies and daddies budget, or in college living on the Top Ramen budget. Obviously most of us won't be buying this keyboard for that reason. However, there is a certain segment of computer buyers that will have absolutely no problem dropping the coin on this keyboard. One of them is a devout geek such as myself that I find the keyboard more of a connoisseur product, and the obvious one, 99% of every Mac buyer out there. Compare the design of the Optimus to one of the iBooks, or the LCD screens that Apple has. Matches pretty damn close, doesn't it?

[MaxxxRacer]

probably a good number of businesses that will buy them

not really. buisnesses are in the buisness of making money, not burning it.

this might sell to design studios who have crazy high profit margins, but for everyone else this is not a finacially savy purchase.

[MaxxxRacer]

probably a good number of businesses that will buy them

not really. buisnesses are in the buisness of making money, not burning it.

this might sell to design studios who have crazy high profit margins, but for everyone else this is not a finacially savy purchase.

[SDatl404]

The average geeks like us are either in high school and living on mommies and daddies budget, or in college living on the Top Ramen budget. Obviously most of us won't be buying this keyboard for that reason.

LMAO your dead wrong about all of that.

I think businesses would really like the idea of this keyboard. It would open up lots of possibilities. It would make operating things alot easier thus making the business more efficient. Plus over time they will get cheaper fast just watch.:welcome:

[kaosInc.]

I have to agree with you MaxxxRacer. Although these keyboards are quite nice looking, its the price that will drive most potential users away. Anyways, this isn't even a new concept (apart from the "mini-screens" on each key). I remember seeing this in a 2002 issue of PC magazine.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s275/ka0sinc/KeyboardPCAd.jpg


Note: If you look at the bottom left corner you can see the original pricing (959$ USD) at the time. The price was ridiculous then and still is now.

P.S

Please forgive my rather rushed scanning :P

Edit:

LMAO your dead wrong about all of that.

I think businesses would really like the idea of this keyboard. It would open up lots of possibilities. It would make operating things alot easier thus making the business more efficient. Plus over time they will get cheaper fast just watch.:welcome:

Laptops are basically the same thing, and if you follow the current changes in prices they have become much more affordable than they first were. However this is not my main concern with this keyboard PC. What about upgradability(sp?) ? Will we be able to change more than just the RAM?

[charlie]

real world value is about $200

[ether.real]

You guys are all morons. If I had the money, I would buy it. The first run is 200, I dont doubt that it will sell out. As for donating money to charity instead, I would rather give money to someone who has a cool idea and employs workers.

[kaosInc.]

real world value is about $200

What do you mean? The 2002 version?

You guys are all morons. If I had the money, I would buy it. The first run is 200, I dont doubt that it will sell out. As for donating money to charity instead, I would rather give money to someone who has a cool idea and employs workers.

No need to flame, but calling us morons is unjustified. By the way are you telling us that you would rather give up the pc in your sig to buy an Optimus keyboard at 1500$?

[ether.real]

No. I am saying if I was rich, and had $1500 to burn. People flame the rich for buying expensive stuff, so what if they do. If I were rich I would too, and so would you. I get tired of everyone in this forum poo-pooing every new idea for whatever reason. A lot of people here also have no idea how basic economics works. If they sell out the first 200 (which I bet they will), they can reinvest that $300,000 into improving the manufacturing, which in turn means cheaper keyboards. I would figure of all places XS would be one that realizes that early adopters are vital for advancements in technology.

[kaosInc.]

No. I am saying if I was rich, and had $1500 to burn. People flame the rich for buying expensive stuff, so what if they do. If I were rich I would too, and so would you. I get tired of everyone in this forum poo-pooing every new idea for whatever reason. A lot of people here also have no idea how basic economics works. If they sell out the first 200 (which I bet they will), they can reinvest that $300,000 into improving the manufacturing, which in turn means cheaper keyboards. I would figure of all places XS would be one that realizes that early adopters are vital for advancements in technology.

I guess that is a mistake on my part not looking at the background of this company that makes these computers. I personally thought that it was one that was already well established with enough income to follow through with future technological advancements concerning this products and others if they are to come. I just wanted that I agree on your last point about how XS above all should be the most eager of all to test out this stuff. Considering that people here are willing to invest thousands of dollars into their systems to beat some benchmark (Not saying that I wouldn't do the same if I had the money to burn. :D ).

[xlink]

XS should pitch in to buy one for Fugger.

He can benchmark it for us.

[Revv23]

No. I am saying if I was rich, and had $1500 to burn. People flame the rich for buying expensive stuff, so what if they do. If I were rich I would too, and so would you. I get tired of everyone in this forum poo-pooing every new idea for whatever reason. A lot of people here also have no idea how basic economics works. If they sell out the first 200 (which I bet they will), they can reinvest that $300,000 into improving the manufacturing, which in turn means cheaper keyboards. I would figure of all places XS would be one that realizes that early adopters are vital for advancements in technology.


Finnaly someone gets it. :toast:

giving money to charity makes you feel warm inside, but you do the world alot better of a service to the world by supporting innovation rather then giving out handouts. Plus you get a shiny new keyboard for it.

Anyways, glad to see this thing finnaly came out, hopefully prices drop quick.

[nox_uk]

if i had $1500 spare, i'd buy one. But got more important things to think about, like repairing my car. Its a great new idea, and if it isn't 1/4 the cost in 5 years, i'll be suprised. Then i'll definately be buying one.

Nox