News Interview with OLED keyboard guy

I wont hold my breath untill i see a link to a price and a store estimated ship date. Once I see that I will then place an order and hold my breath

 

Meh, after finally getting used to my Microsoft Ergo 4000 keyboard, it's hard to come back to a normal keyboard like I do at work. Plus, I also just noticed that the enter key is a giant square and not normal shaped, dunno how well I'd do with that as I'm always accidentally hitting the enter key on a normal keyboard.

 

I'd love to be proven wrong, but this is nothing more than a pipe dream/shameless self-promotion/both.

A product like that with over a hundred active displays, especially OLEDs, would not only be a manufacturing nightmare but be completely uneconomical to produce. Due to the shape and size of the keys all the screens would have to be custom designed and made specifically for this one highly specialised niche product that would sell in minuscule numbers, meaning new tooling and production lines. I'm pretty certain no Far Eastern screen maker would even take an order for the kind of quantity this thing warrants.

The R&D and manufacturing costs vs. potential profit just don't add up in the slightest, at least not without a major redesign to be able to use readily available mass produced displays, for example ones already being used on the fronts of clamshell mobile phones.

I'm afraid it's all just one big PR exercise for Mr. Lebedev, a classic cheeky Russian if I ever saw one (I should know having come from over there and sharing his first name).

 

I disagree with the small numbers... A keyboard has about 100 keys... if he sells 1000 keyboards, that would make 100000 OLED screens... that isn't a small number...

But I agree, it has been too long in the works... doubt it wil make it to the finals

 

That equation only applies to the character keys; the design as it stands features several custom sized displays for the shift, spacebar, enter keys etc which would obviously be required in far lower quantities.

It's simply not economically viable at all. But as I mentioned, it could be a different story if it was redesigned to feature only readily available mass produced small displays, such as those being used as outer screens on clamshell phones.

The hardware and firmware needed to run the thing would present a whole new engineering challenge which would need a lot of time and money thrown at it as well.

It's a non starter, conceived solely to draw attention to Lebedev and his design studio. If it ever makes it to market I'll put my trusty Logitech through a coffee grinder and eat it sprinkled over my coco pops.

.

 

You may literally have to eat your words (or your keyboard). I'm not saying or guaranteeing anything, but check this link out: http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/
Anyone notice the "see front page for news on February 1st, 2006"? Or how on the front page it advertises it? I'm personally hoping for the Optimus to come to market, my trusty Logitech Cordless MX Duo (the one with the MX700 mouse) is a second-hander, from my bro, and he was none too kind with it. Then again, neither am I. The only thing I'm going to miss if I get a corded keyboard is the freedom to sit back and type or put the keyboard on my electronic MIDI keyboard and use the space to work. Wow... OT much.

This headbang is to hoping that pipe dreams and beautiful renders of amazing ideas come true.

*EDIT* I just realized that if you click on answers on the page I linked, a lot of the things you guys are looking for are listed as predictions from the DESIGNER HIMSELF. Heh. *bounces* Midterms are the day of the release!!! SOOO EXCITED! */EDIT*

 

I think I'll wait around for the mini-version just for left-handed gaming - the "circle of death" on the WolfClaw II:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/7a67/

I certainly can't go back to a standard keyboard for gaming, though the idea for photoshopping and whatnot is downright awesome. But I'd love even more to have "M4A1" glowing beneath by key bound to buying one in CS:S. Considering the "niche-ness" of the market this would be going to, I think a gamer Circle of Death Edition would be awesome. Not to mention toting a keyboard smaller than a mousepad would be much more convenient for LANs and whatnot (unless you enjoy typing out strategy rather than mic'ing it)

That's just my thought though. I still need to keep my old keyboard around for a couple reasons, and being able to have the CoD alone rather than the full board would be much more convenient for me. And who other than the hardcore gamer would even consider spending $100+ for input devices (excluding drawing tablets)?

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/14/the-optimus-mini-three/

Sorry to spoil the "1st February" surprise

<A88>

 

Ah well... maybe next year?

 

Heh. Reminds me of the Jay Leno "Men's Keyboard". The three keys were, predictably, "ON", "OFF", and "PORN".

 

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! ! !

Folks exalting the "ergonomics" of the MS "natural" keyboard need to take a few human physio courses. MS designed this without a clue as to the human anatomy and their only research was marketing appeal, not human factors science. These keyboards are worse than standard keyboards!

Don't believe me? Here's a test I'm sure you fans can do in the privacy of your own home or office cubby. Simply outstretch your arms, relaxing your hands and wrists. Notice anything? Unless you standing upside down your wrists are bending and guess what? Your hands are canted DOWNWARDS. THAT is the "natural" position of your hands, not forced upwards. D'oh!

True "ergonomic" boards, not MS gimmicks, recognize this and place your hands in a well or valley, not on a hill like these MS boards do!

The last thing your orthopedic surgeon wants is your hands tilted upwards for ANY length of time [unless you're recovering from a brachial plexus injury and damaged your radial nerve]. Even then, that is under supervised therapy.

These MS renditions are aberrations are significantly more harmful than your standard $4.95 keyboard and while you guys are buying into the marketing hype, MS is laughing all the way to the bank and physicians [ethical ones] are simply staring at each other dumbfounded.

Check these factors out for yourself as there are numerous TRUE ergonomic keyboards available, however, due to the entirely different mechanics of these authentic boards, you won't find them on Amazon or Ebay as they often cross the $1k barrier! So please folks, don't take a trained clinician's word for this, do your own research. Just do it on a standard keyboard before you really injure yourselves permanently!

Ok, that's my good deed and rant for the day. I registered onto this board solely to alert you good people of this issue. Here's wishing everyone a safe and super holiday!

AX~

 

ok

 

Someone please whip up a holy thread revival batman images...

 

On topic of the above rant - he/she's correct. I hate using my laptop keyboard - it hurts. The keyboard I have been using at work for years is the kinesis contoured keyboard. I firmly believe that it saved me from having surgery. (A few years aog my doc told me that if I didn't change how I was using a computer at work that I would have to have surgery.)

Unfortunately, I only have the PS2 version and my primary machine is now a macbook pro. I am planning on shelling out the $300 or so to buy the USB version.

 

I hate to break it to you (I really don't though) but my Ergo 4000 made by Microsoft does point downwards. My hands are resting "downhill" and not "uphill." I take it that your solitary post which will unlikely warrent you returning here to bit-tech was aimed at my post about my Ergo keyboard as it's the only one that I have managed to see mentioning a keyboard made by Microsoft in this entire thread. Perhaps you should actually do a little bit of product research before you go ranting on and on about something. I do know that after many hours of typing sessions that my wrists and fingers are neither in pain or hurting. Seems fairly ergonomic to me.