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King of Keyboards has a ship date and a price!

http://www.artlebedev.com/

Let the count down begin. I can't wait, I've wanted one ever since they first released the concepts. What a name too, "Optimus Maximus Keyboard" heh.

But the price tag is a bit of a downer....

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  • Fordy
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    Fordy polycounter lvl 18
    Jesus, you'd have to be nuts even if you were loaded to pay that kind of price for a keyboard!

    I bet it doesn't even have a nice feel to it either.
  • Uly
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    Uly polycounter lvl 17
    Christ Fordy, how could you say that. Look how shiny it is!

    (Does anybody here actually still look at their keyboard when performing 'any' kind of task on the computer?)
  • Joao Sapiro
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    Joao Sapiro sublime tool
    its fucking ridicullous...makes me want to shove money in someones asshole and set it on fire.
  • Daz
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    Daz polycounter lvl 18
    I don't get it, and I can't find a simple one line summary that explains exactly why anyone in their right mind might lay down 1500 green ones for an input device. Will it make me a cup of tea and wank me off? Preferably simultaneously.
  • Mongrelman
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    Mongrelman polycounter lvl 18
    Most people prefer milk in their tea Daz.

    I second Johny's motion, how can you justify $1500 for a keyboard, even if it's pretty. Something like a tablet, which gives quite a large difference over a mouse, is understandable. But this just seems to be a keyboard with flashy keys. Hmm, this, or put a couple of dx10 cards and more ram into my computer?
  • rooster
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    rooster mod
    if you are rationally discussing how this is a waste of money, don't worry you are not the target market tongue.gif
  • adam
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    adam polycounter lvl 19
    Would be neat to get one and design a videogame for it...

    Or play a movie on it constantly, ha
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    haha When I saw this I just thought how many has John Romero ordered for his new company? What was the name of that last place he destroyed? Ion Storm? Ahh well I would use it if it was given to me but i'm not gonna spend that much on a keyboard but I know some people that would.
  • Ninjas
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    Ninjas polycounter lvl 18
    seriously though, spending $1500 on a keyboard isn't so bad when you consider that for people like us, you are touching it 10 hours a day. I mean, buying a $40,000 car that you drive 45 minutes a day seems much more stupid to me.
  • Mongrelman
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    Mongrelman polycounter lvl 18
    Aye, but paying $1500 for something that seems to just be a flashy version of something that you can get for about $50 is pretty ridiculous. It's not like normal keyboards have to be replaced every couple of months, so to justify $1500, it should really have something pretty special.
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    i picked up the G15 from Logitech. I have all kinds of macros setup on the keys to the left. It has a small lcd window you can write scripts for and it's awesome for gaming. That was under 100 bucks so I don't see why I would pay 1500 when I could get a quad core processor and a new dx10 graphics card.
  • Daz
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    Daz polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    seriously though, spending $1500 on a keyboard isn't so bad when you consider that for people like us, you are touching it 10 hours a day. I mean, buying a $40,000 car that you drive 45 minutes a day seems much more stupid to me.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I don't see how you can draw a parallel there at all. It's not about intelligence. People spend 40k on a car for all sorts of different reasons. They might want several hundred horsepower and a twin turbo of adrenalin rushing fun. They might think it will get them laid, they might buy it as a status symbol. They might buy it for superior engineering, performance, comfort or style. A car can be a thing of beauty, an object of desire. Cars can create passion in people. You wouldn't get that If you're not interested in cars. But this, this is a, um, a keyboard.
    Unless it comes with a lifetime guarantee that you'll never get rsi or carpal tunnel, or a claim that it can significantly increase work outputted from a 3D modeling package or Photoshop, it's still just a 1500 dollar keyboard.
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    yeah i would rather spend that 1500 on a new set of racing buckets for my eclipse or use it to put towards a new stage 3 turbo upgrade. Not my damn keyboard.
  • Ninjas
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    Ninjas polycounter lvl 18
    Playing Devil's Advocate here, having the shortcut icons on your keyboard could help you learn them a lot faster, so it actually could improve your work speed.

    Daz: I am not that interested in cars. I think people that are impressed by cars are worth impressing about as much rats. ie, their opinions don't matter to me one iota. In another era those same people would be impressed by huge wigs, or on Easter Island, giant ugly head statues.

    Obviously different people have different tastes and preferences. It seems like I am in the small minority that would buy this keyboard if I had the money to burn. Other people would spend the money on pure bred dogs, or a monte blanc pen, or a bottle of wine, or car parts, etc etc. I sit at a computer all day though, and I still look at my hands when I type, so I think a fancy keyboard would be neat.
  • ebagg
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    ebagg polycounter lvl 17
    It better shoot laser beams that could chop a mountain in half and double as a hoverboard for that price.
  • Daz
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    Daz polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Daz: I am not that interested in cars. I think people that are impressed by cars are worth impressing about as much rats. ie, their opinions don't matter to me one iota.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I got that you don't like cars from your post. I sit at a keyboard all day too. It's actually fairly common.
    I was merely trying to make the point that cars are something that can evoke passion in people, therefore putting an accurate dollar value on them becomes more difficult than something that has a purely functional and ergonomic purpose. Something like say, a keyboard. I've never heard of anyone having an 'interest' per se in keyboards. That's why I thought it was a strange comparison.

    I think it was pretty clear from my post that I have an interest in cars and motor sport in general, which is why your further comments appear deliberately and unecessarily antagonistic. But I've seen that from you before around these parts so I shouldn't be that surprised.

    If my interest in vehicles alone makes you cast some damning judgement on me as having a worthless opinion, it doesn't affect me since I in no way shape or form require any kind of approval from you. But I do find it most peculiar and more than a little shortsighted. I see that you're trying to be smart here, but I disagree wholeheartedly that in a different era a car enthusiast would automatically adore wigs and stone deities. You've reached a conclusion that cars interest people entirely 100% as fashion items or cultural icons, and that's just utter bollocks. My interest lies in performance cars and racetracks, and you will never know how much of an incredible adrenalin pumping rush that can be, but that's your loss.

    If my interest was something a bit more obviously unsavoury, like a penchant for buggering small boys, I could probably make more sense of it. No matter. I'm not going to get any further into it.
  • Ninjas
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    Ninjas polycounter lvl 18
    I was commenting on this point:

    "They might think it will get them laid, they might buy it as a status symbol"

    I didn't comment on your other points because I didn't have anything clever to say. Obviously enjoying driving is just a consumption preference. That said, most of the $40,000 cars I see are not Lotus Elises, so I think most people are buying cars as fashion accessories.

    You are right. I was being unecessarily antagonistic. I own a car and sometimes I even enjoy driving it-- my point is that people like to spend money on all sorts of things. Why not a slick keyboard? I think it is far less absurd than a lot of things people buy.
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    Yeah honestly I would rather buy a 1500 dollar keyboard than a $ 600 handbag or something along those lines. Like I said I paid close to $100 for the one I have and it works amazing. Hell I would love to pick up a cintiq just so I could paint more in painter and a few other things but convincing my wife that a 3d artist needs a cintiq to do concept art on is a bit far of a stretch.

    But she wants a $40k car. Go figure.

    People spend money on different things for different reasons. Honestly I have probably spent over 3 grand on star wars collectibles in the past 2 years and i wish i could have bought more. I am close to having enough for an entire clone army. haha

    I think a lot of us would honestly love to have that keyboard and i will admit it would be pretty useful at times.

    I ended up getting a Spacepilot from connexion a while back. Those are 500 bucks and I only use it for photoshop and sometimes in max with some camera animations. Then again I never had to pay for it and I received it for free. So I guess that doesn't count. wink.gif
  • MikeF
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    MikeF polycounter lvl 19
    i've never actually spit anything out of my mouth over a price tag, but you sir have alowed me to do that this evening.
  • Tulkamir
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    Tulkamir polycounter lvl 18
    So Erm... forgive me if it's been asked, but what in the hell does this do that my keyboard doesn't?
  • KeyserSoze
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    KeyserSoze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    So Erm... forgive me if it's been asked, but what in the hell does this do that my keyboard doesn't?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    The keys are miniature OLED displays.
  • StJoris
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    Assuming it's like the optimus concept
    http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-concept/

    means you can get pretty pictures on your buttons
  • fmnoor
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    fmnoor polycounter lvl 17
    a keyboard made of out of mini-OLED displays can't be that durable can it?

    I would hope it would be easy to pop out the keys for cleaning as well at that price.
  • Davision3D
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    Davision3D polycounter
    Sure, its a nice design and these displays are cool, but that makes no sense for me! I dont need a display to show whats that function of that key is, i can save such things in my brain and dont need to look at my keyboard. I think these keyboard is for stupid guys with too much money! wink.gif
  • rooster
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    rooster mod
    [ QUOTE ]
    Look how shiny it is!

    [/ QUOTE ]
  • conte
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    conte polycounter lvl 18
    my keyboard's price is about 10$
    hahaahhaahahhahahahahhahahahaha
    i am poor, yes XD
  • Mark Dygert
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    If they moved the decimal one place to the left I might consider it. I consider a good keyboard like a good mouse tablet, monitor or software package. If you get quality it will last a few systems. I would gladly pay a little more for something that works smoothly and quietly than having to make due with crap and replacing it every 3-6mo. I'm sure it will drop in price or it will fail. Right now they have i-phone syndrome without the massive rabid fan base to buy into it.

    Considering people much less frugal than myself won't bat an eye at a $1,500 shopping trip I'm pretty sure the common broke ass gamer living in a shoebox is not the target audience for this particular piece of electronics.

    Price tag or no price tag the thing is still the hottest keyboard I have seen and CAN serve a purpose more than just being flashy.

    I'm mostly hoping for the cheaper knock offs to come out, or the price to drop. These guys are great idea people but not really the type that have production connections, if they hook up with the right people they could manufacture these at a much cheaper cost and higher rate, reducing overhead, increasing profits and lastly dropping the price.

    I doubt its an item they recommend for daily use by the internet addicted bloggers of the world. Considering they are pain painstakingly making them by hand they more than likely consider each a work of functional art and are selling it as such.
  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
  • Davision3D
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    Davision3D polycounter
    [ QUOTE ]
    This is soooo much better
    http://www.daskeyboard.com/<br />
    [/ QUOTE ]
    Yeah, thats how a keyboard supposed to look!! laugh.gif
  • thomasp
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    thomasp hero character
    look - perhaps. feel - depends on your taste. i find the click annoying and the keys too firm. makes my fingers hurt a little wink.gif - keytronic makes awesome keyboards like the eurotech, a bit large for users of A4 wacoms tho.
  • Sa74n
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    Sa74n polycounter lvl 18
    if this thing is successful we'll have loads of them in a couple of years from now when other manufacturers jump on the train.
    i wouldnt spend more than 200 euros on it. and even that is already quite a lot for a keyboard.
  • Joshua Stubbles
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    Joshua Stubbles polycounter lvl 19
    bah.
    Ergo FTW

    414QERTWPKL._SS500_.jpg

    ^^ I use that at home and at work. Nothing I've used before has come close. Very comfortable, and no hand stress at all.
  • conte
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    conte polycounter lvl 18
    interesting....














    how much? laugh.gif
  • nealb4me
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    nealb4me polycounter lvl 18
    Logitech G15 FTW!

    Twin Turbo oldskool Soarer FTW!

    This oled keyboard looks like it was made people with parallel cube fingers from the the planet X^3. I hate it!
  • andym12
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    I don't particularly like the look of the way that keyboard is split down the middle. Personally I would have to relearn how to type to a certain degree because I don't touch type in the traditional method of having one hand covering each side of the keyboard. How does it work for you?

    On another note, I was thinking of buying the G15 without the LCD display - can't remember the name - how useful is the LCD? I can't really see that much of a use for it, but I guess I'd be able to move this hulking great clock off my desk.
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    Like I mentioned before I have the g15 for my desktop. I love it. I have used the screen for gaming a lot, a clock, shows my winamp info, i can also control the songs from the keys on the top without having to close down max, maya, photoshop to plug around in winamp. There are also other things people are developing for the screen with the sdks available on the net. Ventrillo, Xfire are a few apps to name.

    It has a lot of potential in the keys on the side and if you are a gamer as well it's an awesome keyboard to use. So far it's been the best keyboard I have used.
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    Optimus Maximus Keyboard is a stupid idea, and I see no useful features. But some people will buy anything with colorful flashing lights.

    The Logitech G15 looks really cool, and I normally buy Logitech products. But I prefer an ergonomic design. I type faster with fewer mistakes, and it's more comfortable on my wrist...which is better for a device I spend several hours a day on. I rarely look at my keyboard. And since working in Norway, I've had to learn how to switch between English and Norwegian keyboard layouts, not depending on the key labels. Memorizing the keys has been helpful. Not to mention, if you are looking at your keys during a Quake match, you're dead.

    An Ergonomic G15 would be the king of keyboards. But there appears to be an issue with violating patents if they did.

    How much for this bent piece of metal?
    http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/dispensum/
  • Illusions
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    Illusions polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    How much for this bent piece of metal?
    http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/dispensum/

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I like how it took an entire team + 3 industrial designers to come up with it.

    The only thing I could see that Optimus Keyboard being useful for are flashy product demonstrations given by software/game design companies that have the money to blow away. Once E-paper becomes cheaper to produce, and more readily available, we'll probably see keyboards almost exactly like that, probably first in black and white, for under $150.
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    Illusions: good product design, especially the best product design, makes it look easy. almost obvious. you look at something and say "well i could have designed that..." and yet, you didn't, these russians did laugh.gif yes, the tape dispenser is simple, but it's also very attractive looking and can be mounted on a wall--when was the last time you saw that?

    as far as the optimus maximus, it's clearly more in line with some of these guys cheekier designs... such as the finger-shocker. which i have to admit, is definitely the best on the market.

    and yes, i majored in industrial design. these guys crack me up. though i'd have to admit that the daskeyboard is definitely my ideal for an "ultimate" keyboard.

    my actual keyboard is the logitech ultraflat:
    log_ultra.jpg
    20 bucks off new egg, as i recall. has the short travel and press feel of a laptop keyboard, yet is full size. nice looking and cheap.
  • Illusions
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    Illusions polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Illusions: good product design, especially the best product design, makes it look easy. almost obvious. you look at something and say "well i could have designed that..." and yet, you didn't, these russians did laugh.gif yes, the tape dispenser is simple, but it's also very attractive looking and can be mounted on a wall--when was the last time you saw that?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Yet none of them saw that in order to pull off a piece of tape longer than the height of the end facing the floor, I would either have to touch the tape side twice with my fingers (thus getting more gum on them), or accomplish the physically impossible task of pulling my hand through the wall?

    Plus if you mount it to dispense like toilet paper, you also have to design the roller at the center of the tape like those on toilet paper. Otherwise the first person to pull foward on the tape instead of down is taking the roll with them.

    I'd say its ok product design though, not the best because (as above) there are some design flaws they didn't seem to address. Plus it looks like something I could get at Ikea. tongue.gif
  • Emil Mujanovic
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    Emil Mujanovic polycounter lvl 18
    I wanted this keyboard when I first saw the concept article for it. The price tag is a little worrying, though I doubt they'll have any trouble selling the 200 keyboards they have per month. If I had throwing around money, I'd be more than happy to throw US$1,500 to get that keyboard. Unfortunately I don't so I'll stick to my Logitech wireless keyboard.

    Ninjas, I'm with you dude about the whole car thing. I don't seem to get a hard-on for that sort of thing. Though I can understand if other people do. Everyone has their interests and I'm all for that. I like spending money on electronics, gaming consoles, upgrading my PC, shit I don't really need but think its cool. So I'd rather spend $1,500 on that keyboard than getting new rims and a body-kit for my car.

    -caseyjones
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