New Keyboard Design - Page 2

c3400 · 07-07-2006

Well, I think totaly different. How could it possibly work with everything? I mean, there are so many small applications tumbling around the net today. Free little things, used only to convert .jpgs to .gifs, for example. How would this keyboard work with that? And actually, a year of development doesn't seem to be a long time. I figure that like five years would be more appropiate for a thing like this!

gingerbloke · 07-07-2006

Ok...look at it this way. The keyboard I am using at the moment is a standard simple cheap keyboard. No frills....nothing. But it does recognise different programs...it has to or else the shortcuts I use in Photoshop or Bryce wouldn't work. They work because they are part of the program and the keyboard activates it. What if this new keyboard can read the program you are using at the time .. the keys would then know what shortcuts to use etc. I think it's really that simple. Technology has moved on leaps and bounds now to the point where it's hard to keep up. Nobody said that the keyboard could convert .jpgs to .gifs or make the coffee. I just think it's a superb idea and very innovative. I'll get one just for the hell of it!

c3400 · 07-08-2006

yes, that's right. What if this new keyboard can read the program you are using at the time. It therefore relies on that this keyboard can read wich program it is, and know wich shortcuts to use, so that, of course, you dont have to take the shortcuts. Or, well, you take an even easier one, wich only expects you to press one button.

For example: You are using a little freeware thingie to convert a .jpg to .gif. In this program, the shortcut CTRL + Y stands for Convert. On your desktop lies this very keyboard we are all talking about. What do you do? Well, that depends..
Does your keyboard have a button somewere that is all red, and says CONVERT, or does it look all normal? If it looks normal, you press and hold Ctrl and then click Y. If it doesn't, you press the CONVERT button. It is as easy as that. But what did your keyboard show you then? That, we do not know. Did it actually recognise your freeware program?
Of course can it recognise programs such as Photoshop and Bryce, because they are very much known by people. And yes, I know it is possible for the keyboard to know ALL programs, but I'm not sure it will anyway.

Most likley, it comes some software with this thing where you can program it to read your most used applications. If it is so, then my doubts slowly starts dissapere...

GoldNetX · 07-08-2006

If I am not mistaken, I believe that it has been announced that with the keyboard they are releasing the entire SDK. Some you can get straight to the keyboard with programming and set it up pretty much however you want.

Neil_8_24_93 · 07-15-2006

Does anyone know when the US release is coming out?

*unleash* · 07-15-2006

That thing really looks great very handy when using photoshop......i don't need to remeber al the combinations then

but where can u get them......an they be purchased in a shop or something or must you purchase them over the web?(im too young for a credit card .sigh.)

NEOD101 · 07-15-2006

It seems like it'd probably be and online purchase at first. Untill it becomes quite common. As for not having a credit card... well I can use my mums(with her permission of course) just like I did to get Day of Defeat: Source.

ecntrc · 07-16-2006

thats nice, i think i wanna get one of those..

GoldNetX · 07-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil_8_24_93

Does anyone know when the US release is coming out?

Probably not for a while, I have yet to even here of a working prototype. So production probably will not come for a while. They have a proof of concept min-version with 3 keys, but the full board might still have a bit to go.

--frenchieXx · 07-25-2006

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/searc...uctCode=PROKEY

Another really cool keyboard... pity it's so expensive ($200+ I think)

gingerbloke · 07-31-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by --frenchieXx

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/searc...uctCode=PROKEY

Another really cool keyboard... pity it's so expensive ($200+ I think)

Interesting idea but i think the Art Lebedev keyboard would prove to be more useful. The projector keyboard looks very limited. It says on the site that it uses a standard qwerty keyboard but when it shows the LED version I can't help but notice there are many keys that are missing and / or have been moved around...therefore there's nothing standard about it at all. You can't add to it or take anything away from it whereas the Optimus is completely programmable to the point of hitting an unbelievable wow factor reducing all of us to kids once more. And that's gotta be worth something!

teh.f4ll3n · 08-01-2006

HeHe... Been following the project progress since the announcement... I like the idea of having a keyboard that shows you what exactly this or that key does. As far as I know Optimus keyboard will update the key images once you hit a modifier button - be that Control, Alt or Shift. It shouldn't make any difference, which application you use, it's still a keyboard.

CooK · 08-04-2006

I live in Russia, so I had a chance to try it.
I've just tried the pre-production samle...
It's..............bad, very bad. It looks nice when you see it in front of a monitor, but the buttons are made of very cheap plastic and they "click" realy noisy =(
The softweare is "buggy" so sometimes the keybord just turns off =(

But i think we shoul wait for a ready sample... The demo one was awfull

gingerbloke · 08-06-2006

Hmmm....ok Cook. That's interesting to hear. Things always look better than they actually are. Hopefully all the 'bugs' will be ironed out before it's go 'live' to the public. I love the idea and look of it but then again if it's going to be more trouble than it's worth I may re-think things. Mind you it can't be any cheaper or 'clicky' than the cheap keyboard I am using now!