Optimus keyboard
Amazing state of the art keyboard
Saturday, July 16, 2005 by Tarkus | Discussion: Personal Computing
Every key on this amazing keyboard is programmable, not only in terms of functionality, but in presentation. Even animation on keys is supported.
You can have one layout for Photoshop and another for Quake, for example, and the keys will change to reflect those two programs.
Check out the link for more cool pictures.
This is a 10 on the Geek Cool Meter!
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starkers
Reply #2 Sunday, July 17, 2005 3:50 AM
Reply #2 Sunday, July 17, 2005 3:50 AM
Quite interesting indeed....with fully programmable keys, maybe I'd not lose my way nearly as much 
Yep. it would definitely help me with learning new proggies and apps, etc...will keep my eyes open on this one.
Thanks, Tarkus, for the post and link
Yep. it would definitely help me with learning new proggies and apps, etc...will keep my eyes open on this one.Thanks, Tarkus, for the post and link
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #3 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:36 AM
Reply #3 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:36 AM
Yeah, but does it stay clean? My keyboard is filthy...
thomassen
Reply #4 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:47 AM
Reply #4 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:47 AM
That's wicked. No more remembering what key what mapped to what function. Just look at the keys! 
"Skinning the keyboard" mmmm... Tasty!
I think I simply must have one. Bloody expencive, but I'll just work a little bit more.
"Skinning the keyboard" mmmm... Tasty!I think I simply must have one. Bloody expencive, but I'll just work a little bit more.
thomassen
Reply #5 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:47 AM
Wash you hands!
Reply #5 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:47 AM
| Yeah, but does it stay clean? My keyboard is filthy... |
Wash you hands!
Mr_Frog
Reply #6 Sunday, July 17, 2005 10:19 AM
Reply #6 Sunday, July 17, 2005 10:19 AM
That's HOT! I just bought a wireless key/mouse combo, but I'd drop a couple bills on something like that...but only if it's comfortable to type on regularly. On the other hand, it might be kind of cool to have a typing keyboard and a "specialty application" keyboard. I can see this becoming popular for gaming consoles and commercial applications like Point of Sale systems.
I'm keeping the page bookmarked so I can follow the progress of this thing. Not neccissarly the most innovative thing I've seen in input technology, but certainly the coolest I've seen in a while.
-- B
I'm keeping the page bookmarked so I can follow the progress of this thing. Not neccissarly the most innovative thing I've seen in input technology, but certainly the coolest I've seen in a while.
-- B
Tarkus
Reply #7 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:25 PM
Reply #7 Sunday, July 17, 2005 6:25 PM
I like their FAQ. Shows they have a good sense of humor.
They show a lowercase English keyboard. I would imagine that you can set it up so that all the alpha keys reflect the status of the Caps Lock key, which would be so cool. Same for the numerical keypad, fuction keys, etc.
Hey, they never said if it would be wireless. I love my Logitech wireless keyboard, and would hate to go back to a cord. They might need a cord for power consumption, though. I could see this eating up some batteries.
One thing I'd miss on the Optimus are my multimedia controls. I know you could program function keys or whatever for that, but that's not quite the same as having large dedicated controls, including a volume wheel.
They show a lowercase English keyboard. I would imagine that you can set it up so that all the alpha keys reflect the status of the Caps Lock key, which would be so cool. Same for the numerical keypad, fuction keys, etc.
Hey, they never said if it would be wireless. I love my Logitech wireless keyboard, and would hate to go back to a cord. They might need a cord for power consumption, though. I could see this eating up some batteries.
One thing I'd miss on the Optimus are my multimedia controls. I know you could program function keys or whatever for that, but that's not quite the same as having large dedicated controls, including a volume wheel.
Lantec
Reply #9 Sunday, July 17, 2005 8:08 PM
Reply #9 Sunday, July 17, 2005 8:08 PM
Anyone know if the company developing the keyboards is publically traded??
I'd sure like to invest. Looks to be a top seller when they hit stores, and I can see all kinds of applications beyond just computer keyboards.
I'd sure like to invest. Looks to be a top seller when they hit stores, and I can see all kinds of applications beyond just computer keyboards.
SATYROBE
Reply #10 Sunday, July 17, 2005 8:56 PM
Reply #10 Sunday, July 17, 2005 8:56 PM
A german friend said there is also keyboard ONLY for favorites. You shove a whole
marking sheet into it at once, which is easily reprinted at once marking all
keys with icons of your programs assigned to it and it may be illuminated at night
but is probably not animated, reasonably priced by hope I am not mixing up companies
while spelling it sytec or saitec, only heard him pronouncing it on the phone, you
may know of it anyway. It is designed to be a second keyboard in addition to let us
say, this one. Think my pal still has the url. Fuzzy logic could easily clean all
keys at once, because they are under one solid plane cover all together without
washing his hands. He is right, cleaning is to be thought about, especially when
you overpay for something.
Personal experiences of mine proved keyboards with cords to be cheap, reliable,
and interfere less with my wireless logitech laser mouse, my 2 wireless cell phones, moms radio, the neighbors remote control for his garden gate, and my
wireless headphones. The keyboards are one of the few things I do not move,
whereas I have already had problems because I ripped an old headphone out of
a laptop the wrong way while walking around and the mouse cable almost falls apart
and constantly gets in your way while smoking mousing etc.
Thank you quite mucho for de tip, by the way! Looks yummy if affordable, wonder if
they ever do it, could have too much humor for surviving with expensive projects
like this. Hope the russan-german computer dictionary I am getting next week will
also tell me when they have their april fools day.
Hey, Thomassen, did you ever get my post with a corrected link to my article you
wanted to read about different wallpapers in each folder window? My norwegian
was not that good when I tried to put it on your norwegian message mask on
your independent site. I can still e-mail it to ya, and it still is on my
WC Satyrobe page updated and cleaned up a bit too last week, but that old
link is still dead and I can not kill it, even though I complained about it
and posted it in on a JU site issue thread, but they are still busy and
have only one of two servers working that used to handle 4 million clickers still active according
to Frogboys WC site issue article of this weekend´s, as you probably know. Nice to see you helping
people on the 3d forum, stardock forum, with their od.zip question. Email
marking sheet into it at once, which is easily reprinted at once marking all
keys with icons of your programs assigned to it and it may be illuminated at night
but is probably not animated, reasonably priced by hope I am not mixing up companies
while spelling it sytec or saitec, only heard him pronouncing it on the phone, you
may know of it anyway. It is designed to be a second keyboard in addition to let us
say, this one. Think my pal still has the url. Fuzzy logic could easily clean all
keys at once, because they are under one solid plane cover all together without
washing his hands. He is right, cleaning is to be thought about, especially when
you overpay for something.
Personal experiences of mine proved keyboards with cords to be cheap, reliable,
and interfere less with my wireless logitech laser mouse, my 2 wireless cell phones, moms radio, the neighbors remote control for his garden gate, and my
wireless headphones. The keyboards are one of the few things I do not move,
whereas I have already had problems because I ripped an old headphone out of
a laptop the wrong way while walking around and the mouse cable almost falls apart
and constantly gets in your way while smoking mousing etc.
Thank you quite mucho for de tip, by the way! Looks yummy if affordable, wonder if
they ever do it, could have too much humor for surviving with expensive projects
like this. Hope the russan-german computer dictionary I am getting next week will
also tell me when they have their april fools day.
Hey, Thomassen, did you ever get my post with a corrected link to my article you
wanted to read about different wallpapers in each folder window? My norwegian
was not that good when I tried to put it on your norwegian message mask on
your independent site. I can still e-mail it to ya, and it still is on my
WC Satyrobe page updated and cleaned up a bit too last week, but that old
link is still dead and I can not kill it, even though I complained about it
and posted it in on a JU site issue thread, but they are still busy and
have only one of two servers working that used to handle 4 million clickers still active according
to Frogboys WC site issue article of this weekend´s, as you probably know. Nice to see you helping
people on the 3d forum, stardock forum, with their od.zip question. Email
Tarkus
Reply #11 Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:34 PM
Reply #11 Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:34 PM
My Logitech wireless keyboard uses the same receiver as my cordless mouse, so no interference there. 
I haven't encountered any other problems with interference either.
And batteries last forever. Thankfully, the mouse is rechargeable, since those are much harder on batteries.
I haven't encountered any other problems with interference either.
And batteries last forever. Thankfully, the mouse is rechargeable, since those are much harder on batteries.
Tarkus
Reply #12 Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:39 PM
They're based in Russia, so I kind of doubt it. I couldn't find any reference to public trading on their website.
Speaking of which, wow, they have some scary looking people working for them! Link
Reply #12 Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:39 PM
| Anyone know if the company developing the keyboards is publically traded?? I'd sure like to invest. Looks to be a top seller when they hit stores, and I can see all kinds of applications beyond just computer keyboards. |
They're based in Russia, so I kind of doubt it. I couldn't find any reference to public trading on their website.
Speaking of which, wow, they have some scary looking people working for them! Link
KeithMacDonald
Reply #13 Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:55 PM
Reply #13 Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:55 PM
Lol, I know. I have had my keyboard (logitech wireless, used all the time) for 4 years, only replaced the batteries last month.
The mouse, on the other hand... Batteries die every 2 weeks. (could be the couple thousand clicks everyday?)
The mouse, on the other hand... Batteries die every 2 weeks. (could be the couple thousand clicks everyday?)
SATYROBE
Reply #14 Monday, July 18, 2005 2:52 AM
That is why my cordless Logitech Laser mouse is rechargeable AND I turn off
the mouses power button when not working. You need to leave it on
when recharging. It cost a fortune, though. Was worth it. You dont have to
remove the batteries, you recharge the whole mouse. Twice a week I load it
for 4 hours, which is enough for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, thousands of
clicks a day or night.
Logitech also tells you what rechargeable battery type you can replace em
with. By doing that, you violate their 3 year guarantee, and they do not
replace batteries even in those 3 years. It is a lot better than my wireless
logitech mouse I used around 1988, was constantly replacing batteries on
that.
My new MX 1000 exists in several colors, in my 2 cities I use different
colors. The dark black color has a more pleasant smooth surface than the
greyish black version I bought by mistake for my other condo thinking it was the
same, which I cannot make em take back in exchange for my favorite color now.
The software it comes with does not work right, but the free internet update for
registered users does. Synch it 2 or three times a day by pressing the transmitting
loading docks synch button and then pressing the mouses synch button, whereupon a popup
box on your screen reports whether ur synching was O. K. Especially after restarts
it could react a bit slow, if your cursor XP plus effects for double-clicking and followers
are heavy on your GPU.
Must admit when not only clicking on Tarkuslink showing 15 artist and technician like
individuals of their staff, but also on its photo "The Champions after Breakfast", 150 of
em looking poor to us but richer than russian average and wear ties, it looks like
they could last as long as not one of em makes a bad remark about their president after
work somewhere for the next 7 years. These Russians are impressive, loveable technicians
in many, many fields. I sure am learning russian, the more I mess around in U. S. forums
and Russia´s cyrillic context menus of their ENGLISH forums way ahead of America in
many software aspects, too!
If I don´t see an animated version of Sytechs additional favorites only keyboard,
you could have just inspired to tell the Russians to make it AND to tell
SiteTech to animate their thing. Scattered out over several update stages,
10-30 percent of my suggestions really came true in the past, if I doubletracked
em to all parties bordering the topic
Reply #14 Monday, July 18, 2005 2:52 AM
| ... Batteries die every 2 weeks. (could be the couple thousand clicks everyday?) |
That is why my cordless Logitech Laser mouse is rechargeable AND I turn off
the mouses power button when not working. You need to leave it on
when recharging. It cost a fortune, though. Was worth it. You dont have to
remove the batteries, you recharge the whole mouse. Twice a week I load it
for 4 hours, which is enough for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, thousands of
clicks a day or night.
Logitech also tells you what rechargeable battery type you can replace em
with. By doing that, you violate their 3 year guarantee, and they do not
replace batteries even in those 3 years. It is a lot better than my wireless
logitech mouse I used around 1988, was constantly replacing batteries on
that.
My new MX 1000 exists in several colors, in my 2 cities I use different
colors. The dark black color has a more pleasant smooth surface than the
greyish black version I bought by mistake for my other condo thinking it was the
same, which I cannot make em take back in exchange for my favorite color now.
The software it comes with does not work right, but the free internet update for
registered users does. Synch it 2 or three times a day by pressing the transmitting
loading docks synch button and then pressing the mouses synch button, whereupon a popup
box on your screen reports whether ur synching was O. K. Especially after restarts
it could react a bit slow, if your cursor XP plus effects for double-clicking and followers
are heavy on your GPU.
Must admit when not only clicking on Tarkuslink showing 15 artist and technician like
individuals of their staff, but also on its photo "The Champions after Breakfast", 150 of
em looking poor to us but richer than russian average and wear ties, it looks like
they could last as long as not one of em makes a bad remark about their president after
work somewhere for the next 7 years. These Russians are impressive, loveable technicians
in many, many fields. I sure am learning russian, the more I mess around in U. S. forums
and Russia´s cyrillic context menus of their ENGLISH forums way ahead of America in
many software aspects, too!
If I don´t see an animated version of Sytechs additional favorites only keyboard,
you could have just inspired to tell the Russians to make it AND to tell
SiteTech to animate their thing. Scattered out over several update stages,
10-30 percent of my suggestions really came true in the past, if I doubletracked
em to all parties bordering the topic
thomassen
Reply #15 Monday, July 18, 2005 11:31 AM
Reply #15 Monday, July 18, 2005 11:31 AM
SATYROBE: Yes I got the message. I tried to reply, but WC apparently was too busy to handle my comment. Thanks though.
As Tarkus said, dedicated mulitmedia buttons would be nice. I frequently use the mm-buttons and volumewheel on my Logitech keyboard.
I wouldn't have much problem giving up my wireless keyboard for this one. Though I sometimes like to take it with me where I sit in the room to control the music as I use my computer as a stereo. Can't remember if it's connected to the USB port,.. can multiple keyboards be connected at the same time?
I sent the people at the website an email asking if they had a mailing list for this keyboard. Haven't got any reply yet, but I'll report back.
As Tarkus said, dedicated mulitmedia buttons would be nice. I frequently use the mm-buttons and volumewheel on my Logitech keyboard.
I wouldn't have much problem giving up my wireless keyboard for this one. Though I sometimes like to take it with me where I sit in the room to control the music as I use my computer as a stereo. Can't remember if it's connected to the USB port,.. can multiple keyboards be connected at the same time?
I sent the people at the website an email asking if they had a mailing list for this keyboard. Haven't got any reply yet, but I'll report back.
Tarkus
Reply #16 Monday, July 18, 2005 12:55 PM
That, and the mouse is always working, even when it's idle (trying to detect movement), whereas the keyboard only works when you press a key.
I know people who have two mice connected at the same time, so I don't see why you couldn't do the same with two keyboards.
Reply #16 Monday, July 18, 2005 12:55 PM
| Lol, I know. I have had my keyboard (logitech wireless, used all the time) for 4 years, only replaced the batteries last month. The mouse, on the other hand... Batteries die every 2 weeks. (could be the couple thousand clicks everyday?) |
That, and the mouse is always working, even when it's idle (trying to detect movement), whereas the keyboard only works when you press a key.
| Can't remember if it's connected to the USB port,.. can multiple keyboards be connected at the same time? |
I know people who have two mice connected at the same time, so I don't see why you couldn't do the same with two keyboards.
MikeB314
Reply #18 Monday, July 18, 2005 2:41 PM
Reply #18 Monday, July 18, 2005 2:41 PM
The plot thickens... here's an interview with the designer.
http://primotechnology.com/index.php?art=articles/0705/optimus/index.htm
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Reply #1 Sunday, July 17, 2005 2:40 AM
If it is in fact a fully [re] programmable layout, the possibilities for use with different apps will make for ease of use ~for people just starting out with an application. [And it has light-up keyboard icons
Downside, as always ...will be the cost factor.
They state "it will cost as much as a good mobile phone" ..and we all know how much the top end mobiles cost.
Guess we find out [sometime] in 2006...
Thanks for the pic and link, Tarkus.