Gizmodo: Keys

Gama-Go Keytars Are Classy and Full of Rock

Jason Chen — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Keytars! Not just the tools of '80s bands and '80s revival bands, they're slip-covers for your keys to differentiate them from each other. Our buddies at Gama-Go made these wonderful things for just $6 each. Instead of having to look closely to see which key is slightly shorter or fatter than the other (difficult when drunk), just look at their color. It's the next best thing to Keyport, except these guys don't keep your keys for 7 months and stop responding to emails. While you're grabbing this, go ahead and grab some shirts and hoodies. They're quality. [Gama-Go]

Build Your Own Keyport for 20 Bucks, Save $280

matt buchanan — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EDT

You could pay $300, send Keyport all of your keys and wait for months for your sweet keyfob and get nothing back, except for maybe your money. But then you're still out a Keyport. Or, you could build your own for about $20 and an hour of time your time, using a Leatherman Micra modded with a little elbow grease and key-grinding to hold all of your keys in a compact unit with flip-out action. And just think of how manly and awesome you'll feel after messing around with real tools and sweating. Hit the link for a step-by-step. [EDC Forums via Toolmonger, Thanks Keith!]

Keyport Update: Refunds Issued, But They're Keeping Your Keys

Jason Chen — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:10:00 EDT

Now we're not sure what's going on with Keyport now. Two weeks ago they managed to ship a unit to NOTCOT to fool around with, but apparently there's SOMETHING going on in the manufacturing process that makes it unsuitable for shipping it out to paying customers. Keyport told Josh five months after he paid and shipped them his keys that they were going to refund his money, but keep his keys. Wha?

We wanted to write and let you know that we sincerely appreciate the patience you have shown in receiving your Keyport. While innovative design and quality craftsmanship are certainly tenets to which Keyport is steadfastly committed, it is our customers who serve as Keyport's foundation, and your satisfaction is our top priority. Therefore, we would like to refund your money in its entirety and hold on to your keys. Once we have completed the final design modifications, we will send you your new Keyport Slide. After you receive it, you may pay us what you think is appropriate. We intend on earning your trust and delivering what we have promised. Again, thank you for your patience over this long haul. We look forward to your feedback once you have received your Slide. In the meantime, please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.

On the same note, they've had my keys since December but haven't actually shipped anything to me yet. They're very lax in return emails as well. It's sad to say this since the Keyport is such a good idea, but you should probably stay away from these guys until they get their manufacturing, shipping, and customer support issues down. [Thanks Josh!]

$300 Keyport Keyfob Dissected, No Goblins Guarding Your Keys Lurking Inside

matt buchanan — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EDT

Yep, someone spent $300 on a Keyport just to break it apart. Sadly, there's nothing supernatural inside, like a portal to an alternate dimension that houses your keys until you need one. Just cut-down keys with some notches. But! Apparently Chen's keys have fallen into a wormhole of sorts—he sent them in to get a Keyport made back in December, and he still hasn't gotten one. He's been locked out of his house ever since. [NOTCOT]

BlackBerry Patent Goes Angular With Its Keys

Jason Chen — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:00:19 EST

Just when businessmen and women were getting used to BlackBerry's SureType split-key keyboards, RIM has to go and patent yet another method of inputting text. As you can see in the drawing, this guy's horribly misshapen thumbs are hammering away on angular keys, which actually seems pretty brilliant to us. Remember Microsoft and their ergonomic split-key angular keyboards? This is that, but smaller. We like what we see, sir. [Cellpassion via MobileWhack]

Keyport Slide Update: $50 Version Coming 2008

Jason Chen — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:00:34 EST

Not to inundate you with endless updates about the keyport key device, but we've got some news that you'll be glad to hear. After the limited edition $300 run is done, there's going to be a cheaper $50 edition of the Keyport slide some time in 2008.

Hopefully the keyport people don't take a page from the Optimus' book and gimp the lower-end version so hard that it's essentially worthless. Adding on keys to a keyboard is pretty lame, but adding on keys to a keychain is, well, just as lame. Most of you wouldn't pay $300 for something that consolidates six of your keys into one gadget, but would you pay $50? We would. We'd probably pay even more if they could make one of the keys a knife. Stabby stabby. [Key-Port]

Keyport Production Video Shows Why It's Great For Motorcycles

Jason Chen — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:10:33 EST

The $295 Keyport that allows you to combine six keys into one slick-looking device is near the Optimus Keyboard on the scale of totally overpriced things we would really love to have. Their production videos show you at least part of what your three hundred bones go toward: manufacturing. A machine that urinates water onto key slides doesn't come cheap.

On the other hand, this thing seems fantastic for bikes. Unlike regular keychains that scratch up your finish when you leave them dangling from the ignition, the Keyport sticks straight up and out. We don't ride one ourselves (we like our brains on the inside of our skulls) and can't tell you if this is really great, but it seems fairly easy to break off your key inside of the bike this way. [Keyport]

Copying a Key Using a Popsicle Stick Makes Stalking Your Ex Easier

Adam Frucci — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:00:00 EST

Do you sleep soundly at night knowing that the lock on your front door is uncopyable because it has holes in it rather than notches? Ha! Your key is worthless. Check out this video in which a simple Popsicle stick is modified in no time at all to open a lock. It just requires some paper, glue, scissors, a pencil and a ruler. It's incredibly easy to do, meaning any schlub who gets five minutes with your key could easily make a copy. Sorry, bud. Maybe it's time to upgrade your locks to keep that sound sleep thing going. [Instructables]

Keyport Slides Into Production; Pocket Noise OCD Types Rejoice

Matt Buchanan — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:20:43 EDT

If you're among a select few with well-lined pockets (that you don't want jangling) and have already placed yourself on the "reserve" list, for $300 and copies of the six keys you want slotted, the slick key consolidator, Keyport Slide, can be yours in silver, black, pink or blue. That's right, they've shifted from pretty picture to production, but they're only pumping out 5,000 for the first run. Since the "first" set is "limited edition" you'll probably be able to pick up subsequent runs for vastly cheaper. Or you could just tie your keys together with some yarn [NOTCOT via BB Gadgets]

Moto Rokr E8 Has Backlit Nubs For Keys

Jason Chen — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:15:06 EDT

These first shots of the Motorola Rokr E8 from zol.com.cn shows the unique keypad that Moto went with. Instead of regular keys, they've got little nubs that need to be back-illuminated. When you're dialing, all the keys are lit; but when you're playing music, the numbers are dimmed and only the music controls are bright. This could be even greater if the keys' backlit images could change in the background, but it doesn't seem like the E8 is advanced enough to do that. [Zol.com via IDNES via Phonearena]

Find One, Find All - I'm on Your KeyFobz, Making a Noize

msparkes — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 05:44:38 EDT

If, like me, you lose your keys and wallet on an almost daily basis, then you just might be desperate enough for gadgets like this. The Find One, Find All is a little radio receiver that you attach to your commonly lost items. You can then use another one— yes, you have to buy two—to track it down. There are six keys, and additional units can be programmed to different numbers. Lost your keys? Press 1. Lost your wallet? Press 2.

The unit programmed to that number will then start to make a noise that, "gets louder the closer you get to it." Just like any other noise would do then, really. A set of two FOFAs is $24.95, and additional units are $12.47 each. If you're really dedicated to never losing your keys again, then you could splash out for the $99 Loc8tor handset, which will track down up to 24 fobs. [Inventor Spot]

Key Buoy Saves Your Keys From Nemo

Jason Chen — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:40:41 EDT

We're not big boaters around here—we can kinda swim, but don't know how to breathe correctly—but the key buoy would still be super useful for us. Why? Because even though we don't go in boats, where this keychain has the most benefit by keeping your key on the surface of the water, we still manage to drop our keys in the pool, the tub, and the toilet more often than you'd imagine.

When unsubmerged, the key buoy looks like a normal fob, but once it hits water it pops up and lifts your keys to safety. That is, unless you've got some special keys—like if you were a janitor or you had the key to the city. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Firebox via Random Good Stuff]

Keyport Eliminates Pocket Jingle

Jason Chen — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:16:08 EDT

Getting more and more keys to put on your keychain when you were a kid may have been cool, but now all that massive clump of metal does is give your pants that unwanted bulge look (as opposed to the wanted bulge look). With the keyport, you're free to shove six of your favorite keys into what looks to be a lighter-sized gadget, easily extending and retracting them when needed. Plus, there's RFID and a built-in LED light, as well as keyless entry for your car.

The thing's still in its design phase now, but you can sign up on their site to get notified when they ship. Personally, we're pretty stoked at being able to ditch the unwieldy keyring for something more compact. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Key-port via Crunchgear]

High-Tech GM Car Accessory Concepts

Travis Hudson — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:30:12 EST

Sure, we look at high-tech car concepts all the time and our blogging cohorts, Jalopnik do even more, but how often do we get a chance to see actual car accessory concepts. GE has a few with the key fob, luxury lighting and high-tech rearview mirror.

The key fob is a simply a better looking key that has more of a jewelry feel to it. The luxury lighting adds recessed lighting to places that normally don't have lighting, such as the above blinker. The high-tech rearview mirror actually uses video and cameras, rather than actual mirrors. So how long until we see some of these in our actual vehicles? Well, if Will Smith knew, he would say beyond 2035. I, Robot took place in 2035 and they had automatic driving cars, but no fancy rearview, recessed lighting or jewelry-like keys. –Travis Hudson

Redesigning GM [YankoDesign]

proxSafe Digital Key Management System

Travis Hudson — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 13:21:59 EDT

If you happen to be a balla like me, then owning too many pimp rides may sometimes be a concern. What can I say, I'm just that damn good. But sometimes I will get the keys of my Beemer, Caddy and Maz mixed up and boy do I look like a doofus! Funny story: one time I gave the valet the key to my Enzo when I was actually driving my GT40! LOL! Oh it was a gut buster!

Regardless, the proxSafe Digital Key Management System will allow you to avoid any of these embarrassing situations by providing a very organized and electronic system to keep track of all of the keys. The system will electronically track all of the keys that go in and out of the system and a digital LCD will give accurate information about every key. The system is also extremely secure to prevent the ninjas from stealing your Benz that happens to be riding rims, or flats, as I prefer. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Ubergizmo]

Free USB Keys From Microsoft

johnb — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 10:05:10 EST

Do you care about software licensing? Do you have a first and last name and perhaps a mailing address? Well, go ahead and take some of Bill's hard-earned dosh by requesting a Microsoft USB key containing handy FAQs, software licensing briefs, and additional information. You can then place many, many keygens, serialz, and cracks on said USB after deleting the aforementioned licensing information. Thanks, Microsoft!

Item Page [Microsoft]