Gizmodo: optimus keyboard

Rumor Smashed: Optimus Keyboard Not Delayed, Was Always Shipping in February [Updated]

Jason Chen — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:20:33 EST

We're not sure where Impress.jp got their info that the Optimus Keyboard was delayed until late February '08, because from all the info we've got from Art.Lebedev in the past few months (here and here) says that's the targeted ship date.

The ship date used to be December all the way back in May, so either Impress is late with the postponement part of their story, or they're a bit off. Either way, if you've preordered the keyboard, Art.Lebedev will actually ship you a keyboard in December, but you won't be able to use the firmware because that won't be ready until February. [Impress]

Update: Optimus themselves have updated the situation, saying that standard shipments are still on track for February, but if you want a unit they will deliver it soon (but with only PC software, Mac software won't be ready until late January). Nothing's really changed, but they did explain that the slowness in development was caused by a Philips coprocessor that was so new that they had to work with draft documentation.

Optimus Keyboard Configurations, Pricing Info Released

Adam Frucci — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:41:56 EST

Yes, it's true: you can get an Optimus Keyboard for less than $500. There is a catch, however: if you're cheap and spend less than $500, your keyboard will only have one "active button," and it's the space bar. Yeah, weak, I know. But hey, it's "only" $462.27! If you bump it up to $599.01 you get the 10 function buttons on the side active, $999.25 gets you just the letter keys active, and a whopping $1,564.37 gets you all 113 buttons active. So while yeah, there's a cheaper option, it's clearly not worth it. Not that the full version is worth it, but if you're going to waste a lot of money on a keyboard you might as well go all out. You can preorder the Optimus in any of these configs in black or white and you'll get your keyboard in late February. [Product Page]

First Video of the Optimus Keyboard Actually Working and Looking Awesome

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:13:40 EST

We just got some hangtime with Art.Lebedev's non-vaporous Optimus keyboard at the Wired Store in SoHo, NYC, and it is as shiny, pretty and luxuriously pointless as billed. Enjoy the video, then check out our impressions and a gallery:

As you may know, each key is a mini OLED screen, one that can display any character you want (and even the icon of our worthy competitor). As such keys are slightly oversized, but placed together almost too closely, so that typing might get tricky.

Benny our NYC editorial assistant says the effect is subtle: it doesn't look pixelated from an appropriate distance. That said, they don't look like regular keys on a keyboard either, especially when a single key is showing an entire multicolored picture. Benny prefers the picture keys to the letter keys because they letters on black are almost too striking (though that surely can be fixed with a decrease in brightness). We were all disappointed that there were no animated keys. I mean, if you're gonna put tiny screens on every key, why can't I watch a bunch of teeny tiny movies?

Richard, our video pimp, says it feels big like it was "made for seniors" but admits his own zeal at having touched it: "I want one" is his final verdict. Wait till we tell him it costs $1,564. –Video by Richard Blakeley; photos by Nick McGlynn [Optimus Project]

Optimus Keyboard Goes Sub-$500 and Sub-$1000, But Gimped at Launch

Jason Chen — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:50:30 EST

The Optimus keyboard team brings good news and bad news today, with word that they're going to have sub-$500 and sub-$1000 models (not just one $1564 keyboard), but the software will not be ready for launch. That's not to say that you'll buy a $500 keyboard that you can't use; it's just "functionally limited," and will get firmware updates every month or so until it gets up to the point where you're getting all the features you were promised. Apparently the keyboard is so popular that the first pre-order lot is completely sold out. However, the first pre-order lot was only 200 units, so it's not that great of an achievement. If that's you, you'll get your keyboard in the latter half of February '08. [Optimus Blog]

Wow, There's Actually a Working Optimus Keyboard in Moscow

Adam Frucci — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:00:24 EDT

Hey, remember the Optimus Keyboard? Yeah, it's still not out, and it's still kind of a joke, but look! They have a real one in Moscow! No other details, and this is probably some sort of $15,000 one-time mockup and they're probably no closer to releasing it, but it still looks pretty neat. [Optimus Project]

Optimus Update: The Screens Won't Move

Adam Frucci — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:20:00 EDT

Quick update on the Optimus Keyboard project: the OLED keys won't actually move. Instead, a transparent cover over the little screens will press down, keeping the screens fixed in place underneath.

This makes the keyboard seem even less interesting than it was before, and it's gotten down to pretty uninteresting levels at this point. Next they'll announce that rather than OLED screens, the keys will be very small flipbooks. –Adam Frucci

Optimus Key Prototype from Taiwan [Optimus Project]

Art.Lebedev Optimus Keyboard to Ship 'After Spring 2007'

Charlie White — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 09:42:55 EDT

We're keeping an eye on the Art.Lebedev Studio here, and the Russian designers/teasers are typing up a new blog that's a bit frustrating, doling out confusing bits of disinformation and making up mysterious new words. Case in point: what is an "Upravlator?" Maybe a larger mini three? However, there's one tiny little piece of news that eeked out, a few precious details about its upcoming Optimus Keyboard, that precious input device pictured above with a video screen for each key:

It may be worth noting that our full-fledged keyboard went into production cycle about a month ago. We are going to start accepting pre-orders around December 2006 with shipping date after Spring 2007.

After Spring, 2007? That's a long, long time from now. From the sound of it, we shouldn't be expecting anything until at least late June 2007. Sigh. – Charlie White

Life and Incredible Adventures of Optimus Keyboards [Art.Lebedev Studios]