Future of Keyboards?
3 years ago 
Keyboards have been a pretty long standing requirement of a computer, and they have (albeit with the removal of a wire) remained pretty much the same since their conception. Sure, you can buy ergonomic ones, colourful ones and tiny ones - it’s still essentially the same thing. This new Optimus wireless keyboard takes the keyboard conept to a new level.
It uses keys which, rather than having the text/numbers printed on them, are programmed to display a certain character or picture. The possibilities are much wider with a device such as this, over a standard keyboard. Never again would you have to worry whether that keyboard would work in the UK/US, whether it has the Apple keys on it, whether it has some music shortcut keys. One click of a button, and every key could change language, colour or function.
This, in my opinion, is potentially the best advance in keyboard technology since the dawn of the keyboard itself. It would really change the way we work, and could be a huge phenomenon. I know I’d certainly buy one - especially if it was created by Logitech…. ah, stuck in my ways. What do you reckon? Would you buy one?
Optimus, Keyboard
July 14th, 2005 at 10:58 pm
Another company that is taking keyboards in a different direction is ABKey. Theirs is an alphabetic keyboard. I dig the lighted keys on this board though. It would be way cool to combine the two!
July 15th, 2005 at 1:30 am
I’d buy one - where do I sign?
July 15th, 2005 at 1:54 am
I saw this on Digg yesterday or the day before. This keyboard is absolutely sweet. I cant wait until they release it.
Timmargh: On the site it says the release date is August 14th, 2005.
If it isnt too expensive (which I think it may end up being) I will definately buy one.
July 15th, 2005 at 3:13 am
Sadly it’s only concept art, from what I can tell they’ve not actually made a real one.
July 15th, 2005 at 8:34 am
Here is the english version:
http://artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/
And Daniel, where did you see that it is only concept art? I didnt know concept art had release dates?
July 15th, 2005 at 9:29 am
I’m pretty sure that it’s a real device, but with patent pending - so they need to cover the legal ground associated with such a new development before they can think about production.
July 15th, 2005 at 12:57 pm
Wow.
Not only could this allow a single keyboard to be used worldwide (e.g. Qwerty, Azerty, Dvorak, Cyrillic, etc.), but it also could change between Mac and Windows layouts IN CONJUNCTION WITH A KVM SWITCH BOX! (i.e. when switched to a Mac it shows the Apple key, when switched to Windows it shows the Windows key). Also not only could this act as a standard keyboard, but it could also AUTOMATICALLY switch to being for example a special Final Cut Pro keyboard when that program is in the foreground.
Clever things like this will require the accompanying software to actively modify the display depending on what the user is doing.
I nearly forgot, it could also change the labels of the keytops to show lowercase letters in normal mode, capitals when the shift or caps lock is presses, special characters when the option key is pressed etc, it could even potentially show them in the same font selected in the program the user is running!
Wow again.
July 15th, 2005 at 1:04 pm
Another thing.
This keyboard would be useable in the dark (OLED is light emitting).
It might use too much power for a laptop though.
July 15th, 2005 at 7:27 pm
August 14th? Excellent.
*marks iCal*
Cheers, Patrick.
July 16th, 2005 at 6:42 pm
I agree it is a very interesting concept, long overdue even.
However, as per the “best advance in keyboard technology” claim, I’d have to say such kudos go to makers of specialized ergonomic keyboards, such as Kinesis. Keyboards that are designed with ergonomics in mind are even longer overdue that OLED keys, and I can say that using an ergonomic keyboard has made a difference in how effectively I can use a computer.
In any event, this is my first comment here, many thanks to David for this site and SimplePhotos!
July 18th, 2005 at 4:08 pm
Timmargh: It appears that they changed it to 2006 :(. It did say August 14th though :).
I emailed the guy about the hi-res photos and this is what he sent me:
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/1.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/2.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/3.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/4.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/5.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/6.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/7.jpg
http://www.artlebedev.ru/show/id/optimus/8.jpg
Enjoy
July 20th, 2005 at 12:22 pm
As someone mentioned above, there was that AB keyboard. Personally I would find it really hard to retrain my fingers to follow the keys alphabetically. Qwerty works just fine.
In terms of the one you mentioned, I particularly like the app launch buttons. I know there are keyboards where you can assign app launches to buttons, but it’s nice to have something colourful and graphic. My mum would totally dig something like that since she finds it hard to get a handle on the whole computer thing generally.
July 26th, 2005 at 9:06 am
Wow, looks sweet. Must have it!
By the way, this site is real groovy. It’s gonna be linked on my site. Good job.