Optimus keyboard - WOW

[Nox]

mini 3, released 15th may, retail $100

Nox

[autopilot]

Yep. http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/t...-sees-release/

[t_aitch]

Yeah....

So its been a few months now, and still not on sale.

What do people think on this?

[Firebar]

Apple have probably bought them out and now have the rights. Kinda thing I reckon they'd look for

[DR]

Apple have probably bought them out and now have the rights. Kinda thing I reckon they'd look for

Where did that come from?

They are 1 month off releasing the keyboard.

I spoke to them today

[shaithis]

I doubt we will see this in mass production for many years yet.

$160 for a 3 key version.........just imagine the cost of a 102 key verison! its going to be too prohibitive a cost and will only get used for specialised work (industrial machine control and multi-lingual typing would probably be the 2 main uses)

[charleski]

There's a good market for specialised keyboards in the pro A/V sector. Anything that reduces training costs and can boost productivity will sell well.

[chuckskull]

Release date: 14.07.2005

[pak000]

not to keep flogging a dead thread, but shaithis, you are looking at a costing from a linear scale. I'm would think most of the 160$ is taken by control hardware for the keys, once thats in place it shouldn't require much more to scale to a larger number of keys. Yes the individual keys will be expenisive but not in the region of 50$.

disclaimer - this is all speculation on my part, but thinking about it logically....

[shaithis]

I was thinking linear.....but in the direction of cost per tiny LCD screen


The controller is a single unit and controllers cost pennies. Its the LCD screens (IMO) that cost the money o this product.

[DavidM]

Good review here:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/oth...imus-mini.html

[pak000]

I can't imagine the controller costing pennies

edit: oh and don't forget to add the style premium onto the cost

[DavidM]

And R&D

[pak000]

upon reading the article, i was envisaging a different control interface, but most of it seems to be software based on the pc. That would cut costs on the hardware end but eat up processing power on the other end....10% CPU for a 3 key design?...Also, how much information flow is there over that serial port?

Anyway, far too much speculation on a very elusive product that has yet to appear. I will revert back to...nice idea...hope it works out

[t_aitch]

David are scan thinking about getting these in, thats if the price is right or theres actually a lot of interest in them?

[DavidM]

I've no idea to be honest... although If I didn't have a G15 - I'd be tempted to get one for myself

Will let you know when I hear anything