Art Lebedev’s Optimus Maximus Gets Its Price: $1564

[zippyjuan]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20070502083105.html

Art Lebedev’s Optimus Maximus Gets Its Price: $1564.
Art Lebedev Studio Unveils Launch Dates, Price of Optimus Maximus

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 05/02/2007 | 08:32 AM ]


Art Lebedev Studio, a design studio from Russia who develops innovative keyboards with keys that contain displays, has announced the price as well as production schedule of its Optimus Maximus keyboard, the world’s first keyboard with keys that feature OLED screens.


Optimus Maximus is a full-sized 113-keys keyboard with colour OLED screens located inside each key. The screens are 10.1mm² large and have 48x48 pixels resolution, according to its developers. Specially designed software will be able to change images on the colour screens depending on the program running.

Art Lebedev will start accepting pre-orders on its Optimus keyboard on the 20th of May. The design studio hopes to obtain first fully functional engineering sample of the keyboard in late June and to be in position to ship the first batch, or 200 pieces, of Optimus Maximus starting 31st of November. The company promises that in December, 2007 and January, 2008 it will ship another 200 and 400 units, respectively.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/news/2007-05/optimus_maximus_bg.jpg
Art Lebedev Optimus Maximus. Click to enlarge

Even though initially Art Lebedev Studio claimed that its Optimus keyboard would cost like a “fine” mobile phone, the price for the Optimus Maximus keyboard with finalized specs is $1564, a price-point that by far exceeds retail prices of typical mobile phones and is even higher compared to Nokia’s premium class Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition, which costs €1000 ($1360).

Due to problems with development, earlier Art Lebedev Studio even said it would release Optimus-103 keyboard with black and white screens in mid-2007 and that it would cost $1200 per unit for early adopters. However, the move faced loads of criticism among observers and bloggers, who claimed that it was unacceptable to get a keyboard with black and white keys at so high price tag.

In addition to the seemed-to-be cancelled black and white Optimus-103 with its exceptionally high price-tag, Art Lebedev has received critics over the form of the Optimus Maximus keys. Typically, keys on the keyboards feature a kind of a ramp to allow users to point exactly in the middle of the button and do not touch the keys nearby. Additionally, keys usually feature trapezium-like form, whereas Art Lebedev’s Optmius keys featured cube-like form, according to pictures released by the company.

Currently Art Lebedev is selling the Optimus mini three keypad with coloured keys for $160/€128 per unit.

[DarkFury]

Ok.. so what is so special about this keyboard again?

$1,500+ ... yeah right. For that kind of money it better be able to transform into a 50 foot robot that can fight evil robots. :hmm: :D

[redcolours]

Ok.. so what is so special about this keyboard again?

$1,500+ ... yeah right. For that kind of money it better be able to transform into a 50 foot robot that can fight evil robots. :hmm: :D


Her name is Yoshimi
she's a black belt in karate
working for the city
she has to discipline her body

'Cause she knows that
it's demanding
to defeat those evil machines
I know she can beat them

Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots eat me
Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots defeat me

Those evil-natured robots
they're programmed to destroy us
she's gotta be strong to fight them
so she's taking lots of vitamins

'Cause she knows that
it'd be tragic
if those evil robots win
I know she can beat them

Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots defeat me
Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots eat me

Yoshimi

'Cause she knows that
it'd be tragic
if those evil robots win
I know she can beat them

Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots defeat me
Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots defeat me

Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots eat me
Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots eat me

Yoshimi

:D

[Cubsfan]

Ok.. so what is so special about this keyboard again?

$1,500+ ... yeah right. For that kind of money it better be able to transform into a 50 foot robot that can fight evil robots. :hmm: :D

I didn't read the article, but I believe that every button is a little screen. So instead of having those keyboard overlays, you can have the buttons change. Also, should look really cool :)

[DarkFury]

I didn't read the article, but I believe that every button is a little screen. So instead of having those keyboard overlays, you can have the buttons change. Also, should look really cool :)
But $1500 worth of cool? :hmm:

Like I said before... AUTOBOTS TRANSFORM !!!! and roll out! :D

[redcolours]

what a stupid keyboard.

[Cubsfan]

But $1500 worth of cool? :hmm:

Like I said before... AUTOBOTS TRANSFORM !!!! and roll out! :D
Of course $1500 worth of cool! If you're a millionaire that is. There's a lot of keyboards that I think are cool, but even if I could afford them, the ergonomics of them (or lack of) would kill me.

[DaFunkyUnit]

this has been discussed many times before, but the keyboard brings about the possibility of visually enhancing off your applications. For example, all your keyboard shortcuts for whatever program (Photoshop, or Pro Tools, for example) will have a special icon on the key now to help you find the command, and easily access and execute. Its really a matter of convenience. And $1500 of cool.

btw, why is everyone now slamming this keyboard? Couple of years ago when it was first mentioned here, everyone was fapping to it.

G|A? = lemmings

[DarkFury]

this has been discussed many times before, but the keyboard brings about the possibility of visually enhancing off your applications. For example, all your keyboard shortcuts for whatever program (Photoshop, or Pro Tools, for example) will have a special icon on the key now to help you find the command, and easily access and execute. Its really a matter of convenience. And $1500 of cool.

btw, why is everyone now slamming this keyboard? Couple of years ago when it was first mentioned here, everyone was fapping to it.

G|A? = lemmings
In my own defense, I have never "fapped" over a keyboard.

(ummm...well unless you count watching internet pRon with the keyboard in the way, but that's another issue that we won't discuss here. :shifty: :heh: :shifty: :D )

[redcolours]

...

btw, why is everyone now slamming this keyboard? ...

...


cuz its a stupid keyboard?

$150, maybe its cool. but $1500? nah. i can find better ways to waste that kind of money.

btw, i cant find that thread you were referring to. it'd be funny to see who were raving about it. (even funnier if i find me in it too - i mustve been smokin somethin bad if i did!). :D

[DaFunkyUnit]

http://www.gotapex.com/hardware/89811-i-want-this-keyboard.html?highlight=keyboard

[Cubsfan]

http://www.gotapex.com/hardware/89811-i-want-this-keyboard.html?highlight=keyboard

I'm guessing the reason that it changed was because it doesn't cost less than a good mobile phone. It costs like three times what a good mobile phone costs.

[Airencracken]

It's kinda neat I suppose but I just got a new keyboard and I <3 it. www.pckeyboards.com

[redcolours]

oh, there you go.

back then it didnt have that stupid price tag, so the concept is cool.

now, with the price, its become a stupid keyboard.

[DarkFury]

oh, there you go.

back then it didnt have that stupid price tag, so the concept is cool.

now, with the price, its become a stupid keyboard.
Yup...

Extreme prices tend to do that. Kinda like shopping in the "Sharper Image" catalog for trinkets you should be able to buy at Wal-Mart for a fraction of the price. :D

[renovation]

that is a military /goverment keyboard .they will design a budget .inflat it 10 fold and it be bought at twice the price were talking right now .just to save 2 seconds of someones time looking for the shift key to start a word program ! :(

[shocky123]

I think the keyboard is sexy...
And I can say that I have a $300+ keyboard at work, and its dead sexy and feels great on the wrists.

$1500, kiss my ars, thats stupid.

It had better at least be able to macro the hell outta those keys so I can make a custom key for ctrl-alt-apple-q-p-windows-r-z-rightShift

[zippyjuan]

As an update- all the keyboards sold out in the first 12 hours. I guess there were enough people with lots of money that wanted one.

Art Lebedev Pre-Sells Out First Optimus Maximus Batch.
First 200 Keyboards for $1564 Pre-Ordered in 12 Hours

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 05/20/2007 | 11:53 PM ]


Art Lebedev Art Lebedev Studio, a design studio from
Russia who develops innovative keyboards with keys that contain displays, said late Sunday that the first batch of its Optimus Maximus keyboards to be delivered in December, has been fully pre-ordered in twelve hours.

“The first 200 keyboards (to be shipped December, 1st) were pre-ordered in about 12 hours. When the section on Optimus Maximus opened, our site was almost down for the first 15 minutes. In nine hours there has been more than 100 000 unique visitors,” said Artemy Lebedev, the head of the design studio.

Optimus Maximus is a full-sized 113-keys keyboard with colour OLED screens located inside each key. The screens are 10.1mm² large and have 48x48 pixels resolution, according to its developers. Specially designed software will be able to change images on the colour screens depending on the program running.

The design studio hopes to obtain first fully functional engineering sample of the keyboard in late June and to be in position to ship the first batch, or 200 pieces, of Optimus Maximus starting 31st of November. The company promises that in December, 2007 and January, 2008 it will ship another 200 and 400 units, respectively.

Art Lebedev started accepting pre-orders on its Optimus keyboard on the 20th of May, but, apparently, the company’s online store and payment system were not designed to support so much attention from potential customers and, according to the statement, some users experienced difficulties.

“Some people had trouble with the payment system – we’ll investigate the issues tomorrow morning, during their working hours. No need to worry – we keep track of all the orders and those who placed an order on Sunday, but whose cards has not been charged, will get contacted by our store managers,” it was claimed.

Currently Art Lebedev is selling the Optimus mini three keypad with coloured keys for $160/€128 per unit.

[DarkFury]

As an update- all the keyboards sold out in the first 12 hours. I guess there were enough people with lots of money that wanted one.
Just goes to show... "A fool and his money, are soon parted".

For that kind of money, each keyboard should come with a "happy ending". :D :hihi:

[shocky123]

Just goes to show... "A fool and his money, are soon parted".

For that kind of money, each keyboard should come with a "happy ending". :D :hihi:


By all means, hook a brother up!

[DarkFury]

By all means, hook a brother up!

Sorry Brah... I can't provide you THAT kind of "hook up". :2far: