Cool, Customizable keyboard.

[texas1928]

http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

[Drifter]

1. There is a solution ...

looking for a problem.

It is essentially a keyboard with a monitor for each key. When a few important key monitors go bad, it will be useless.

sorry, I think it is stupid.

Cheers
Drifter

[texas1928]

2. I am sorry you think it is stupid.

I thought it was neat looking. I would not buy one, but I think it is neat that technology is getting that far.

[Richardo]

3. I think it's boss.

:bounce:

[Orsino]

12. Yeah. Like cameras in phones.

I never thought I'd want one of them, either.

I'm not enough of an ASCII geek to want one of these, but I can imagine its utility in, say, shifting to other character sets. Customizable for programs? People who have to produce much of anything rapidly and in bulk are going to love it.

I'll bet my wife wants one as soon as she sees it.

[ghostsofgiants]

4. That has a lot of potential I think

Customizable for every program. It'd make using stuff like Photoshop and Illustrator a lot easier, switching tools and all that.

[kick-ass-bob]

5. that does have a lot of potential.

A very cool idea - hopefully we can see how they might handle the possibility of the monitors burning out. (How often does that happen anyway?)

[texas1928]

6. Don't know

But I would hope they tested it for a while to make sure everything is ok.

[jmowreader]

7. User-replaceable keytops would work

If the keys could be made to just plug in (instead of being soldered in), on the rare occasions when a key died, the user would just pry off the old one and install a replacement. The replacement-key kit would come with the new key and a puller.

[kick-ass-bob]

8. that's kind of what I was thinking would work.

Just don't make each key $50.

:D

[jmowreader]

10. The displays aren't that big

My $30 cell phone (yeah, I know, the cell phone company subsidizes the phone so they can sell you airtime) has a bigger display. And there are LOTS of phones out there that have color LCDs.

If they got this keyboard from "design study" to "marketable product" they'd have to figure out some way to make those keys about fifty cents each or no one would buy the keyboard.

This would be a cool "typing tutor" keyboard--your typing instruction software could show all keytops, show some or show none.

[NawlinsNed]

9. That's an artist's concept...

... it's an art and graphics design company, after all. :)

[democracyindanger]

11. Am I the only one that noticed the donkey?

Cool idea. Economically unfeasible right now, but a cool design study.