[steve the second]

I thought about that apple is planing an apple multimedia Keyboard like Logitech made it. Maybe with special buttons for iLife and more new features that leopard includes in? The mighty mouse was a sign for a new time is coming for external controlls like the remote controll.

What are you thinking about?

[Brad]

I certainly hope not.

I've always hated those "multimedia keyboards" and "internet keyboards" with a dozen extra useless keys.

[turbulentfurball]

What Brad said. They're fugly beyond belief and there are several function keys that are unused for the most part that could be put to use without additional keys.

[Dazabrit]

I'd like to see them license the Optimus technology (http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus)
so they can make a keyboard that switches from a Mac OS X Leopard Layout to a Windows Vista Layout when using Boot Camp. You could also alter the settings in Preferences so it changes when you launch a certain application so Final Cut Pro would trigger the FCP Shortcuts and so on.

It would be as expensive as the war against Iraq but I'd buy one

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Brad I certainly hope not. I've always hated those "multimedia keyboards" and "internet keyboards" with a dozen extra useless keys.

Word. Internet keyboards are teh suck.

[steve the second]

with itunes play and skip buttons.

[atomicbartbeans]

Oh god, please no...

I remember back in the 90's, hanging around in Best Buy as a small boy; I overheard a conversaion that went like this...

Old man: Hey, I want to get the internet on my computer... will this modem work?
Salesman: Yep it will; as long as your keyboard supports it.
Old man: Huh?
Salesman: Yeah, the internet won't work with standard 104-key setups; to get online you need an internet keyboard. See all these buttons? They allow you to surf the web and check your email... most older PC keyboards don't have those buttons, so you wouldn't be able to use the internet.
Old man: Okay, I'll buy the one with the most buttons.

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by Brad I certainly hope not. I've always hated those "multimedia keyboards" and "internet keyboards" with a dozen extra useless keys.

Me too. A friend of mine often tries to prove to me that his keyboard is better than mine because it has about 30 extra buttons. The sad part is, at least 3 of those buttons conflict with other controls somewhere else and can mess up whatever is going on the screen, and additionally, he often spends 3-6 seconds looking for the button he wants, despite claiming he has proficiency over the entire setup, which is not to say anything of people who don't have any familiarity with his setup, often find themselves completely lost for 10-15 seconds before asking him for help where he takes another 3-6 seconds to complete the action.

To be fair, he does run a dual monitor setup and usually has dozens of applications open at any time, so that can be a tricky computing environment to begin with, but still, that keyboard is retardalicious.

[Kraetos]

Originally Posted by Dazabrit I'd like to see them license the Optimus technology (http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus) so they can make a keyboard that switches from a Mac OS X Leopard Layout to a Windows Vista Layout when using Boot Camp. You could also alter the settings in Preferences so it changes when you launch a certain application so Final Cut Pro would trigger the FCP Shortcuts and so on. It would be as expensive as the war against Iraq but I'd buy one

Oh man I want one of those. Wanted it ever since I stumbled upon it a couple months ago. I reminds me of Star Trek, the LCARS panels and all.

Doubt it will cost $457 billion dollars, in fact, the site says it will cost less than "a good mobile phone." Of course, thats very open to interpretation, as a SLVR costs $100 when it comes with a new plan, but about $250 naked.

Multimedia keyboards do suck, though. I have a logitech monstrosity hooked up to my PC, and am replacing it with one of those new backlit iRocks as soon as it arrives. Cost less, too. Even if you found a use for all the buttons, most of them are ugly as sin.

[atomicbartbeans]

Originally Posted by steve the second with itunes play and skip buttons.

Doesn't the Apple remote do that?

[BlueRabbit]

One thing that I've found to be really nice on multimedia keyboards: a scroll wheel. Other than that, the extra buttons just waste space, for the most part.

[Anthem]

At my last job, I had a really nice ergonomic keyboard that I loved. It had one extra button that I've always missed since then: a tiny button right above the number pad that pulled up the calculator. I used it all the time, and now that it's gone it's like I've got phantom limb syndrome or something.

But in general, I agree that simple is better.

[Dazabrit]

Originally Posted by Kraetos Doubt it will cost $457 billion dollars

I reckon Apple would charge around $200 for a Keyboard like the Optimus. Final Cut Pro keyboards alone are a fortune.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Anthem At my last job, I had a really nice ergonomic keyboard that I loved. It had one extra button that I've always missed since then: a tiny button right above the number pad that pulled up the calculator. I used it all the time, and now that it's gone it's like I've got phantom limb syndrome or something.

You could put the calculator widget in your Dashboard and assign a key to bring the Dashboard to the front, effectively achieving the same result.

[Mugge]

Heh. On my PC the "hot-key" for internet launched the default browser regardless of what application I was running. If it was Warcraft 3 or Combat Flight Simulator 3, and I accidentally hit it, it would crash Win2k.

Yay for those three extra buttons. Not!

At least Logitech were smart enough to make them really small.

[Corey]

Originally Posted by Dazabrit I'd like to see them license the Optimus technology (http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus) so they can make a keyboard that switches from a Mac OS X Leopard Layout to a Windows Vista Layout when using Boot Camp. You could also alter the settings in Preferences so it changes when you launch a certain application so Final Cut Pro would trigger the FCP Shortcuts and so on. It would be as expensive as the war against Iraq but I'd buy one

Actually I wonder how expensive that would be? The keyboard would obviously cost more, but it would be seriously cool and save Apple some cash in that they wouldn't need to have a bunch of models. Just one sku of each?

Actually, even if only the top row of keys used this technology, it would still rock.

[Wrao]

I think it is save to say that in 5-10 years, keyboards with dynamic keys will be fairly common place. Seems like the logical next step for a keyboard, and technology to accomplish it is basically here today, it just needs to be refined and made affordable and marketable. I should hope Apple is on the ball with this one.

[Dazabrit]

I must say I do find the Mac DS concept interesting too where you have another display to replace the keyboard/mouse for typing/input. The only problem is the physical feedback which has been mentioned before. Im sure Apple could make it work with some kind of physical and aural feedback system but im not sure how effective it would be. It could give you the option to have any keyboard design you like plus you could draw in Photoshop, scan a document and so on.

Im sure one of these new methods (or another such as the iSight Gestures) will be employed fairly soon. As said above, the technology is here. It's time to start driving forward, innovating. I would think experimenting with input has got to be high on the list?

[Robo]

The Optimus keyboard will be EXPENSIVE.

How expensive?

The three-key (yes, three-key) "Optimus mini three" was initially available for pre-order for $100. Now, it costs $120 to preorder, and they're expected to cost more when they first start rolling off the assembly line on August 15.

Granted, the Optimus mini three is really more of a proof-of-concept device than a serious peripheral (I still want one, so I can set it to be "Ctrl-Alt-Del" when running Windows), so don't expect a full Optimus keyboard to cost $4,160 ($40 per key) when it finally hits in the distant future. (An "Optimus mini" number-pad-style device will likely hit next.) But it will be expensive - more than $100 or $250.

I think it'll be a while before Apple uses Optimus keyboards.

[hotch]

Originally Posted by Dazabrit I reckon Apple would charge around $200 for a Keyboard like the Optimus. Final Cut Pro keyboards alone are a fortune.

i will be BLOWN AWAY, and will probably buy one if they cost less than $500, and not surprised if they cost at or more than $1000

their mini 3-key keyboard is $160

[Meltedbutter421]

Mini-3 will probably drop to 120ish and the full keyboard will be $300
(most logical estimate)

[Dazabrit]

Originally Posted by Meltedbutter421 Mini-3 will probably drop to 120ish and the full keyboard will be $300 (most logical estimate)

That sounds reasonable. I must have been outta my mind when I suggested $200. It's because I'm from the UK and I'm thinking in UK Pounds A Final Cut Pro Keyboard in the UK is around £120 ($200) so $300 for the Optimus would probably be about right

PS: The 3-Button version doesnt even have Mac support yet which is a shame

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Dazabrit PS: The 3-Button version doesnt even have Mac support yet which is a shame

It's not out yet. It ships in August.

[Dazabrit]

Originally Posted by Roboman It's not out yet. It ships in August.

I know that

But if they were planning on having Mac Support upon launch they would go ahead and list it. They are taking orders for them now but they only run on Double Glazed Windows.

[Robo]

From what I understand, though, the SDK for the keyboard (an SDK for a keyboard?!?!) is pretty open - they want people to make it work with as many apps as possible - so it might be possible that it could be ported to the Mac.

I'm sure it'll be available for Mac somehow after it launches. It's been getting a lot of attention from the geek press. An impractical-but-cool device like that has "Mac user" written all over it (not that Macs are impractical).

[zanc]

What I would like to see is a basic keyboard with a trackpad, as on a MacBook(Pro). This would provide full control of the Mac from an armchair with video output onto a HDTV/Projector.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by zanc What I would like to see is a basic keyboard with a trackpad, as on a MacBook(Pro). This would provide full control of the Mac from an armchair with video output onto a HDTV/Projector.

It's been done.