Laptops

What About an Optimus Maximus Keyboard For Notebooks?

Notebook manufacturers don't rush to adopt the new technology because of its price

By Bogdan Botezatu, Hardware Editor

4th of March 2008, 08:15 GMT

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OLED keys are more than eye-candy, they could maximize productivity

The Optimus Maximus keyboard has finally arrived on the market, although it is still limited in units. Despite its being one of the most expensive pieces of hardware at the moment, its artistic impression

manages to compensate for its bulky price tag. User feedback shows that it feels and looks good on the desktop, but what about a laptop implementation?

The tiny OLED panels are still extremely expensive and might discourage notebook manufacturers in implementing it as an alternative to the dull plastic caps, yet price won't be that much of a problem. In fact, let's remember that there are customers that would gladly pay $700,000 for a platinum- or gold-coated notebook casing, so spending some extra $1000 won't make any difference.

The main advantage in using OLED technology is the fact that each key can be fully customized to reflect a symbol on the tiny OLED panel implanted under the keycap. This removes the hassle of localizing a keyboard: for instance, you can easily map the keys to reflect the symbols of another language, say Russian or Chinese. Apart from the aesthetics, we're talking about the ultimate goal in using a computer - productivity.

Using OLED panels instead of cheaper LED screens has its benefits. While LED panels will take some extra work to fit under the keycap because they are thicker, the OLED counterparts can go as thin as human hair, and much more flexible. The other aspect is lighting, as OLED devices produce all the necessary light by themselves, and don't need additional backlighting, which dramatically reduces the energy consumption.

Some other benefits of using OLED over LED panels is the fact that the image they project are equally clear from any viewing angle. At the same time, they are able to render a wider color palette, and, surprisingly, they are cheaper to produce when they enter mass-manufacturing.

The only shortcoming in using OLED screens is that they wear out relatively fast. The average lifespan for organic LEDs is about ten times shorter than the LCD panels, but it is a matter of time until they get perfected.

TAGS:

OLED | Optimus Maximus | keyboard | notebook

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