“Russian design studio Art Lebedev opened its online store for pre-orders of the Optimus Maximus LED keyboard. The first shipment of 200 keyboards was sold within one day, despite the keyboard’s hefty price tag of $1564.37,” Wolfgang Gruener reports for TG Daily.
“According to a note posted on Art Lebedev’s website, the first 200 buyers will be receiving their keyboard in early January. The next 200 keyboards will ship after December 20, with another 400 becoming available in early January,” Gruener reports.
here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lurker_PC” for the heads up.]
nothing wrong with apples keyboard for that price
EeeeeH What do I want LED’s on a keyboard for? especially if I want to be green.
I suppose I had better read the full article before slating something I have no need for.
How many starving Africans could $1564 feed, for fscks sake.
It’s way too expensive and is the wrong color. Other than that, it looks great!
But most people won’t keep a keyboard, let alone a computer 20,000 hours.
Okay, I get it. You can watch videos on your keyboard at upto 10fps.
So what do I do with my monitor in the meantime?
I’d buy it for $100.
“How many starving Africans could $1564 feed, for fucks sake.”
What an asinine thing to say. Let me guess, Reality Check: You’re in serious need of one. A reality check, that is. Do you use a Mac or a Windows box? Did you ask yourself that question when you purchased the computer? Probably not, right?
If you don’t want it, don’t buy it. Personally I think it’s excessive for what it does. But I thought the first iPod was overpriced too. And look at them now.
There are plenty of items for sale in this world that some people consider excessively priced. But to others the cost isn’t unreasonable. It’s all relative.
Kind of like the fact that you could feed starving Americans with that money, too. Or Slovakians. Or Somalians. Or Koreans.
i think the point is that you get an ambient light detecting, LED keyboard with the macbook pro for a lot less than $1500
@ Reality Check: One fat one! Aaaaha! ha! ha! haaaaaa!!!!!
Before you post back claiming that I am insensitive, we all should occassionally pick the log from our eyes before trying to pick the speck from our neighbours eye.
cool, buy WAY too much money
I love my Microsoft Internet Pro keyboard that I bought on eBay for $14.
Hey “Reality Check” — you’re a fool. Yaah, tis thing is overpriced. I expected it to be $200, tops. But, uh, way to trot out quasi-racist stereotypes with your “starving Africans” remark, douchebag. So I guess I should feel guilty now about the $3500 I spent on my replica Japanese sword collection or the $6500 I’ve got invested in my Mac system?
Oh, you’re right … I DO feel guilty for those starving Africans.
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My MacBookPro keyboard lights up – and a computer came with it.
This is a great idea, but all that is needed at the moment (to keep price down) is a panel of, say, 10 keys on the left or right of the main keyboard area which can change colours, change images, etc.
This would make the keyboard a lot less expensive, and allow for greater adoption by computer-using customers and developers, who all need to get used to this new possibility.
It’s too much, too early. Let’s hope Apple does something with this technology.
Did it occur to anyone that Reality Check might simply be joking a little bit? It’s a way of commenting on the lofty price of the keyboard, not a indictment of those who spend a lot of money for things.
Then again, I could be wrong.
My prediction: 7 units sold, then a markdown to $1132.49. Then 13 units sold. Then a markdown to $992.18. Then 25 units sold. Then a markdown to $599.25. Then 41 units sold. Then a markdown to $375.15. Then 42 units sold. Then . . .
Out of business.
The Optimus Maximus keyboard was actually designed as a favor to Biggus Dickus and his wife, Incontinentia Buttocks.
Free wannabe-Optimus : http://www.keyboardtattoo.com/en
French design, available immediately, no led (but cool stickers), no ambient light sensor (but real vivid painted colors), requiremenrt Mac OS X 10.3 and a white desktop keyboard
DAMN, Spanky! That thing better have a mini transporter unit and an espresso maker on it for that price.
Wouldn’t feeding this to starving people be more cruel? Oh, never mind.
For example: How about stopping our own drug companies from developing GM crops under the guise of starving Africans?
If African Countries take up the GM crop, they will only be able to achieve a single harvest, the next time they plant the seeds they have saved from the previous harvest as they currently do, the new seeds will not germinate unless they buy expensive activators to activate the growth gene.
Then they have to buy weed killer which will not target the GM plants, but all other plants being killed will deny pollen and nector to bees, butterflies, ants and birds like the Humming bird that feeds solely on nector, because when the harvest is done, the soil will be left barren, when weeds would come into their own.
I write this based on the canadian farmers who were forced to pay compensation to Monsanto for growing genetically modified plants. These farmers were organic farmers who had the misfortune of their plants being pollinated by GM crops that were supposedly miles away. Of course we conveniently forget that pollen can survive for hundreds of years.
What legacy are we leaving our children by allowing these to occur in uncontrolled experiments?
I once spent exactly $1564.37 — on dinner. It’s funny, too, because the whole time all these well-fed Africans were waiting on me and my guests. Guess I’m rich AND a racist.
Hey Crabapple — Anymore horror stories you’d like to share with the class, you pinko commie liberal socialist tool?
I think part of the LED funtionality is to assign different icons to different keys with different tasks to them, and be able to switch to and from specific layouts for different apps.