The might be PERFECT to be way uber cool controls!

[Lilwolf]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/14/the-optimus-mini-three/

this with a frontend that utilize it!  For configuration? 

cant' wait to see how much their full keyboard will cost

[Fozzy The Bear]

Just like the optimus keyboard.... The thing doesn't actually exist, except as a 3D rendering.

This company thinks it's April the 1st all year round.  Vapourware just like their other non existant products.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[cholin]

Saw the optimus a long time ago... really still hope it comes out.  Not much of a purpose on a laptop, but if that comes out Ill actually take my desktop out of the boxes just to use it!

Screw the mini one... I want the big one!

[jjd]

Just like the optimus keyboard.... The thing doesn't actually exist, except as a 3D rendering.

This company thinks it's April the 1st all year round.  Vapourware just like their other non existant products.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

The mini 3 keyboard is in production and the company is taking pre-orders. 

[Fozzy The Bear]

The mini 3 keyboard is in production and the company is taking pre-orders. 

Yeah! Right.... and my real name's Santa Claus.... ROFL 

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[RayB]

Official website info page is here:
http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus-mini/answers/

What I don't like is this:

"OLED
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) in our screens last for 5000 hours of continuous use. The screen saving mode is designed to extend the keyboard

[jjd]

Yeah! Right.... and my real name's Santa Claus.... ROFL  laugh
Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

"Price and availability

The price of the keyboard is $100 until April 2, 2006. The keyboard will be available for pre-order this week.

After April 2, 2006 the price will be higher.

Keyboards ready for shipment will arrive on May 15."


Ho Ho Ho

[Lilwolf]

33 bucks a button is a bit much   but it would be pretty cool for a frontend.  I've wanted to have a cabinet that is always running a game... and you kill it and launch the next.  This would be perfect for it.

But I believe they will be out.  I just don't think they will be able to keep their original 200 for the keyboard pricing from last year... if 3 buttons are going for a 100.

they aren't vaporware yet... I'm guessing they will get the first run at least... and maybe a few after that... the question is if they can pay off all the people who gave them money...  But if they can get the production up and running of these, they should have a full keyboard by the end of the year like they say.

[Buddabing]

This was kind of a bummer:

As of now, only one Optimus mini three keyboard can be connected to a computer.

[Fozzy The Bear]

Look guys... I don't want to rain on anybody's parade here.... But these guys at Lebedev are con artists! ......

They want people to pay for a product that doesn't even exist yet.  What planet are they on! They don't have the money to back thier own production. They never had the money to back it.

A few years ago they were touting a revolutionary new train (railway/railroad)  that they claimed was significantly more efficient than anything ever built.  That only ever existed as 3D Renders as well. They took money in to back that too. It never happened.

Do you seriously think that a small Russian design studio has the industrial prowess to pull off this sort of production....  All they've ever done is design things that never get made! (FACT) They don't and never have manufactured anything, not a single electronic product of any description.

What's the real thing that these people do?? they design web sites... and play with 3D rendered graphics.

Smell the Bacon frying boys!! Pay them your money and expect it to dissapear into a black hole. At the end of the day, make your own minds up about this.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[RayB]

OK Fozzy, I can believe your argument, but the one thing that just plain doesn't make sense is why they would stick around with the same business name and everything, if they just ripped people off like you said? Wouldn't people be hunting them down right now?

Well I guess anything's possible. It's Russia after all.

[quarterback]

the one thing that just plain doesn't make sense is why they would stick around with the same business name and everything, if they just ripped people off like you said?

In Russia, business name sticks around YOU!       

[Lilwolf]

it actually makes a LOT of sense..

they get ahold of a new technology... come up with a cool idea...   The implement some rough prototype buttons with the lcds in them.

Then they try to shrink down the controls... but have some issues...

so then they come up with a 3 button version where each are 2x the size of the original design... for 1/2 the cost of 102 buttons for 3.

Sounds all very reasonable to me.  They where probably waiting until they could get the lcd's themself.  It can' take a year+ before you can get your first mass quantity product after getting a demo. 

heck, I could see that they only had one or two olcds and based their whole product from that.

I was working for a company who had a java solution for manufacting.  There was a very large company who started selling a full computer (486x100 type speed) in the size of a memory chip.  We got one and it was really cool (perfect for sitting right next to a machine for conversions ect).... years passed, and we could only get a few at a time.... they missed the boat completely because by the time they could mass produce, other, better options where out.   

but if we started promoting our product to run on it when they originally said they could get us the chips, we would have looked the fool... our software was ready... it was others...

I bet the olcd manufactures are doing this.