Optimus Maximus Keyboard Makes Me Wish I Was Richie Rich

Art Lebedev Studio, headed by Artemy Lebedev has come with a masterpiece. Or is it? Titled “Optimus Maximus” it’s a high end keyboard with 133 tiny OLED display keys. Now coming to the part where I wish I was Richie Rich. This keyboard costs a whopping $1,600. A bomb. Did some one say that it is the costliest keyboard on the face of the Earth? More on that later.

The trick here is each key can be individually programmed to display different tasks, like playing tiny movies, HTML codes, or your favorite websites. Let me break that down into common speak. There is a screen in each key that displays the function currently assigned to it. Each of its keys is a display which can dynamically change to adapt to the keyboard layout in use or to show the function of the key.

According to the company website, Optimus Maximus’s customizable layout allows convenient use of any language—Cyrillic, Ancient Greek, Georgian, Arabic, Quenya, hiragana, etc.—as well as of any other character sets: notes, numerals, special symbols, HTML codes, math functions and so on to infinity.

Optimus Configurator software allows programming every button to reproduce a sequence of symbols and editing the image separately for each layout.

Most of the reviews I came across on the internet criticized the keyboard for inordinately high CPU usage, slow response time, and buggy configuration software. Another grouse is that after plugging the keyboard to the USB port, one has to slog, programming the keys. The only talking points of this keyboard are that it lets you see the shortcuts visually and the level of customization it offers.

One can individually configure what each key does when it is depressed. Currently scripts, commands and few other functions can be programmed. The keys can display whatever you want it to display according to the guys at Gizmodo. They say that apart from static images, one can also play back a movie on one of the keys Wow. Is it Alien Technology?

Source: Art Lebedev Studio, Gizmodo, Wired.com

Lets Cha Cha Cha…...

A person sitting in front of a computer connected to internet has the entire gamut of search engines available with just a click of a button to seek out the information he seeks. Now picture the same person with a high end mobile phone featuring GPRS. Again the power of search is at the tip of his fingers. Now I picture myself holding a sub $25 cell phone wondering how am I going to find the nearest available gas station or a convenience store. I do not have the luxury of a computer connected to internet nor do I have a high end cell phone that can connect to the net. So am I stuck, helpless, looking for the nearest telephone booth to look up the places?

Well if it wasn’t for the ChaCha, the answer would be yes. ChaCha is a free mobile search service that allows you to get answers to any question you might have, right on your mobile device. You can ask about weather, stocks, directions, restaurants, shops, products... and all your questions are answered by real people.

One can get restaurant recommendations on the go, last night's baseball score, and even the average weight of an elephant! All one has to do is Call 1-800-2-ChaCha or text 242242 with your question. Your question will be sent to a ChaCha Guide who will research the question and send you a text back with your answer.

ChaCha is a free service currently available only in the U.S. Normal text or voice charges from the carrier apply and this service is available 24/7.

ChaCha has been voted as the best consumer mobile application “Best Application” at the CTIA Wireless 2008. It has also won first prize at the “My Search is Better than Your Search” competition at the Search Engine Strategies conference held in Manhattan and ranked the No. 1 Alternative Search Engine. ChaCha was also named “Top Ten” by Dow Jones’ VentureWire out of 70 presenters at “Web Ventures.”

Source: ChaCha, The Wall Street Journal

Hydrogen Bikes Anyone?

Continuing with the environment friendly initiatives on which I have been posting, this is a gem. The article is from BikeSite.com. Though I have not been able to determine the date, it’s still a must read for all those enthusiasts who have been waiting for and environment friendly bike to come along.

Intelligent Energy, British based company has developed a bike titled ENV. It stands for Emissions Neutral Vehicle. Intelligent Energy has partnered with Seymourpowell which has been working on this fuel cell technology for over 10 years to come up with this eco-friendly bike. The motorbike is powered by hydrogen cells. It has a top speed of 50 mph and a fuel range of 100 miles. The bike hardly makes any noise and is estimated to cost £3000 on the market. The cost might come down with the sops from the government. The design of the bike may not be to everybody's tastes according to the website.

Sadly, I could not find any pictures of this bike and further information was also scarce.

One can read the full article at Bike Site at the following link:

http://www.bikesite.co.uk/articles-21/75.htm