Optimus Mini 3 OLED keyboard

Back last year we reported on a Russian company in the process of making a smart OLED keyboard. Well, now here’s a working product based on that.

The Optimus Mini 3 keyboard is a tiny USB device that features 3 keys, each with its own backlit OLED screen. Each key can display either a static image or a full animation, and a particular action will be performed depending upon what’s been assigned to it.

Sounds pretty nifty to me. Why would you want an extra 3-key keyboard? Well, maybe for skipping tracks in iTunes or Windows Media Player, extra control for gaming, shortcut keys to applications. It’s really up to your imagination.

It comes with the Optimus Mini configuration software that allows you to assign actions to each key. Up to six different key layouts can be switched in by holding down various modifier keys on your main PC keyboard. You can also use the keys to simply display updating information, such as the time.

The screens are 20x20mm in size, with a 96×96 pixel resolution, 16-bit colour, a viewing angle of 160 degrees, and animation at 3fps. The key size is 32x32mm, and the overall unit size is 116mm x 51.8mm x 18mm.

Predefined key sets are available for Internet Explorer, Word, Outlook Express, and Windows Media Player.

Keys can be configured for the following functions:
* Start an Application
* Set as any keyboard combination
* System Status with Free Memory and CPU Usage graph
* Display webcam or other dynamic images pulled from the web
* Display the Time and Weather in any city with animated analog or digital clock face
* Control Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Outlook Express and Windows Media Player

It only works under Windows at present, though apparently Mac and Linux versions are being worked on.

All you need is a spare USB port, and £139. Given how cool this little gizmo is, that’s not half bad.

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