Category: Keyboards
Asus Keyboard streams HD video to your TV
While Asus was busy launching every laptop under the sun, their marketing executive, John Swatton, confirmed to Tech Digest (me) when the infamous Asus Keyboard will be landing and what it’s actually for.
The self-sufficient computer-in-a-keyboard conundrum is supposed to be a controllable media centre primarily for your living room but, in practice, could be as portably useful as you want it to be.
It will stream HD content, stored on its 32 GB SSD, via a wide-band HDMI standard to your TV, a monitor or just about anything else with a panel. At the same time, you can use the built-in 5-inch touchscreen to do your e-mails, your shopping or whatever else you like in front if the box.
It all sounds quite fun and the main reason it’s taken since CES to get the product to market is because Asus hasn’t been too sure what it was all about either and to create another niche – as they did with the Eee PC – you’ve really go to have some idea of the best environment to put your innovation.
Seeing as no-one else is sitting on anything quite like the Keyboard, the Taiwanese tech master has had the luxury of time to perfect their latest product but the company memo seems to be that the end of August is the date we’ll all be getting a look. Can’t wait.
Asus Lamborghini VX5 preview:
Asus Keyboard to hit the shelves in June
The most puzzling gadget from CES 2009 looks like it’s about to be up for grabs as word spreads that the Asus Keyboard will be on sale by the end of June.
The computer-in-a-keyboard device created more of a confusion than a storm when it was brushed over fairly casually at the Asus press conference in January. So, just in case your desktop isn’t enough, the Taiwanese innovator is selling a finger tapper with a mind of its own.
It comes with an embedded 5-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen, and it runs XP on an Atom N270 CPU and a 32GB SSD. It also happens to rock 802.11n wirless, an HDMI-out port, Bluetooth, a set of speakers and even has a microphone as well. I think they’re just doing it to make everyone’s computer feel really dated. “Look,” they’re saying, “even our keyboards are better than your tired old machine.”
Of course, the big question is what exactly am I going to use the thing for? I look forward to the demonstrations.
(via Engadget)
Humans and Klingons brought together via the medium of the Cherry Klingon Language Wired Keyboard
Turns out we have a lot more in common with our Klingon friends than we first thought.
Klingons like a nice big Enter key on the right to make typing easier, just like us. They also enjoy a big Space bar, plus it looks like they have evolved a similar aesthetic of placing the ‘Esc’ key at the top-left and sticking a range of Function keys that go from about F1 to F12 along the top for easy access to features.
Klingons also like to use a separate numeric keypad…
Logitech shows off its revamped gaming lineup – two keyboards a headset and a mouse
Next up, it’s Logitech’s turn to show off its new products to the world. They’ve got the G19 keyboard, the G13 gameboard, the G9x mouse and the G35 surround sound headset. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that the G stands for ‘gaming’, because these are all very squarely focused at PC gamers.
I’ll start with the G19, which we spotted previously, but called the G18. In every other respect, though, it seems to be the same model – it’s got the same 320 x 240 colour LCD, the same 12 macro keys, and the superb “game mode” switch that disables the Windows key so you don’t hit it by accident at a crucial moment. No sign of that D-pad, though.
Logitech G18 spotted – a new gaming keyboard?
Despite not owning one personally, I’m a big fan of the Logitech G15 keyboards. The LCD display and macro buttons really rule the roost when it comes to gaming keyboards. Info has leaked out this morning, however, about a successor, which seems to be called the G18.
From the image above, we can tell a few things. It’s got double the number of macro keys on the left hand side (6 to 12), some sort of D-pad, and nicest of all, a full-colour LCD screen, replacing the G15’s single-colour LCD.
When we spoke to Logitech this morning, they had no comment, so this is probably a few months away from being announced, but we’ll have the full details, and a full review, as soon as it’s released.
(via Engadget China)
Related posts: Logitech G13 “Advanced Gameboard” is a gamer’s dream add-on | New Logitech keyboards announced – scroll lock AWOL?
Logitech G13 "Advanced Gameboard" is a gamer's dream add-on
I really want to try this. It’s a “Gameboard” (i.e. mini-keyboard for gamers) that’s designed to complement an existing keyboard and mouse setup, rather than replace it, like other gaming keyboards.
It’s got 25 programmable keys, as well as a programmable analogue stick and three different ‘game modes’. Logitech claims this gives you “87 ways to control their game”, though that seems like they’ve just picked a random figure out of the air. 25 x 3, plus 1, then bump it up a bit more to make it sound good?
Features-wise, it’s got backlit keys, it’s got onboard memory, so you can store your configs and port them to other PCs, it’s got a 160 x 42 LCD panel, for displaying stats and other random info, and it comes pre-configured for WoW, CoD4, and “many other popular games”. It costs £70 and appears to be available now.
Shiny Video Review: Logitech Illuminated and DiNovo Keyboards
Dan and I have been using the keyboards that came with our PCs for a long time, and they were starting to get a bit mucky. Imagine our delight, therefore, when Logitech got on the blower and asked if we fancied taking a look at some of their newest, swankiest keyboard models. Check out the video above to see what we thought.
Logitech UK
Related posts: The μTRON Keyboard – a terrifying new form of Japanese brain torture | Logitech diNovo wireless keyboard, Mac edition – this one goes to 19
The μTRON Keyboard – a terrifying new form of Japanese brain torture
As if typing isn’t a difficult and tiresome enough chore that only exists because voice and brain recognition technology is STILL rubbish, here’s something to make it harder. The μTRON Keyboard. A keyboard that’s been chopped up and rearranged. An invention that could halve office productivity over night.
The μTRON Keyboard comes in two pieces, with the space bar relegated…
Logitech diNovo wireless keyboard, Mac edition – this one goes to 19
Apple users must, I’m sure, get accustomed to the fact that there’s a lot of stuff out there that’s designed for Windows and doesn’t work out of the box on their Macs. Logitech, however, have always been good at supporting the white plastic brigade, and they’ve just released a Mac edition of their diNovo wireless keyboard.
There’s not a whole lot to say about it. It has keys. You type on them. There’s a ‘command’ key instead of a Windows one. It does have one nice feature though – 19 Mac-specific shortcut keys. Instead of the function keys stopping at 12, like on a Windows keyboard, they keep going up to 19.
Spinal Tap references aside, the diNovo wireless keyboard’s a decent bit of kit if you need a keyboard and you’re a Mac user. It costs £70, and it’s available now. Oh, and there’s still no scroll lock.
Logitech DiNovo Keyboard (this is the Windows edition – the Mac one doesn’t seem to be up yet)
Related posts: Swiss researchers can steal passwords from 65 feet away | New Logitech keyboards announced
Swiss researchers can steal passwords from 65 feet away
A bunch of Swiss researchers have worked out “a variety” of ways to steal passwords from wired keyboards. That’s right – wired keyboards. It relies on the electromagnetic emanations that happen when you push the keys on the keyboard, and you can see a demonstration in the video above…
