Any chance well see e-ink keyboards anytime soon?

[rebubula]

There was a Samsung flip phone with this technology a couple years ago, it would be awesome if they put this into their MBP line for use with Logic Photoshop and iMovie, etc

 

[palpatine]

There was a Samsung flip phone with this technology a couple years ago, it would be awesome if they put this into their MBP line for use with Logic Photoshop and iMovie, etc

As a USB keyboard for those who want it, or maybe offered as an "upgrade" would be fine, but I hope we never see it as a part of the standard MBP package!

It would be a nightmare for touch typing. I've tried to do work on my iPad, and it is possible to actually do some typing for short periods. If I had to pound on a screen all day instead of using keys, though, I would have some pretty exhausted fingers. Of course, I'd also have a bunch of mistakes as well, because it is quite difficult to stay properly aligned without tactile feedback.

Hopefully, you really meant an e-ink screen. I think we will have something like that soon. Mirasol and others have developed some quite promising color technology that is capable of displaying videos. But, it isn't quite ready yet for production.

 

[steadysignal]

i would miss that mechanical feel if the kybds went to ink...

 

[Capt Underpants]

It would be cool if they put small e-ink displays on each key that could change according to the application. But this would probably be impossible.

 

[rebubula]

The keys on this phone were tactile as im hoping the eink would be built under/ into tactile the key

 

[JTToft]

It would be cool if they put small e-ink displays on each key that could change according to the application. But this would probably be impossible.

- That has been done with a desktop keyboard before, though not with e-ink:
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimus_Maximus_keyboard

 

[rebubula]

now if we can just get cost under 2 g's

 

[JTToft]

now if we can just get cost under 2 g's

- Yeah... The price of the Optimus Maximus keyboard is absolutely ridiculous!

 

[awer25]

now if we can just get cost under 2 g's

$1599 but OOS.

 

[rbdearz]

Definitely Possible

It would be cool if they put small e-ink displays on each key that could change according to the application. But this would probably be impossible.

Samsung has done it with a cellphone http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/samsung-alias-2-has-morphing-e-ink-keypad-20090512/

So Apple could easily do it with a keyboard, it would be neat if they did a color e-ink keyboard, with the option for a SUPER AMOLED touchscreen keyboard replacement as well.

http://www.eink.com/display_products_triton.html

 

[ELA2]

We would probably see retina keyboards soon if Steve was still around. Will be interesting to see the new MacBook pro refresh. Apple was always about the next big thing. While its still an innovator I think we'll see in the years to come that it's more about profits. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Tea-Aholic]

We would probably see retina keyboards soon if Steve was still around. Will be interesting to see the new MacBook pro refresh. Apple was always about the next big thing. While its still an innovator I think we'll see in the years to come that it's more about profits. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Wasn't Steve all about the bitmap UI? He heavily criticised smartphones with I quote "little plastic keyboards in them" and how they don't change to optimise for each application.

 

[snaky69]

A touch screen keyboard is just fine for cellphones seeing as you're using it while looking at the screen at the same already, thus you see the keyboard at all times in the bargain. For a computer though, it is utterly useless and stupid. How would anybody touch type if the keyboard were a flat piece of glass?

Apart from the added costs, added power draw and added weight, it does nothing for the functionality of the computer, and in my opinion, it even impedes it. It's simply not going to happen.

 

[dusk007]

I think it would be nice if they just offered a keyboard layout that is blank. Add a few printable masks with stickers that hold in place the same way display films do. Then everybody can print whatever they like on the keys and even change it. The keys wouldn't get shiny because you just change the sticker and if you want russian, german, english on the same key you just print a mix. You could print on the media keys everything you want. Or add symbols for some apps you need them.

That would be really great but it seems there are too few multi lingual buyers out there to care.
I would also just like a blank keyboard with nothing on it. Looks better and who needs the labels anyway.

 

[robvas]

Real buttons have 'feel' to them which glass doesn't.

 

[ELA2]

Real buttons have 'feel' to them which glass doesn't.

Yes I agree. I was thinking more along the line of real keys with retina displays on top.