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Apple Researching Keyboards With Adaptive Displays on Each Key

Why are some people having a panic attack over this news? Not all innovations are home runs, at least initially. To innovate, you need to risk breaking things. When sliced bread was invented, it was the greatest thing since...well, it was a failure initially — like many innovations.

I don’t believe anyone sets out to make things worse than they are. If we can innovate in the area of bread, surely there is room for innovation with a keyboard.
 
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c0ppo said:
Well... Here we go again :)
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macsplusmacs said:
Whatever the current keyboards are...FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS!!
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See below, @dannyyankou gets it!
dannyyankou said:
Now this is interesting. A useful case that comes immediately to mind is pressing the Option key and seeing what special characters you can press.
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Bingo!


mcdawg said:
Yo! We heard you like Touch Bars on your keyboard, so we made your whole keyboard a Touch Bar.
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Again I don’t think you understand what is being done here, I’ll elaborate below.
Shexo said:
If it ain’t broke...
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the standard typewriter KB used in computers has been “broke” for decades.
imagine if you will a keyboard who’s secondary labels on keys are highlighted day/night for the required function (be it from using shift key or Alt or caps lock or numerical keys on laptop KB’s using the standard non full size keyboard that incorporates a numerical keypad)

to go further having keys with a membrane that can be specifically raised in fine ways, say for Braille - it can help those of us that don’t know Braille learn it, while allow those of us that do not create content for those that DO and NEED to use Braille (Documents, websites, e-Commerce, database, research, etc).
 
If this leads to the return of more physical buttons in the top row then I’m cool with that. But they need to be separate, physicals keys, not a giant slab of glass
 
This makes sense and would be kinda cool if they can make it work. I just ordered a keyboard with English/Korean on my new M1 MBA. If they can make a keyboard that functions well and has travel while switching the language out on it (or whatever else) that'd be enjoyable like just switching it out in iOS. I was always expecting them to just replace the keyboard entirely with a black screen like an iPad but I guess they felt that was a bit too far for Apple at least now...or after the last few years of keyboard issues/stigma driving them nuts lol better make it a separate "niche" model if anything.
 
hansmoleman said:
Something tells me I've seen this before.... oh, yeah.

Optimus Maximus keyboard

www.artlebedev.com www.artlebedev.com
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That's my first impression. I would really like to know what (if anything) Apple is innovating here, given the existence of the Optimus Maximus.

I think its a great concept, but it's hardly new.

macsplusmacs said:
Did that ever ship? gave up following them a long time ago.
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Yes it did. It shipped in a limited run, was very expensive (over $1000) and they ceased being available when the supply ran out. Unfortunately, Lebedev was unable to manufacture the Maximus for a price low enough to make it available to the masses.

I also suspect Lebedev didn't want to go into mass production, since they are primarily a design firm, not a manufacturing company.

PBG4 Dude said:
Now show me where the “buy” button is. It’s been vapor ware for over a decade now.
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Not vapor. You missed it. Although it was under development for a very long time, it eventually shipped, all the units sold out, and they didn't make any more.

Kierkegaarden said:
Why are some people having a panic attack over this news? Not all innovations are home runs, at least initially. To innovate, you need to risk breaking things. When sliced bread was invented, it was the greatest thing since...well, it was a failure initially — like many innovations.

I don’t believe anyone sets out to make things worse than they are. If we can innovate in the area of bread, surely there is room for innovation with a keyboard.
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Sure, there's plenty of room for innovation, but I don't consider this innovative, because it's been done already.

There's nothing wrong with that. After all, the original iPod was based on prior work from many other companies. The only real innovation was the wheel-based interface and the seamless integration with iTunes. If Apple can manufacture a display-per-key keyboard at a cost low enough for it to be affordable, that will be a really big deal.

I really want to know what in that patent application is truly original and how much is an attempt to snag a patent for someone else's design (a problem all too common these days).
 
Bad timing. My MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016) keyboard is starting to act up. I'm getting multiple 'n's and 't's.

Not feeling that great about the two words 'Apple' and 'keyboard' being in the same sentence. Grrr... Can't wait until it gets worse. Yippee...
 
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anthonyjr said:
Not when your shortcut commands are so complex that the difference between hitting crtl+optn or cmd+optn in the middle of a task can effectively ruin an entire project.
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if the difference between a button press can ruin a project and can’t be ctrl-z’d, there’s bigger problems with the software
 
Now that would be cool. I know some companies dabbled in this area here and there but Apple would take it serious.
 
macsplusmacs said:
I'm pro.

And I do.

👏 Generalizations 👏 are 👏 usually 👏 dumb.
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There are different professions and levels of professionals. You will find that you are more efficient if you don’t look at the keyboard. You should try it and it’s perfectly ok if you don’t think efficiency is needed in your profession but in “general” that comment was right. I cringe when I see any of my team members using the mouse continuously and look up and down when they should remember shortcuts.
 
vicviper789 said:
if the difference between a button press can ruin a project and can’t be ctrl-z’d, there’s bigger problems with the software
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Depends on the nature of the project. I do theater with ETC Nomad which involves a ton of keyboard shortcuts, precise timing, and a live audience. While "ruin" might be overstating the case, mis-remembering a shortcut can be pretty awkward.

My current options are touchscreen, QWERTY keyboard + shortcuts, or a $3500 programming wing. I wouldn't think twice about spending money for a remappable-on-the-fly keyboard that labelled the keys with their functions. I know it's a specialized use case but I'm sure I'm not alone.
 
Lounge vibes 05 said:
Remember the last time that they attempted to dip their big toe in the land of keyboard innovation?
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Assuming you're talking about the butterfly keyboard, that was neither an innovation nor anything like this. It was a decision to adopt a known short-throw mechanical keyboard. This, by contrast, could be done either in the form of a mechanical keyboard (including one with the same mechanism used now, which people seem to like) or a digital haptic keyboard (which differs completely from the butterfly keyboard in that it is virtually impervious to damage from crumbs and the like). This is re-imagining what the surface space of the key could show. How the keyboard works is extremely important but entirely separate.
 
coolfactor said:
A touch-screen Mac is coming. It's inevitable, and proof is in the redesign of macOS Big Sur where controls and menus have been "given more breathing room". They carefully avoided mentioning that the changes are for a future touch-based interface, but it's obvious to anyone with a brain that that's why the changes were made.
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No, it’s not.
 
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Apple seems to have ideas on how to continuously innovate for a whole decade at a time. They are not forced to go down a particular road but the definitely try to go in a certain direction. They make huge contracts for things like displays or metal or glass or chips of whatever the know they can reduce cost on by using a lot of it. Display tech is one of the things they will innovate on not only to attract customers but to also buy in bulk so they can reduce costs overall. Its a win win for them, they drive more sales with such innovation while securing larger contracts for technology like screens that end up giving them a lower price per part so they make more product that costs less to make and sells in greater numbers than the last product.

You don't need to look at the keys for regular typing, but for an app that does not require much typing having extra buttons constantly visible alongside the interface is a killer feature. It would change how a power user uses their computer and it will turn a regular user into more of a power user because it would reduce the number of steps to doing a task to just one, pressing the button that does that task. It's a big deal. It would also open up lots of gaming innovation only possible on a Mac. Unfortunately it would come after a major redesign and the only way I see it coming with a new redesigned computer is if that computer is an iMac pro or the most expensive system. The first time this keyboard shows up it will be cost prohibitive simply because that's how Apple rolls. I hope I am wrong about that and we can get these in all computers $1,500 and up and above. I don't see this coming to lower priced models at all unless you buy their overpriced $250 or more version of the keyboard.
 
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