Optimus Maximus facing competition
When we first heard about Artemy Lebedev's Optimus Maximus keyboard many years ago, it seemed like the ultimate gadget. Following lengthy delays however, the once jaw-dropping keyboard now feels like little more than an overly expensive toy. Priced at approximately £800, it isn't hard to see why.
There could however be a cheaper solution on the way, courtesy of United Keys, a company that offers patented and patent-pending image-based interactive input technology for use in a range of devices such as mobile phones, remotes and game controllers.
The US-based company announced today a deal with Foxconn, one of the world's largest contract manufacturers, to build display-key input devices using United Keys technology. The first such device is to be a "keyboard tailored for PC gaming", also known as an Optimus Maximus.
"Our partnership with Foxconn provides world-class procurement, environmental-friendly manufacturing and design, and, most importantly, one-of-a-kind global synchronise ramp-ups capability," said Ronald Brown, CEO of United Keys. "Display-key technology, a revolutionary step forward in simplifying usability, is now positioned to really take off in the most popular consumer and business markets."
Being developed by Foxconn, we expect the new United Keys keyboards to be a whole lot cheaper than the Optimus Maximus and you won't have to wait long either, they're said to start shipping this summer.
