Humm, not quite the keyboard that was shown around the Internet like a gold plated dancing monkey a few months ago but it’s close.
The Upravlator keyboard is an input device of a new type. Within the case, a 10.8″ LCD screen with a resolution of 800×600 pixels is enclosed. Over the screen, there is a board with 12 transparent buttons. Every button features four contacts (at the top, at the bottom, on the left, and on the right). Pressing the button in the middle is possible, too (“fifth contact”)
Besides the power supply cord, Upravlator uses another two cords for connection to a computer (USB and VGA). To plug the video cable, the second monitor port (available in most configurations) or the second video card are used (the choice of the video card is up to you, it’s not part of the standard package).
Upravlator uses open standards and protocols, which will make it easier for developers to create applications. The to work under Windows and Mac OS X. device is going
Expected to be available for sale in the second half of 2007.
Patents pending.
Ok, I’ll help out with their viral marketing, it’s cool enough for that. These things would be killer for voice over IP phone systems. Many times they use either an LCD sidecar (box on the side of the phone that costs an obscene amount of cash) or an application that runs on your PC (PC needs to be on all the time, the license costs an obscene amount of cash and extra software on computers is just bad.). This would replace the sidecar and be driven from the phone or the PC. Extra keyboard and screen all in one. Well I think it’s a cool idea. Yeah…
[via thegadgetblog]