New All-In-One Keyboad coming from Microsoft.

[Shockeye]

More Control, Less Complexity

New Microsoft® Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition enables greater interaction and control of a Media Center PC compared with a regular remote. This three-in-one device, the first of its kind, makes it easy to turn up the volume, type a message, or point and click with the fully integrated remote, keyboard and mouse capabilities — all without ever having to leave the couch.

Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition features a sleek design to match the living room, and its compact size enables it to be easily stowed when not in use to help get rid of clutter. With smart features including a Media Center green button and backlit buttons, this device makes using a Media Center PC easier and more fun than ever.

The new products introduced today will be widely available by September 2005 for the following estimated retail prices:

Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition: $104.95 (U.S.)

Looks like a neat little tool for Media Center PCs. Too bad about the price.



Large picture here.

[schild]

I don't see an Xbox 360 button.

[Strazos]

Nor a pr0n button.

[ahoythematey]

Every single keyboard key is a pr0n button.

[Viin]

My MICROSOFT bluetooth multimedia keyboard (and mouse) is better. Just sayin'.

[Teleku]

M$

Can we start banning for this?  Please?



Keyboard looks kinda cool, but not for that damn much.

[Trippy]

Why TF are the "mouse" buttons on the opposite side of the keyboard from the pointer control? Why not put the fricking buttons underneath the pointer control like everybody else does?

[Viin]

Why TF are the "mouse" buttons on the opposite side of the keyboard from the pointer control? Why not put the fricking buttons underneath the pointer control like everybody else does?

I think it's so you can hold it like a controller - one hand doing the pointing and the other hand doing the clicking.

[Trippy]

Why TF are the "mouse" buttons on the opposite side of the keyboard from the pointer control? Why not put the fricking buttons underneath the pointer control like everybody else does?

I think it's so you can hold it like a controller - one hand doing the pointing and the other hand doing the clicking.

Okay that might explain why the ends are higher than the main keys, perhaps so you can slide your fingers underneath otherwise you would have to lift the keyboard off your lap if you were going to hold it like a controller and use your thumbs. And if that is the case they should've moved those controls off the top edges to be closer to the other controls like the 4-way controller so you can hit all the primary buttons with your thumbs without having to change your hand position. I still don't undertsand why they don't also include a copy IBM's TrackPoint pointer like Toshiba does on many of their laptops (or used to before trackpads came back into fashion) so you don't need to take both hands off the keyboard to move the pointer and click on something while you are typing.

[Viin]

I was thinking that they should just come out with a "gun" where you can just shoot the screen to click on something. Think Duck Hunt.

Make it a little thing you wear on your index finger that won't interfer with typing, so you can move from typing to "shooting" the screen and back.

[Teleku]

I think most corporations wouldn't want their cubical slaves practicing shooting all day long.

[CmdrSlack]

I was thinking that they should just come out with a "gun" where you can just shoot the screen to click on something. Think Duck Hunt.

Make it a little thing you wear on your index finger that won't interfer with typing, so you can move from typing to "shooting" the screen and back.

Ask, and ye shall somewhat receive', Beavis. 

[Viin]

Ask, and ye shall somewhat receive', Beavis. 

Heh, thanks, but not quite what I'm looking for. Though I wonder how well that'd work for CounterStrike...

[CmdrSlack]

Ask, and ye shall somewhat receive', Beavis. 

Heh, thanks, but not quite what I'm looking for. Though I wonder how well that'd work for CounterStrike...

Well, I said "somewhat." :P

It's basically an optical mouse that's shaped like a gun.  I agree that it would be 110% cooler if it had some kind of "Duck Hunt" element to it.

EDIT -- Hmm just thought how incredibally twitch-based an FPS or MMO would be with a lightgun as the only input device.

[HaemishM]

Fuck that $100 piece of shiny, rounded Imac-looking shit. Give me the Phantom keyboard/mouse combo and STFU.

[shiznitz]

Thank god it has an aluminum trigger. For a second there I thought it was crap.

[Tebonas]

I want the old IBM keyboards reissued. The ones without multimedia keys and a fucking windows key. I'm running low on reserves. Only three more in the cupboard.

[Samwise]

Ask, and ye shall somewhat receive', Beavis. 

Heh, thanks, but not quite what I'm looking for. Though I wonder how well that'd work for CounterStrike...

Not at all.

I tried playing UT with one of those things at E3 a few years ago.  It was complete and utter crap.  The shape of the thing makes you want to use it like a gun, but that of course doesn't work at all, even if you resist the impulse to tilt it up and down, because to rotate right and left you have to slide the gun right and left, not actually turn it right and left.  Gaah.  Most stupid gimmick ever.

[Trippy]

I want the old IBM keyboards reissued. The ones without multimedia keys and a fucking windows key. I'm running low on reserves. Only three more in the cupboard.

I think this is what you want:

http://www.pckeyboard.com/customizer.html

The Customizer 101 doesn't have the extra Windows keys.

Here's some more info on old-school IBM keyboard clones:

http://www.dansdata.com/clickykeyboards.htm

[schild]

IBM Model Ms. I use them exclusively. They're easily gotten at any campus surplus outlet. As in college campus - most state universities have them.

[squirrel]

Meh - Logitech with the Media Pad an Bluetooth mouse pwnzors this. Cost more but this looks weak IMO.

[Hanzii]

I want the old IBM keyboards reissued. The ones without multimedia keys and a fucking windows key. I'm running low on reserves. Only three more in the cupboard.

We have guys like you at work....  I don't get it.
While I'm typing this on my Logitech DiNovo, here's a link to the keyboard you really want.

[schild]

Oh shit. I'm ordering a Das Keyboard right when I get out to Arizona. I haven't looked at the keys in years. With that none of my friends will be able to functionally use my computer. 

Edit: Wait, don't want it, it has blank Windows keys. So sorry. Hitting escape that extra time to cancel it out is annoying. More than that, hitting the Windows key ingame is death.

[Trippy]

I want the old IBM keyboards reissued. The ones without multimedia keys and a fucking windows key. I'm running low on reserves. Only three more in the cupboard.

We have guys like you at work....  I don't get it.

It's the buckling spring keyswitches. They are loud as heck but the feel of them is unique.

[schild]

It's the buckling spring keyswitches. They are loud as heck but the feel of them is unique.

It's not just that. You get into a rhythm with the clicking sound they make and typing becomes a simple exercise. Once you really get attuned to the keyboard you can hear when you make a typo because the rhythm goes a little off. There's no doubt - these keyboards are probably one of man's greatest creations.

[Tebonas]

All good alternatives, I'll see if they have german keyboards as well if need arises. As of people like me, around 15% of the people who get Computers in the banking houses we support want to keep their old keyboards. The rest ist divided among some IT people here in house. I already train for the day when they will be divided by cage-matches to the death. I plan to go for the spleen.

[Murgos]

I think the feel of them (the keys) also has something to do with easing stress on the fingers (and by extension the wrists and forarms).  There is no 'mushy' bottom to the keys, you know exactly when to stop pushing down.  I find that with 'mushy' keys I press harder.

[Miasma]

There is nothing worse than being in an open office environment with one person clacking away on one of those old things.  Might as well be blaring heavy bass rap from a speaker system.

Having one of those keyboards also lets everyone know exactly when you aren't working.  If there is silence it can be safely assumed that you are web surfing (if you have a job that requires a lot of typing, and anyone who still has an old IBM would).

[SurfD]

While I'm typing this on my Logitech DiNovo....

How is the DiNovo?  I am considering buying a Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse Set in the next week or so, and was going for the Logitech Bluetooth MX set, since the DiNovo is almost twice as expensive.  Would it really be worth it to shell out for a DiNovo set?

Just from a quick comparison of features, seems the only thing the DiNovo really has going for it is the somewhat more sleek/stylish look, and the Detached Media Pad.

[Hanzii]

Three things to consider.

Does design matter?
It does to me, and I like that my keyboard looks like nothing else out there.

Will you be using the MediaPad for anything else than a detachable numeric keyboard?
I sometimes control music from the kitchen and like (but don't really use) the fact that Messenger pops up on the pad. If you're lefthanded, detachable is also very nice. And it takes up less space, since the pad is never besides the keyboard in my house.

Do you like the notebook type keys?
I do. A lot. And I like that it has the feel of a notebook keyboard but not the limited size.

[Aenovae]

See the Insert, Home, Delete, etc. keys all in a vertical row on the right side?

That's bullshit.  No programmer will buy this keyboard.

[Paelos]

That thing sucks and is too expensive. The mouse controls shouldn't be seperated, some of the keys are in awful positions, and I hate MS.

[Venkman]

If I was going to care that much about a keyboard, I'd probably get this Logitech one.

[Strazos]

Your opinion is disqualified by the fact that you linked to something related to Everquest Online Fucking Adventures.

[Venkman]

Your opinion is disqualified by the fact that you linked to something related to Everquest Online Fucking Adventures.

Feh. Victim of timing is all. I played FFXI with that keyboard. Does that help?