back to article Hands on with Asus' redesigned Eee Keyboard

Despite promising to launch its Eee keyboard last month, Asus has demoed a revised version of the computer-in-a-keyboard, which is now due to ship early next year. Asus_keyboard_antenna_05 Asus has revised the Eee keyboard's features and launch date Among the changes Asus has made to the device are the replacement of its …

COMMENTS

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  1. Samuel Williams
    Thumb Up

    Computer in a keyboard?

    I had one of these with TWO 3.5" floppy drives no less!

    http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=182&st=1

  2. Nigel 11
    Thumb Down

    Name wrong

    Eee keyboard?

    An Eeeboard, surely.

  3. Markus Imhof
    Boffin

    Useable as keyboard?

    Ok, it's a keyboard. May I use it as such (+ trackpad?) for another computer? Any information about that from Asus?

    I'm going to need a replacement for my old apple keyboard (a white keyboard may look nice when new...), and if I could replace my old Win box at the same time[1], I could in theory free up some shelf space.

    Bye

    Markus

    [1] I know, virtual win machines exist for the mac - but I need windows only for low cost/hobby PIC development, and the current win box cost me below 100.- € including legal OS and has a real serial port.

  4. Code Monkey

    WANT!

    I don't know what I'd use it for but I want one - once they've integrated the wireless receiver. Full marks to Asus once again!

  5. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Yeah. What about a left handed version?

    for the 10% of the population you are discriminating against with your latest offering?

    Fail for obvious reasons.

  6. Piloti
    Thumb Down

    I still don't really see the point.....

    .. of carrying around something with a bigger foot print than a netbook, a small screen, less privacy and seems more likely to be damaged than a netbook.

    From a nostalgia point though, i love the all in one idea. Takes me backl to my Electron [ i know, no screen] then the keybaord was the computer.

    Wasn't there a Wang or Apricot or something like that that had a built in screen int he keyboard..... ?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Could be a great keyboard

    Except they should give it some batteries, a proper keyboard, and have the touchscreen work as a touchpad. Then, they should add an API so other software can hook into it. Then it would make for a perfect KVM machine.

  8. Mike Kamermans
    WTF?

    I'm confused...

    Am I supposed to look over my right wrist if I want to see what I'm actually doing, or is it a secondary screen?

  9. TeeCee Gold badge
    Joke

    Make one yourself!

    You will need:

    One Sinclair QL. One iPhone. One can of Holts "Silver Wheels". Blu-tack.

    1) Spray the QL with the "Silver wheels" and allow to dry.

    2) Blu-tack the iPhone to the top of the QL above the microdrive slots.

    3) Er, that's it.

  10. Darren Davis
    Pint

    @Samuel Williams

    http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=182&st=1

    ... and it was probably faster too ;)

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

  12. Bl33ter
    Coat

    Problem!

    Why does it have a screen where the tape player should be?

  13. William Towle
    Boffin

    Re: I still don't really see the point.....

    Piloti> Wasn't there a Wang or Apricot or something like that that had a built in screen int he keyboard..... ?

    Apricot PC (http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=499): "the keyboard was quite original with 8 "normal" and 6 flat programmable function keys along with a built-in LCD screen (40 characters / 2 lines) which displayed the function of the keys" (see also the Xen and Xi models).

    I liked the idea that the function keys could be custom-labelled without the need for a loseable card strip or a second line on the screen - but this was, inevitably, rendered rather passe by high-resolution screens with WIMP GUIs. This seems to be the next iteration of that. It's cool, and it will be interesting to see what developments it inspires ... but right now I can't see it's got anything to offer over my netbook+desktop combo.

  14. NogginTheNog

    This still needs a monitor, right?

    So what advantage does it have over a netbook/laptop, SFF PC, or even one of Asus' teeny desktop thingies?

  15. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge

    Hmm ...

    I thought I liked the idea of keyboard with LCD but I've been playing with a Palm Pilot Terminal Emulator and decided to slap that on my keyboard as per the Eee design -

    Bloody awful ergonomics.

    Having not been sure of what use it would be, I'm now not convinced it's that usable if it has a use. It seems neither as good as a small NetBook ( like Asus used to make ) nor a PDA-style offering with a small USB keyboard. Oddly enough, being right handed, it seems to work better with screen to the left; perhaps because that's where I put paper I'm copy-typing from as way past the cursor and numeric keypad is just too far away, and mainly one finger typing is right handed and gets in the way of viewing.

    I won't use the "Fail" icon as perhaps it will be better in the flesh. I suspect not, and not likely to arrive at a price I'd pay. I would put money on it coming high in the "Pointless Gizmos of 2010" rankings.

  16. Chris 40
    Pint

    Olivetti

    @Samuel Williams

    I expected a link to an Amiga or Archimedes, but it seems you had a Olivetti with CGA graphics running MS-DOS. Bad luck mate! Have a beer.

  17. Hans 1
    FAIL

    Gimme a 22" ipod touch

    Gimme a 22" ipod touch, please, with a display port, usb, firewire!

    This thing is ridiculous, no really, total loss - who is in charge of Asus, these days? Have they hired Darl or something?

    Who wants to carry a keyboard around with a ..... 5" screen??? Utter fail!

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