Yes, this is an Apple Blog and of course we love to focus on Apple products but it never hurts to look around the technology landscape just a bit. ASUS, the company that invented the Netbook category, this year may have invented the "Keybook" category. They've stuffed a whole PC, including small touch screen monitor into a slightly oversized keyboard (Apple // be damned!). Specs haven't been given but surely it carries your garden variety Netbook 1.6ish GHz Atom processor and too little RAM and hard drive to run Vista. If you look below you'll see a lot of ports including HDMI for 1080P goodness.
Nice work ASUS, we like this concept even if it doesn't find its way into our homes. Oh, and then there is the Sony P. It is so good to see that Apple has some competition in the innovation department. From Giz:
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I think...
That the Sinclair QL in 1984 was one of the first computers to have that layout. Others that come to mind are the Amstrad CPC-464 (1984) and the Spectrum 128k+2 (1985).
Yay for old formats coming back around!
Monstrous Keyboard
Wait a minute. A full-sized keyboard containing a built-in screen with a display about the size of an automobile navigation unit and an "Apple-like" design is fine for conceptual purposes. However, I fail to see it as an "advancement" in practical use.
People with enormously thick fingers and eagle-vision will love this machine. But, the average person will find it to be a novelty and an experiment in design.
hmmm that keyboard looks familiar!?
I feel like that aluminum and black back-lit keyboard look very similar to the same one on my MacBook Pro! That screen looks soooooo practical!...not
Apparently this bad boy has
Apparently this bad boy has an external display hook up, so the little screen would become a little flaw if you at your desk.
i thought for a minute Apple
i thought for a minute Apple had sprung a multi-touch keyboard that could also run App store programs.
What would be ideal is if the
What would be ideal is if the little screen acted as a track pad as well. Then attaching another screen to the device (if possible) could be the main viewing area, and the screen in the keyboard could have multiple purposes. The idea of context or application sensitive buttons would be very useful.
nice idea
now THATS a good idea, but that would make the machine much more expensive, because i doubt that the typical hardware on a netbook might not be enough to do that, but personally id drop extra cash for something like what you said. its a cool idea ^.^
I love that Keyboard. I've
I love that Keyboard. I've always liked that form factor since my first computer, an Acorn A3000 which was a keyboard all in one!
The keyboard comes with built
The keyboard comes with built in wireless hdmi 1.3 so it can be plugged to any hd tv's, with sound coming out of your tv.
It also has vga ports and wired hdmi.
Good thing for surfing the net on my 46" sony bravia in the living room!
If only that internal screen
If only that internal screen would be touch sensitive and could also be used as pen tablet...
Edit to above: just read Giz
Edit to above:
just read Giz article and it is touch screen...
Geez, can't Apple sue them ?
Geez, can't Apple sue them ? It's a basic copy of the current MacBook line keyboard... they don't even try to hide it !
You are right, when the FUCK
You are right, when the FUCK these people are going to stop copying Apple. Fucking assholes. They should all go and burn in hell. Ohhhh, we came up with this, we came up with that......blah...blah....blah. They mean we copied this design!!
I had a Commodore 64 in 1982
I had a Commodore 64 in 1982 (???) with the entire computer in the keyboard. So once again Seth, you're wrong. ASUS didn't invent this category, you just made it up.
Oops, thought this was a Seth
Oops, thought this was a Seth post. So actually Clive is wrong, and just making things up. My bad.
I wonder if this could run
I wonder if this could run osx? That I'd pay for!
Awsome
This would make an awsome gaming keyboard. Run Synergy on it so that the keypresses go to your gaming rig. Have gaming information shown on the touchscreen such as a minimap. Navigate through your music collection with a touch screen interface.
So many possiblities.
Asuming its intel based it probably could run osx with the help of hackint0sh.org
I know people who would buy this keyboard just because it looks awesome.