[IxDA Discuss] Visions on Keyboards with OLED-screen buttons (context-dependent keyboard layout)
Hi IxDA! Came across a gallery of the Optimus Maximus Keyboard http://www.engadget.com/photos/hands-on-with-optimus-maximus-at-last/ Imagine this as a standard on all new laptops and keyboards from an interaction perspective: Application Short-cuts displayed when an application has focus: When you switch to Photoshop, your keyboard changes layout to reflect the short-cuts as icons. Shortcuts behind Ctrl/Alt/Windows-key/Apple-key: When you press down either key, you keyboard switches context again to show the short-cuts behind the ctrl-key. The C would become a Copy-icon, when you pressed the Ctrl on Windows or Apple-key on Mac. Keyboard configuration: Developers could configure their keyboard to write code much easier while still enabling others to use their computer. Imagine how much easier applications and games could be to use, if all of them could change the layout of the keyboard, to reflect the available options as keys with different icons or text, in any given application-context. Just a thought I got from seeing the gallery of the new keyboard - please share your thoughts :-) Nicolai Bentsen Zecure *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Visions on Keyboards with OLED-screen buttons (context-dependent keyboard layout)
On Nov 22, 2007 1:24 PM, Nicolai Bentsen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Imagine how much easier applications and games could be to use, if all of them could change the layout of the keyboard, to reflect the available options as keys with different icons or text, in any given application-context. I can only imagine how annoyed users can be when they make mode errors. It may be of use to some professionals who spend most of their working day in one application (e.g. image/video editing) with lots of obscure functions but I can't see why they would invest in such an expensive keyboard. Most of them already use a keyboard with specially-coloured keys or stickers on top of keys, see for example: http://www.editorskeys.com/ For people constantly switching between different apps to get their job done, they would either have to constantly look at the keyboard to find out which key to press (not much an improvement from looking at a toolbar) or they would make a lot of mode errors (I still swear every time I press Cmd+T in my Mac to open a new web browser tab, but instead my instant messenger application is focused and I get a Text Properties popup that can't even be dimsissed by keyboard). A set of shortcut keys (which can be found with almost every keyboard nowadays) look more useful to me. (unfortunately, in my keyboard they're hidden in the ergonomically worst position, as my finger would have to jump over a row of function keys to reach them). Perhaps it would be appropriate to fit a display on each of these keys: although they are usually re-configurable through software, they icon printed on them cannot be changed. Regards, Alex *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Visions on Keyboards with OLED-screen buttons (context-dependent keyboard layout)
Sundry online gizmo forums (e.g., Gizmodo and Engadget) tend to go gaga over the Optimus. While it looks pretty and sure has a following among fans of shiny objects, it unfortunately is very unfriendly towards muscle/kinesthetic memory. Note how the QWERTY keyboard has prevailed despite its layout being 'sub-optimal'. Doug Engelbart's 5-key chorded keyboard never caught on even (or, especially) among the early UI mavens at PARC and elsewhere. For the same reason. Engelbart claimed that the device helped experts. Likewise, the Optimus is probably not for 'the rest of us.' -murli | www.murli.com On 11/22/07, Nicolai Bentsen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi IxDA! Came across a gallery of the Optimus Maximus Keyboard http://www.engadget.com/photos/hands-on-with-optimus-maximus-at-last/ Imagine this as a standard on all new laptops and keyboards from an interaction perspective: *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
