One of the lesser known facts about wireless products is that they all have to tested by this little organization called the FCC, who for less obvious reason takes many photos of upcoming and sometimes unannounced products and puts them up on their (very hard to use) website.
What we have today is a (poorly lit) photo of Microsoft’s yet-to-be-announced Wireless Laser Keyboard 7000, the keyboard compliment to the recently announced Wireless Laser Mouse 7000. Ironically that too was uncovered early via FCC documentations.
This particular photo along with a batch of other external photos were only released recently due to a 45-days short-term confidentially agreement between Microsoft and the FCC in order to “ensure sensitive business information remains confidential until the actual marketing of the device”. Guess Microsoft’s falling a little behind on their marketing schedules.
What’s unique about this keyboard is the transparent glass frame surrounding the entire keyboard – an obvious harmony with the Windows Vista user interface, Aero Glass. Perhaps slightly inspired by Carbon Design’s Longhorn PC concepts featuring the same glass frame around the keyboard. In addition, it appears to be also the first keyboard on the market with a dedicated Flip 3D key (besides the right ALT key). Whether or not that makes the eye-candy feature any more useful was outside of the FCC’s testing criteria.
And if for some reason you don’t believe me, you only need to look as far as Microsoft’s own website for proof.
Can’t wait to see the proper high-resolution marketing photos of this product in a well-lit environment, sitting on a desk inside a room furnished by IKEA and used by over-excited people representing all skin colors and genders.
23 Comments
EnricoG
ROTFL for you last sentence!
RC
Maybe they can get that girl they used for their Surface demos who went on to win American Gladiators.
JamesWeb
I want. I WILL HAVE.
But how come Apple products are never uncovered like this? Or is it just that no one cares enough to look?
Andy
Nice keyboard! I want it too…
Brian Damage
The function keys are annoyingly arranged. I like when they’re laid out in groups of 4.
Ollie Burgess
Yay! You’ve finally done a new post Long. Anyway, yeah I like the keyboard, I’m moving over to mac next time I replace, so I guess I won’t buy it.
Anthony
Glass is so 2003. Oh well it looks good and all but I want a push for Bluetooth wireless devices as you wont have to occupy a USB port. And Long, you’ve nailed MS’ marketing strategy with that last sentence -wonder how accurate you’ll be?
mrmckeb
@Ollie Burgess
New Post? Anyway, that keyboard will work on your new ‘toy’ but it will compliment a PC better than a Mac. Do we really need to hear that you are joining the world of lies, deciept and absolute unconditional love that is Apple?
maiq
Looks nice, but I`m not that impressed by the transparent glass frame.
Chustar
@Mmrmckeb:
and do we need to hear your opinion of apple? if he want’s to switch to a good OS, leave him alone. I would buy a mac if I could afford it. but I can’t, so I leave them alone. hate and propaganda won’t help anyone. I used one of my classmate’s macbooks, and i love it. whether you’ve used it or not isn’t our business, but your flaming is…
mrmckeb
@Chustar
Yes. Yes you do. Propaganda – ahahahahaha (cough Apple).
Chustar
@mrmckeb:
So, the best way to fight misinformation is with more misinformation? Am I the only one who sees this as ending in an endless string of lies?
Chustar
Excuse me, “Am I the only one who sees this as ending in an endless string of lies?” is an atrocious use of English, owing to its paradox. It should be more like “Am I the only one who sees an endless string of lies resulting from a continued embrace of this mindset.” or something. Anyway, just trying to get rid of the paradox.
Although, endless things having an end is pretty common in calculus… limit to infinity ending in a real number and limit to a real number ending in infinity…
Electronic Punk
Exactly what part of this gives the device its laser name?
ikyouCrow
@Electronic Punk:
the laser in the name comes when the keyboard is bundled with the wireless laser mouse. the keyboard itself doesn’t have to feature a laser to get the tag; it gets the name when both keyboard and mouse are combined into a “desktop”.
ikyouCrow
anyhoo, it sure looks sexy but i just bought a wireless 6000 desktop and only really want a mouse that’s shaped like the Wireless Natural Laser Mouse 6000 but can fps like the Laser Mouse 6000.
is it just me or does anyone else here think MS needs to revise their product naming conventions? because unless you know what i’m talking about above, you’d probably assume that was all the same mouse!
Ollie Burgess
@Chustar:
Thanks for defending me, and as to apple being a world of deceit and lies, isn’t that the case with all companies, above all Microsoft.
mrmckeb
@Ollie
No. Most companies don’t have an iron curtian around them. Most companies don’t blame other companies when their software ships with viruses (iTunes). Most companies don’t steal UI designs and then claim to be more original than anyone elses (Creative, Xerox). Most companies don’t get away with builing notebooks that fade/cange colour, crack, crash and etc whilst there teams of ‘fanatics’ run around trying to convert everyone and saying “Everything is FINE” – I mean they didn’t even get any press attention when Dell got hammered in the Sony battery crisis, even though Macs WERE affected (http://www.appledefects.com/, http://www.colorblindmac.com/).
I really don’t need to go on. We all know I’m right and I’m NOT continuing to fight with the blind.
mrmckeb
And yes I realise there were a few typos in there… I’m tired (anyone ELSE, THEIR ‘fanatics’, etc).
Chustar
@mrmckeb:
http://xkcd.com/386/
Ollie Burgess
@Chustar:
LOL
Max
Sexy. I like it
.
eugene
that looks sexy as hell, i agree!
here’s a good review of the 7000 mouse!
http://skattertech.com/2008/04/microsoft-wireless-laser-mouse-7000/
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