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Lebedev posts

Art Lebedev outthinks the room with square Luxofor traffic lights

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 22nd 2008 at 12:05PM

We can only imagine that at least a few staffers over at Art Lebedev Studios get paid to do nothing but conjure up ideas, because this one is just marvelous. And marvelously simple, but that's beside the point. The Luxofor traffic light concept improves upon a nearly archaic design that still relies on spherical fixtures when there's really no need. Lebedev's team asserts that using square lights backed with bright laser diodes would make better use of the available space and provide a more noticeable signal to drowsy motorists. The roar of "why didn't I think of that?" being simultaneously stated is downright deafening.

[Via Electronista]

Art Lebedev opening Optimus Store in New York next month

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 16th 2008 at 5:53PM

We highly doubt Art Lebedev chose the opening day of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on purpose here, but nevertheless, the design studio made famous by its Optimus Maximus keyboard will be opening up shop in the Big Apple on August 8th, 2008. At first, the store will actually be held within RCS Computer Experience at 575 Madison Ave. and E. 56th Street (on the second floor, just opposite the escalator), but if sales start pouring in, we reckon it could land its own place in due time. It is noted that this location will devote almost all of its shelf space to Optimus Maximus keyboards, but a few other electronics gizmos should be available as well. So, who's camping out for the opening?

How would you change the Optimus Maximus?

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 11th 2008 at 6:30PM

After hacking away on Art Lebedev's utterly gorgeous Optimus Maximus for a few days, we came away both awed and disappointed. For as beautiful and functional as this beast is, we still felt that actually typing on it -- you know, its primary purpose -- left a lot to be desired. Still, it's hard to deny the ingenuity in the OLED-stuffed 'board, but with such a lofty price tag and even loftier expectations, we can't imagine all of the lucky early adopters being a hundred percent satisfied. For those that laid out for this exquisite piece of kit, how on Earth could revision two be better? Want a few more keys to play around with? Could it stand to lose some of that clicky tactility? Or will it really only be worth the coin once it bags your lunch, irons your shirt and chauffeurs you to work? Do tell.

Art Lebedev taking wares to brick and mortar

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 11th 2008 at 7:31AM

Be still, our hearts! Judging by a post (penned in Russian) over at the studio's Livejournal, we could be seeing a number of Art Lebedev retail outlets popping up over the next year and change. From what we can glean, (more) B&M locations could surface in a plethora of Russian cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, etc.) along with one in New York (!). Granted, we get the impression that the "stores" may resemble holes-in-the-wall within other establishments (rather than dedicated structures), but we 'spose only time will tell. Camp out for the next edition of the Optimus Maximus right here in the Big Apple? Why, of course.

[Thanks, Dmitriy]

Art Lebedev's Finger Folder flash drive

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 22nd 2007 at 8:26AM

We know, either you're waiting impatiently for December to roll around or figuring out odd jobs to raise upwards of $1,500, but here's a gem from Art that'll take your mind off (momentarily, at least) that other creation. The Finger Folder flash drive describes itself fairly well without any help from us, as the brilliantly simplistic USB drive resides in a manila folder that you're free to label at will. Sure, you could get all fancy and buy a drive with a programmable BCD, but there's just something magical about doing things the old way.

[Thanks, Mike I.]

First Optimus Maximus prototype key revealed

by Thomas Ricker, posted Mar 30th 2007 at 8:01AM

There it is, the first prototype key for Lebedev's Optimus Maximus keyboard. Unlike a typical dome-switch style keyboard -- the mushy but quiet type which collapses a rubber dome to close the circuit -- a key press on Lebedev's $10 key moves a transparent cap around the OLED display to throw a mechanical cherry-switch. This has the benefit of protecting those tiny OLED displays while potentially kicking back a healthy dose of tactile feedback. Reports are that "key-press is nice" although the first prototypes have yet to arrive in Moscow. Certainly, haptic considerations are incredibly important. But we're wondering about the level of optical distortion caused by the gap between the cap and OLED. After all, these keys will be used as informational widgets so they need to be visible from a variety of angles. When you're paying $1,490 for an OLED keyboard, the "look" is just as important as the "feel."

Optimus Maximus official press shots

by Thomas Ricker, posted Mar 15th 2007 at 8:42AM

For $1,490, we should -- at the very least -- expect some free press shots of the Optimus Maximus this morning, right? Good, 'cause that's all we're going to get from the design cats at Art. Lebedev Studio. No prototype, no working OLED keys, just press shots. Still, kinda dreamy eh? Cue the Chinese knockoffs... now.

Gallery: Optimus Maximus official press shots

Enterprising hacker gets video playing on Optimus Mini Three

by Paul Miller, posted Feb 7th 2007 at 1:58PM

Scott Hanselman might not be the camera man of the century, but he does apparently have the coding chops to get some choppy video playback going on those teensy Optimus Mini Three screens. He set his Mini to watch his baby son's webcam (which he inexplicably swapped for a plane landing vid for demonstration purposes), and conjectures you could use all three buttons for watching live video if you so choose. After that he gets a tad bit nerdy on us all, but managed to get in the words "I think I'll do a Vista SideShow driver at some point" before we passed out from all the coder jargon. Please do, Scott! Peep the video of his video-enabled Optimus after the break, or check out the read link to see how it's done.

Continue reading Enterprising hacker gets video playing on Optimus Mini Three

Art Lebedev Studios' unveils artsy Sonicum 2.1 speaker set

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 10th 2006 at 3:28PM

While Ben Heckendorn and Soner Ozenc have definitely mastered their own forms of art, Art Lebedev provides soothing, aesthetic, and eye-tingling creations second to none. While his Optimus keyboard (and mini three as well) were flattering enough, the Mus2 pointer-shaped mouse was pure genius. Design freaks take heart, as Art Lebedev Studios' has an uber-sleek Sonicum speaker system up for pre-order, and besides eliciting all sorts of geekish lust, the 2.1 computer-minded setup boasts dual 5-watt NXT speakers, a 15-watt subwoofer, and a few design cues that set it apart from the rest. The satellites bear a striking resemblance to a speaker cone silhouette, the subwoofer's bass knob is cleverly marked with a textual smiley, and each simplistic piece is branded with Art's own barcode logo. For just €106.17 ($126.60), you can claim your Sonicum rig now, but unfortunately you'll be waiting until next April to hear (and see) Lebedev's latest masterpiece in person.