Laptops May Get MagLev Keys

[Guest]

This year at Computex we saw one of the first big steps to moving maglev into the mainstream – putting them in laptop keyboards.

Laptops May Get MagLev Keys : Read more

 

[danwat1234]

Does it take significant power to run the magnetics?

 

[tom10167]

****in' magnets, how do they work?

 

[coolitic]

It would use very little power, at least that's how i imagine it.

 

[jasonelmore]

very promising technology. I just wanna know if they are backlit.

 

[usbgtx550]

I would imagine these laptops would be limited to ssd's unless a solution can be made where the magnets won't damage a hdd

 

[southernshark]

****in' magnets, how do they work?

I know right? It does seem a bit odd that something so small can defy the gravitational pull of the planet earth. But they do work, so why question it?

I embrace the death of membrane keyboards. Can't wait. I hope they make replacements for existing laptops.

 

[memadmax]

This couldn't possibly use less power than a "traditional keyboard"...

Plus, what if you accidentally put something that is sensitive to magnitivty on it, like a jump/zip/whatever drive? Or even your credit/debit card?

 

[usbgtx550]

I would imagine these laptops would be limited to ssd's unless a solution can be made where the magnets won't damage a hdd

It takes a strong magnet to do anything to a hard drive. The inside of a desktop computer likely has more EMI than these keyboards will.

Thanks for that heads up

 

[dstarr3]

If you were to take apart a hard drive, you'd find an absurdly strong neodymium magnet that suspends the read/write arm. And that's less than inch from the platters, yet they fair okay. So I wouldn't worry about that. Energy consumption, however, is was gets me. Seems like a waste of electricity, really.

 

[megiv]

I would imagine these laptops would be limited to ssd's unless a solution can be made where the magnets won't damage a hdd

Who in his right mind buys a PC/Laptop without an SSD nowadays

 

[voreo]

I would imagine these laptops would be limited to ssd's unless a solution can be made where the magnets won't damage a hdd

Who in his right mind buys a PC/Laptop without an SSD nowadays

People who just need a pc.

 

[therealduckofdeath]

Who in his right mind buys a PC/Laptop without an SSD nowadays

People like me, who already has a few SSD's and doesn't feel like paying the €200 manufacturers fee to put an SSD in that new laptop?

 

[ddpruitt]

I for one welcome our new maglev overlords.

As long as it still has the nice clicky feel of a mechanical I'd be willing to try it. I have a strong suspicion that people who suck at typing tried to learn on a membrane keyboards.

 

[Antimatter79]

****in' magnets, how do they work?

I know right? It does seem a bit odd that something so small can defy the gravitational pull of the planet earth. But they do work, so why question it?

I embrace the death of membrane keyboards. Can't wait. I hope they make replacements for existing laptops.

The pull of gravity is relatively weak; you can easily overcome it every time you stand up or throw a wad of paper across the room (before it lands in the trash).
I'm not sure if something like this could be retro-fitted into existing laptops, but it would be a nice upgrade.

 

[BETAMAX84]

Does it take significant power to run the magnetics?

Between Coulomb's law and how close the keys would be to the electomagnet, it looks like it'll barely use any power at all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulomb's_law