GamesCom 2012: Razer's new badass keyboard that will turn heads
by:
John
-
posted:
8/15/2012 12:19:00 PM
LCD screens on keyboards aren't new. In fact, my daily driver is Logitech's G19, which has a small LCD at the middle top of the keyboard for displaying information. Razer, though is looking to take it a step further with their new
DeathStalker Ultimate.
You might know the technology they're using as the Switchblade UI is in their gaming laptop, the Blade as well as their Star Wars: The Old Republic gaming keyboard. Let's start with the 10 contextual programmable keys. So, whatever action have bound to it, the picture can change underneath it as well.
Now, underneath is the touchscreen 4.05" LCD that will display information from various applications. You can put your Twitter feed in there, watch videos, add another control scheme. It's pretty endless what you can come up with for that area. For developers, an SDK has been released so I expect a lot of cool interfaces and applications to be built for this keyboard.
Once you set it up, you can store your profile online via Synapse 2.0 and know that you won't lost your hard work in getting your keyboard setup.
It will be released next month for $250 and yes, I really want one.
THE WORLD’S SMARTEST KEYBOARD HAS ARRIVED
Razer announces the DeathStalker Ultimate featuring the all-new Switchblade User Interface with dynamic adaptive tactile keys
COLOGNE, Germany (GAMESCOM 2012) – Razer, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, set a technological benchmark today with the release of its new Razer DeathStalker Ultimate gaming keyboard, featuring Razer’s award-winning Switchblade User Interface (UI).
The Switchblade UI on the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate is the same acclaimed, customizable LCD trackpad and LED keypad combo introduced on the Razer Switchblade concept, which can currently be found in production on the Razer Blade gaming laptop and the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ gaming keyboard. This unique interface transforms gaming keyboard functionality into a customizable control panel with 10 dynamic, adaptive tactile keys that can be used to bind commands, macros, skills and spells for an unparalleled in-game competitive advantage. Each key can display any image by using Razer’s Synapse 2.0 software, offering gamers the smartest keyboard on the market.
The LCD panel below the keys is capable of two modes. The first setting displays critical in-game information, such as damage dealt and heals-per-second on the new Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Battle Logger application, or countdown timers that keep track of in-game events with the Razer Gamer Timer application. This display also allows for intuitive multitasking, running external applications like YouTube and most social media platforms, which allows gamers to stay connected to the world by instantly updating their status for friends and followers to see, all on the LCD panel.
The second mode of the panel functions as a highly sensitive, multi-touch trackpad with intuitive gestures built-in, offering an alternative method of navigating games or PC desktops.
List of Razer Apps
· Trackpad
· Numpad
· Macro Recorder
· Gaming Mode
· Browser
· YouTube
· Facebook
· Twitter
· Gmail
· Clock
· Screenshot
· Game Timer
Game Specific Apps
· Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Combat Logger
· And many more…
The Razer DeathStalker Ultimate features an anti-ghosting infrastructure of up to 10 keys in game mode. Users may actuate as many keys as they have fingers, and have them all register accurately and swiftly in-game.
Powered by Razer Synapse 2.0, the world’s first cloud-based storage software, the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate automatically saves all of a user’s custom settings and profiles for the gaming keyboard on a cloud server. These settings can then be accessed from any computer, with any Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, to ensure the keyboard is instantly ready for use.
“With the Switchblade UI on the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, we wanted to offer gamers an enriching and intuitive gaming experience built for total game control,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, president of Razer USA. “We continue to work closely with independent software vendors to integrate the API of their games on the Switchblade UI, so that you can see more of the game as you play. I’m excited that we are making such cutting-edge technology available to gamers everywhere, and look forward to bringing more game-specific apps.”
In addition to the revolutionary Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, Razer also introduced the Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard. The Razer DeathStalker maintains a standard keyboard layout, replacing the Switchblade UI with a numpad instead. The Razer DeathStalker features the same unique design and features of the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate – a 10-key anti-ghosting infrastructure, chiclet-style keycaps, and Synapse 2.0 support.
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About the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate gaming keyboard
Experience a revolutionary and innovative level of gaming immersion and control with the Razer Deathstalker Ultimate gaming keyboard, designed with Razer’s award-winning Switchblade User Interface. It features 10 fully programmable dynamic, adaptive tactile keys and an LCD panel capable of two modes: one for displaying critical in-game information, and another that serves as a highly sensitive trackpad with natural gesture recognition built-in, making the Razer DeathStealker Ultimate the world’s smartest gaming keyboard.
An anti-ghosting infrastructure of up to 10 keys over the entire keyboard ensures no key is left behind as you orchestrate your multi-key press of destruction. The Razer Deathstalker Ultimate is also Razer Synapse 2.0-enabled, and has customizable multi-colored backlit keys to give this hardcore gaming keyboard a personalized look.
Price: US $249.99 / EU €249.99
Availability:
Razerzone.com – September, 2012
Worldwide – September, 2012
Product features:
Features
· 4.05” touch screen able to run widget apps
· Track pad with gesture support
· 10 dynamic display keys with 80hz response time
· Chiclet style key caps
· Tri-colour backlit keys
· 1000Hz Ultrapolling
· Fully programmable keys with on the fly macro recording
· Razer Synapse 2.0 enabled
· Dedicated Gaming mode
· 5 additional macro keys
· Anti-ghosting capability for up to 10 simultaneous key presses
· Braided fiber cable
· Fixed wrist rest