Self-proclaimed “uber geek” Daniel Guermeur, chief executive of Austin-based Metadot Corp. just made a stunning contribution to the future of yard sale “seemed like a good idea at the time” merchandise. Das Keyboard, the fruit of Guermeur’s geekdom, is based upon the “legendary” IBM Model M, with one key difference-the keys are black, and, um, blank.
“Huurrrrruh? Brrank key-bawr?” asked Scooby.
That’s right, Scoob, blank keyboard.
Guermeur’s typing epiphany materialized while attending Stanford University in 1989 when the French native was struggling with poor typing skills.
“I was an OK typist but I was slowing down when I looked at the special characters,” said Guermeur, 41, told the Associated Press. “One day I said, `If I could just improve my typing I could be much more efficient.'”
Funny thing about Stanford alumni, they can create Google, or they can create blank keyboards. Very versatile bunch those Cardinals, er, Fir Trees. Daggumit!
After 14 years of mulling around the concept, Guermeur built a prototype to test his theory that a blank keyboard would improve his typing. People were so intrigued, he decided to produce them commercially.
It’s a bargain, too. Das Keyboard is only $80. But wait a year or two and you can pick one up for $2.50 when your geeky neighbors have their moving sale.
The keyboard runs with an exclusive slogan, narrowing down the target market with “Das Keyboard. Uber Geeks only.”
“People willing to buy this are total geeks,” says Guermeur, “The crme of the geeks.”
I hate to correct a Frenchman’s French, but that should be “crme des geeks.”
Das Keyboard is compatible with Windows, OS X, and Linux.
Guermeur seems to think a keyboard with letters is silly and illogical.
“If you look at a piano, it doesn’t have notes on the keys, it’s blank,” he says. “Writing letters seems like a good help but actually it’s not. It’s counterintuitive, actually.”
