A Wider Net

This is a bit techno-geeky, but on a sunday right after the Patriots smashed the Packers 35-0, what can you expect?

With any bundled retail PC you typically get a desktop full of “free” installed software. Companies like AOL have paid huge sums to be on the desktop of new PC’s.

What I want to know is: Who will be the first to buy a “key” when these babies become mainstream:

Each key contains a tiny color display using the same technology as cell phone screens. Software drivers allow the key labels to change for different languages or different applications. What not different websites? Wouldn’t it be interesting if, while browsing mtv.com, a function key suddenly changed it’s label to a Burger King logo? Or, maybe the manufacturer will attract certain sites (Amazon, Ebay?) to buy pre-programmed keys that ship with the unit, but that can be reconfigured by the user.

I think it’s a great device, although the initial $400 price puts it well out of the range of “need to have”, far beyond “nice to have” and firmly within the realm of “only if I was swimming in disposable income”. Marketers pay attention, however, as this may be a sneak peek of a new micro land rush.