It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from Art Lebedev, but now we hear that it has been working on a new companion keyboard for this year. The Optimus mini six is a keyboard-side companion like the mini three. We don’t have many details at the moment, but we do know that it will use the same in-key screens of the Optimus Popularis.

We also don’t have any idea on when it will launch either. The full-size Popularis keyboard was supposed to ship by the end of 2010 but was delayed by a “recent financial crisis,”. They will now ship the mini six ahead of the Popularis sometime in 2011.

Art Lebedev now has a first render of the Optimus Popularis keyboard. Looks pretty sexy and worth the wait. The studio says that it will still cost less than $1000 when it eventually arrives. Look at how cool those new chiclet keys with typewriter spacing look.

You’ll also notice that the numpad is now gone, but apparently the FN key will make it all right. This long awaited keyboard is looking very sweet!

[Engadget]

Art Lebedev today said that the upcoming Optimus Popularis keyboard might actually be easier to use than its larger Maximus sibling. Each key is fractions of an inch smaller in every direction and the actual touch surface will run nearly to the edge of the key.

This will guarantee that the keys will be easier to hit as it will be virtually impossible to miss the sweet spot. The Popularis is expected to ship in 2011 and should be physically smaller …

Feeling like it’s time to upgrade that Optimus Maximus keyboard? Maybe something a bit smaller? Well, the Popularis, which was announced about two years ago is coming along nicely and on target to start production later this year with a release in 2011.

The Popularis will have full-color keys, but apparently they are not OLED this time. We won’t know an exact price until it arrives, but we are hoping it’s cheaper than the $1,000 price they originally quoted.

The Optimus Popularis is growing up right before our eyes. Ahhh isn’t it cute? We’ve watched it go from mockup to a neat looking 3D prototype. It’s got a full-length display on the space bar and everything. I’m so proud of it.

They grow up so fast, but what can you do. Before you know it, they’re fully grown and set out with a price of their own. What do you think, will this be easier to type with? Hopefully it won’t take long to develop.

The folks at Art Lebedev are busy little elves. They are working on a new keyboard that carries the Optimus name, but this time it will be smaller as evidenced by the above pic. It’s going by the codename Popularis.

There will be no OLED keys on this one, since it will be used on an entirely different principle although they did not mention what that might be. What we do know is that there will be 11 additional keys above the F-keys, and it will cost below $1,000.