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New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

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Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#51

Post by thescriptkiddie »

aakilfernandes wrote: post #20
nsxwolf wrote: post #17

It may get a lot of negative comments but I think it's interesting something like this still exists, a custom piece of terminal hardware, that hasn't just been eaten by some iPad app or web app.

IMHO the reason it hasn't been turned into an app is to justify its price. Psychologically, people will pay more for hardware than software even if it does the exact same thing.

It has been turned into an app, they don't even sell terminals anymore. The keyboard, monitor, and biometric unit are just accessories that you plug into your existing computer, which aren't even necessary to use the software. This makes the shittyness of the keyboard even worse IMO, because they are trying to push these expensive, unnecessary things as a superior experience to the keyboard you already own. It's blatant marketing bullshit.

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#52

Post by gearhart »

dontscale wrote: post #39
grenoire wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you pay for is not a mere data aggregater, it's practically everything you'll ever need in a single system. It wouldn't cost that much if it was just 'S,' it's something much more valuable.

I always suspected the cost was a function of the profits of the firms using them. I think it is a smart move to force bundle the hardware and form the users' keystroke habits over a career. I imagine the switching costs are extreme. I'm not a trader. I'm actually a programmer and just curious about a lot of things. One day, I contacted Thomson Reuters and asked to try their competing system, I think it was Elektron.…

Probably Eikon? Elektron is Reuters' real-time data play, Eikon has much more of the news/data/analysis functionality of BB. It's terrible marketing, even from their pages it's pretty hard to differentiate [1] [2]

[1] http://financial.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/data-analyti... [2] http://financial.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/tools-applic...

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#53

Post by AstroJetson »

Why not a OLED or similar keyboard that displays the special keys? They are after a small space on the desk being able to remap the keys would be a huge bonus. Back in 2013 people demoed these, I would think that now they would be something that would fit in Bloombergs price range

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#54

Post by coliveira »

omarish wrote: post #34

The majority of complaints here: - Ergonomics sucks! - I can't re-map caps lock to be escape, what trash! - This is so old! - Too expensive! - Dell makes cheaper monitors! - Fingerprint authentication can be hacked. But what everybody is not considering is: 1. You have to have a Bloomberg keyboard to work in finance. It's not even a question. It's a COGS for anybody who wants to work in finance or trading. 2. Bloombe…

Bloomberg software is certainly important because of the large ecosystem they created over the years. The keyboard and hardware around is not so. It's just Bloomberg way to advertise themselves using physical presence in every trading desk. It is a disrespect to customers, because if I had to pay I would require that a proper keyboard and hardware be used.

By the way, I have used Bloomberg terminals before with a traditional keyboard, and know that there is nothing special in that keyboard that cannot be done by similar hardware.

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#55

Post by thescriptkiddie »

lallysingh wrote: post #43
omarish wrote: post #34

The majority of complaints here: - Ergonomics sucks! - I can't re-map caps lock to be escape, what trash! - This is so old! - Too expensive! - Dell makes cheaper monitors! - Fingerprint authentication can be hacked. But what everybody is not considering is: 1. You have to have a Bloomberg keyboard to work in finance. It's not even a question. It's a COGS for anybody who wants to work in finance or trading. 2. Bloombe…

You don't have to actually run that keyboard to use the terminal. Edit: It's just a regular USB keyboard for windows apps. Remap away!

And the "terminal" is just software running on your existing PC. The same effect could be achieved by putting stickers on the keycaps of literally any keyboard.

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#56

Post by dontscale »

gearhart wrote: post #52
dontscale wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always suspected the cost was a function of the profits of the firms using them. I think it is a smart move to force bundle the hardware and form the users' keystroke habits over a career. I imagine the switching costs are extreme. I'm not a trader. I'm actually a programmer and just curious about a lot of things. One day, I contacted Thomson Reuters and asked to try their competing system, I think it was Elektron.…

Probably Eikon? Elektron is Reuters' real-time data play, Eikon has much more of the news/data/analysis functionality of BB. It's terrible marketing, even from their pages it's pretty hard to differentiate [1] [2] [1] http://financial.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/data-analyti... [2] http://financial.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/tools-applic...

Yep - that's the one. I remember it was slow and seemed to be built with either Java or Flash or something crazy.

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#57

Post by 6stringmerc »

dontscale wrote: post #12

Talk about your SaaS. $24,000 a year for one of these babies. I think it's how he made most of his fortune. Edit: corrected for year https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&e...

Regarding the amount he makes from the terminals and service, I don't doubt that's the major haul of any given year, year after year.

Not coincidentally, that's why I take his pontificating about finance and economics with a grain of salt - he was a tech savvy info delivery man who lucked into trapping people into a dog-shit ugly, expensive, and industry ubiquitous device.

It's along the lines of "I'll view Google as more than just an extremely successful ad agency when they make money on their other projects" which might not seem fair, but cuts through a lot of the enigma-like perspectives regarding tech firms.

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#58

Post by 6stringmerc »

coliveira wrote: post #54
omarish wrote: post #34

The majority of complaints here: - Ergonomics sucks! - I can't re-map caps lock to be escape, what trash! - This is so old! - Too expensive! - Dell makes cheaper monitors! - Fingerprint authentication can be hacked. But what everybody is not considering is: 1. You have to have a Bloomberg keyboard to work in finance. It's not even a question. It's a COGS for anybody who wants to work in finance or trading. 2. Bloombe…

Bloomberg software is certainly important because of the large ecosystem they created over the years. The keyboard and hardware around is not so. It's just Bloomberg way to advertise themselves using physical presence in every trading desk. It is a disrespect to customers, because if I had to pay I would require that a proper keyboard and hardware be used. By the way, I have used Bloomberg terminals before with a tra…

Yeah but learning short-cut keys might push out some of the super-duper-lingo-terms that get made up to obfuscate what's going on in high finance, so, the Bloomberg keyboard it shall be! /s

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#59

Post by 6stringmerc »

nsxwolf wrote: post #17

It may get a lot of negative comments but I think it's interesting something like this still exists, a custom piece of terminal hardware, that hasn't just been eaten by some iPad app or web app.

In music, there's the iLok. In finance, there's the Bloomberg terminal.

Re: New Bloomberg Terminal Keyboard

#60

Post by rodionos »

One-key functions is nice but there is more to be done:

1) Voice controls, e.g. Amazon Echo

2) Pluggable custom key extension sideboard decoupled for the main keyboard so that extension board can be easily customized.

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