Tim Bray on the current crop of Apple keyboards:
Geeks love misty-eyed reminiscing about the great keyboards of yore, with a rough consensus that the original IBM PC’s clackety high-travel product has never since been surpassed. I sure liked that, but if my tactile memory is right, the latest Apples may be better.
That’s my impression as well, and I couldn’t be more surprised. Before Apple introduced its aluminum keyboards, I thought this was the greatest keyboard ever, but even if Avant made a keyboard with the same mechanism just for the Mac, I wouldn’t trade.
Another nice feature of the new Apple keyboards is that they’re easier to keep clean than just about any keyboard since the Atari 400. It’s a nice change, since the old clear plastic Apple keyboards were impossible to keep clean.
July 23, 2008 at 10:26 am
The greatest honor I can stow on any keyboard, in my opinion, is to buy extra ones to ensure, should the manufacturer discontinue them, I would have more. I have two backups of the current Apple keyboard in my storage right now.
July 25, 2008 at 11:46 am
Same here – I went from a high travel ms keyboard to one of these (sort of a skeptical trial), then in about a day decided I liked it so much that I’d picked up a couple of more for home & a spare / second language (Spanish).
I particularly like the fact that that the lower angle to the surface is much easier on the hands, particularly during long sessions.
Easy on the hands, accurate, smaller footprint, looks good – what’s not to like?
July 25, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I am still getting used to mine and am typing a bit slower. But I bought it in part because it’s the coolest dern thing (in addition to reading some enthusiastic reviews). Is that total fanboy or what?
Bot Mac fanbot
July 25, 2008 at 10:41 pm
did you guys go wired or wireless?
July 26, 2008 at 8:13 am
I like this keyboard a lot, especially the ease of cleaning. The keyboard has gotten a lot of heavy use (especially from the children in games), but it is functioning perfectly almost one year after the purchase.
July 26, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I went with the wired keyboard. I would really miss the dedicated cursor keys in upside down T formation that the wireless keyboard lacks.
July 27, 2008 at 2:40 am
The one keyboard to rule them all is the Contoured. It will ruin you for all other keyboards. 🙂
July 30, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Are these keyboards different then the ones that came with iMacs last October? They look exactly like mine.