Any idea if the next Macbook Air will have a backlit keyboard?

.Max. said:

Hey
I was wondering if apart from the Sandy bridge rumor, if anyone is expecting them to put a backlit keyboard in at least one of the models again, Currently I have an original Macbook air but I've owned it for nearly 3 years now and one of my favourite things about it was the backlit keyboard, If the 11" had a backlit keyboard I would've bought it as soon as I saw it, but it doesn't

Thanks

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Maybe next revision if enough people push for it - leave feedback here - http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookair.html - I will also be suggesting this be added in the revision as not enough notebooks / laptops out there have this feature, and only the MacBook and MacBook Pro's have this feature. My MacBook Air should arrive tomorrow.

I'd bet on next revision. I think they excluded it just so they can include it back in the next time they update. Crafty

I agree with funky...will be added in next revision. Along with better battery life hopefully.

Look for built-in 3G in the next MBA.

Nope. It will have radio active keys that glow in the dark

No.

Sent from my iPhone

My current MBA has a back-lit keyboard.

Is there room to add all the backlight LEDs, wiring and fiber optics without making the MBA any thicker and without making the keyboard flimsier?

If not, no way.

firewood said:

Is there room to add all the backlight LEDs, wiring and fiber optics without making the MBA any thicker and without making the keyboard flimsier?

If not, no way.

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The 2010 MBA is .08 Inches (or ~2mm) thinner than the MBA's before it. If that's all it takes to put in a Blacklit keyboard, then I bet 99% of people wouldn't notice the 2mm difference.

Though I honestly believe it was a cost thing - shave every last bit of margin out of the machines, as the price of an SSD-equipped MBA dropped considerably between the two revisions.

Sure, you can pay more. MBA price was slashed from 1499 dollars to 1299 dollars. Apple felt that by cutting 200 dollars. They will attract even more users, but they will have to sacrifice something. So, there.

People want sandy Bridge on MBA.
People want powerful GPU
People want it to be so thin
People want it to have backlit keyboard.

They complain about the price and battery life...

No, you cannot have everything.

hcho3 said:

People want sandy Bridge on MBA.
People want powerful GPU
People want it to be so thin
People want it to have backlit keyboard.

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Except for the 'thin' requirement, people who want this should buy a MBP.

buckwheat987 said:

I agree with funky...will be added in next revision. Along with better battery life hopefully.

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I hope so too.

hcho3 said:

Sure, you can pay more. MBA price was slashed from 1499 dollars to 1299 dollars. Apple felt that by cutting 200 dollars. They will attract even more users, but they will have to sacrifice something. So, there.

People want sandy Bridge on MBA.
People want powerful GPU
People want it to be so thin
People want it to have backlit keyboard.

They complain about the price and battery life...

No, you cannot have everything.

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Lord knows what it takes to keep some of you satisfied. This is my first Mac after 30 years of M/S O/S, and my 11.6" MBA basic has been a revelation. It just does everything I want it to do effortlessly and quickly as well as being a superbly designed product. A computer does not have to be tactile and a brilliant piece of engineering to do the job, but if it is then surely that is a bonus.

So is it not better to use it with the spec that you bought it with instead of bemoaning the bezel width, lack of 10 hour battery life, processor spec, backlit keyboard etc, and enjoy the fact that there is just not anything else out there that can compare with it?

tut

I wouldn't be surprised if it did show up in the next revision.

Even though I miss the backlit keyboard of my 17" Pro, Adding backlights is going to cause more battery drain...

.Max. said:

I'd say Sandybridge, Yes. I mean it's just a CPU upgrade, nothing too dramatic... This also increases battery life

GPU - It's nearly a notebook... So no for me

Thinness - Any thinner and i'll get paper/laptop cuts

Backlit keyboard - Well seing they had it in before, I'm sure it can't be too hard to put it back in, and like someone else said, They got rid of it just to put it back in as an upgrade (Hopefully) and it kind of seems a step backward to include it.. then not include it

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GPU= Intel graphic card is the only option with sandy bridge.

Backlit keyboard= Can't be too hard to put it back in? No. They took it out to cut the cost down. Maybe you are not even reading what I wrote.

If you want all of those features, get yourself a MBP.

No

I prefer the new frontlit keyboard design.

app store sells mavis beacon if you want to learn how to type without looking at the keyboard.

I won't buy a new Air without a backlit keyboard. This may not be an important feature for many, but for me, it is. I use my air in darker presentation rooms and meetings where presentations are on screen and it is just too hard to see the keys on the new one. I really want an 11.6" air, but will not buy until such time there is a backlit keyboard option.

I touch type but there are always keys that you need to find that you rarely use. That is when the light is appreciated and needed. Why do people have to get angry about the possibility of re-including it...they have the option to turn it off.

buckawheat said:

I won't buy a new Air without a backlit keyboard. This may not be an important feature for many, but for me, it is. I use my air in darker presentation rooms and meetings where presentations are on screen and it is just too hard to see the keys on the new one. I really want an 11.6" air, but will not buy until such time there is a backlit keyboard option.

I touch type but there are always keys that you need to find that you rarely use. That is when the light is appreciated and needed. Why do people have to get angry about the possibility of re-including it...they have the option to turn it off.

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agree...it is worthwhile feature if confronted with enough times typing in the dark