12" PB Keyboard - Painted?

[funkywhat2]

I was wondering if anyone knew if the keyboard of the 12" PB was painted. I have basically decided to get one, once the $ is right, but the last thing I want is a painted keyboard (yes it's a factor, the little things are big to me.)

[Rower_CPU]

I can't find anything corroborating on Apple's web site, but I seem to recall from the Keynote at MWSF that they keys are laser etched.

[iJon]

I just compared with the 12 and 15 inch powerbook. The keys feels exactly the same. I believe its jus the color of the plastic with the letters stamped on. Even if it was painted, i dont think regular typing will rub it off.

iJon

[benixau]

macintosh keyboards and mice are, whilst simple and basic, generally built very well.

why? cause you type a hell of a lot on a mac (casue your working and not trying to fix the thing) and - well - the mac is a mouse orientated system. In any good mac program you should be able to do everyhting without touching the keyboard. especially now as you can use the Character Palette to enter the letters etc for you :D

regular typing is not going to do anyharm. my dad had a mac for 10 years until about 4mnths ago. it was the power supply that went. original keyboard and no loss of letters.

[funkywhat2]

Well, I'm not concerned with it rubbing off, but if the machine gets hot I don't want the keyboard to get tacky, like painted plastics get when they're hot.

Thanks for the info.

[Kid Red]

Originally posted by funkywhat2
Well, I'm not concerned with it rubbing off, but if the machine gets hot I don't want the keyboard to get tacky, like painted plastics get when they're hot.

Thanks for the info.

I don't think it would get that hot. Besides, I think the paint on the Ti's wouldv'e melted before any paint on plastic keys would.

[janey]

Originally posted by Eniregnat
They do have Apple Guru's and they should answer your questions.
They're called Mac Geniuses. just so you know...and the keyboard on the 17" isn't painted and since the 12" and 17" basically use the same keyboard, i guess it's not.

[FelixDerKater]

Why would they paint a keyboard? It is plastic. Just use a different color of plastic.

[janey]

it doesn't feel like plastic.

[funkywhat2]

Originally posted by übergeek
it doesn't feel like plastic.

Exactly, thats why I asked.

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by benixau
macintosh keyboards and mice are, whilst simple and basic, generally built very well.

why? cause you type a hell of a lot on a mac (casue your working and not trying to fix the thing) and - well - the mac is a mouse orientated system. In any good mac program you should be able to do everyhting without touching the keyboard. especially now as you can use the Character Palette to enter the letters etc for you :D

regular typing is not going to do anyharm. my dad had a mac for 10 years until about 4mnths ago. it was the power supply that went. original keyboard and no loss of letters.

My last computer a B/WG3 I bought new in July of 1999 came with my first keyboard with painted on letters. I can tell you for a fact that after 4 years of typing on it the letters did fade some but they were still legible. I just bought a new DDR PowerMac in August and am wondering about the new Pro keyboard the letters are already fading.

[FelixDerKater]

Originally posted by MacBandit


My last computer a B/WG3 I bought new in July of 1999 came with my first keyboard with painted on letters. I can tell you for a fact that after 4 years of typing on it the letters did fade some but they were still legible. I just bought a new DDR PowerMac in August and am wondering about the new Pro keyboard the letters are already fading.

Are we talking about painted letters or full painted keys?

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by FelixDerKater


Are we talking about painted letters or full painted keys?

Painted letters.


I did look at a 12" PowerBook this weekend and if the keys aren't painted I don't what they are. They definitely look painted, feel painted, and have the texture of paint.

[funkywhat2]

But are the keys, as in the whole key, painted? Most of their plastics don't seem that way, but the 12" keyboard seems to be painted silver. Or at least that's how it felt.

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by funkywhat2
But are the keys, as in the whole key, painted? Most of their plastics don't seem that way, but the 12" keyboard seems to be painted silver. Or at least that's how it felt.

I agre that the whole key on the 12" feels painted.

I was referring to my keyboards on my PowerMacs up above and only the letters are painted on and they wear thin very quickly. I have yet to wear any completely off though.