New iPod Dock-Enabled Keyboard Coming?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret publishes a hearsay report citing a few readers who have apparently received USB keyboard replacements from Apple repair depots that have built-in iPod docks.

According to sources, who were unable to see the keyboard themselves but heard about its existence from those who had, a small number of the unreleased keyboards were sent out to customers on the east coast who had sent their original keyboards to Apple for replacement. The number of misdirected keyboards is estimated to be less than ten and all are believed to have been recovered by Apple.

At this time, MacRumors is unable to independently verify the claims. Apple last updated their input peripherals in July 2006 with the release of the Bluetooth Mighty Mouse.

[longofest]

Note that hearsay reports are some of the most uncertain reports you can get..

"My friend told me that blah blah blah..."

Then again, it seems like they got multiple reports, so it makes it a little more palatable. Still, weird that none of the guys who reported it got a look at the keyboard.

[twoodcc]

very nice. i don't have an ipod dock, but i might buy that keyboard. hopefully it'll be released soon

[Doctor Q]

If somebody got one, you'd think they'd take a photo of it, especially if Apple contacted them and said "Oops, we gave you a secret unreleased keyboard by mistake and need you to give it back!"

[andiwm2003]

having my 4G ipod sticking out of my keyboard is a bad thing. looks stupid, blocks the view to the monitor and when you move the keyboard your ipod falls out. i don't think this rumor is true.

[jagolden]

Originally Posted by andiwm2003

having my 4G ipod sticking out of my keyboard is a bad thing. looks stupid, blocks the view to the monitor and when you move the keyboard your ipod falls out. i don't think this rumor is true.

May I suggest a pillow on your chair or placing the monitor more ergonomically?

Also, don't swing the keyboard over your head by it's cord

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by andiwm2003

having my 4G ipod sticking out of my keyboard is a bad thing. looks stupid, blocks the view to the monitor and when you move the keyboard your ipod falls out. i don't think this rumor is true.

What if the iPod nano lays flat and slides into the keyboad leaving only a small part of the iPod sticking out the side of the keyboard? what if the keyboard sucks the nano in like a slot loading CD drive? This would actually reduce desk clutter and get the iPod and it's charging cable off the desk. A vertical docking port would be stupid and I doubt Apple would do that.

[savar]

Originally Posted by andiwm2003

having my 4G ipod sticking out of my keyboard is a bad thing. looks stupid, blocks the view to the monitor and when you move the keyboard your ipod falls out. i don't think this rumor is true.

Yeah, I like to move my keyboard around...put it in my lap, e.g. Putting an ipod in there?? Makes no sense at all to me either.

[WildCowboy]

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

If somebody got one, you'd think they'd take a photo of it, especially if Apple contacted them and said "Oops, we gave you a secret unreleased keyboard by mistake and need you to give it back!"

There is that pesky NDA Apple supposedly made them sign. When there are only ten (or fewer) of you, you'd best not break that. (Of course, they do seem to have told their friends, but that may have been in the milliseconds before Apple contacted them and before they could get a pic sent off.)

[Mgkwho]

what does this say about bluetooth and iPods? or is the bluetooth only through an accessory/add on like nike+?

-=|Mgkwho

[Doctor Q]

Originally Posted by WildCowboy

There is that pesky NDA Apple supposedly made them sign. When there are only ten (or fewer) of you, you'd best not break that. (Of course, they do seem to have told their friends, but that may have been in the milliseconds before Apple contacted them and before they could get a pic sent off.)

If Apple mistakenly sent you the wrong replacement keyboard, how could they get you to sign an NDA?

[pyramid6]

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

If Apple mistakenly sent you the wrong replacement keyboard, how could they get you to sign an NDA?

Give me a free MacBook and I'll sign an NDA.

[WildCowboy]

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

If Apple mistakenly sent you the wrong replacement keyboard, how could they get you to sign an NDA?

They asked very nicely.

Maybe they gave them a Mac Pro if they agreed to sign on the dotted line.

[kingtj]

Exactly what I was thinking.... Plus, do you realize what one of these would be worth on the open market? eBay that thing and you'd be likely to get hundreds of dollars for it. Sure beats a replacement of a $29.95 or so keyboard, doesn't it?

Legally-speaking, all Apple could really do is threaten to bill you for the retail price of the product if you refused to return it to them. (Heck, you could insist that you never received the shipment if they didn't make you sign for the package ... And as I recall, last time Apple sent me a replacement warranty part, the box was just left at my doorstep, no signature required.)

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

If Apple mistakenly sent you the wrong replacement keyboard, how could they get you to sign an NDA?

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by WildCowboy

There is that pesky NDA Apple supposedly made them sign. When there are only ten (or fewer) of you, you'd best not break that. (Of course, they do seem to have told their friends, but that may have been in the milliseconds before Apple contacted them and before they could get a pic sent off.)

Apple can't make anyone sign an NDA. There is one thing that makes you lose a trade secret: If you mess up and don't keep it secret, then it is no trade secret anymore.

Obviously Apple can offer you some money (or offer a free upgrade from a G4 tower to a quad Xeon Mac Pro or similar) to convince you to sign an NDA, but they can't force you.

[bigandy]

Originally Posted by shamino

Keep waiting. According to posts from the Optimus blog, that artist-concept keyboard is still a long way coming.

In a year, they will have a stripped-down version (no function keys on the left side, displays not on every key, B&W LCD instead of color OLED, etc.) And it seems it will be very expensive (pre-orders on December 12 for $1200. A sub-$1000 price when it ships around September-ish.)

They've got a great concept, but I don't think we'll ever see the product depicted by their artist's conception, and if it ever does ship, it looks like it will end up costing more than a Mac Pro.

ouch. i remember reading an interview somewhere with one of the guys saying they hoped that full keyboard for $250. but now a cut down version with fewer OLED keys? cop out!

i'd love that concept one. it'll not happen any time soon, but i want one.

[MrCrowbar]

I'd love one of those PCI express slots that you have in thye Macbook pros to be in the keyboard so you could put card readers or whatever in there.T hey're shaped like a 2n Gen iPod nano, just bogger. I'd love to see a "dock" that goes into that PCI express slot where the iPod nano disappears with just the screen (or nothing) sticking out. That would be the must have thing for every MBP and iPod nano owner. It would be equally sweet to just slide the iPod into your iMac's keyboard, wouldn't it?

[ero87]

i think the ipod-dock-keyboard that they linked to looks sexy! The features/buttons are overkill, and not very apple-like, but the dock looks great!

[OdduWon]

[Chef Medeski]

Originally Posted by MrCrowbar

I'd love one of those PCI express slots that you have in thye Macbook pros to be in the keyboard so you could put card readers or whatever in there.T hey're shaped like a 2n Gen iPod nano, just bogger. I'd love to see a "dock" that goes into that PCI express slot where the iPod nano disappears with just the screen (or nothing) sticking out. That would be the must have thing for every MBP and iPod nano owner. It would be equally sweet to just slide the iPod into your iMac's keyboard, wouldn't it?

GENIUS! If they put the port on their keyboards, they could sell it to everyone except MacBook owners..... hah ha.... told you to upgrade....

But crowbar. Seriously. Go patented that idea and make it. Thats pure genius. First do the Nano/PCI card converter thing to make up enough money to design the keyboard. Absolutely genius.

[PODshady]

I have a feeing that when your iPod is docked in the keyboard that it would get in the way

[lorductape]

I say no.

[ezekielrage_99]

If an Apple keyboard came with an iPod dock I would buy in a second.

The keyboard I really want is that Russian designed Optimus Keyboard that thing is sweet.

I am having a flash back to the "Mac Mini with a Dock" and we still haven't seen that .....

[shamino]

Originally Posted by ezekielrage_99

The keyboard I really want is that Russian designed Optimus Keyboard that thing is sweet.

Keep waiting. According to posts from the Optimus blog, that artist-concept keyboard is still a long way coming.

In a year, they will have a stripped-down version (no function keys on the left side, displays not on every key, B&W LCD instead of color OLED, etc.) And it seems it will be very expensive (pre-orders on December 12 for $1200. A sub-$1000 price when it ships around September-ish.)

They've got a great concept, but I don't think we'll ever see the product depicted by their artist's conception, and if it ever does ship, it looks like it will end up costing more than a Mac Pro.

[ezekielrage_99]

Originally Posted by shamino

Keep waiting. According to posts from the Optimus blog, that artist-concept keyboard is still a long way coming.

In a year, they will have a stripped-down version (no function keys on the left side, displays not on every key, B&W LCD instead of color OLED, etc.) And it seems it will be very expensive (pre-orders on December 12 for $1200. A sub-$1000 price when it ships around September-ish.)

They've got a great concept, but I don't think we'll ever see the product depicted by their artist's conception, and if it ever does ship, it looks like it will end up costing more than a Mac Pro.

Yeah I've heard that it's along way off either way it's a totally killer concept and I hope they licence it for other companies to produce like Logitech, Apple, etc for them to make. If it's ever released I will buy one.