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Counterfit

macrumors G3
Aug 20, 2003
8,195
0
sitting on your shoulder
No cables means it has to have power (battery). That alone adds size, then figure in a data connection of some sort, probably RF so lack of line-of-sight isn't a problem. Those all currently add size and weight, two enemies of good laptop design.

In the future, however, when short range power delivery is possible without wires, this could be feasible.

Edit: Just saw the thread about the Dell M2010, which has a detachable keyboard. Search and see for yourself.
 

*DND*

macrumors newbie
Nov 28, 2006
2
0
Satellite 1950 series

Toshiba made a laptop almost 5 years ago that had a wireless removable keyboard.
The Satellite 1950 and some of the 1955 series had that feature.
I have a 1950, best laptop ever for desktop replacement. The new Dell XPS 2010 may rival it but it weighs twice as much so it is not so portable.
 

yellow

Moderator emeritus
Oct 21, 2003
16,018
6
Portland, OR
This question should be redirected to the OP:

What would be gained from a laptop with a removable keyboard?

And how would it be accomplished with no cables?
 

Eraserhead

macrumors G4
Nov 3, 2005
10,434
12,250
UK
Why would you want one? I'm genuinely puzzled as to the point. You can hook up an external keyboard to a laptop if you wish (as well as an external display), and it hardly adds weight to the laptop having a keyboard.
 

*DND*

macrumors newbie
Nov 28, 2006
2
0
Why I have a Satellite 1950

Why would you want one?

16" screen with 4:3 aspect ratio, more vertical space is better for software development than horizontal (I can see more lines of code which is more important than being able to watch movies on an airplane).

But you were asking about the keyboard weren't you? ;)

A removeable keyboard means you can sit back comfortably instead of hunching over the laptop to be able to type. Not to mention being further from the screen is easier on your eyes.
Then there is the fact that you don't have to carry a seperate keyboard around with you as was suggested, it may not weigh much but you still have to go through the hassle of packing and unpacking it and finding a good place for it in your bag. An extra keyboard is just a needless pain.

As to how it would be accomplished with no cables?

Toshiba did it with radio frequency I think (I might be wrong on that) and the wireless mouse may be infra red (but I could be wrong on that too, I know it has an infra red receiver but maybe that was for something else).
It has a small rechargeable battery that charges will the keyboard is "docked" and lasts for hours disconnected (days if you aren't playing games with it).
The range is good for several feet and there are a couple channels in case you sit next to someone using the same laptop.
 

benthewraith

macrumors 68040
May 27, 2006
3,140
143
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Compaq made a tablet PC that had a removable keyboard. You can see it in Stargate Atlantis, it's the laptop in Weir's office. Needless to say, had I not gotten a Mac, that would have been the laptop I would have.
 

Josh396

macrumors 65816
Oct 16, 2004
1,129
0
Peoria/Chicago, IL
A removeable keyboard means you can sit back comfortably instead of hunching over the laptop to be able to type. Not to mention being further from the screen is easier on your eyes.
I don't see how you have to put hunching over your laptop to use one. I use one, not as my main computer, but I can easily sit 2-3 feet away from the keyboard and still be able to see the screen perfectly fine, not to mention the fact that I have bad eyes.
 

Eraserhead

macrumors G4
Nov 3, 2005
10,434
12,250
UK
I don't see how you have to put hunching over your laptop to use one. I use one, not as my main computer, but I can easily sit 2-3 feet away from the keyboard and still be able to see the screen perfectly fine, not to mention the fact that I have bad eyes.

definitely, I certainly never hunch over my Macbook. I kinda see the point on software dev. though I have never found vertical space to be an issue when developing (though Expose is damn helpful)
 
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