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After saying I would wait, I just pulled the trigger on a 2019 MBA on sale. This makes me a hypocrite per my earlier post. I am sure I will be punished by the tech gods with incessant keyboard problems.

No excuses. I just wanted to update now while the price was good.

The price may be good but thinking that you be left days on ... without a machine that you can work with now thats really a nightmere. Especially if you are travelling a lot .. like me.
 
I am sure I will be punished by the tech gods with incessant keyboard problems.

No excuses. I just wanted to update now while the price was good.

Well, the thing about keyboard problems is that you can always supply your own in a worst case scenario. Because I had serious RSI for years, I always supplied my own keyboard anyway so even though I hated the keyboard and other things about the tbMBP, they didn’t stop me from getting one.

I eventually got to really like the tbMBP with some time. I wouldn’t worry about the keyboard. Worry about the things that don’t get a 4 year warranty. You’re screwed if the something like the logic board dies.

It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling. You can buy a cheap BT keyboard at any drug store to get you by in a pinch.
 
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Well, the thing about keyboard problems is that you can always supply your own in a worst case scenario. Because I had serious RSI for years, I always supplied my own keyboard anyway so even though I hated the keyboard and other things about the tbMBP, they didn’t stop me from getting one.

I eventually got to really like the tbMBP with some time. I wouldn’t worry about the keyboard. Worry about the things that don’t get a 4 year warranty. You’re screwed if the something like the logic board dies.

It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling. You can buy a cheap BT keyboard at any drug store to get you by in a pinch.

Actually, I don't travel much with a laptop, so that isn't a big deal for me. I am just acknowledging that I could have a problem with this keyboard and could be inconvenienced as a result. I am going into this with my eyes wide open and hoping for the best. I would not have done it without the 4 year keyboard warrantee program.

Other than the keyboard concerns, this computer checks all of the boxes for me. I figure no matter what I buy there will be a known issue with any device. Don't get me wrong. The keyboard is a pretty important part of a laptop. I'll just deal with the problem if it comes up.

Some people are waiting for a scissor mechanism, and that might be the right thing to do. If Apple continues to have problems with this latest generation of butterfly keyboards, they might (big might) replace them under warrantee with scissor keyboards down the road. TBD.
 
If Apple continues to have problems with this latest generation of butterfly keyboards, they might (big might) replace them under warrantee with scissor keyboards down the road. TBD.

That'd be very unlikely unless they created a version of the scissor mechanism that was as flat as the butterflies. The butterflies actually operate on the same principles as a scissor switch. It's really a variant of the scissor switch and not entirely new.

There are two key differences. The butterflies are rigid and ultra low travel. The scissors are flexible and low travel.

Scissors need more headroom. You'd probably need another 1-2mm of clearance in the chasis of the laptop to squeeze in scissors.
 
That'd be very unlikely unless they created a version of the scissor mechanism that was as flat as the butterflies. The butterflies actually operate on the same principles as a scissor switch. It's really a variant of the scissor switch and not entirely new.

There are two key differences. The butterflies are rigid and ultra low travel. The scissors are flexible and low travel.

Scissors need more headroom. You'd probably need another 1-2mm of clearance in the chasis of the laptop to squeeze in scissors.

I could live with a replacement bottom case that was 1-2mm thicker. Not saying it would happen. But, I don’t see a show stopper.
 
I could live with a replacement bottom case that was 1-2mm thicker. Not saying it would happen. But, I don’t see a show stopper.

Right, but I don't think that's how the manufacturing process for these kind of electronics work. You can't just decide on a whim to retroactively amend your product in such a drastic fashion. It ain't happening.
 
Right, but I don't think that's how the manufacturing process for these kind of electronics work. You can't just decide on a whim to retroactively amend your product in such a drastic fashion. It ain't happening.

Your probably right.
 
Agreed that they aint gonna be drastic, but bear in mind at some point manufacturers needs to listen to the masses as well. Listening to what people wants is actually what drives a business. Though I doubt that apple will listen to anyways ..

They have an army of market research people who have their methods of determining where their opportunities, but I guarantee you that scouring MacRumors Forums for actionable insight is not one of them.
 
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Go for Magic keyboard. It's scissors mechanism, like keyboard in Air 2017, so there will not be problems :)
 
Go for Magic keyboard. It's scissors mechanism, like keyboard in Air 2017, so there will not be problems :)

Thats really defeating the purpose of having a MacBook . Need to carry extra accessories for a keyboard ? Another stuff to pack for travelling ... maybe its just be but if I see people with laptop /macbook using external keyboard *#$@*
 
Have you tried Apples DIY solution? Using compressed air. Have had a 2016 (the worst of the worst!) keyboard stick numerous times but always have gotten it fixed using a little compressed air,I haven’t had to repair the keyboard once. I feel like most people skip that and just send it off to Apple.
 
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Have you tried Apples DIY solution? Using compressed air. Have had a 2016 (the worst of the worst!) keyboard stick numerous times but always have gotten it fixed using a little compressed air,I haven’t had to repair the keyboard once. I feel like most people skip that and just send it off to Apple.


See my point exactly,, this is good example of not having free of mind. The point of buying MacBook is so that you can forget about maintenance of it and just use it as a work horse. If I really need to tinker and tweaking here and there,, thats ok ... I already have my gaming rig to keep on tuning and maintain it .

As the line in SKidRow lyrics

"Always keep the motor running but never keeps em clean "
 
Have you tried Apples DIY solution? Using compressed air. Have had a 2016 (the worst of the worst!) keyboard stick numerous times but always have gotten it fixed using a little compressed air,I haven’t had to repair the keyboard once. I feel like most people skip that and just send it off to Apple.

I'm really not sure what the compressed air accomplishes. I had a 2016 that stuck intermittently and I just jiggled the keys clockwise and counter-clockwise with the key pressed down and they usually reset. Contrary to popular belief, there is no way dust can get into the switch. The actual switch is sealed.

Just for the sake of my own curiosity, if you get another key jam, don't use compressed air. Instead, press down and slowly wiggle in a circular direction one way a few times and then the opposite direction. I no longer have a 2016. Mine had a jam about every other month, but only in the first year. It stopped entirely after 1 year.
 
Wiggled keys, crushing debris, compressed air...

Is this all some sort of silly joke?

These are expensive machines and the most fundamental part of the computer is JUNK. It's like buying a car, where in some cases the steering wheel doesn't work.

No problem! Just slow down and wiggle the steering wheel until you regain control.

Steve Jobs is rolling in his grave. These problems have been around since 2016 and Apple has not fully fixed the issue. What kind of company behaves so badly? Nobody I know will touch these notebooks. They're either using older ones or are using Thinkbooks/Surface Pro's. Sold my Apple shares and bought Amazon in 2016.


Rob
 
Well, the thing about keyboard problems is that you can always supply your own in a worst case scenario. Because I had serious RSI for years, I always supplied my own keyboard anyway so even though I hated the keyboard and other things about the tbMBP, they didn’t stop me from getting one.

Back pain, RSI, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tension_myositis_syndrome

And YouTube is your friend.
 
I'm not sure what you mean with this, but I assume you're suggesting that's what I had/have. I don't think you can simply diagnose people with a syndrome like this on such limited information.

I'm not trying to diagnose you. Just suggesting you look into this:

 
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I'm not trying to diagnose you. Just suggesting you look into this:


Gotcha. It was just lacking context. Thanks for sharing that with me. I didn't know that condition existed. It's not quite me, but interesting to know.
[automerge]1573105765[/automerge]
Why is this not a sticky post?

Pun intended, right?
 
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Have you tried Apples DIY solution? Using compressed air. Have had a 2016 (the worst of the worst!) keyboard stick numerous times but always have gotten it fixed using a little compressed air,I haven’t had to repair the keyboard once. I feel like most people skip that and just send it off to Apple.

When you send your laptop to Apple, they also try this compressed air trick (instore at least in UK) - and if that fails, they do the replacement programme. There are two types of failures, one is indeed something merely being stuck underneath the key, the other is total key failure.

YMMV with what your store/Apple employee do of course. But it does beg the question, why should anyone have to use compressed air on keyboards, I mean to date have you ever had to prior to butterfly keys? I have used and seen keyboards with enough gunk beneath the keys to be a potential health hazard, still typing away perfectly fine without breaking.
 
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But it does beg the question, why should anyone have to use compressed air on keyboards.

You don't. It'll probably help in a small number of cases, but I have lots of reasons to believe that the compressed air thing is just smokescreen to avoid having to admit that they can't solve the manufacturing issues that seem to cause these keyboard issues. Some of those jams are going to resolve on their own anyway compressed air or not. Some of the ones prone to jam will respond simply to methodically jiggling the keys or being handled.

I've had one MBP (2016) that had intermittent keyboard issues that eventually went away entirely after getting broken in and my current MBP's (late 2018) keyboard has been flawless. Neither one ever saw compressed air or was treated with kid gloves. Neither was abused, but both saw their share of debris as they are my workhorses and not show horses.
 
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