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amitdoc2b

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 25, 2008
917
62
Since many of us will be receiving our new MacBook as early as this Wednesday according to FedEx tracking, does anyone have any leads on keyboard covers for the new Macbook Retina? Obviously many are out there for the MacBook Airs and Pros, but I've had trouble finding it for the new device. I was hoping somewhere a company already prepared making them based on hands-on or measurement information. Any leads will be greatly appreciated, thanks!
 

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
After looking at one in person I wouldn't attempt to close the lid with a cover on. It would have to be super thin
 

amitdoc2b

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 25, 2008
917
62
After looking at one in person I wouldn't attempt to close the lid with a cover on. It would have to be super thin

I never closed the lid with it on even for my MacBook Air. I usually leave the laptop lid open when it's home with the cover on.

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What's the point on having a keyboard cover?

Many people have keyboard covers to protect the black keys from getting shiny due to grease or natural wear or oil in the hands, they also can protect from spills like a soda, milk, coffee, water, etc.
 

Phightinphils

macrumors 6502
Jul 27, 2012
376
40
USA
Why the heck would you cover this keyboard up? It's too beautiful to be covered IMO. And with the way it's designed it will be nearly impossible to get crumbs etc. in between the keys.
 

SchneiderMan

macrumors G3
May 25, 2008
8,332
202
The tolerances are extreme unlike other MacBooks, but it's plausible that we will see some thin ones soon. Not to mention they'll most likely affect the already shallow key throw, so I wouldn't even consider using one myself. Don't eat or drink when using one would be my advice :)
 

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
Many people have keyboard covers to protect the black keys from getting shiny due to grease or natural wear or oil in the hands

So when would you get to enjoy the non-greasy, non-shiny, non-covered keys? Or do you just protect the keys for the chap who'll buy the MacBook off you in a few years?

This reminds me of my Mum's friend. She has a very expensive and beautiful (so we often hear) dining table and chairs, but they're covered in an awful green fabric cover. It never comes off - not even for xmas. So I don't get why she bothered buying something so nice if she's never going to enjoy it. She may as well have bought the ugliest dining table she could find and save some money.

The same goes for iPhone covers. People go on about how beautiful the iPhone is, spend £700 on one and then cover it in a £2.99 case. I don't see the point. It'd be like covering my car in bubble-wrap.
 

SchneiderMan

macrumors G3
May 25, 2008
8,332
202
So when would you get to enjoy the non-greasy, non-shiny, non-covered keys? Or do you just protect the keys for the chap who'll buy the MacBook off you in a few years?

This reminds me of my Mum's friend. She has a very expensive and beautiful (so we often hear) dining table and chairs, but they're covered in an awful green fabric cover. It never comes off - not even for xmas. So I don't get why she bothered buying something so nice if she's never going to enjoy it. She may as well have bought the ugliest dining table she could find and save some money.

The same goes for iPhone covers. People go on about how beautiful the iPhone is, spend £700 on one and then cover it in a £2.99 case. I don't see the point. It'd be like covering my car in bubble-wrap.

What isn't afforded easily is kept dearly. Or so in most of these type of situations involving overly protective caring.
 

msb3079

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2010
742
19
collingswood. nj
So when would you get to enjoy the non-greasy, non-shiny, non-covered keys? Or do you just protect the keys for the chap who'll buy the MacBook off you in a few years?

This reminds me of my Mum's friend. She has a very expensive and beautiful (so we often hear) dining table and chairs, but they're covered in an awful green fabric cover. It never comes off - not even for xmas. So I don't get why she bothered buying something so nice if she's never going to enjoy it. She may as well have bought the ugliest dining table she could find and save some money.

The same goes for iPhone covers. People go on about how beautiful the iPhone is, spend £700 on one and then cover it in a £2.99 case. I don't see the point. It'd be like covering my car in bubble-wrap.


This is what I always say. Even about phones. I make fun of my friends for using cases to protect from scratches. I'm like "scratches? what scratches? You'd never even know because you'd never see..." Of course I understand using cases in certain circumstances - hiking, tailgating, etc... but no need for a case when in an office or on the couch.

But back to your point - that's always made me laugh. I had these really weird neighbors when I was a kid, that had white carpet. But they always had the carpet covered with PLASTIC so it didn't get dirty. I'm like.. you guys are missing the point, here.
 

mutsaers-vr.nl

macrumors 6502
Jan 10, 2008
347
4
The Netherlands
it would be better if Apple would improve the quality of the keys so they don't become shiny !!!!

I never closed the lid with it on even for my MacBook Air. I usually leave the laptop lid open when it's home with the cover on.

----------



Many people have keyboard covers to protect the black keys from getting shiny due to grease or natural wear or oil in the hands, they also can protect from spills like a soda, milk, coffee, water, etc.
 

bibyfok

macrumors 6502
Jun 14, 2012
341
14
France
Your hands are what's causing them to get shiny and you can just wipe them clean. They don't go shiny permanently, do they?

That's exactly what I was thinking. Use the same spray that you use to clean your display, it should make them "as new" without any problem...
 

bjet767

Suspended
Oct 2, 2010
967
320
One problem with covers on all the laptops is the increase insulation and therefore internal heat will rise.

The whole idea of having an aluminum case is the metal's ability to dissipate heat quickly. When that case is covered with a plastic or something similar it will cause the device to heat up quicker. The MBA, and the Mini are both great examples of precision design for the cooling. Notice in the windows world most of the cases are really big and bulky with huge fans and such. In programming it's called the "brute force" method.

My best advice is only use cases for storage and transportation, especially considering this is the first fanless design for MAC.

BTW I am looking for a slip in case, which is why I read this thread.
 

newellj

macrumors G3
Oct 15, 2014
8,128
3,030
East of Eden
Another potential issue is that I suspect that these are so tight in terms of tolerances that almost anything you could put over the keyboard would be in physical contact with the screen. I didn't measure anything when I was using them this weekend, but my memory is that it was very tight when closed. Everyone presumably knows about the issues with scratches on the rMBP displays. Having a cover rubbing the display couldn't help that issue, even if Apple has improved the coating on the rMB displays compared to the rMBP displays.
 

Airboy1466

macrumors 6502
Feb 23, 2015
326
31
So when would you get to enjoy the non-greasy, non-shiny, non-covered keys? Or do you just protect the keys for the chap who'll buy the MacBook off you in a few years?

This reminds me of my Mum's friend. She has a very expensive and beautiful (so we often hear) dining table and chairs, but they're covered in an awful green fabric cover. It never comes off - not even for xmas. So I don't get why she bothered buying something so nice if she's never going to enjoy it. She may as well have bought the ugliest dining table she could find and save some money.

The same goes for iPhone covers. People go on about how beautiful the iPhone is, spend £700 on one and then cover it in a £2.99 case. I don't see the point. It'd be like covering my car in bubble-wrap.

I can find why he wants too personally I like to eat when on my computer and from past expirence I seen crumbs get stuck in between the keys which looks nasty so I bought a keyboard cover to problem solved keys also typing becomes less noisey
 

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
I can find why he wants too personally I like to eat when on my computer and from past expirence I seen crumbs get stuck in between the keys which looks nasty so I bought a keyboard cover to problem solved keys also typing becomes less noisey

Give punctuation a go. You might like it.
 

amitdoc2b

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 25, 2008
917
62
So when would you get to enjoy the non-greasy, non-shiny, non-covered keys? Or do you just protect the keys for the chap who'll buy the MacBook off you in a few years?

This reminds me of my Mum's friend. She has a very expensive and beautiful (so we often hear) dining table and chairs, but they're covered in an awful green fabric cover. It never comes off - not even for xmas. So I don't get why she bothered buying something so nice if she's never going to enjoy it. She may as well have bought the ugliest dining table she could find and save some money.

The same goes for iPhone covers. People go on about how beautiful the iPhone is, spend £700 on one and then cover it in a £2.99 case. I don't see the point. It'd be like covering my car in bubble-wrap.

I do eventually sell the laptop off and it retains higher resale value if looks like new. Also, I use the keyboard cover for when I am home because when I eat or drink (or just have natural oils from my hands) they tend to make the black keys very shiny.. permanently. Obviously, you can keep washing your hands and avoid eating/drinking before using your laptop, but for me.. personally.. that is super inconvenient and I rather keep a keyboard cover on when home and live my way without any worries about my personal methods of usage permanently impacting appearance of the MacBook.

Again, I only use a keyboard cover when I am home... when I am in a professional environment outdoors I do not take the keyboard cover with me and let it be shown in its full beauty... but if I don't use the cover at home it most certainly will look all shined up looking unprofessional or icky when I take it out. Even on a MacBook Air, you don't normally close the screen on a keyboard cover because it imprints the grease from the cover onto the screen.. so there's no reason obviously to do that on this new slimmer laptop either. Heat has never been an issue on the MBA and unlikely on this one either, but if it is, no big deal, they're cheap covers that cost anywhere from $1 to $20 depending where you purchase and are expendable.

For someone that mentioned that Apple should make the keys less prone to this sort of permanent shine, I'd like to mention there was a time their laptop keyboards had silver-colored keys and they were not prone to the same shine as when they switched to black keys. Traditionally, Windows computers have mainly used black keys and were always prone to this.. then when Apple also switched to black keys for their MacBook Pros somewhere between 2006-2008, I started purchasing keyboard covers back then.

Also, this topic was about asking if anyone has leads on if they know a place they can be purchased... not what everyones personal opinion is on one. Nonetheless, I do enjoy sharing this information even if it is off topic and helps others gain insight. Thanks again.
 
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