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Anyone else find it difficult to type with a keyboard cover?

D

daonesteven

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
298
0
Baltimore, MD
I got a Reearth keyboard cover for my 11" air and it's pretty good except I kinda miss typing on the regular keyboard and I think it was a lot easier too.

Why is there always tradeoffs in life, why can't I just have everything...
 
With just a little care, one can avoid having to use a keyboard cover.

Then you get to enjoy the computer the way Apple designed it to be used :)
 
i guess i got a little OCD when I got my air and wanted the keys to stay pristine for as long as possible and no crumbs and stuff to go underneath keys, etc.

Oh well, it's not that bad.
 
vitzr said:
With just a little care, one can avoid having to use a keyboard cover.

Then you get to enjoy the computer the way Apple designed it to be used :)
Click to expand...

Accidents happen. It's fine that you don't feel a need to use a cover (Moshi is the best). However, for those that have either had accidents or witnessed them, it is a relatively inexpensive investment that can save our laptops. Also, the keyboard cover needn't be kept on 24/7. When there is either no beverages or food around, I may remove the cover. But, while using the cover, it's not that much of a distraction.
 
For years, and through several laptops and even desktops I used keyboard covers.

More recently though I have stopped and am really glad I did - I just find the keys so much more responsive.

Also as an aside I recently took a very old keyboard skin off an ibook g4 keyboard and the keys had discolored badly.
 
skyton said:
For years, and through several laptops and even desktops I used keyboard covers.

More recently though I have stopped and am really glad I did - I just find the keys so much more responsive.

Also as an aside I recently took a very old keyboard skin off an ibook g4 keyboard and the keys had discolored badly.
Click to expand...

This is obviously an inferior cover. Like I said, the Moshi cover is the best. Also, common sense would tell you, periodically, that you need to clean the cover. The cover is not either glued on or affixed that it is difficult to remove; one simply has to lift it off the keyboard.
 
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I've never liked what they do to keyboards - I find that they make them mushy and far too firm. I love the touch on my 2009 Air, and have loved it for the past two years. I tried a cover from a friend for about two minutes and took it off. Then again, I'm quite picky about my keyboards :)
 
rhinosrcool said:
This is obviously an inferior cover. Like I said, the Moshi cover is the best. Also, common sense would tell you, periodically, that you need to clean the cover. The cover is not either glued on or affixed that it is difficult to remove; one simply has to life it off the keyboard.
Click to expand...

I think it just comes down to personal preference.
I could get used to a skin again, but I now don't like anything in the way of the keys.
 
skyton said:
I think it just comes down to personal preference.
I could get used to a skin again, but I now don't like anything in the way of the keys.
Click to expand...

As I have stated, I don't find the Moshi distracting. However, yes, I prefer to type with out a cover. Unfortunately, I have seen a couple of instances where a macbook and a dell were ruined from spilled beverages. So, I, on many occasions, use my keyboard with a cover. It gives me some sense of protection.

Many of you, regarding spills, do not feel it's a concern. That's fine. Hopefully, you won't experience any problems.
 
rhinosrcool said:
As I have stated, I don't find the Moshi distracting. However, yes, I prefer to type with out a cover. Unfortunately, I have seen a couple of instances where a macbook and a dell were ruined from spilled beverages. So, I, on many occasions, use my keyboard with a cover. It gives me some sense of protection.

Many of you, regarding spills, do not feel it's a concern. That's fine. Hopefully, you won't experience any problems.
Click to expand...

same here. So what I do is, i just use the keyboard cover when i am drinking and typing. You don't wear rubber all the time, only when you need it right? :p
 
rhinosrcool said:
This is obviously an inferior cover. Like I said, the Moshi cover is the best. Also, common sense would tell you, periodically, that you need to clean the cover. The cover is not either glued on or affixed that it is difficult to remove; one simply has to lift it off the keyboard.
Click to expand...

I actually think the Rearth cover is better then the Moshi. I have been using Moshi covers for years, but decided to try the Rearth this time around. Right now I have the Moshi on the Apple bluetooth keyboard, and a Rearth on the Macbook Air 11". IMO, the Rearth's skin is a little thinner then the Moshi's, which gives you more feel and flex when you type vs the Moshi. Of course, typing feel is all very subjective.

In the end, I use a cover b/c I'm anal and don't like the black keys to show wear after time(helps a little w/ resale too). Also, its a good liquid spill protector for those times when you accidentally decide to feed your Macbook Air a drink:)
 
richlee111 said:
I actually think the Rearth cover is better then the Moshi. I have been using Moshi covers for years, but decided to try the Rearth this time around. Right now I have the Moshi on the Apple bluetooth keyboard, and a Rearth on the Macbook Air 11". IMO, the Rearth's skin is a little thinner then the Moshi's, which gives you more feel and flex when you type vs the Moshi. Of course, typing feel is all very subjective.

In the end, I use a cover b/c I'm anal and don't like the black keys to show wear after time(helps a little w/ resale too). Also, its a good liquid spill protector for those times when you accidentally decide to feed your Macbook Air a drink:)
Click to expand...

i got the Rearth for my 11 air from someone's recommendation on another thread (might have been yours actually). I've used my fair share of keyboard covers in the past and this one definitely feels the best.

Only caveat with this cover is that since less of the plastic material (borders) actually touches the keys themselves (which they tout as their strengths because it makes typing easier), it actually seems to slightly shift the keyboard cover up towards the screen after long periods of typing. I dunno if you noticed that on yours but I guess I'll just deal with it. That and it seems to get cloudy easily after long use but then again that's just a normal feature of keyboard covers.
 
I always avoided keyboard covers until I found the Moshi.

Sure, I'd rather have no keyboard cover but the protection is worth it, IMHO.
 
daonesteven said:
i got the Rearth for my 11 air from someone's recommendation on another thread (might have been yours actually). I've used my fair share of keyboard covers in the past and this one definitely feels the best.

Only caveat with this cover is that since less of the plastic material (borders) actually touches the keys themselves (which they tout as their strengths because it makes typing easier), it actually seems to slightly shift the keyboard cover up towards the screen after long periods of typing. I dunno if you noticed that on yours but I guess I'll just deal with it. That and it seems to get cloudy easily after long use but then again that's just a normal feature of keyboard covers.
Click to expand...

Agree. The Rearth cover does not fit each key as snug as the Moshi. It does feel a little loose at times and I think it might slip a little bit as you described. But overall, I like the feel of typing on it better. The occasional tugging down of the cover is not that big of a deal to me. Its like when you have to slightly adjust your pants from time to time throughout the day(ok, bad analogy).

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mrsir2009 said:
If yar not three years old you probably don't need a keyboard cover. I drink all the time when I'm using my MBP, and after 2 years not one spillage.
Click to expand...

True. But you see all the posts on this board about people spilling something on their Macbooks, Macbook Pros, and Macbook Airs, and you know that it can happen to anyone.

You just never know...
 
im so used to using a cover i actually dont like typing without one.. when i work on buddies laptops i need a cover..
 
I always type slower and less accurately with a cover. I'm using a TPU cover (Moshi equivalent) and I'm considering leaving it off.
 
richlee111 said:
Agree. The Rearth cover does not fit each key as snug as the Moshi. It does feel a little loose at times and I think it might slip a little bit as you described. But overall, I like the feel of typing on it better. The occasional tugging down of the cover is not that big of a deal to me. Its like when you have to slightly adjust your pants from time to time throughout the day(ok, bad analogy).

----------



True. But you see all the posts on this board about people spilling something on their Macbooks, Macbook Pros, and Macbook Airs, and you know that it can happen to anyone.

You just never know...
Click to expand...

Ah yes. Remember the one where some guy spilt condom lube on his MBP?
 
Apple should make a sippy cup for beverages (the kind that infants use to prevent spills.
 
richlee111 said:
I actually think the Rearth cover is better then the Moshi. I have been using Moshi covers for years, but decided to try the Rearth this time around. Right now I have the Moshi on the Apple bluetooth keyboard, and a Rearth on the Macbook Air 11". IMO, the Rearth's skin is a little thinner then the Moshi's, which gives you more feel and flex when you type vs the Moshi. Of course, typing feel is all very subjective.

In the end, I use a cover b/c I'm anal and don't like the black keys to show wear after time(helps a little w/ resale too). Also, its a good liquid spill protector for those times when you accidentally decide to feed your Macbook Air a drink:)
Click to expand...

It's funny, I was going to say that the reason the Moshi feels better for typing was because it is thinner than others I've tried. If the Rearth cover is thinner, I may look into it. For now, I am very pleased with the Moshi.
 
rhinosrcool said:
It's funny, I was going to say that the reason the Moshi feels better for typing was because it is thinner than others I've tried. If the Rearth cover is thinner, I may look into it. For now, I am very pleased with the Moshi.
Click to expand...

Naw....ain't worth to switch if your Moshi is still holding up. But the next time you need to buy one, check the Rearth out.

As for spill naysayers, a quick search for the term "spill", in just this forum, netted 6 results where the last update falls in this month. So yea, people do drink and Air. I think I might just make this my wallpaper.

815858_no_drinking_safety_Sign.jpg


Any graphics people out there who could make us a nice No-drinks-in-front-of-a-Mac sign?
 
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