Apple Addresses Battery Life Issues on New Wireless Keyboards With Firmware Update

[MacRumors]

Apple today released 2009 Aluminum Keyboard Firmware Update 1.0, addressing battery life issues with Apple's recently-redesigned wireless keyboard when used with other Bluetooth devices.

This firmware update improves battery performance of the 2009 Aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard when used in combination with other Bluetooth devices (example. Magic Mouse, Bluetooth headsets).

The update appears to address severe battery life issues blamed on Apple's multi-touch Magic Mouse when paired with a computer at the same time as the keyboard. Apple released a similar update for its older wireless keyboard last month.

Article Link: Apple Addresses Battery Life Issues on New Wireless Keyboards With Firmware Update

 

[Illusion986]

Awesome all i need to do now is buy that keyboard....not

 

[netnothing]

Anyone know, does this get downloaded via Software Update?

-Kevin

 

[-Ryan-]

Anyone know, does this get downloaded via Software Update?

-Kevin

Yep, downloaded via software update and then it runs a firmware update utility serperately.

 

[johny5]

Duracell have thanked Apple for its increased sale of AA's.

 

[wschutz]

Duracell have thanked Apple for its increased sale of AA's.

Rechargeable batteries?
I use these, both in the old wireless aluminium keyboard as well as in the mighty mouse, and I can't recall last time I had to recharge keyboard ones... though mouse ones probably once a month or a month and a half (but I never turn off none)

 

[Patrick J]

Thankfull for this: my Apple Wireless Keyboard (less than one month old) is already down to 70% battery.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Didn't they just do something like this a few weeks ago? Or was that for a different keyboard...?

 

[nigel1210]

Didn't they just do something like this a few weeks ago? Or was that for a different keyboard...?

Yeah I used that one, i've got mine with a 2009 mac pro on release in march.

Did I use the wrong update as I think I got it off the apple site?

 

[MartiNZ]

Previous update was for the older version of the keyboard, the stupid 3-battery one. I recently bought a bunch of rechargeable batteries to cover the older keyboard and mighty mouse, and the newer keyboard and magic mouse - the 3-battery thing really throws the numbers out, and I need to find something that takes only 1xAA somewhere!

As for the 'works better with bluetooth headsets' thing, I did previously have trouble with that with the older keyboard, and the update did fix it ... but only for one day. Now once again it keeps losing the keyboard connection if keyboard, mouse and bluetooth headphones are active .

 

[BryanLyle]

Beginning to wonder if Apple even tests things out anymore. I hope this fixes my battery problem, because I have been chewing through batteries for months now.

 

[freedevil]

About time and to the people harping on rechargeable's, do you know you are wasting cycles and diminishing its life as well.

 

[paulyras]

So, can someone explain why I had to restart my computer after a firmware update to a peripheral that's not even physically attached to the computer?

 

[iindigo]

So, can someone explain why I had to restart my computer after a firmware update to a peripheral that's not even physically attached to the computer?

I believe it's because the bluetooth keyboard is connected at a hardware level as opposed to a software one. This is evidenced by the fact that when one boots into, for example, the Windows XP installer (the DOS-style blue screen one with NO BLUETOOTH DRIVERS) their Apple bluetooth keyboard will still work perfectly.

In fact, I think the internal Bluetooth receiver is hooked into the USB array, so without any drivers installed connected keyboards and such simply appear as a normal corded USB devices.

 

[Sebby]

Previous update was for the older version of the keyboard, the stupid 3-battery one. I recently bought a bunch of rechargeable batteries to cover the older keyboard and mighty mouse, and the newer keyboard and magic mouse - the 3-battery thing really throws the numbers out, and I need to find something that takes only 1xAA somewhere!

As for the 'works better with bluetooth headsets' thing, I did previously have trouble with that with the older keyboard, and the update did fix it ... but only for one day. Now once again it keeps losing the keyboard connection if keyboard, mouse and bluetooth headphones are active .

So how many batteries does the 2009 one take?

 

[octarine]

So how many batteries does the 2009 one take?

2009 model takes 2 AAs.

This fix is very welcome. My keyboard was eating through a set of batteries in 4 days, with practically 0 use.

Since I upgraded the firmware (a thankfully painless procedure) it's still on 100% after a week.

 

[SDub90]

Anyone else having problem making capital letters using the left shift button after this update? In my case, I can't make a capital o using the left shift, but it works using the right shift key.

EDIT: don't know what happened, but it is now working just fine after coming home.