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Apple Bluetooth Keyboard with MagicPad/Solar integrated?

J

jalyst

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 17, 2009
274
6
Is there anything like this out there yet? There's been a keyboard with solar charging integrated for ages...
But I'm hoping the level of efficiency is such that, we're nearing the point that keyb & trackpad can now be powered by solar.
Failing that, even just a charger built into the keyb/trackpad to charge approx. 2 (ideally) standard batteries would be fine.
 
I see the possibility of solar keyboard, but trackpad is harder to come by for this reason: just about every trackpad out there are not as good as Apple's.

I use mine with Eneloop batteries and always have fully charged batteries on stand by. Replacing them every two months with a set of charged batteries only take 60 seconds, including the time it takes to clean the keyboard and trackpad. I think it is a reasonable compromise. I need to turn off the keyboard to clean it anyway so it's no extra work for me.

Eneloop batteries have really long shelf life which helps prolong runtime of low power device like keyboard and trackpads.
 
So is there finally anything that meets all my criteria?
Anyone found something...

Thank-you.
 
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I have had the K760 for around 18months. In that timeframe I have never had the need to wait for it to charge, it has always been working.
Doesn´t seem like it needs alot of light to keep it going, as the room it is situated in is usually most of the time fairly dark.

It does support pairing with up to 3 devices, and it switches quickly but not instantly. Around 2-4 seconds to switch to a new device.

It is pretty comfortable to write with, although compared to the Apple Keyboard it feels like there is less force needed to press the keys, and it is a bit noisier as well.

I am pretty satisfied with it. Now if only there was a similar alternative to the trackpad.
 
Thanks, read up heaps on them all now, pretty much scratched the 760. Great device, but not quite what I'm looking for; it's now between the 810 & 811. I don't think I'll bother w.a. dedicated track/touch-pad, didn't use my MagicPad much, mouse is pretty important though.

With that in mind I might get a mouse that has some multi-touch integrated, so long as it doesn't compromise too much in other ways. But all that's for another thread, this one's mainly focusing on keyb, with the occasional digression about mice, touchpads, or hybrids.
 
I called bullet train a while ago and they said they are working on an in-house built combined trackpad/keyboard that is solar powered
 
You mean this mob? What they have now looks pretty yawn worthy:
http://www.bullettrain.com/index.html

If it uses Apple's trackpad/keyb + some mounting mechanism which has solar integrated, not sure I'm interested, will prolly cost a fortune. Besides, the new criteria (as previously mentioned) is that I don't care too much about a touch/track-pad, mouse is more important. Mouse with MT built-in maybe, but MT via a dedicated/discrete touch-pad is very unlikely now.
 
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*BUMP*

Pretty much whittled all the way down to K811 now.
Any final input appreciated...
 
jalyst said:
Yeah pretty annoying, looks like I'll be going with 1 of these 3 models:
K760 Wireless Solar Keyboard for Mac, iPad or iPhone - Logitech
Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 - Logitech
Wireless Backlit Keyboard for Mac, iPad, iPhone + Apple TV - Logitech

If anyone has experience with 1 or more of them, please share your findings!
I'll probably skip multi-touch capabilities for now...
If I also proceed with a new mouse, then I may get one with MT built-in.
Thanks
Click to expand...

I would like a bluetooth version of the K760 because I can't afford to dedicate a USB port to the wireless receiver. I submitted a request to Logitech and they agreed and said they would submit the request to their Product Development group. Unfortunately, I haven't see anything yet.
 
melburstein said:
I would like a bluetooth version of the K760 because I can't afford to dedicate a USB port to the wireless receiver.
Click to expand...

Since when does the K760's successor (K811/810) need a dedicated USB port for a wireless receiver?
If the device in Qn doesn't have integrated blue-tooth you might need a BT dongle, but otherwise it's not necessary.
 
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jalyst said:
Since when does the K760's successor (K811/810) need a dedicated USB port for a wireless receiver?
If the device in Qn doesn't have integrated blue-tooth you might need a BT dongle, but otherwise it's not necessary.
Click to expand...

But does it have a full keyboard?
 
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Not a requirement for me, don't want the numpad etc.
Prefer the much tinier footprint due to no numpad.
 
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