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So… a MacBook Air without a battery, and video output routed to port instead of a built-in screen. Not so much an engineering exercise as a marketing one.

Going between two residences, I carry my iPad and work laptop, but my Mac Pro and MacBook Pro stay in their respective places. Been wondering whether a Mac Mini would be a good ‘one computer’ to carry between the two desk setups. I think I’d still prefer a Mini to a Keyputer, if only because I already have bunches of keyboards.
 
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I think cloudcomputing will be the next big thing. No dedicated hardware but various subscriptions for cloudcomputing and streaming devices such as monitors and keyboards eg.
 
when you reach the point of designing $2k vr goggles for your gameless empire, I guess producing a commodore 64 in 2022 is normal. I heard apple is refusing to acquire ubisoft because their catalog is too violent.
 
An ARM based computer inside a keyboard style case you say? Been done before, but factor in 30 years worth of component miniaturisation and losing the internal PSU and floppy drive and there could be something in it...
Yes, it's called the Raspberry Pi 400:


...which will also run the current version of RISC-OS (the OS from the Acorn system in your picture) if you don't fancy Linux.

Maybe there is something clever in the details of Apple's patent, but overall there's nothing new about the idea.
 
So a Mac version of the Raspberry Pi 400. An interesting idea, and one I would consider if in the market for a new computer. I'd much rather have the computer built into the keyboard and I supply the monitor(s), rather than the computer built into the monitor and I supply the keyboard (iMac).
 
Everything old is new again!

Pretty interesting idea. It's basically a laptop without the screen, right?

Perhaps you'd be able to use an iPad as a monitor...
Seems like a trackpad (or similar) on the keyboard/computer would also be useful...

Yup, I. Figure through Universal Control or direct connection. But, a Mac i side of the keyboard pls, not an IOS device.

I’d buy one.

Tom
 
Would this mean a sanely priced display to go with it? USB-C monitors that would work with this single cable connection still aren’t exactly common or cheap. And once you start to consider the idea of bundling the monitor with the keyboard-computer, it’s hard to see how this would be any better than an iMac.
 
It's the pi 400 :)

RASP_PI400_02.png


Edit: I bet this pi400 has better I/O than a Keybord-Mac would have...
 
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It is 2022, can someone reinvent the keyboard and finally give us a customizable keyboard with Lcd keys? Combination of a stream deck and keyboard? Pretty Please!
 
A computer in a keyboard makes at least as much and probably more sense to me than a computer in a screen. I can get a decent screen and upgrade the computer as technology/my needs change.

What actually makes the most sense is a very small CPU (approaching the size of a raspberry pi) with a separate monitor, keyboard and mouse. That way I can upgrade each part as and when I feel the need. If apple would make and sell a 27 inch monitor at a relatively reasonably price, we would be well on the way to nirvana.
 
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The option to use a wireless screen would make this much more attractive.

I'd like to be able to just carry a keyboard/computer to the living room and use my television as monitor. But without the trip hazard of a cable. Then revert to a decent monitor in my workroom.
 
Unless portability is the goal here, I just don't see it. The advantage of a Mac Mini is the ability to add ANY peripheral you like. Also, how often do you destroy a keyboard? Even if its once every 5 years, that's too often to be destroying the whole computer just because its a strange design.

On the portability side, connecting this to a dock or monitor with power delivery could be quite cool. I could see how picking up a device and going to another location and having your whole computer could get interesting. I feel like it would make even more sense if there were a track pad although a quality wireless mouse isn't that large I guess.
 
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