Apple Imagines Mac-Inside-a-Keyboard Device Evocative of 80s Home Computers

[mikethemartian]

It's the Apple TI 99/4a! I will purchase it in an instant if it comes with a Tunnels of Doom cartridge.

I was surprised to learn that the TI 99/4 was the first 16 bit home computer. I always assumed it was 8 bit.

 

[cb3]

I love the 80's! Everything old is new again ...

 

[guzhogi]

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.

These will get destroyed in schools. I work in an elementary school that has 1:1 iPads. 3rd & 4th graders (and next year will add 5th graders) have cases with builtin keyboards. I've probably replaced a few dozen keyboards already this year.

 

[anentropic]

I love the form factor, but as someone who kills a keyboard by spilling drink over it about once a year on average, I really hope it's either waterproof or repairable... both of which seem unlikely

 

[darngooddesign]

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!

Someone already did, but it was very expensive and didn't sell.

 

[boss.king]

Yes, I think this fills a much-needed gap in the Mac range.

What gap? It’s basically filling the exact same role as a Mac Mini, isn’t it?

 

[kemal]

Sure. Only if the key switches are Cherry Blue and the keycaps SA profile.

 

[danckwerts]

How can any company patent something like this, when as the first sentence of this piece says, this is how all home computers were like 40 years ago?

Just what i was wondering. There seems to be nothing new here.

 

[mikethemartian]

I’m looking forward to see Apple’s patent for a phone shaped like a candlestick.

 

[lairdpopkin]

I can't imagine that Apple got a patent on the simple idea of a computer in a keyboard, since of course those have been around for many years, including several previous Apple products (e.g. the Apple ][ line of computers). So while it's interesting to know that they're thinking about keyboard computers, I'm curious - what about keyboard computers did they get a patent on? That might help identify whether they're thinking something new about the area.

 

[FoxyKaye]

My Commodore PET suggests they all get together for a cassette party.

The good ole days. I wish I had kept my PET. It'd probably be a rusty mess by now, but still...

I will accept this concept from Apple if, and only if, I can plug in my Atari joysticks and paddles.

 

[darngooddesign]

No.
Just give me a Mac Mini of the size of an iPhone, we know you can do it pretty easily.
It would be great, the most portable PC ever, absurdly Apple.
Then if your really want that old keyboard-PC thing, also sell me a keyboard with a slot for it. And let selected third party manufacturers make their keyboards so I can get a mechanical one.

That's not absurdly Apple. HP did it like five years ago.

HP's New Smartphone Wants to Replace Your Work Computer

It can morph into a desktop or laptop

time.com

 

[twolf2919]

How about, instead of hiding a Mac inside a keyboard, Apple "hides" one inside an iPhone?! If that future iPhone had a USB-C connector instead of Lightning, it could directly hook to an external monitor. And you wouldn't need a new piece of hardware - just bring a bluetooth keyboard and mouse with you. Two more things to carry just as with this patent.

 

[darngooddesign]

I like returning to the form factor but rather have a Magic keyboard with backlighting. Not sure why that doesn’t exists but if I had to choose use that space for lights and more battery instead of compute.

Why is everyone assuming that it wouldn't have backlit keys?

 

[biffuz]

The 80s called, they want their computer patents back

 

[boss.king]

I can't imagine that Apple got a patent on the simple idea of a computer in a keyboard, since of course those have been around for many years, including several previous Apple products (e.g. the Apple ][ line of computers). So while it's interesting to know that they're thinking about keyboard computers, I'm curious - what about keyboard computers did they get a patent on? That might help identify whether they're thinking something new about the area.

I’m pretty sure this patent wouldn’t hold up in court, given the shocking amount of prior examples of this style of computer.

 

[mrgraff]

If these do become a reality, you can bet that people will be making custom Apple 1 or ][, or TI 99/A cases.

 

[Coppery Keen Clavier]

If it comes like the article's lead image seems to suggest, merged at a random angle into a featureless pale metal cube, I will *definitely* buy one. To go along with the futuristic look, maybe it could play abstract jazz music improvised by the neural chip as you type, too.

 

[topmounter]

There are some raspberry pi devices like that. On the whole it's a nice and easy approach but probably not successful nowadays given the target audience not likely to have a monitor unless it's exclusively going to be used with hdmi.

e.g. https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-400/ (fixed w/ correct URL)

Personally, and clearly Apple would never consider this, but I'd prefer a MacOS Mx Single Board Computer that third-party devices could support as a module akin to current ARM and x86 SBCs.

 

[jmgregory1]

Just make an iPad work with a monitor properly and use the on-screen keyboard. I want a DEX like environment from my phone since they are powerful enough for most things. Apple could make things more streamlined, but they are just trying to segment and keep their existing markets. We need more viable disruptive competitors.

For the past few years, with most smart phones being as powerful as laptops and some desktop computers, it’s a waste to not use that computing power for more than just taking photos, playing the occasional game or watching YouTube On them. Add to that the fact that we’re generally paying as much for an iPhone (or competitive Android device) as we do a MBP or MBA, there really should be a better way of using the device for general work or education purposes.

The iPad is close to serving this function, and I’ve gone fully M1 iPad Pro for my daily work device and more often than not even answer calls on it, while my iPhone 12 Pro Max hardly gets used. In fact, I’m going to upgrade to a non-Max version this year, since I don’t need the large screen any more - at one point I had been using my iPhone for doing some basic work while traveling, but there were just too many compromises to make it efficient.

 

[peb123]

How can they patent this? All the original home pcs were like this. Commodores, Atari, Amiga, Amstrad, Sinclair, even the PC junior

 

[Sidhoah9]

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.

If they could squeeze a small battery in there to hold the memory state when switch between home and work, then would be great. Can carry the touchpad or mouse in my bag with me.. or have spare at work.
But I can imagine just having a single USB-C to either plug in to a Monitor or to plug in to a dock. Far smaller/lighter footprint in my bag than even my MB Air today.
And better for the environment as most of my colleagues leave the lid closed and don't use the built in monitor anyway.

 

[darngooddesign]

How can they patent this? All the original home pcs were like this. Commodores, Atari, Amiga, Amstrad, Sinclair, even the PC junior

They aren't patenting the general idea of a computer in a keyboard.

 

[jdawgnoonan]

Apple does some arrogant stuff that it is easy to make fun of, but that right there is an absolutely brilliant idea that isn't even new. They need to make that happen.

 

[ArkhamNative]

Nifty, but the smaller (and foldable?) space, and no or low cooling, seems to indicate that its focus isn't high-performance gaming or VR. GPUs love power and cooling.