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Apple needs to update the Bluetooth Keyboard

Ironduke

Ironduke

Suspended
Original poster
Nov 12, 2006
1,364
266
England
I love the Multitouch touchpad on my unibody macbook, its the first time ever I have considered a touchpad superior to the mouse (infact it made me bin my mouse).

The problem is if you own an imac or mac mini or pre october 2008 you cant enjoy this enhanced UI.

Apple need to update all its keyboards with Back Lighting & multiouch Touch pads, the bluetooth model needs a mini usb port to charge it rather then swapping batteries.

One device that has opened my eyes is the PS3 keypad it has stroke sensitive buttons so you can actually make the mouse pointer move like a trackpad by moving your finger over the buttons without actually pressing them.

If apple could reproduce this technology on its larger keyboards?
 
The wireless ones can't be backlit - they would run down batteries excessively. And would require painfully frequent recharging should your mini-USB idea come to fruition.

I agree a large trackpad would be a welcome addition as an input device. However I believe it would be a standalone product, not available on ALL apple keyboards.

Using the unibody trackpad is painful when mousing around a 17" MBP + 24" LED.
 
+1 for the hope that there is an available trackpad or a keyboard with trackpad built in (Large sized like on the Air's and new macbooks) available separately.

I love my mouse, and would still need it in some circumstances, but the trackpad is so great to use.
 
I'd settle for black keys

I also love the trackpad on my Al macbook. I'd probably still use a mouse on my iMac though, even if the trackpad was an option.

However, seeing as the whole Mac lineup is going aluminum and black, a new keyboard with black keys is long overdue. Hopefully they'll make new ones with the upcoming iMac/Mac pro revisions.
 
Hot Snowboarder said:
The wireless ones can't be backlit - they would run down batteries excessively. And would require painfully frequent recharging should your mini-USB idea come to fruition.
Click to expand...

I wonder... there are those little keychain LED "flashlights" that get a remarkably large amount of runtime out of a watch battery. Is it really completely impossible?

I really do think Apple might be strategically aiming for the multi-touch design represented by the glass trackpad as some kind of future alternative to the mouse. I finally tried one and I was really quite impressed.
 
i personally love my bt keyboard and mouse. I just set the mouse to do expose and app switcher and its just as easy as the trackpad. I do agree that a trackpad on the keyboard would be cool.
 
mik34 said:
I also love the trackpad on my Al macbook. I'd probably still use a mouse on my iMac though, even if the trackpad was an option.

However, seeing as the whole Mac lineup is going aluminum and black, a new keyboard with black keys is long overdue. Hopefully they'll make new ones with the upcoming iMac/Mac pro revisions.
Click to expand...

I completely agree! The existing keyboard really clashes with the new MB/MBP and 24" ACD. Like yourself, my guess is that a new black-chicklet keyboard will be introduced when the new iMacs are released. Right now, it is those dirt-prone white chicklet keys that are preventing me from buying one.

I also really like the idea of a USB port to charge the keyboard! Maybe Apple will include a number pad on this one (seems kind of stupid not to have one on the BT model).
 
nope7308 said:
I completely agree! The existing keyboard really clashes with the new MB/MBP and 24" ACD. Like yourself, my guess is that a new black-chicklet keyboard will be introduced when the new iMacs are released. Right now, it is those dirt-prone white chicklet keys that are preventing me from buying one.

I also really like the idea of a USB port to charge the keyboard! Maybe Apple will include a number pad on this one (seems kind of stupid not to have one on the BT model).
Click to expand...

Yes, a number pad would be nice. I can't imagine it uses much more battery or would be hard to make. Not sure why they didn't include it.

For now, I'll stick with my white wired one. But I have an older iMac (first Intel one) so it's white anyway. I just want the black keys when I get a new ACD for my macbook. Then the wife can have my old iMac, which still works like new 3 years later, unlike any PC I've owed.
 
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