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Apple Patents Switch-Less Force Touch Keyboard, Could Lead to Thinner Macs

HobeSoundDarryl said:
Why not just do the same with battery, keyboard, screen, CPU, etc? Apparently, we'll happily pay up in full for that Thunderbolt or USB hub now branded MB and pay up for the classic accessories of keyboard, screen, battery, etc. too... even pound others who point out that this new MB is just a USB hub priced at the old laptop prices as missing the point, being "stupid", 99% don't need and so on. ;)
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That's a nice throwback to IBM times when you could buy the computer, but you'd discover the keyboard was "optional". There was a joke going around that at IBM cantine the lunch was $2 (IIRC) but cutlery and plates were optional ;)
 
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keysofanxiety said:
Are you trying to give me a Vietnam-style horror flashback?! The lag on those damn things were horrendous. I remember punching the keys, screaming with frustration as they wouldn't accept the characters.

Hmm, maybe Apple are going to do a similar thing.

"To ... create ... this product, we asked ourselves: what do consumers most want from a notebook? The answer, of course, is not more power, or better battery life, but a biblically unreliable keyboard. The user will ... sympathetically press each key, enjoying not only the feel, but the experience, of typing. It's unapologetically laggy.

We, at Apple, feel that life sometimes moves too ... quickly. By ... distilling the user experience, refining the joy of pressing a key, users can once again learn to type. To ... condense the encounter between the finger and the key, our engineers had to start from the beginning -- quite literally.

Put simply, it's the best keyboard we've ever made."

jony-ive-10-20-09.jpg
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Excellent. It reminds me of this:

 
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keysofanxiety said:
Are you trying to give me a Vietnam-style horror flashback?! The lag on those damn things were horrendous. I remember punching the keys, screaming with frustration as they wouldn't accept the characters.

Hmm, maybe Apple are going to do a similar thing.

"To ... create ... this product, we asked ourselves: what do consumers most want from a notebook? The answer, of course, is not more power, or better battery life, but a biblically unreliable keyboard. The user will ... sympathetically press each key, enjoying not only the feel, but the experience, of typing. It's unapologetically laggy.

We, at Apple, feel that life sometimes moves too ... quickly. By ... distilling the user experience, refining the joy of pressing a key, users can once again learn to type. To ... condense the encounter between the finger and the key, our engineers had to start from the beginning -- quite literally.

Put simply, it's the best keyboard we've ever made."

jony-ive-10-20-09.jpg
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My joke was but a pinprick compared to your tour de force.

I salute you, Sir...unapologetically.
 
How about they worry about releasing hardware specs that is on par with much cheaper PC's?
 
keysofanxiety said:
"To ... create ... this doorstop, we asked ourselves: what do consumers most want from a notebook? The answer, of course, is not a G5 processor, or a DVD drive, but weight. This beast will unapologetically burden even the toughest backpack.

Put simply, it's the heaviest PowerBook we've ever made."

jony-ive-10-20-09.jpg
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You're on a roll.

Your keyboard Ive spoof has made me laugh for several minutes. Thanks. :)

iZac said:
Push hard for CAPS. Push harder for BOLD CAPS.
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And for italics, wiggle your finger.
 
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GQB said:
Just add 'to me', and there's no reason for heat. :)
Personally, I find the new MacBook keyboard just fine, and I'm a 100 WPM typist.
Frankly, the better a typist you are, the less the keyboard matters after a few minutes of adjustment.
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Hmm... I'm not so sure about that last statement. I've used a lot of keyboards and the thing that's starting to get on my nerves is that I have to readjust for each one. My MacBook Pro 5,5 (late 2009) has a fine set of keys, but it's the machine I moved to after my 3,1 died (pre-unibody). There was no dead space between keys on the old one and too much dead space between keys on the new one. The Apple aluminum keyboard I have on my PC is similar yet different. The dead space, plus the short travel, and subtle differences... I'm a fan of the cosmetics but find I'm not happy with the touch typing experience. (And yeah, touch typing used to mean something that had nothing to do with screens) When I must use the keyboards (and pointing devices) of other people on different hardware, I almost start to feel like my mother (who has trouble with what I personally consider the most basic of mouse actions).

Back when keyboards were massive clicky bastards, I didn't experience so much transitional distress, didn't find my fingers slamming down on useless aluminum instead of keys, knew when the key had successfully engaged and disengaged (and could judge my finger motions and force easily, leading to very few failed presses).

I think we're progressing in physical niceties while losing some functionality. The most common apologist comment is to blame the user, but I think ergonomic design matters a hell of a lot.

All that said, I'd be happy to demo a non-mechanical keyboard that its designers claim feels equivalent to mechanical keyboards. Maybe a touch and haptic feedback system would make for more reliable key presses at this point (if the feedback is clear and only happens when you succeed, rather than the mushy questionable mechanical feel that leaves you wondering, which we have on all these lovely looking light and thin keyboards today).
 
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Asarien said:
Seriously though, perhaps you should change your style. There's no reason or efficiency in slamming keys as you type and it would lead to less stress on your wrists.
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Thank you I know, but I can't stop hacking!

Started off abut 50 plus years ago typing initially with a real typewriter, which had to be hammered to make multiple (7-10) copies (remember copy paper between sheets?)

Then IBM Selectric which had a spongy feel absorbing any punch.

Not really having learned 10 finger typing ever (I tried with Ms. Mavis) I am too old to bother
and have to get stuff done.

Only remedy is to hit with less force when it hurts, but as soon as that pain goes away BAM:)
 
emihen87 said:
It should be done. Even if we need to make designer atoms with quantum dots(just being hopeful). They need to be disposable too. Make this happen people!
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This is horrific. Disposable?? Has it occurred to anyone that manufacturing all these devices with all these tiny bits and "magical" functions relies on very unforgiving & narrow manufacturing tolerances and precious materials that are running out? I love Apple hardware's solid and non-rattling/non-flexing engineering but the manufacturing is definitely more demanding. The materials needed for all our beautiful touch screens isn't easy to come by and the machines building it are quite costly and precious themselves. Reclaiming precious materials from existing hardware that's getting recycled is difficult (and not getting much easier since capitalists want to incinerate everything, rather than fully engage the recycling ethos, to maintain their status quo on combusting anything they can set fire to and calling it "renewable" fuel).

If anyone remembers the world of the Max Headroom TV series, you should realize we're headed there at a quick pace. Once the raw materials run out for the most exotic and complex manufactured goods, the so called Apple tax of today will be nothing compared to the cost of new manufacturing for such quality and complex goods when the raw materials are only available at a trickle pace. We will have huge, blurry screens, slow and hot electronics, chunky mechanical keyboards and recycled yellow plastic or bodies on non-mobile computers again in time...

:-/
 
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Costino1 said:
How thin can they go?

I can already almost slit my wrists on the edge of my rMB



Ha you're not far from the truth though

There is a learning curve on the rMB. I don't lose speed on it, but I do type differently than a standard clunky keyboard. I tend to mash the keys on those, but on my rMB I am like a floating fairy in the twilight sky, being so effortless and tender to take caution on how I type. I feel like it's fragile and Im very gentile on it when I type.

Not a bad thing, i like it and it saves my fingers some fatigue.
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That makes me wonder if all that hovering is going to lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. I've seen numerous people make similar complaints about the Magic Mouse, and I already hate the way the body-as-button BS of the Mighty Mouse forces hovering without a touch surface. Apple never made a decent mouse, so there's nothing new there, but are they going to lose touch with humanity on keyboards too? The OS is going backwards for the sake of the flat fad. Thinness is shortening hardware lifespan. ...

Retrograde technological "progress" that LOOKS like forward progress...
 
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Why not replace the keyboard with a touchscreen that shows a software keyboard? If they are so hot for thinness...
 
Actually, there's a "feature" upside to force touch keyboards... People can show their increasing level of annoyance, anger, and disgust via a dynamic form of shouting text. You think all caps looks bad, just wait! :-D
 
This is getting a bit ridiculous. This lovely idea would also mean more expensive keyboard costs and would wear faster. I am a touch typer and most people prefer more key travel and tactile functionality. The chiclet style keyboards are like typing on concrete as the travel is so little you think you have not pressed the key correctly as there is too little or no tactile feedback for confirmation. I prefer the keyboard on my 2011 Macbook Air and 2014 Macbook Pro Retina thanks. Im convinced these engineers all have OCD and unhealthy obsessions with making sure nothing has mechanical part ever. Hell I'd prefer a mechanical keyboard compared to these new keyboard "designs".
 
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Lesser Evets said:
Why not an OS X tablet with a keyboard that can be added or detached?

Oh... "no one wants that", right-right, got it.
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Or the best of both world. An iOS tablet that will switch to OS X when it detects a keyboard is attached to it.
 
I know you want to be funny. But do you understand how sarcasm works?
Cougarcat said:
Thinness...where will it end? Sometimes I think Apple can't wait for the day when they can replace the keyboard and trackpad with an iOS-enabled glass slab.
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January 27, 2010 : Apple Releases iPad Tablet, New SDK, iBooks and iWork Apps
Benjamin Frost said:
A thinner iMac? FINALLY. It's the one thing that's been holding me off replacing my 2008 iMac with optical drive. I just hope it's a lot lighter, too. That's the other thing that bugs me, whenever I have to carry it around. /s
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October 23, 2012 : Apple Announces Lighter, Thinner iMac Models with Fusion Drive
Irock619 said:
I guess they think going thinner is innovation rather than keeping the current form factor and focusing on improved battery performance.
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July 24, 2015 : Intel Skylake Processors: Up to 20% Performance Boost, 41% Faster Graphics and 30% Longer Battery Life
 
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Wow what a surprise, Apple look into ways to make its products thinner. I didn't see that one coming :p

Luckily many of these patents don't really turn into anything and even if it does, they take years to develop
 
GQB said:
Just add 'to me', and there's no reason for heat. :)
Personally, I find the new MacBook keyboard just fine, and I'm a 100 WPM typist.
Frankly, the better a typist you are, the less the keyboard matters after a few minutes of adjustment.
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Amen!

For me at least, the less key travel there is, the simpler the adjustment is and the faster I can get up to my normal wpm. It's gotten to the point that words and phrases I type regularly (passwords, for instance) involve dragging my fingers over the keyboard. The less travel, the faster I can type those.

Who was joking about a textured multitouch glass sheet replacing the keyboard (and trackpad)? Because I'd love to give that a shot...
 
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