Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Researching Keyboards With Adaptive Displays on Each Key
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
FINALLY, now us with rare foreign keyboards can buy our laptops at US prices!!!
I am guessing Apple's main interest in this would be for localization - instead of having to manufacture a physical keyboard for each language, they could have one keyboard that could just map whatever language / keyboard layout so it would (over time) reduce inventory costs.
Couldn't disagree more as to the second part. The keyboard occupies a huge amount of real estate on one's laptop and hasn't received the same level of innovation as the rest of the device. Apple should be innovating the heck out of the keyboard, and I'm thrilled they appear to be thinking along these lines.
The optimus page on wikipedia mentions an Apple patent from 2007 for a keyboard like this that was OLED. Interesting.
They'll never make one, just like they'll never make a touchscreen laptop. Too bad about the latter; after using my iPad + keyboard I find myself trying to scroll and click on my MBP screen with my finger. Talk about direct manipulation. It's not a gimmick, the body just wants to do it.
They'll never make one, just like they'll never make a touchscreen laptop. Too bad about the latter; after using my iPad + keyboard I find myself trying to scroll and click on my MBP screen with my finger. Talk about direct manipulation. It's not a gimmick, the body just wants to do it.
You can build to order which keyboard your computer comes with on the US store.
Professional: (Pro)
| prəˈfeSH(ə)n(ə)l |
ADJECTIVE
1 relating to or connected with a profession.
• worthy of or appropriate to a professional person; competent ,skillful, or assured.
2 engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.
• (informal, derogatory) denoting a person who persistently makes a feature of a particular activity or attribute.
NOUN
a person engaged or qualified in a profession.
• a person engaged in a specified activity, especially a sport or branch of the performing arts, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.
• a person competent or skilled in a particular activity.
This weird obsession that people have on computer forms and message boards that you have to edit 6 streams of 8K 60 video, or have 1,000 Logic tracks running at the same time, are you have to spend 90% of your time in Xcode and terminal to actually be considered “pro” is so stupid.
Someone who uses the built in calculator app to help them do their work is technically using a computer to be a pro.
I understand the practicality but seems like not doable financially. 78 sapphire buttons (US keyboard).
Doesn't fix having to build different laptops since not only the keys action change but the position of the keys in some languages.
Maybe e-ink would be viable? Maybe for switching between regular and secondary (with shift). I can't imagine putting almost 80 OLED screens in a computer.
Maybe the patent is for something that can be done 10 years from now. What I can imagine is Apple doing something stupid like increasing the stupid TouchBar and making it the size of the WHOLE keyboard area. It's not like they care about key-travel. They key sales point would be how you can see all your emojis! They will tell you that's a success but will discontinue after a year. LOL
Doesn't fix having to build different laptops since not only the keys action change but the position of the keys in some languages.
Maybe e-ink would be viable? Maybe for switching between regular and secondary (with shift). I can't imagine putting almost 80 OLED screens in a computer.
Maybe the patent is for something that can be done 10 years from now. What I can imagine is Apple doing something stupid like increasing the stupid TouchBar and making it the size of the WHOLE keyboard area. It's not like they care about key-travel. They key sales point would be how you can see all your emojis! They will tell you that's a success but will discontinue after a year. LOL
Remember the last time that they attempted to dip their big toe in the land of keyboard innovation?
Apple's entire business model seems to be based around that. Putting notches in the screen, removing Touch ID, headphone jack, T2 chip, those awful MacBook keyboards from a while back, Big Sur's iOS-ification of Mac. It's all "if it ain't broke, break it" mentality
Gimmick that look nice in futuristic movies but imagine typing with zero travel.
When you type, your hands will create a shadow, LOL
Another fun is Tom Cruise swiping screens in Minority Report. Try to keep your arms straight for more than 2min and you'll be tired. I'm big-boned so 1min is enough!
The problem with the Touch Bar is it’s not tactile. Having keys change their displays is fine. I don’t look at them anyway. Whereas I do constantly accidentally brush against the Touch Bar and trigger functions I don’t want.
This is why I can’t buy any ‘Pro’ MacBook nowadays, I despise the TouchBar with a burning passion. I did try, for six months, to get used to it, but nope it had to go. I like actual physical keys to adjust volume, media transport, screen brightness and so on. I don’t want to have to faff with a sodding TouchBar.
Having said that, I’d love the TouchBar, if they had it there in addition to a proper row of function keys. Now that combination I could definitely happily live with.
Butterfly aside, they have always made good keyboards.
(we shall never again speak of the butterfly)
I see this as being less useful than making the keyboard a full glass panel that could be a keyboard, trackpad, writing / drawing surface - effectively whatever is wanted / needed for any situation.
For most people who can actually type, you’re not really ever looking down at the keys while typing, so why would having each key be a screen be useful?
For most people who can actually type, you’re not really ever looking down at the keys while typing, so why would having each key be a screen be useful?
You're not trying.😁
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
As long as the tactile feel is still as good or better I am OK with this.
Might be great for gamers when the keys can change characters or pick up weapons, tools, etc. to match the character or weapon's capabilities. Why be tied to WASD focused interfaces?
Might be great for gamers when the keys can change characters or pick up weapons, tools, etc. to match the character or weapon's capabilities. Why be tied to WASD focused interfaces?