backlit keyboard mba

[fyrefly]

.....yawn

Thank-you for your extremely interesting contribution to this discussion.

But seriously, I think it was a cost-savings, thing. If Apple goes with the Sandy Bridge processors for the next update of the MBA, then they save money by not having to put a 320M chip in there, and hopefully they can put the Backlit Keyboard back in and keep up their margins. ('Cause we all know that's what matters in the end - Apple's 30% Profit margins).

 

[leonw]

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If the backlit keyboard is thicker than the current MBA keyboard, then I'm pretty sure backlit won't be in the refresh. I just don't see Apple changing the MBA chassis at all in order to accommodate a backlit keyboard. They will just soldier on with the current chassis. However, if the backlit keyboard is the same thickness as the un-backlit one, then yes, there is a chance backlit will return in the refresh.

Something like this is what I meant with 'lack of space'. Totally agree that we can forget the BL keyboard in the refresh if it's thicker than the one without. Bad news.
Maybe the ifixitsite shows the answer...

 

[tonydt1g3r]

you think the glow in the dark keyboard stickers would suffice?

 

[iRun26.2]

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Something like this is what I meant with 'lack of space'. Totally agree that we can forget the BL keyboard in the refresh if it's thicker than the one without. Bad news.
Maybe the ifixitsite shows the answer...

But the CAPS LOCK key has a light under it... There is plenty of space!

 

[vader_slri]

But the CAPS LOCK key has a light under it... There is plenty of space!

I didn't know that. That's good news - there's hope yet!

 

[uwetodd]

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Well, that's just you ;-(
I can see the keys but not what's on them.
One of the reasons I started using Mac was the 'userfriendly' policy. Taking out the BL keys is the opposite.
I wondered whether it was because of the battery drain but as someone mentioned: you can turn the BL off. In fact: now I use more battery because I have to use 100% BL screen to see what's on the keys. So it's counterproductive (and I don't even see properly what's on the keys).
I can't imagine it was because of the weight (20 grams maybe???).
Maybe it was because of lack of space??? What do I know.
Or the $$$ as someone said. To get it at 999$ (which isn't that cheap, considering it has no BL keys...)
Whatever apple saved, it didn't outweigh
the loss imo.

Their are solutions: gooseneck usb-light, 13"( not 11") mba Rev C ,'glow in the dark' keystickers, learn to touchtype, I even took a photo of the keyboard and use it as my
desktop background (swipe four fingers up on the trackpad and there it is...).
All good solutions but ennemy of the one and only best solution:
the cool, userfriendly BACKLIT KEYBOARD!!!

I guess my eyes are just that sharp. Lucky me!

I think your last sentence pretty much sums up your problem. You're expecting a "cool" feature to exist where it probably has been phased out. Bummer.

EDIT: Write Stevie an email (during the day) and post his reply.

 

[leonw]

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you think the glow in the dark keyboard stickers would suffice?

I don't know. As I wrote before: it seems too good to be true (so it ain't true then???).
Maybe someone who uses them could share their experience....

 

[Drezin]

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Well, that's just you ;-(
I can see the keys but not what's on them.
One of the reasons I started using Mac was the 'userfriendly' policy. Taking out the BL keys is the opposite.
I wondered whether it was because of the battery drain but as someone mentioned: you can turn the BL off. In fact: now I use more battery because I have to use 100% BL screen to see what's on the keys. So it's counterproductive (and I don't even see properly what's on the keys).
I can't imagine it was because of the weight (20 grams maybe???).
Maybe it was because of lack of space??? What do I know.
Or the $$$ as someone said. To get it at 999$ (which isn't that cheap, considering it has no BL keys...)
Whatever apple saved, it didn't outweigh
the loss imo.

Their are solutions: gooseneck usb-light, 13"( not 11") mba Rev C ,'glow in the dark' keystickers, learn to touchtype, I even took a photo of the keyboard and use it as my
desktop background (swipe four fingers up on the trackpad and there it is...).
All good solutions but ennemy of the one and only best solution:
the cool, userfriendly BACKLIT KEYBOARD!!!

I can see the keys and whats on them in a completely dark room even with brightness set to minimum O_O

 

[leonw]

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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; nb-no) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)



Well, that's just you ;-(
I can see the keys but not what's on them.
One of the reasons I started using Mac was the 'userfriendly' policy. Taking out the BL keys is the opposite.
I wondered whether it was because of the battery drain but as someone mentioned: you can turn the BL off. In fact: now I use more battery because I have to use 100% BL screen to see what's on the keys. So it's counterproductive (and I don't even see properly what's on the keys).
I can't imagine it was because of the weight (20 grams maybe???).
Maybe it was because of lack of space??? What do I know.
Or the $$$ as someone said. To get it at 999$ (which isn't that cheap, considering it has no BL keys...)
Whatever apple saved, it didn't outweigh
the loss imo.

Their are solutions: gooseneck usb-light, 13"( not 11") mba Rev C ,'glow in the dark' keystickers, learn to touchtype, I even took a photo of the keyboard and use it as my
desktop background (swipe four fingers up on the trackpad and there it is...).
All good solutions but ennemy of the one and only best solution:
the cool, userfriendly BACKLIT KEYBOARD!!!

I can see the keys and whats on them in a completely dark room even with brightness set to minimum O_O

With your infra red glasses/binoculars????

 

[uwetodd]

I can see the keys and whats on them in a completely dark room even with brightness set to minimum O_O

Phew. Good to know I'm not "the only one". The OP is clearly stuck on wanting a "cool" feature and will continue to adamantly disregard facts.

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With your infra red glasses/binoculars????

OP, infra red glasses probably won't work in this situation. But you'd probably look really cool!

 

[iRun26.2]

I can see the keys and whats on them in a completely dark room even with brightness set to minimum O_O

I certainly can not!

 

[iRun26.2]

Phew. Good to know I'm not "the only one". The OP is clearly stuck on wanting a "cool" feature and will continue to adamantly disregard facts.

That is nonsense! The backlit keyboard was a very useful feature. It wasn't just 'cool'. Every time I have to use my computer in complete darkness with minimal brighness I am angered that Apple removed it. I can not make out all of the keys and I am forced to reposition my fingers over the keys with the bumps every time after I use the touchpad. It makes the MBA less of a flagship product, in my mind.

I'm sure it will come back. I will buy the next MBA upgrade that has it.

(And, if you go back and read other similar threads, you will see that I am not alone.)

 

[MultiFinder17]

99% of the time, I have no need of the backlit keyboard. However, that other 1% (usually when it's around 3AM, I'm programming in bed and forgetting where the rarely-used modifier keys are), it is immensely handy. I'm a touch typist, so I don't normally look at the keyboard. However, especially for the uncommon characters, I do look down, and it is really quite nice to have them softly glowing beneath my fingers.

If you really really want the backlit keyboard, then get a revision B or C (it seems like their price falls every day) and install an OWC SSD in it. I was tempted by one of the new ones, but didn't want to give up a few features of my revision C (backlit keyboard and IR Sensor being prime), so I put one of those SSDs in it. Holy. Crap. Going from that wee 1.8" 4200RPM drive to this is like night and day. Everything flies on this machine now - I benched it against one of the new ones, and it actually scored a bit higher

 

[uwetodd]

That is nonsense! The backlit keyboard was a very useful feature. It wasn't just 'cool'. Every time I have to use my computer in complete darkness with minimal brighness I am angered that Apple removed it. I can not make out all of the keys and I am forced to reposition my fingers over the keys with the bumps every time after I use the touchpad. It makes the MBA less of a flagship product, in my mind.

If my life is ever negatively impacted by something so trivial, such as a missing backlit keyboard, you have permission to shoot me.

 

[ballgeoff]

Turn up the brightness of your screen, problem solved

 

[tonydt1g3r]

how about a keyboard skin that glows in the dark?

http://www.iskin.com/protouch_macbook/fx_features.html#continue

 

[JasonR]

I kind of miss the backlit keyboard coming from a Macbook Pro...and I'm typing this in the dark right now. Is it a deal killer, no? However, I'm a good at typing and don't really need to see the keyboard to type. Hunters and peckers...I feel for ya.

I'll be pissed if Apple brings it back since I already bought this model! haha

 

[Uliman]

And I'm with everyone else that thinks/hopes the BL Keyboard'll be back in the next rev of the MBA.[/QUOTE originally by Fyrefly]


I registered my request for a backlit keyboard with Apple. If it is not brought back, then I would consider buying an excellent used RevC but the problem with that is it only came with 2GB RAM and is not upgradeable.

If the new MBA comes with the backlit keyboard then it probably also will have the HD3000. What a conundrum!

Overall though, I would settle for the SB/HD3000 combo with backlit keyboard since I really do not game much.

Here's hoping regardless of when the new MBAs come out! I currently have a mid-2010 MBP but I am in lust with the 13" MBA and will trade in a heartbeat.

 

[entatlrg]

#1 No backlit keyboard, a) learn to type or b) buy a MBP. Option 'a' is easiest.

#2 Why no backlit keyboard? Ask Apple, you won't find an answer here, just guesses. Why doesn't really matter anyway, does it?

 

[leonw]

how about a keyboard skin that glows in the dark?

http://www.iskin.com/protouch_macbook/fx_features.html#continue

Have you or anyone else tried this? No 'glow in the dark' for the 11", only for the 13".