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Backlit Keyboard Swap From Previous Generation?

TheAllStar

TheAllStar

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 21, 2010
78
0
I'm excited about the re-vamped MacBook Air, and am considering a 13" model. Much to my dismay, no illuminated keyboard anymore! I understand keeping certain options only for the Pro to encourage upgrading, but this one may be a deal-breaker.

Since the keys are the same style, would it be possible to take off all the keys, swap out the board underneath and replace it all with the backlit counterparts from the older MacBook Air? What all would be involved?

Thanks!
 
TheAllStar said:
I'm excited about the re-vamped MacBook Air, and am considering a 13" model. Much to my dismay, no illuminated keyboard anymore! I understand keeping certain options only for the Pro to encourage upgrading, but this one may be a deal-breaker.

Since the keys are the same style, would it be possible to take off all the keys, swap out the board underneath and replace it all with the backlit counterparts from the older MacBook Air? What all would be involved?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Ya, that sounds like a great plan. Or you could just hit it with a sledgehammer, that would be faster. :rolleyes:
 
Replaced my white MacBook keyboard when I spilled cream soda on it... wonder if the MBA swap would be as easy.
 
AFAIK you need the ambience light sensor and other hard/softwares to get the backlit keyboard to work properly. Hack that too? lol

I will say it's too much timed and effort wasted.
 
The way that the unibody designs work, you would have to take everything else out of the case from the bottom. The batteries, speakers, logic board, fan, etc. would all have to come out probably to even be able to see the keyboard.
 
Stetrain said:
The way that the unibody designs work, you would have to take everything else out of the case from the bottom. The batteries, speakers, logic board, fan, etc. would all have to come out probably to even be able to see the keyboard.
Click to expand...

Sledgehammer idea doesn't sound so bad anymore...
 
I doubt this will work. Assuming you don't need the light sensor and can rely on the keyboard controlling the brightness you would still need to power the keyboard. Unlike the earlier 13" unibodies where the board is the same between the one that did and did not have the backlit keyboard, AFAIK there isn't anywhere to plug the keyboard in without soldering.
 
Apple refurb section has the older ones... biggest caveat for my needs is the mono speaker, the new one probably has way better sound with the stereo speakers, how big do you think the difference will be? Never heard the speakers on a MBA...
 
TheAllStar said:
Apple refurb section has the older ones... biggest caveat for my needs is the mono speaker, the new one probably has way better sound with the stereo speakers, how big do you think the difference will be? Never heard the speakers on a MBA...
Click to expand...

I doubt its anything to write home about. Honestly, on an ultra portable, I would rather take a good mono speaker than two mediocre stereo speakers. Your best bet on either is to pick up a good travel speaker.
 
How about lighter keys?

When I had the white macbook, seeing the keys wasn't a big problem. Then I switched to the unibody MB (w/o backlit black keys) and couldn't see squat. Now the air will have the same problem.

I'm looking for ways to make the keys silver (like the old pros).
 
I miss the silver, I miss the backlighting, I miss the concave, gapless keys. Sigh.
 
Are the posts in related threads true, that even a Rev D revision can't bring back the backlit keyboard, that the new profile won't accommodate it? Man, I am so disappointed. Why would they take such a big step backwards?
 
Don't try it. The MBA keyboard is not really meant to be tampered with. There are very (I stress very) small screws and parts sealed with glue. You will never get it back on right. When the MBA has any keyboard issues apple replaces the entire top case. Even they know not to mess with it.
 
It isn't going to work, so don't waste your time. There are LEDs that connect to power through the logic board, and the new one isn't going to have the connections... UNLESS, perhaps Apple built it in to take advantage of us "fans" who will buy again when they make an incremental update and just bump the case with some feature like that.

It definitely seems just like the marketing tactics used with the FW removal from MBs. Apple got a lot of people to update there just for a FW port. Same thing with anti-glare displays. The list goes on and on.

I suspect we get the LED-backlit keyboard with the next update, and even though I am incredibly happy with the current MBA I will upgrade because I have more Apple love than brains.
 
altecXP said:
Don't forget the power button is ON the keyboard now, it's not on the older ones.
Click to expand...

It's not the keyboard itself that needs switched. If I remember correctly, don't the lights sit under the keyboard and aren't even attached?

This is really too bad, as it's such a simple deal that Apple shorted us... wasn't nice or polite, but they are in business to make money. The best way to make Mac users upgrade is to give them a feature they want, as otherwise their Macs would work for way too long and they wouldn't upgrade.
 
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