BOO! MBP's to have Air/MB keyboard??

[Skyldig]

I really liked the chiclet keyboard when i used it on my MB. I do however hope that Apple keeps the colors for the new notebooks:

MBA: Alu with black keys
MB: Alu with white keys
MBP: Alu with silver keys

I think that most people will come to like the new keyboards. It will just take a few days to get used to.

 

[MooCow]

Is this really what the rumor and seemingly confirmed pictures indicate? I find the MB/MBA keyboard virtually unusable, and love my MBP right now.

If they are moving in that direction with the keyboard, I better be careful with my current MBP as I'll need to use it through at least one more refresh of the product, hoping they eventually go back to a sensible keyboard!

What makes you think they will bring back the old keyboard in a new refresh? Can't you see MBpro's the only machine from apple without the chic-let keys?

 

[mrwizardno2]

I think that most people will come to like the new keyboards. It will just take a few days to get used to.

Nope. I'd rather buy something else than something with a keyboard I hate. I've used them plenty, and my MBP keyboard takes the cake.

 

[jmpmntwnty3]

There's really not much of a difference. Doesn't the keyboard that come with iMacs and Mac Pros have chiclet keys?

 

[JRSimmons]

I'm sure you'll get used to them, if they do change in favour of MB keys.

It's weird, I have a MB and personally hate the MBP keys, they seem noisy and uncomfortable to type on. The MB keys are virtually silent (so great in Lectures)
I also find I can type much faster with MB keys than on the MBP style.

 

[fungus]

I really liked the chiclet keyboard when i used it on my MB. I do however hope that Apple keeps the colors for the new notebooks:

MBA: Alu with black keys
MB: Alu with white keys
MBP: Alu with silver keys

I think that most people will come to like the new keyboards. It will just take a few days to get used to.

I was thinking this exact same thing. If they're all three aluminum, they might try to differentiate each notebook somehow other than just by size/amount of taper...

Personally, I can do without the black-on-silver "Air" scheme. I prefer all silver. However, a black anodized MBP with black keys would be effing suite

As far as usability, I think the chiclets are a bit too lifeless and the current MBP keys too squishy. On this, it's a toss-up for me.

 

[MusicallySilent]

I agree, I could care less about the Chicklets but I could do without the black on aluminum look.

I think the:

MB - White
Air - Black
Pro - Silver

adds a little more difference in them. I love the clean consistent look of the MBP, how it is all the same color.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

What's so bad about it? The new keyboards actually feels better. It still has the "scissor" mechanism that are in the MBP keyboards currently, so it's not like quality has been sacrificed. It's easier to clean, looks better, etc. I think ppl just hate the name.

 

[Nipz]

I'm sure you'll get used to them, if they do change in favour of MB keys.

It's weird, I have a MB and personally hate the MBP keys, they seem noisy and uncomfortable to type on. The MB keys are virtually silent (so great in Lectures)
I also find I can type much faster with MB keys than on the MBP style.

Same for all points

 

[Beau10]

I use a wireless keyboard when plugging into my 23" ACD... to me it's a tossup. I do 80+ wpm on either. I've been typing at this speed for nearly 20 years now... my all-time favs are the mechanical Thinkpad/old Inspiron key switches, the Apple Extended Keyboard II, and the original IBM boards, if all of those clicky keys rank close to 10 then the current MBP and chiclets rank around a 7 to me. Different experience, but I like (not love) them both.

That said I hope the change has enough detractors to keep my MBP resale as high as possible when Nehalem arrives

 

[Balty]

I prefer the MBP keyboard to MB, I just like it more....

Hopefully the MBP keeps it's current keyboard.

 

[dansgil]

I used to prefer the MBP keyboard, but after using the MB keyboard for a few months I have come to prefer the chicklet keyboard design.

 

[pdxflint]

I'm wondering... if they do change the MBP keyboard to the chicklet style, is it all about looks? I don't think they look any better, or "modern" since they were around on all the cheap consumer computers way back when, while the sculpted keys (where IBM led the way) were always on better or more expensive machines.

If it's about function, then I'm game to find this out. I just can't see how they improve the act of touch typing with the spaces and flatish keys with cheaper mechanisms, but maybe I'm wrong. What I like about the current keyboard is I can tell which keys I'm pressing without looking because the main character keys are sculpted and the "functional" keys are flat on top. No looking required to tell the difference between the ` key and the 1 key. Also, I can bang away on the keyboard, and it just feels fast. I guess we'll see what improvements they came up with...

 

[jamesarm97]

I'm no fan of the macbook air's keyboard either but I have to admit that the current mbp's keyboard looks a little dated...

That's funny, my old, old Tandy Color computer used the same chicklet keyboard the air and mb use (not as pretty), so 1980's.

 

[eGraeme]

i love the chickeys!

 

[ntrigue]

Try it. You might like it.

To the naysayers...

How much time have you spent on a MBA? I disliked it aesthetically but now I absolutely love the chicklet feel and the black keys.

 

[MowingDevil]

What's so bad about it? The new keyboards actually feels better. It still has the "scissor" mechanism that are in the MBP keyboards currently, so it's not like quality has been sacrificed. It's easier to clean, looks better, etc. I think ppl just hate the name.

Ya thats it. Some of us just like the feel of the current keyboard, why is that so hard to understand. I'd say its about 50/50 just like the matte/glossy debate. Imagine if they drop the matte feature as has been rumored? I think it will hit the fan over that...esp w/ people who do colour correction.

 

[Moks]

That's funny, my old, old Tandy Color computer used the same chicklet keyboard the air and mb use (not as pretty), so 1980's.

Is that TRS-80 still working? That was our 1st family computer - my brother had a Spectrum 128k before it.

 

[Firefly2002]

That's funny, my old, old Tandy Color computer used the same chicklet keyboard the air and mb use (not as pretty), so 1980's.

Wow 4K RAM

 

[LlamaLarry]

Some of us just like the feel of the current keyboard, why is that so hard to understand.

+1

I get that some folks like the chiclet keyboards and I even get that the kool aid inspires others to want to like the new keyboards, even before laying a finger on them. There will be many youngsters running around next week under the impression that chiclet keyboards are yet another Apple innovation, many of these same folks knew squat about Apple until they wanted something post 2001 to match their snazzy new iPods and sassy commercials.

I consider the keyboard on my MBP to be the very best laptop keyboard I have used and with 30 years of hands on experience with chiclet keyboards, as they arrive and vanish, under my belt hopefully someone can understand my reservations.

Want to know proof positive that chiclet keyboards are NOT the preferred format? How many people do you know with one? Of those, how many have a computer without a shiny apple logo and still under Applecare? Marketshare indicates consumer preference (particularly with relatively cheap computer accessories) and with 30+ years of chiclet keyboard attempts its not like consumers have not had a chance to switch.

 

[andrewdale]

Why would you ever need more?!

And, I'm OK with the chiclet keyboard. Maybe not the prettiest, but it feels good after using it for a while at the Apple Store here in Memphis, TN.

 

[jstanier]

I really like the new style keyboards, they're really nice to type on -- and quiet too! I'm definitely hoping that the new MBP has them.

That Radio Shack computer is awesome. I remember my family's ZX Spectrum with those nasty rubber keys

 

[aleksandra.]

+1

I get that some folks like the chiclet keyboards and I even get that the kool aid inspires others to want to like the new keyboards, even before laying a finger on them. There will be many youngsters running around next week under the impression that chiclet keyboards are yet another Apple innovation, many of these same folks knew squat about Apple until they wanted something post 2001 to match their snazzy new iPods and sassy commercials.

I consider the keyboard on my MBP to be the very best laptop keyboard I have used and with 30 years of hands on experience with chiclet keyboards, as they arrive and vanish, under my belt hopefully someone can understand my reservations.

Want to know proof positive that chiclet keyboards are NOT the preferred format? How many people do you know with one? Of those, how many have a computer without a shiny apple logo and still under Applecare? Marketshare indicates consumer preference (particularly with relatively cheap computer accessories) and with 30+ years of chiclet keyboard attempts its not like consumers have not had a chance to switch.

I certainly don't have anything near to 30 years of keyboard-using experience, but I like MB's keyboard. And I absolutely hate the sort of rubbery thing that you get in calculators, real chiclet keyboard. The thing is, Apple doesn't use it. It's some kind of hybrid as far as I know. I'm used to a perfectly normal PC keyboard, and apart from having separate keys (which I personally like), MacBook's keyboard feels almost the same. So no, I don't understand why it's called chiclet (even if it works similarly), nor why people insist these are the same as 30 years ago. Photo someone posted above clearly shows a different keyboard. It just has separate keys. I actually didn't like the idea until I typed on MB, and I was surprised how good it feels.

Anyway, I don't really care whether they keep MBP keyboard or not, but can't they make it spill-safe? It'd be the best improvement they could make to it.

 

[iMacmatician]

Wow 4K RAM

Even my old graphing calculator has 32 KB RAM.

 

[jTreu]

i dont see how they wouldnt change to the mb keyboard, every other computer has them but the mbp and apple tends to follow a design language throughout their entire line.