full wireless apple keyboard any time soon?

[qww2mp]

As I think amy others, I'd like a flat wireless apple keyboard, but a full one, including the numpad and the special function buttons. There's an endless number of complaints and chants of not understandig why apple doesn't …*Does anyone have any idea when they will finally come up with one?

cheers

 

[Scottsdale]

As I think amy others, I'd like a flat wireless apple keyboard, but a full one, including the numpad and the special function buttons. There's an endless number of complaints and chants of not understandig why apple doesn't …*Does anyone have any idea when they will finally come up with one?

cheers

I really love mine, but I understand why some want the number pad. For me, I only do 10 key entries for four hours one day per month.

So, I bought a wireless 10 key pad. It was $10 on sale at Office Max or Staples. Mine looks really nice and has a calculator built in. Really nice if you have specific times/apps you need to work on. Something to consider. I know it's not the same and NOT Apple, but still works well and is attractive (mine is stainless steel and black plastic.

Sorry, no clue as to if or when Apple would release a different aluminum keyboard.

 

[qww2mp]

well that's interesting. I've been looking around for a wireless numpad and found none. Logitech, e.g., say's their's is untested on a mac, and the forum entries on the matter seem discouraging. Which one do you use?

 

[js81]

I was in the same boat as you - I wanted the Apple BT keyboard (b/c it looks so nice) but I could not go w/o a number pad. I then found the Rocketfish BT keyboard at BestBuy. It's aluminum with white keys and has a full number pad! And while it's no Apple, it still looks great with my Mac. I got mine for less than half price on eBay - so far I'm very happy with it.

 

[qww2mp]

how about the keys on the rocketfish board? are they flat and macbook-like? or high and need to be pressed way down like in traditional keyboards?

(I'm still curious about the wireless numpad Scottsdale is using.)

 

[liamwillib]

If you've got an iphone/ipod touch get the app NumPad. Works great for my needs.

 

[hodgeheg]

Given Apple's removal of numeric keypads from the laptops, and the fact that they do quite a good job fitting useful functions onto laptop keyboards etc, I suspect that they're not that likely to diversify their keyboard range. If anything the opposite.

I'm probably weird, but what I want is a narrow wired keyboard, i.e. wired without the numeric keypad. For word (not number) typing it allows more ergonomic placement of the keyboard centre screen without the mouse being miles off to the right (right handed, of course). I don't expect to see it, but I'd like to.

Even more than that, I wish I could buy something exactly like the laptop assembly of keyboard and mouse, but as an external peripheral, but like I say, I'm weird 🙂 These exist for IBM stuff, for example, you can buy a thinkpad-style external keyboard and trackpoint/trackpad. But it's specifically apple I want.

 

[akbc]

If you've got an iphone/ipod touch get the app NumPad. Works great for my needs.

Heck yes!
Actually, I don't know/use NumPad but I use NumberKey. It's $0.99 in App Store, and if you have iPod touch/iPhone and know how to set up ad-hoc wireless or just be in the same wi-fi network, then it'll act/behave like a number pad. They have two themes to match Aluminum MacBook/MBP's keyset or the traditional white/silver keyset 🙂

They are very and surpringly responsive and fast. Real easy too. Consider it a pretty good alternative 🙂

 

[Le Big Mac]

. For word (not number) typing it allows more ergonomic placement of the keyboard centre screen without the mouse being miles off to the right (right handed, of course). I don't expect to see it, but I'd like to.

Learn to mouse lefty!

(I've been doing it for years . . . )

 

[ayeplussjr]

As I think amy others, I'd like a flat wireless apple keyboard, but a full one, including the numpad and the special function buttons. There's an endless number of complaints and chants of not understandig why apple doesn't …*Does anyone have any idea when they will finally come up with one?

cheers

OP, I would also love a wireless keyboard with the num keys. I don't know if or when this will happen but I believe it's needed.

 

[qww2mp]

yes, I think NumberKey used with iPhone etc. is a good thing. It doesn't fit my particular needs, though. I need the numpad for shortcuts (in InDesign), so not only has it to be really really fast, but also I can't afford to take my eyes off the screen, which means that I have to be able to use it blindly, that is, by feeling the keys.

 

[js81]

how about the keys on the rocketfish board? are they flat and macbook-like? or high and need to be pressed way down like in traditional keyboards?

(I'm still curious about the wireless numpad Scottsdale is using.)

The keys are short-travel, almost identical to my Macbook. However, they are NOT the "chiclet" style like the Macbook - there's not the spacing between the keys. Here's an eBay link to one so you can see what I mean:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rocketfish-Alum...ryZ15389QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Overall, its a nice keyboard to type on. I've had no problems adjusting, other than the strange placement of the volume keys (I came from an Apple white keyboard). And you'll see some pics that make it look dark grey - it's not - it matches my Mini almost 100% (you can hardly tell any difference), and yes, it is aluminum. Look at the BestBuy link and you'll see what I mean about the color:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...baord&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1218006410555

I've used the new Apple keyboard, too, and while it is a bit higher quality (I love the chiclet keys), this one had everything I wanted for about 1/3 the price of the Apple (I paid $25 for mine).

EDIT: Added a pic of my desktop so you can see how it compares to my Mini (and other accessories)

 

[qww2mp]

looks not so bad. Just wrote them a contact mail asking about a german layout (which is what I need).
There's a few test reports not so good on another rocketfish keyboard (http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/12/27...ultimedia_bluetooth_keyboard_and_laser_mouse/), and the rocketfish website (rocketfishproducts.com) doesn't really work, which makes me a bit, let's say, cautious. But anyway, if they offer a german layout, I might give it a try.

(Still interested in any rumors on the apple product.)