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How is the keyboard in the dark?

gri

gri

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 17, 2004
847
187
New York City, aka Big Apple
So, I went yesterday evening to the Apple store in Georgetown as I happened to be near by and checked out the new Airs. The keyboard letters look reflective bu the keyboard also looked somehow cheaper (which I guess it is truly). Tough to test the usability in the dark in the store, I tried to hover over it with my jacket (must have looked pretty stupid) but it is not a real live test. So for you who had a backlit keyboard before - how is it?
 
gri said:
So, I went yesterday evening to the Apple store in Georgetown as I happened to be near by and checked out the new Airs. The keyboard letters look reflective bu the keyboard also looked somehow cheaper (which I guess it is truly). Tough to test the usability in the dark in the store, I tried to hover over it with my jacket (must have looked pretty stupid) but it is not a real live test. So for you who had a backlit keyboard before - how is it?
Click to expand...

You tested it wrong:

body-laptop-sweater.jpg



Oh and problem solved:

http://www.barefeats.com/mbpp28.html
 
Eric-PTEK said:
I do not get the obsession backlit keyboard.

Just learn to type :)
Click to expand...

Can we stop these childish and non-productive comments? Maybe my needs are different than yours and maybe I can type but not always touch type.

If the C2D was not as old as it is and if the base configuration had 256 SSD and 4G of RAM it would be not such a large factor but it is not so the downgrade to a non BLKB is more significant in the overall context.
 
Look, I get the whole "I'm pissed they took away a standard Macbook feature" argument. I don't like losing a backlit keyboard either, although I can't remember the last time I actually had mine turned on in the first place.

But the keyboard doesn't have one. Thats a fact. Asking whether or not it makes any difference to anyone is irrelevant and a waste of your typing skills. How can we tell you whether or not it "makes a difference" for YOUR usage/needs?

That's like asking a blind person what color of blue they prefer more....its irrelevant and they have no basis for comparison.

It doesn't have one. Buy it or not, but asking for opinions when we aren't using your eyeballs is asinine.
 
Apple probably removed the Keyboard light so they can report on the new Battery life without having to tell people ... Oh by the way we test with the keyboard not lit

They will bring it back on a refresh down the road.

They are the smartest Marketing Apples in the Basket.
 
It's fine, it's close enough to the screen it's not an issue. Usually i found the backlighting to be hyper annoying anyway, as it was so easily confused.
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
Look, I get the whole "I'm pissed they took away a standard Macbook feature" argument. I don't like losing a backlit keyboard either, although I can't remember the last time I actually had mine turned on in the first place.

But the keyboard doesn't have one. Thats a fact. Asking whether or not it makes any difference to anyone is irrelevant and a waste of your typing skills. How can we tell you whether or not it "makes a difference" for YOUR usage/needs?

That's like asking a blind person what color of blue they prefer more....its irrelevant and they have no basis for comparison.

It doesn't have one. Buy it or not, but asking for opinions when we aren't using your eyeballs is asinine.
Click to expand...

Maybe you should take your forum name in your mouth here. I am aware that everybody's needs are different but also that some are similar - there might be people here who also liked to have the old BLKB and indeed bought a new one and can now report something: I needed the BLKB but its fine with the new one (or not). Thought about that?
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
But the keyboard doesn't have one. Thats a fact. Asking whether or not it makes any difference to anyone is irrelevant and a waste of your typing skills. How can we tell you whether or not it "makes a difference" for YOUR usage/needs?
Click to expand...

What a dumb response. What are these effing boards for if not to ask opinions? Just to gush over one's new purchases?

And OF COURSE everyone is different and has slightly different needs but that does not eliminate the need to ask for opinions from those who have experienced it.

Don't reply if you can't help.
 
Oh please.

Hey, can you tell me if a size 10 shoe is going to hurt my feet? How about it everyone out there? Is a size 10 shoe going to hurt me feet or not? Will a blue size 10 shoe feel better to me than a red one? What about if I plan on walking in them?

See how useless that line of questioning is? Yeah...now you get it.
 
Apple OC said:
Apple probably removed the Keyboard light so they can report on the new Battery life without having to tell people ... Oh by the way we test with the keyboard not lit

They will bring it back on a refresh down the road.

They are the smartest Marketing Apples in the Basket.
Click to expand...

At least on the 11" there may not be enough space to have backlighting. I hear that keystroke travel is half of a normal keyboard. If there isn't even enough room to depress the keys maybe there is not enough room for the lighting.

Can't say on the 13". That seems to have traditional keyboard travel.

I guess we should be grateful that they made the lettering reflective silver. It seems at least they were thinking about it.
 
the screen emits enough light for me to see the keyboard whenever I need to see the keys...
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
Oh please.

Hey, can you tell me if a size 10 shoe is going to hurt my feet? How about it everyone out there? Is a size 10 shoe going to hurt me feet or not? Will a blue size 10 shoe feel better to me than a red one? What about if I plan on walking in them?

See how useless that line of questioning is? Yeah...now you get it.
Click to expand...

Another dumb reply. I don't care about your feet. Let me guess, you'll do yet another dumb reply so you can have the last word. Go for it.
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
Oh please.

Hey, can you tell me if a size 10 shoe is going to hurt my feet? How about it everyone out there? Is a size 10 shoe going to hurt me feet or not? Will a blue size 10 shoe feel better to me than a red one? What about if I plan on walking in them?

See how useless that line of questioning is? Yeah...now you get it.
Click to expand...

You are digging yourself deeper. Your original comment was uncalled for. Your rationalization is not rectifying anything.

/Jim
 
gri said:
So, I went yesterday evening to the Apple store in Georgetown as I happened to be near by and checked out the new Airs. The keyboard letters look reflective bu the keyboard also looked somehow cheaper (which I guess it is truly). Tough to test the usability in the dark in the store, I tried to hover over it with my jacket (must have looked pretty stupid) but it is not a real live test. So for you who had a backlit keyboard before - how is it?
Click to expand...

I share your concern, and will be able to answer next week when mine arrives. I use my laptop a lot laying back in bed... often in the middle of the night. Of all the laptops that I have had, my 2009 MBA is the easiest to use in the dark. My Alu MBP (silver backlit keys) was OK... but not as good as my MBA.

I have owned number of laptops with the LED light that shines down from the bezel. Several were IBM Thinkpads... and I also currently have an HP 2530. While those are much better then relying simply on the screen illumination... they are still vastly inferior to the backlit keyboards that I have used.

If I do not like the new MBA... I'll be giving it to my wife (who has been patiently waiting to inherit my existing MBA). Even though I am an proficient touch typist... I suspect that this will be a pretty big downgrade. I'll be willing to bet that the next upgrade will reintroduce a backlit keyboard... and I'll buy a new one then. Luckily for me... my wife is satisfied with my hand-me-downs... and she only uses computers while sitting at a desk in a well illuminated room.

/Jim
 
gri said:
Can we stop these childish and non-productive comments? Maybe my needs are different than yours and maybe I can type but not always touch type.

If the C2D was not as old as it is and if the base configuration had 256 SSD and 4G of RAM it would be not such a large factor but it is not so the downgrade to a non BLKB is more significant in the overall context.
Click to expand...

No, Eric's right really. If you learned how to touch type it shouldn't be an issue. Those raised bars on the F and J keys are there so you can know where your proper hand position is with out looking. I don't look at the keyboard at all when I type and haven't done so since they broke that habit back in typing class in grade school. They actually used to put a black cover over the keyboard so you couldn't see the keys at all. :eek: :p

The backlit keyboard is really just a "nice-to-have". It just makes the machine look nicer, that's about all it does for me :). It's actually not hard to see with the light coming off the screen anyways.
 
I'd much prefer that my new MBA had a backlit keyboard. Typing in the dark is a bit of a pain.

But the computer otherwise is so great that I'm having no regrets.
 
Scott6666 said:
What a dumb response. What are these effing boards for if not to ask opinions? Just to gush over one's new purchases?

And OF COURSE everyone is different and has slightly different needs but that does not eliminate the need to ask for opinions from those who have experienced it.

Don't reply if you can't help.
Click to expand...

+1

I want to know what others are saying too! I love the design of the new MBA computers but I'm not happy about the backlight removal. I want opinions from people who bought a new MBA with the same concerns. I know I'm not alone and I think other people could help me out with my concerns.
 
adsdas

the keyboard is much sturdier feeling than the macbook air rev ab anc c , but the backlight is missed a lot. I miss it less since ive played with this new machine however its much snappier so I will sacrafice that any day. And for the 2000.00 i paid for my old machine this 1400.00 model is much better.
 
I don't have any problems with the keyboard. I only use it to type in websites I frequent, so it's more of a 3 to 5 letter stroke before it looks through my history and I just hit enter to proceed. If I had or were to try and type a report on it, then I would hate to not have a backlit. The thing that annoys me more than not having the backlit, is that the sound button is moved one over to the left. Having both a 15 inch macbook pro and now the 13.3 air, I now second guess myself when trying to adjust the volume, and always squint to make sure i'm looking at the right place. Must be getting old I guess.
 
It's funny. When I bought my kid her first MacBook I was choosing between the 13" Standard and Pro models. The only really functional difference was the lack of backlit keyboard on the standard. I went for the Standard to save a few hundred bucks figuring she didn't have to have it. But for me???? Could I live without???

She's never ever mentioned her keyboard is not backlit. Nor has my wife with her Lenova Stinkpad. Nor any of my sales staff I stick with netbooks or $400 windows laptops. We are so spoiled.
 
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