Macbook, iPod and Keyboard USB Question

[fleshman03]

Hey people.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy a macbook or macbook pro sometime next week. I'm going to buy a dock, keyboard and mouse along with it. All Apple branded, just to give me a desktop feel when I'm at my desk. (Imagine that.)

Well here is my question. I have a 16 gb touch. Can I change/sync it through the open USB on the keyboard? (The other one will hand the mighty mouse.) Apples says it can, but I've heard some people say that it only works with an aluminum iMac.

Does it matter which USB port I plug the keyboard into? (Maybe one has less power?)

Thanks and sorry for the noob question.

 

[iToaster]

No, the USB ports on the keyboard are incapable of providing enough power for an iPod. You will get an error message if you try.

 

[ziggyonice]

To tell you the truth, I'm not 100% sure about the Touch, as opposed to other iPods. But if I plug my Classic into the USB ports on the Apple keyboard, iTunes will detect and transfer songs, however it will warn me that it will do so much, much slower. This is because the USB ports on the keyboard are version 1.1, and thus don't have the power for an iPod.

If you get the MacBook Pro, it has three USB ports, which hopefully would help you out a little bit more. Otherwise, just plug the mouse into the keyboard... and then plug the keyboard into one of the USB ports... and the iPod into the other USB port.

Or get a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. More expensive and batteries, but hey, it works.

 

[fleshman03]

Isn't it odd that apple puts this on the page about the mac?

The Apple Keyboard has been completely redesigned, inside and out. It features an elegant, ultra-thin anodized aluminum enclosure with low-profile keys that provide crisp, responsive feel. It also has function keys for one-touch access to a variety of Mac features such as screen brightness, volume, eject, play/pause, fast-forward and rewind, Expose, and Dashboard. Its extended layout includes document navigation controls and a numeric keypad. And two USB 2.0 ports provide high-speed connectivity for your iPod, Mighty Mouse, digital camera, and other USB-based electronic devices.

Are they talking about syncing?

Not trying to be difficult, just wondering.

Edit: It'll have 2 ports. I'm pretty much looking at the 15" ones.

 

[neiltc13]

This is a bit off topic, but I note from your post that you are intending on buying the Apple Mighty Mouse. Please do not do this. In my opinion, it is absolutely the worst mouse I have ever used in my life. I've used junk from tiny companies like PC Line and Trust etc but even these beat the utter rubbish that is the Mighty Mouse.

Believe me, if the MM didn't have an Apple logo on it, it would have been condemned to the depths of hell a long time ago. Clicking is an absolute chore (if you have your finger anywhere close to the opposite side to which you are clicking or on the ball) you will confuse the mouse and you'll get erratic results. If you want to right click a file with the MM you must first remove ALL of your other fingers from the mouse before pressing delicately on the right of the upper case. Scrolling is awful too - that ball is so small, it gets clogged up with dirt and it also provides erratic results.

 

[fleshman03]

One final question before taking the plunge

This is a bit off topic, but I note from your post that you are intending on buying the Apple Mighty Mouse. Please do not do this. In my opinion, it is absolutely the worst mouse I have ever used in my life. I've used junk from tiny companies like PC Line and Trust etc but even these beat the utter rubbish that is the Mighty Mouse.

Believe me, if the MM didn't have an Apple logo on it, it would have been condemned to the depths of hell a long time ago. Clicking is an absolute chore (if you have your finger anywhere close to the opposite side to which you are clicking or on the ball) you will confuse the mouse and you'll get erratic results. If you want to right click a file with the MM you must first remove ALL of your other fingers from the mouse before pressing delicately on the right of the upper case. Scrolling is awful too - that ball is so small, it gets clogged up with dirt and it also provides erratic results.

See I just came back from the Apple store. Seriously, it was two minutes ago. My GF and I tried the wired mighty mouse. She loved it. I'm going to end up getting it. I still have my old Dell wireless keyboard and mouse, so if I end up not liking it or it dies, I'll have a backup.

As I said, I just went to the Apple store. I'm thinking I'm going to get the 2.5ghz Macbook Pro. I just like it better. Not to mention that I thought the 17inch made the keyboard and trackpad looked tiny. GF didn't like that. (She's going to get it after a year when she starts grad school.)

So here is my final question before I take the dive. If I buy the Macbook and Touch from my campus computer store, can I still get the rebate for the touch? They just need to be on the same receipt, as I understand it. It'll save me an extra 50 bucks over the normal student discount.

Thanks for everyone who answered and might answer. You guys are really helpful and I'm sure I'm going to be using the software sections once I get it. Hopefully, one day I'll be good enough to answer some of these questions myself.

 

[f1]

An iPod will only work with the USB ports on the Apple External keyboard only when it is hooked up to an Aluminum iMac. My aluminum keyboard hooked up to my macbook will only charge my iPod it will not allow it to sync.

 

[AlexH]

An iPod will only work with the USB ports on the Apple External keyboard only when it is hooked up to an Aluminum iMac. My aluminum keyboard hooked up to my macbook will only charge my iPod it will not allow it to sync.

Yep. I just synced my iPhone with my Aluminum iMac through use of the keyboard USB port. I ran out of ports in the back...

 

[Chundles]

An iPod will only work with the USB ports on the Apple External keyboard only when it is hooked up to an Aluminum iMac. My aluminum keyboard hooked up to my macbook will only charge my iPod it will not allow it to sync.

That used to be true.

The current Penryn MacBooks and MacBook Pros also seem to have the over-powered USB ports that the iMac has. iPods plugged into the Alu keyboard will charge and sync.

I know this because I have all three and it works just fine.

They still don't work with the MacBook Air superdrive but that's more software related than hardware.