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New iMac Keyboard Revealed?
- Thread starter mrat93
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hold on!
For those of you that don't like this new design, or think it doesn't look so great, look at the photo of the back of the keyboard, it's got that little sticker on it that says, "Not for Cosmetic"?
Couldn't that mean it's a prototype that hasn't been prettied up? You know, just for useage testing? To see how well the key design works, but not for public consumption...
For those of you that don't like this new design, or think it doesn't look so great, look at the photo of the back of the keyboard, it's got that little sticker on it that says, "Not for Cosmetic"?
Couldn't that mean it's a prototype that hasn't been prettied up? You know, just for useage testing? To see how well the key design works, but not for public consumption...
Hm... there's something suspicious about the photograph showing the bottom of the keyboard, the one with the components sticker. Looks like somebody has cloned over the left hand side of the casing. The white colour is off in an inconsistant non smooth graduation (like you would get under normal conditions) compared to the right half. It's a darker and cooler colour than the warmer/green/yellowish white of the other half. Raise the contrast in PhotoShop for instance if you can't make it out. You'll also see the sharp delineation that you'd get through amateur use of something like a PS clone brush.
Not implying that this rumour is fake, but that picture's definately been digitally altered.
Not implying that this rumour is fake, but that picture's definately been digitally altered.
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You may be absolutely right -- it just seems slightly illogical. regardless I love the design.
I'm sorry, but I don't get this, or the rest of the people saying it's beautiful. The white on metal IS butt ugly. Also, the USB ports wouldn't allow for wide usb connections (e.g. first gen shuffle), though if they are unpowered, I guess you wouldn't want to put it there anyway. The flat keys are ugly, but I admit that is a matter of preference really. However, liking the white on metal betrays a lack of style.
Looks like all the F key have been rearraged. Spaces is F8 in all Leopard builds I've seen. Actually, it looks like they took the keys from a white Macbook, added additional ALT and CTRL keys where the Macbook's cursors are. This would explain why the eject key is on top of backspace; If it wasn't, ther would be a gap.
I don't think that will be the new iMac keyboard, looks more like a prototype to me, hence the label on the bottom where it says what manufactures for the different thing were used. I can imagine they have a bunch of those thing at Apple with different keys, layouts, materials etc. for inside ergonomy testing.
I wouldn't be surprised if the updated keybpoards look similar. I personally love the Macbook keyboard and would get one of those.
I don't think that will be the new iMac keyboard, looks more like a prototype to me, hence the label on the bottom where it says what manufactures for the different thing were used. I can imagine they have a bunch of those thing at Apple with different keys, layouts, materials etc. for inside ergonomy testing.
I wouldn't be surprised if the updated keybpoards look similar. I personally love the Macbook keyboard and would get one of those.
I really hope this isn't the final design. If you ask me, white and metal (which seem to be Apple's two main design elements of late) don't work so well together. Almost looks like something that has been assembled from spare parts (which could be partly true if this is just a prototype model).
Don't get me wrong. Even though this is my first post here, I didn't register just to bash Apple's design. I really like MacBook's keyboard, for example, and I think that this keyboard would look much better too if the background was white.
I was also hoping for the new keyboard to be, well, a lot more ergonomic, but I guess that won't happen. Unless this proves to be fake of course.
Don't get me wrong. Even though this is my first post here, I didn't register just to bash Apple's design. I really like MacBook's keyboard, for example, and I think that this keyboard would look much better too if the background was white.
I was also hoping for the new keyboard to be, well, a lot more ergonomic, but I guess that won't happen. Unless this proves to be fake of course.
finally: shortcut keys... theres itunnes controls, volume, brightness positioned on the left side like on apples laptops. Theres also a dashboard button, and the other one is probably spaces, and not time machine. Expose are probably still the F9, F10, and the F11 keys.
yah - not I have to reach over rather than up to tweak the volume. Hard to see on the small images - but a bit frustrating Apple seems to have co-opt more function keys for what they think are conveniences. Like someone noticed there's a function key for @. For those of us that can actually type, that's a useless shortcut... So they 'take away' function keys for things like new CD controls - yet continue to have a ton of empty space between the arrow heys and page keys? hmmmm
You can plug 1st gen iPods in the current keyboards. But those have USB 1.1 poert, so you really don't want to sync your iPod with that
If they used white plastic instead of aluminum, it would look cheap. Glossy plastic would be too sticky and matte plastic would look wahed out pretty fast. Anodysed aluminum has a nice texture and won't get polished by your fingers that fast. Plus it adds some necessary weight to the keyboard, think how light it would be if it was all plastic, it would mover around when typing.
If this is true, and it looks like it is, I for one will not be using it and continue to use my MacAlley QuickKey keyboard. How they can stop offering a true keyboard with sculpted-raised keys is beyond my imagination to understand.
You bring up a good point. Lying flat on the desk, this would be annoying to type on. The keys are way too low! I dunno though, maybe I'd just have to try it and get used to it.
I tend to agree about the Apple desktop keyboards, but I think that those issues are a byproduct of the design and construction of those boards. This new keyboard, as far as I can tell, simply transplants the MacBook design to a separate piece of hardware. I just don't see any reason that it shouldn't be every bit as durable as the laptop version. I've never had a stuck key or any other sort of issue on my MacBook, which is far more than I can say for my family's squishy, gross, gunked-up iMac G5 board.
I really don't think this thing can be for real.. and if it is, I have lost faith in Jonathan Ive or the designers at Apple AND Steve Jobs if he likes this design at all.
I don't think this is real.
1. It's ugly.
2. Look at the closeups... the keys don't fit right
3. Apple logo doesn't look right
4. It is FANTASTICALLY non-ergonomic
5. Someone is willing to sell them to you now.
1. It's ugly.
2. Look at the closeups... the keys don't fit right
3. Apple logo doesn't look right
4. It is FANTASTICALLY non-ergonomic
5. Someone is willing to sell them to you now.
Well I guess that's where personal preference comes into play. It's the same thing with MB vs. MBP keys, glossy vs. matte screens etc. If you had told people before the first metal PowerBook was released that a metal laptop could be beautiful, I'm sure people would have strongly disagreed. Turns out, the PowerBooks/MacBook Pro's are stunning.
If a simple keyboard can inspire this kind of response in people (beautiful OR ugly), then Apple's doing something right.
If this is true, and it looks like it is, I for one will not be using it and continue to use my MacAlley QuickKey keyboard. How they can stop offering a true keyboard with sculpted-raised keys is beyond my imagination to understand.
I COMPLETELY agree! this keyboard looks like it would be painful to use. I just don't see apple sacrificing function for form to the extent this keyboard exhibits.
Hmmmm, Looks lie a complete piece of garbage.
No open-Apple key? wtf! (and no, I'm not going to call it command, it''s open-Apple, as opposed to the closed-Apple key \rant)
Looks like they also stuck with the "all the Fn-keys in one block" design. I find this design much less user friendly than having the Fn keys in groups of 4. The groups are easy to find with one hand when you're not looking at the keyboard.
It looks like a flat, hard, short travel laptop keyboard. They are a pain to type with because there's no tactile feedback to indicate that you've struck the key, you just have to hammer away. At least the last two revisions have (relatively) long key travel.
I think I'll wait patiently for the Tactile Pro 2.0 to get back in stock.
No open-Apple key? wtf! (and no, I'm not going to call it command, it''s open-Apple, as opposed to the closed-Apple key \rant)
Looks like they also stuck with the "all the Fn-keys in one block" design. I find this design much less user friendly than having the Fn keys in groups of 4. The groups are easy to find with one hand when you're not looking at the keyboard.
It looks like a flat, hard, short travel laptop keyboard. They are a pain to type with because there's no tactile feedback to indicate that you've struck the key, you just have to hammer away. At least the last two revisions have (relatively) long key travel.
I think I'll wait patiently for the Tactile Pro 2.0 to get back in stock.
Because it's the brand of the keyboard. But there's no reason to have two different symbols on the same key to do the same thing. It's officially the Command key, there's no reason to have an Apple on it. I wish they took "Alt" off the Option key as well.
Aside from semantical reasons, it's probably too confusing for switchers. The Windows key activates the Start menu on PCs, but the Apple key doesn't open the Apple menu, it's just another control key.
?? What's wrong with the apple logo? i believe it's fake, but what's wrong with the apple logo?
Bit boring? It's a keyboard for crying out loud. Should it have large flashing neon lights all over it?
It looks very stylish. My only concern, as a writer, is what it is like to type on.