question about the macbook air's keyboard backlight

[kevinf1990]

I just recently got a new macbook air and am loving it so far. I just have one question and want to see if its normal or happening to anyone else. basically when i'm under regular living room lamps and lights the keyboard backlight turns on brighter but dims down when i turn off the light. the backlight does completely turn off when i'm in sunlight which i know is normal though. but i would like to know if the backlight for the keyboard is supposed to dim when under dark condition. i've searched and some people say its normal and some people say it's not.

i guess i can understand the theory behind this where the backlight should dim so that it's less harsh on the eyes in the dark. is this true for everyone else though? please test it out on your laptops. basically just cover the camera and see if the backlight brightens or dims.

thanks

 

[Macman45]

Perfectly normal....In dark conditions as opposed to daylight you may not even notice the difference.

A simple test:

Have your MBA up and running in a dark room

Turn on a lamp as close to it as you can get and watch it change.

 

[kevinf1990]

but i don't get why the backlight should be turned on at all under normal room lighting though

 

[mrsir2009]

Perfectly normal....In dark conditions as opposed to daylight you may not even notice the difference.

A simple test:

Have your MBA up and running in a dark room

Turn on a lamp as close to it as you can get and watch it change.

Or, better yet, put your thumb over the sensor (I assume its next to the camera like on the MacBook Pros).

----------

but i don't get why the backlight should be turned on at all under normal room lighting though

Because it looks pretty

 

[kevinf1990]

yeah that's exactly what i did. i was in a moderately lit room and covered the sensor and the keyboard backlight went dim. i guess it is normal then :\

 

[kkdart]

Yes your ambient light sensor is working. But is it the isight or a dedicated sensor?

 

[Comeagain?]

Yes your ambient light sensor is working. But is it the isight or a dedicated sensor?

Dedicated sensor. The iSight is only on when the led is lit.

I'm guessing it's on often because a lot of people like it. And when it's not needed, it is dimmed to conserve battery.

 

[mrsir2009]

Yes your ambient light sensor is working. But is it the isight or a dedicated sensor?

If you look real close to the iSight camera you'll see a tiny sensor to the left of it.

 

[alphaod]

This is normal behavior. If the backlight annoys (as it annoys me) I recommend disabling it all together. In a lit environment you can see the keys. In a dark environment, the screen will light the keys. That said I touch type, so the backlight isn't needed.

 

[Poindexter333]

FWIW there is a free app called "Lab Tick" that can force the keyboard light to always stay on- which I prefer. I loved it on the MBA Rev A, and the lack of a keyboard light kept me from buying a replacement MBA until the latest version.

Something about the lighting just "feels right."

I still don't touch type, so I glance at the keyboard often. And I usually use my MBA in a very darkened room.