The magic keyboard is worth the price.

[nfl46]

I guess it's all relative because you have an iPhone Xs Max ($1,100) which is more than the base price of a MacBook Air ($1,000).

I use Swappa to purchase my devices. I paid $510 for my Xs Max. I’d never pay $1,000+ for a smartphone.

 

[ssledoux]

I absolutely LOVE the MK. I have the 11” pro/MK combo and it’s awesome!

 

[Abazigal]

I bought the magic keyboard over the weekend and will be returning it tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong. It's an excellent piece of hardware, and also a very specialised piece of kit. For me, the absolute dealbreaker is that I am not able to flip the keyboard to the back like I can with my Smart Keyboard. I thought it wouldn't bother me, and I was seduced by the thought of owning the latest and greatest, but two days into teaching, and the pros are simply not worth the cons.

It's heavier and bulkier, and I am not able to just place my iPad flat on the table like I could previously.

I have also ordered another smart keyboard to replace my previous one which is coming apart at the seams.

Like they said - if it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess.

 

[ssledoux]

I bought the magic keyboard over the weekend and will be returning it tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong. It's an excellent piece of hardware, and also a very specialised piece of kit. For me, the absolute dealbreaker is that I am not able to flip the keyboard to the back like I can with my Smart Keyboard. I thought it wouldn't bother me, and I was seduced by the thought of owning the latest and greatest, but two days into teaching, and the pros are simply not worth the cons.

It's heavier and bulkier, and I am not able to just place my iPad flat on the table like I could previously.

I have also ordered another smart keyboard to replace my previous one which is coming apart at the seams.

Like they said - if it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess.

It’s funny how different people appreciate different things. I couldn’t stand how the keyboard folio flipped back and left the keys exposed. I preferred the original ASK to that. Of course when I wanted to use the iPad in my lap, I felt both of those added to much bulk. I like how easy it is to pop the iPP off the MK and take it to the couch or recliner for using in my lap.

But the typing experience on the ASK was my favorite. I’ve definitely gotten used to the MK already, and I have no issues typing on it, but when I had my 1st and 2nd 12.9s with the ASK, I could type faster than I ever have - something about those light little keys - same feel as the keyboard folio.

I’m appreciating the backlighting on this MK too - something I never thought I would find useful at all.

 

[Abazigal]

It’s funny how different people appreciate different things. I couldn’t stand how the keyboard folio flipped back and left the keys exposed. I preferred the original ASK to that. Of course when I wanted to use the iPad in my lap, I felt both of those added to much bulk. I like how easy it is to pop the iPP off the MK and take it to the couch or recliner for using in my lap.

But the typing experience on the ASK was my favorite. I’ve definitely gotten used to the MK already, and I have no issues typing on it, but when I had my 1st and 2nd 12.9s with the ASK, I could type faster than I ever have - something about those light little keys - same feel as the keyboard folio.

I’m appreciating the backlighting on this MK too - something I never thought I would find useful at all.

The thing for me is that the Smart Keyboard has served as a protective back covering for my iPad, which meant that I was not averse to just putting it down on a hard surface for fear that it might scratch or wear away at the back of my iPad over time. I have been holding the iPad naked these 2 days in class and it's just not as comfortable, and I definitely need to be more conscious about gripping it tightly and how I put it down.

It also loses a lot of spontaneity. Previously, if I needed to refer to something in my iPad, I could just slip it out of my bag, flip the keyboard backwards, unlock my iPad and use it as a tablet on the move. That is now lost with the magic keyboard.

Funny thing - I have never used the backlit keyboard on my MacBook Air, because I am always typing in a well-lit environment. Well, one with enough light to let me see the position of the keys at any rate. If I need to rely on the keys illuminating themselves, the room is simply too dark, and I am not going to do any work in such a place.

I never owned the original smart keyboard, but it looked like an absolute hassle to fold.

Another funny thing about the magic keyboard - I have already gotten crumbs stuck in one of the keys. Something that never happened before. But it's definitely sturdier and more rigid and as I stare at it now on my desk, it's an absolute piece of engineering. Shame.

In hindsight, I should have known better, but as mentioned, my former Smart Keyboard was coming apart at the seams, and it seemed like a good opportunity to try out the new keyboard.

But at least I got to play around with it for a couple of days. Plus Apple replacing my AirPods the 2nd time, well, I am definitely using their customer support enough.

 

[ssledoux]

The thing for me is that the Smart Keyboard has served as a protective back covering for my iPad, which meant that I was not averse to just putting it down on a hard surface for fear that it might scratch or wear away at the back of my iPad over time. I have been holding the iPad naked these 2 days in class and it's just not as comfortable, and I definitely need to be more conscious about gripping it tightly and how I put it down.

It also loses a lot of spontaneity. Previously, if I needed to refer to something in my iPad, I could just slip it out of my bag, flip the keyboard backwards, unlock my iPad and use it as a tablet on the move. That is now lost with the magic keyboard.

Funny thing - I have never used the backlit keyboard on my MacBook Air, because I am always typing in a well-lit environment. Well, one with enough light to let me see the position of the keys at any rate. If I need to rely on the keys illuminating themselves, the room is simply too dark, and I am not going to do any work in such a place.

I never owned the original smart keyboard, but it looked like an absolute hassle to fold.

Another funny thing about the magic keyboard - I have already gotten crumbs stuck in one of the keys. Something that never happened before. But it's definitely sturdier and more rigid and as I stare at it now on my desk, it's an absolute piece of engineering. Shame.

In hindsight, I should have known better, but as mentioned, my former Smart Keyboard was coming apart at the seams, and it seemed like a good opportunity to try out the new keyboard.

But at least I got to play around with it for a couple of days. Plus Apple replacing my AirPods the 2nd time, well, I am definitely using their customer support enough.

I got a skin for the back of mine, but I am certainly a bit more careful with my iPP because of not having a case, not that I was ever careless. Unless I set it down on the couch, I usually get up and put it back on the MK when I’m done. I am just funny like that with my tech.

I never used a keyboard in the dark either, but the MK is so much easier to use in my lap that I find sometimes I’ll use it on the couch to read the forums and stuff, and have the keyboard on in case I want to respond to posts. I never used to do that with the other keyboard because unless my lap was perfectly flat, the iPad would be shifted loose or the keyboard would collapse. The MK is sturdy, so that doesn’t happen.

But the crumb issue is real. I don’t typically eat around my keyboard, but even just larger dust particles and stuff getting in there is annoying. The ASK and KF are so easy to keep clean because they have no cracks!